TOWN COUNCIL NEWS
Next meeting: Monday, August 8, 2016; 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room. The public is invited to attend.
From the Mayor…
The Emergency Preparedness Task Force Chair, Mark Fredericksen, presented the Task Force’s report to the Town Council in July. The task force included the following recommendations:
- Town Council now decides how to continue this work;
- A standing committee to meet once a month to shepherd the implementation of the recommendations made in the report removing the “task force” title;
- Include an Emergency Preparedness Tab in all Council Handbooks;
- Re-vitalizing the Neighborhood Watch program and pulling them into the process;
- Offering CERT, Red Cross and other training to committee members; and
- The importance of structure.
Copies of the full report are available electronically or hard copy. Please contact Clerk Kathy Lehman if you wish to obtain a copy of the report. Many thanks to Mark and the members of the Emergency Preparedness Task Force for their dedicated work.
The Fourth of July activities were fun-filled and celebrated the birth of our nation. Many thanks to the Recreation Committee for all the work to allow us all to share in the event.
Maple Lake is a special amenity of our Town. Please respect all lake regulations and especially let all in your family know to not share the lake combination with anyone.
Thanks to Lainey Selby for teaching the swimming lessons at the Lake this year. She did a wonderful job and the children enjoyed the lessons.
Summer in the Parks was a resounding success. Kudos to Gray Yachup and to all of the staff and volunteers who made this season so very special. Thank you!
There was a need for a couple of scholarships for campers in Summer In The Parks. Thank you to the individuals who graciously made donations so these camper could attend.
A Gathering For Elly…
The Town of Washington Grove, in coordination with the Briggs family, invites all of you to a Town Potluck Gathering on Saturday, August 27 at 1:00 p.m. in McCathran Hall to remember Elly Briggs, former Mayor, Council member, friend and active participant in numerous Town activities for the past 52 years. All are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Washington Grove Elementary School PTA, noting the ‘Elly Briggs Music Fund’ would honor his interest in fostering the love of music in all youngsters.
Planning Commission News…
Next meeting: Wed., August 3, 2016; 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room. The public is invited to attend.
If you are considering any renovation or building project at your house, be sure to get a copy of the procedures to apply for a Town Building Permit which will help you through the Town’s process. The procedures are available from the Town Clerk or from the Town’s website. Both the Historic Preservation Commission and the Planning Commission are here to help with your renovation/building project.
House Records Project
One of the Planning Commission’s goals is to update property information in the Town’s House Records. You may see volunteers wandering about Town attempting to reconcile inconsistencies in our records as we modernize from paper to computer records. This project will enable property owners to easily access known information about their homes. More to come………
Permits up for approval on August 3, 2016:
- 407 Acorn Lane Fence
Historic Preservation Commission News…
Next meeting: Tuesday, August 16, 2016; 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room. All meetings are open to the public.
If you are considering changes to your home, we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you, most preferably early in your planning process, at one of our monthly meetings, which are scheduled on the third Tuesday of each month, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room.
Mark Your Calendar! Save The Date!
Friday, October 21
Clare Lise Kelly, former Washington Grove resident, preservation planner and architectural historian with the Historic Preservation Office of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, will speak at McCathran Hall on Friday evening, October 21. Clare is the author of Montgomery Modern, a chronicle of mid-century modern architecture in Montgomery County. She will include some local examples of modernism in her presentation. Time to be determined…
FROM THE TOWN ARCHIVES
By Wendy E. Harris, Volunteer Associate Archivist
News Dispatches from Other Centuries
A series devoted to describing Washington Grove’s earliest days based on historic newspapers (appearing as written) and original records in the Grove’s archives.
Portrait of a Founding Mother: Amelia Elmore Huntley, Part One
The headline to a story appearing in the June 8, 1913 edition of The Washington Post read: “Washington Grove Elects” and beneath it “Three Progressives Are Given Places on the Colony’s Board of Trustees.” Among them was Amelia Elmore Huntley, nearly seventy years old, highly educated, an official of the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society, and the widow of a very prominent Washington D.C. clergyman. For our purposes, however, the most significant thing about Huntley was that she was the first of her gender to be elected to the Washington Grove Camp Meeting Association’s Board of Trustees. The precedent was noted in the article as follows:
“this was the first time during the forty years’ history of Washington Grove that a woman has held such a position, and marks a new policy in the affairs of the colony.”
The Washington Grove Camp Meeting Association had been incorporated under Maryland law in 1874. In accordance with the Association’s bylaws, all stockholders, male and female, were entitled to vote for officers during the annual meeting of the Association’s stockholders. Lists of stockholders appear among the Board of Trustees’ meetings minutes, most of which are stored in the Town Archives. An examination of the lists for the years 1904 to 1912 indicates that not only were most stockholders either current or former camp meeting attendees but that also many were women. Although we don’t know exactly which of the Board of Trustees candidates these women supported at the 1913 meeting, one would hope that a significant number of them voted for Huntley.
We should also note that in the very act of voting for an official to represent them in the Association’s government, Washington Grove’s women were ahead of their time. It took until 1920 for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to be ratified, granting women the right to vote. Surprisingly (at least to me), Maryland was among the handful of states voting against the amendmentfinally ratifying it in 1941. Today, in the summer of 2016, for the first time since the nation’s founding two and half centuries ago, a major political party has selected a woman as their presidential nominee. In the light of all this, Huntley’s election and her role in Association politics deserve greater attention.
Much of what I have been able to learn about Huntley’s early life comes from sources other than the Town archives. My very first clue, however, emerged across the street, among historic documents belonging to the Washington Grove United Methodist Church. There I found paperwork that in addition to identifying Huntley as a member of that congregation also gave me her maiden name and the dates of her birth and death. With this information I was able to begin an internet search. Many interesting details appeared online at sources including the following: the website of the American History and Genealogy Project (Women of America); Family Search; Find-A-Grave; and various digitized versions of Women’s Foreign Missionary Society publications. In upcoming articles in this series, I will be sharing this information along with the story of Huntley’s career as the first female board member of the Washington Grove Camp Meeting Association.
Sources: The Washington Post (1877-1922), June 8, 1913,ProQuest Historical Newspapers; “Charter By-Laws and Regulations of the Washington Grove Association 1909;” Collection of the Town of Washington Grove Archives; Washington Grove Camp Meeting Association Board of Trustees; Suffrage Collection Home Page, Library of Congress; https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/naw/nawstime.html ; Maryland Commission on the Commemoration of the Passage of the Nineteenth Amendment;
https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/26excom/html/26n19th.html
Maple Lake News…
Next Meeting: Thurs., August 18, 2016; 7:30 p.m.; Council Room.
Swim At Your Own Risk
The week of August 29 – September 2 we will have no lifeguard coverage at the lake. This constitutes a “Swim At Your Own Risk” situation. There WILL be coverage on the weekends of August 27-28 and September 6,7, 8 (Labor Day).
Maple Lake Party Permits
https://goo.gl/forms/r6Iae3efIY
Make sure your party is official! Complete the online registration form and inquire at the Town Office for an alcohol permit at 301-926-2256.
Forestry & Beautification News…
Next Meeting: Wed., August 25, 2016; 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room. This meeting is open to the public.
What’s That?—Honeysuckle
Imported during the 1800s for use as a garden ornamental, and later for wildlife food and ground cover. Each of these cultivars are now considered a non-native invasive plant and often removed to encourage native plants instead.
Lonicera morrowii. Morrow’s Honeysuckle
Morrow’s Honeysuckle forms dense thickets and out competes and displaces native shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants. While the fruits of exotic honeysuckle provide some nutrition for birds and mice in winter, their carbohydrate-rich quality is no match for the lipid-rich fruits of native species that sustain migrating birds
Lonicera maackii. Amur Honeysuckle
Amur Honeysuckle is one of the most common and invasive bush Honeysuckle. It is adaptable to a wide range of conditions from sun to deep shade. It has been widely planted for wildlife cover and soil erosion control but long ago escaped from planting seeds and began reproducing on its own spreading into natural areas.
Lonicera japonica. Japanese Honeysuckle
Japanese Honeysuckle is one of the most recognizable and well established ornamental vines in the U.S. it is a fast growing vine that twines around stems of shrubs, herbaceous plants and other vertical supports. In full sun it forms large tangles that smother and kill vegetation. It can kill shrubs and saplings by girdling.
Woods Group
Next Meeting: Monday, August 1, 2016; 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room. The September meeting is scheduled on the 5th but may be changed due to the Labor Day holiday.
Recreation Committee News…
Next Meeting: Wed., September 14, 2016; 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room.
Nobody does summer better than Washington Grove! Before we move into the next round of festivities, let’s take a moment to thank those who made Music Weekend, Fourth of July, and other events so memorable.
Music Weekend Kudos!
Talk about a great Music Weekend! Jr. Cline & the Recliners raised the gazebo roof on Friday night show (good dancing, guys!); Tad Stahnke herded the cool cats of the kids’ talent show; and Emily Cavey brought together the best of town talent for open mic night. Kudos to Mary Challstrom for bringing in a fantastic mariachi band for the inaugural Salsa Sunday (and a special thanks to Mary and Charlie for getting up early the first morning after traveling to get the brunch together).
Thanks Run High for the 4th of July…
Thanks to Missy Yachup for assembling costume judges and prizes, Kristin Perry for the cooling pops, and Allan Janus for assembling the Washington Grove Eclectic Idiosyncratic Marching Militia, which pulled off not only a perfect fusillade but added solemnity to the half-staff salute to our beloved former Mayor Elly Briggs. The Maple Lake Muskrat Band and Marching Society kept us all moving with great cadences, songs and enthusiasm (thank you, Eric & Kathy). Missy Yachup and Peter Nagrod hosted another tasty potluck picnic at the lake, and Joey Fones once again orchestrated a super softball game.
Summer In The Parks Had Lots of Larks!
A very special thanks to the Summer In The Parks staff, notably Emily Brown, Alison Faupel, Joey Fones, and first-time director Gray Yachup. As we say, nobody does summer better than the Grove!
Here Comes Labor Day…Wahooo!
Labor Day, which thanks to Craig English (as always) is packed full of athletic fun, and Peter Nagrod has made it even more entertaining with a new soccer contest (see flyer).
Adult Exercise Class Returns….
The very popular adult exercise class with Mark Rosenfeld returns on Thursday afternoons from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. beginning Sept. 22 and running most weeks until Dec. 8th. No classes will be held on October 6th or November 24th.
Looking Ahead…
Put Saturday, Oct. 15th on the calendar for Bluestoberfest — fest founder Eric Selby has booked regional touring faves the Skyla Burrell Band — and Sunday, Oct. 30 for the Halloween pumpkin carving. Whew! As always, we thank all the volunteers of the Rec-ing Crew — we can’t even name them all!
Film Society News…
The 17th season of the Washington Grove Film series will kick off on October 9, 2016. Subscriptions to see five outstanding movies will be on sale starting in early September. Be on the lookout for Film Society members selling subscriptions at Town Labor Day events. See you at the movies next season!
THE HOLIDAY SHOW NEEDS YOU!!
Attention all musicians, singers, dancers, actors, would-be writers and directors of all ages! This year the Washington Grove Holiday Show will return to a format of music and dance performances and skits. The working title is: “Saturday Night Grove….A Holiday Spectacular.” Due to the unavailability of longtime Director/Writer, Pat DiBella-Kreger, the producers are seeking both performers AND folks who would like to write and/or direct original, holiday-themed skits. A brainstorming session for the show is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, September 10th. Time and place to be announced. Contact Judy Mroczka ([email protected]) to express your interest, and plan to come to the meeting with your ideas.
Woman’s Club News…
WOW, WHAT A TURN OUT !!
What an incredible Club and Town effort our July 90th Anniversary and Bench Fundraiser was! Thanks to everyone’s generosity and hard work, and in spite of the record heat, we had a fun evening and raised over $8,000. Work on restoring the four remaining benches will begin soon.
Preparing for Our Fall Community Outreach Events and the Annual Potluck Supper
As the temperatures soar, we are already looking forward to fall. We have now kicked off our annual winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves drive to help keep the children of Washington Grove Elementary School warm this winter. Donations can be dropped off any time on the Clubhouse porch.
We’re still collecting those little bottles of shampoo, bars of soap, etc. to contribute to our Fall Outreach Program, where we will be filling bags with needed toiletry items for the residents of the Gude Men’s Shelter. These donations can be dropped off at any time in the can on Wendy Weisbard’s porch at 119 Grove Road.
Don’t forget to Save the Date for our always popular Annual Woman’s Club’s Potluck Supper on Friday night, September 16, 2016, from 6:30 on, at the Clubhouse!
General Information
Vacant Homes Task Force
The next meeting of this task force will be on August 15, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Room. This meeting is open to the public.
Acorn Library 20th Anniversary!
It was twenty years ago in August that several Town children, most around 7 or 8 years old, staged the grand opening of the Acorn Library. They are now in their late twenties.
Please help us celebrate the 20th anniversary with refreshments for all and a story time for young listeners on Sunday, August 28, the last day of summer vacation, at 3 p.m.
If you are new to the library, its driveway is the last driveway on the right side of Maple Road before the dead end at Center Street.
Other library news:
During July and August the library is being treated to a thorough cleaning and refreshing and many old books have been replaced with newly donated ones. We are preparing a wish list of titles as well.
Student volunteers interested in organizing weekly story times at the library would be a great service to Acorn Library. Volunteers would qualify for Student Service Learning hours. Please contact Betsy Klinger; [email protected]; 301-977-3517 (h), 301-325-1956 (c).
2016/17 Mayor and Council
Areas of Responsibility and Contact Information:
Mayor, Joli A. McCathran: 301-869-5358
Intergovernmental
[email protected]
Georgette Cole: 301-330-6740
[email protected]
Historic Preservation Commission, Playground Committee,
Shady Grove Crossing Liaison, WG Conservation Park,
Pat Klein: 301-977-8985
[email protected]
Emergency Preparedness, Maple Lake, Safety
Audrey Maskery: 301-977-0582
[email protected]
Forestry and Beautification, Maintenance, Memorials
John McClelland: 301-963-3328
[email protected]
McCathran Hall, Planning Commission,
Greg Silber: 301-926-1854
[email protected]
Contracts, Woods Group
Shelley Winkler: 301-330-6446
Recreation, Roads & Walkways, Website
DRIVE
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ENJOY THE SCENE!