Connellsville Historical Society Newsletter An Update From the CAHS Article by Karen Hechler Amazing people have been part of the Connellsville Area Historical Society from the very beginning of our history. Losing those amazing people is very difficult. Just this August, Connellsville lost an accomplished and skilled carpenter, Art Graham. Art was approaching his 99th birthday, and he knew more about Connellsville than many I have known. When we talked, he would tell me what used to be located in a certain area, and who owned what property, and what businesses flourished at an earlier time. His connection with the Historical Society came through his restoration of the woodwork in the Historic Gibson House. Our Gibson House was badly damaged in two fires in 2001, and Art was hired to restore the front door, the stairway, and the other woodwork in the house. He did restore most of the woodwork, but he just couldn't complete the last two rooms. His work is superior. We thank him for his love of restoring this historic home. He wanted to restore the downstairs room on the right as you enter the house. This room was originally the parlor. This work was done in memory of his beloved wife, Nelda Kern Graham as a gift to the Connellsville Area Historical Society. After he could no longer work on the house, Art sent me a letter in which he thanked the Historical Society for allowing him to restore the Gibson House. What a humble man? We were fortunate to have the evidence of his talent and gifts throughout the Gibson House. Another unfortunate loss came with the death of Martha Luppold in early summer. Martha was our master gardener. She kept the flower beds at the Gibson House in great shape, and she tended 1
the herb garden at Crawford's Cabin. This year our flowering beds showed the loss of Martha's skillful gift of dealing with nature. Martha also served as a Board Member for the Historical Society. This former nurse was a dynamo of energy. Anytime there was work to be done, Martha was there to help. We certainly miss Martha's touch. We are glad that Martha's husband, Roger remains active in our Society, and we are always glade to see their son, Mark. We are thankful for two amazing lives. Upcoming Events September 13, 2017 - Hilary Miller will be our speaker. Information on Hilary is included in this newsletter. Meeting at the Gibson House at 7:00 pm. Refreshments will be served. October 11, 2017 - Matt Gault will again visit us from Fort Ligonier. Meeting at the Gibson House at 7:00 pm. November 2017 - Veterans Day and Pride in Connellsville Area Reception at the Presbyterian Church on Green and Pittsburgh Streets at 6:00 pm December 2, 2017 - Christmas spirit is in the air! Open House at the Gibson House as part of It's a Connellsville Christmas. Special guest will be Dan Kelly, Master Fiddler from Connellsville now living in Nashville. Donations of homemade cookies are welcome. December 6, 2017 - Connellsville Area Historical Society Christmas Party at the Cochran House in Dawson at 6:00 pm 2018 - The Gibson House celebrates its 200th Anniversary. Temporary exhibits to be announced. A Hero with Her Eyes on the Stars Article by Karen Hechler What constitutes a hero? Checking Webster s Collegiate Dictionary, I found many examples to illustrate this concept, and the one I settled for was an illustrious warrior, a person admired for his/ her achievements and noble qualities. Heroic was defined as a determined effort in face of difficulty. In most cases the definitions dealt with a masculine slant, but the heroes of this presentation were young women who went beyond the call of duty to fulfill a need that existed during the Second World War. These young women expected 2
very little in return except the privilege of serving their country. In today s society where we often hear, What s in it for me? or How much do I get paid? this attitude was really amazing. Would a military force exist today if the military personnel had to pay their own way to basic training, pay their own way home, and then be dismissed from service with no future benefits? Families also would have to pay for funeral expenses for those who died in service since there was no insurance to cover the cost. Would many people opt to participate? Well, approximately 1,100 young women volunteered to serve in the WASP organization. These specially selected women were the cream of the crop of young women pilots, and they volunteered with their motivation being the love of flying and the privilege of being of service during the war. What does WASP mean? These initials stand for Women Airforce Service Pilots. What united these women was the love of flying. Remember this was back in the early 1940s when aviation was most definitely not a profession that young women aspired to conquer. These were not your usual women, but definitely women of courage and daring, and they wanted to serve their nation in a time of crisis. Our military was busy training young male pilots for overseas duty. Women were not sent into combat at that time in history, but what about domestic flights that needed to be handled here at home? Who would fly the planes being produced in our factories to military bases? Who would fly the planes from one base to another? Could that duty be handled by women? Women were beginning to take a very active role in factories; we all know about Rosie the Riveter. Why not Amy Aviator? Now, there never was an Amy Aviator to my knowledge, but there were women who could fly and were more than willing to help Uncle Sam in the war effort and free the men for combat duty. Portrait of Florence Shutsy One such young woman was Florence Shutsy who later became Florence Shutsy Reynolds. Florence is a Connellsville girl and was educated in the Connellsville School System. She told me that as early as ten years old, she knew that she wanted to learn to fly, and that her family was always supportive of that dream. There was never any doubt that she would become a pilot. She got her original flight training at the, then recently constructed, Connellsville Airport. 3
Florence graduated from Dunbar Township High School in 1940. When she learned about the government s Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), she joined this non-college program and attended ground school in the evening at The Connellsville Airport. Florence informed us that she was among the last females trained under CPTP because the US government eliminated women from the program in 1941 so that more space was available for men who would be needed for the coming war. Shutsy, as she was known to her friends, wanted to become part of the Women s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) which had been organized by the famous aviatrix, Jacqueline Cochran. Miss Cochran had convinced the Army to create a training unit to prepare women pilots to ferry planes to embarkation points for shipment overseas or to stateside bases. Shutsy told me that she wrote Jackie Cochran weekly about her desire to join the program. But there was one big problem. You had to be 21 years old to be considered, and Shutsy was too young. But fortunately for her, the age requirement was dropped in August 1943 to 18 ½, and Florence was on her way. Originally the women pilots were trained at Howard Hughes Field in Houston, Texas. But, the unit (WFTD) soon outgrew the facilities at Hughes. A new facility, that was larger and better equipped, was established at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. Florence said that Avenger Field was located on a rolling prairie about 40 miles west of Abilene, Texas. The first new classes of women began training at Avenger Field in March 1943. There were still some British cadets being trained, but that training was being phased out. When the British cadets left, Avenger Field became the only all-female Army air base in American history. In June 1943, the WFTD and the WAFS (Women s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron) were consolidated under Colonel Jacqueline Cochran s command into the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Florence made us laugh when she talked about the standard uniform for the WASP at Avenger. The women were given Army surplus mechanic s overalls, size 44 and up. She said they came in three sized; big," bigger and really big. The girls had to wrap a belt around themselves several times so that the overalls would stay in place. The ladies affectionately referred to these uniforms as zoot suits. The early classes of pilots had no uniforms, but for 4
Interested in Visiting the Gibson House? formal occasions, they wore short sleeved white shirts, men s khaki pants (altered to fit), and a general s cap. Eventually, they did receive uniforms. Florence s original uniform is in the museum at Sweetwater, Texas. But she has one that she wears modeled after the original; we were all jealous that Florence can wear the same size that she wore back in 1943. WASP received exactly the same primary, basic, and advanced training as every male cadet in the Army Air Force received. Once the WASP earned their wings, many went through specialized training to fly planes such as the B-26 and B-17. This was an amazingly elite group of women. Altogether 1,830 women were accepted into the WASP program out of 25,000 applicants. Of the 1,830, only 1,074 earned their wings. Seven hundred fifty-six trainees washed out or were killed before completing their training. Florence told us that WASP were sent on many different assignments. These included: flying bombers and fighters, towing targets, ferrying planes equipment and personnel, flight testing redline aircraft, instructing male cadets, flying radar tracking and night staffing missions. The Connellsville Area Historical Society Archive is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10:00am to 3:00pm. If you would like to use the archive collections, please set up an appointment. Contact the CAHS via email: reedys@outlook.com or phone: (724) 628-5344. This exceptional group of women pilots existed as a group for two years, 1943-1944. The WASP were disbanded on December 20, 1944. The original purpose was to fill in for men who were needed elsewhere. In 1944, this was no longer the case. In this short period, the women had logged more than 60 million miles, ferried more than 12,000 planes and performed other essential jobs to assist the war effort. It is estimated that they freed 1,000 men for air combat and proved beyond a doubt that women were capable of dealing with the stress and complexity of military aviation. It was not until 1977 that women again graduated from Air Force pilot training. These heroic women pilots were denied military status, honors or benefits. You didn t see a gold star in the windows of the families whose daughters were part of the WASP. Those who died were not given the honor of a flag draped coffin. It was not until November 23, 1977, that President Carter signed a bill giving official military status to those women who broke down traditional barriers to women s accomplishments. They finally had the veterans status that they had earned, but by 1977, most of the benefits that had been granted other World War II veterans were gone. 5
I asked Florence if she were bitter because she hadn t received the benefits given to other World War II veterans, and she smiled at me and told me that it was an honor to have served her country. To me, a hero is one who serves his/her country because it is an honor to be an American. Florence Shutsy Reynolds definitely is a hero and a pioneer. Her group paved the way for other young women to reach for the stars. The motto of the WASP was; We live in the wind and sand and our eyes are on the stars. A desire on the part of WASP veterans to keep their story alive resulted in a National WASP Museum located in Sweetwater, Texas. To help cover the expense of establishing and maintaining a museum, Florence made use of her special skill as a silversmith. She has designed and made beautiful WASP rings. She also crafts the reproductions of the silver wings that were worn by the WASP. Her many craft items are sold in WASP stores along with other memorabilia concerning this unique group of ladies. Florence Shutsy Reynolds was and is still an amazing woman. She still loves to fly and said that anytime she gets a chance to fly, she will take it. It s a little harder getting into and out of the plane now days, but the thrill has never diminished. Keep on flying Florence, Connellsville salutes you! We honor your selfless service to your country, and you represent all that is good and fine in American citizens. You are one of Connellsville s distinguished citizens. Florence is definitely a wonderful illustration of the word, HERO. What could possibly be a finer summation to the fabulous story of the WASP than to be honored by their country? On July 1, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the bill that awarded a Congressional Gold Medal to Women Airforce Service Pilots. The President stated, Every American should be grateful for their service, and I am honored to sign this bill to finally give them the hard-earned recognition they deserve. Thankfully Florence Shutsy Reynolds was one of the remaining 300 WASP's to have lived to see this great day. The Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Florence is a treasured gift that she presented to the Connellsville Area Historical Society to be part of our collection of Connellsville history. It is proudly on display in the Historical Society Military Room at the Gibson House. 6
Meet Hilary Miller Hilary Miller is a seasonal park ranger with the National Park Service at Fort Necessity National Battlefield and Friendship Hill National Historical Site in southwestern Pennsylvania. Miller is a Ph.D. Candidate in American Studies at the Pennsylvania State University. Her dissertation focuses on the National Road, a key transportation network extending from Cumberland, Maryland, to Vandalia, Illinois, in the first half of the nineteenth century, and examines the road s place in American cultural memory and history. Miller is a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College, where she earned her BA in History and English. She received her MA in History with a Public History concentration as well as a Graduate Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Miller currently serves as an Instructor of History at Penn State Mont Alto and has previously taught at Washington and Jefferson College, Penn State Harrisburg, and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Miller will present on the civilian camp followers of the Braddock Campaign. Civilians, both men and women, served during the 1755 Braddock Campaign and acted as support personnel for the soldiers and officers. Although many remember the military leaders and soldiers of the campaign, the civilian camp followers accompanying the army experienced the same trials, tribulations, and, ultimately, disastrous defeat. Miller will discuss the different roles fulfilled by civilians with the Braddock Campaign as well as what life was like as a camp follower with the British army. MEET DAN KELLY Portrait of a young Dan Kelly with his favorite instrument, a fiddle. Dan Kelly grew up on Breakneck Road in Connellsville, and he graduated from Connellsville High School in 1983. He is the son and only child of Gloria and Ken Kelly. He has family in White, PA, and he returns for visits once or twice a year. This was a good place to grow up in according to Dan. This local boy went on to become the Grand Master Fiddle Champion playing at the Grand Ole Opry, Carnegie Hall, and the Kennedy Center. He has appeared on the Grammy's, CMA & ACM Awards Shows, the Tonight Show, David Letterman, and Good Morning America. 7
Welcome to the CAHS Archive by Sarah Reedy, Archivist for the CAHS Welcome to the Connellsville Area Historical Society (CAHS) Archive! In this issue of the newsletter I wanted to share my experience with restoration. In Spring 2017, the Gibson House was repointed by Humes Masonry. Humes Masonry was fantastic to work with and took every care of the Gibson House. The end result is beautiful! A new life was breathed into the Gibson House. The CAHS is grateful to Matt Humes and his crew for their work. The experience of working during the restoration was a new experience for me. The first task of the restoration was constructing the scaffolding and covering the windows with plastic. The plastic prevents dust, from construction, entering the house. Humes and his crew then began the arduous task of removing the cement mortar from the joints. The Gibson House covered in scaffolding during restoration. Photograph by Sarah Reedy Previous residents of the Gibson House had repointed the Gibson House using cement. This cement mortar was not the correct style of mortar for the Gibson House, which was constructed in 1818. In addition to the inauthenticity of the mortar, the application of the mortar was messy and obscured the beautiful stonework of the house. The CAHS made the decision to remove the cement mortar. The process of removing the mortar was very dusty. The plastic covers, Humes Masonry installed, did a great deal to keep the majority of the dust out of the Gibson House. As anyone who owns a historic structure will tell you, old houses are drafty and the Gibson House is no exception. After the first day of removing the cement mortar, the interior of the Gibson House was covered in a fine layer of dust. The initial days of restoration were spent covering artifacts and documents. Aside from the dust, the process of restoration went smoothly from my perspective. I had plenty of individuals to talk to during the day and the Gibson House received a much-needed face lift. Current Projects and Recent Donations The majority of my time at the CAHS Archive is spent filling research requests. These requests range from genealogical 8
inquiries to requests for information on Connellsville's past. One of my recent projects is the indexing of a newspaper from July 1945. In this "Special Edition" of The Daily Courier, Connellsville area residents could submit pictures of loved ones who enlisted in the US Army, Navy and Airforce. It was a privilege to look through the newspaper and remember the names of the Connellsville men and women who served their country. The CAHS would like to thank: Dan Kelly, Florence Shutsy Reynolds, Kim Wagner, Catherine Zimmerman, Robert H. Brown, Karen Mahokey, Peter Bradley, David Petrone, Blakeley D. Hamilton, and many others for their very generous donations to the CAHS Archive. Calling all History Buffs! Do you have a collection of Connellsville treasures to share? Next year, 2018 is the 200th anniversary of the Gibson House. We would like to have special displays and activities throughout the year. This would be a wonderful opportunity to share your collection with the people of Connellsville and other visitors. If you have other good ideas for our Bicentennial of the Gibson House, please contact us at the above numbers. As part of the CAHS s effort to complete the Military Room, the CAHS would love to include recent military service in the display. If you have military treasures from Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc., with a Connellsville connection please consider donating to the CAHS Archive. We would love to honor you and your family s service to the United States of America. Interested in helping the CAHS with future projects? Below is a list projects the CAHS would like assistance with in 2018: Attic: Restoration of fire damaged beams Basement: Installation of a French Drain Removal a dangerous tree in front of the Gibson House Spring House: plumbing and storage solutions If you have a personal collections of some aspect of Connellsville History or can assist the CAHS with a project, please contact us at 724-628-5640 or 724-628-5344 to make arrangements. 9