News around Norwich at times in April 1925 was visually stimulating.
There was a “human fly,” corks to be counted, a visit by an American Indian chief, a house being moved and a mass of students on a cleanup mission.
The first visual excitement came at the corner of South Broad and West Main streets, where a park exists today. One hundred years ago, the five-story Chapman-Turner building stood here. It was taken down in 1966-67.
As the Norwich Sun of April 9 reported, “Roland, the ‘Human Fly,’ clambered up the front of the Chapman-Turner building…with agility Friday night in front of one of the largest crowds which any event of recent months has called out.
“Opinions differ as the success of the venture. In the first place, it was delayed over an hour,” starting at 8:45. “Many claim it to be a really wonderful feat of wall scaling, while a few cynics declare that in the dark and only with a weak spotlight following the man’s form, almost any fake was possible.
“Be that as it may, the collection was a good one, and the ‘human fly’ had flown before any embarrassing questions could be asked.”
While people were downtown, they could window shop, and the Sun reported in the same edition, “Nearly a thousand estimates have been made in the number of corks in the glass front Easy Washer machine which is on display in the window of The Norwich Electric Shop,” on South Broad Street.
The closest estimate won a new radio set. The winner was set to be announced the same night as the appearance of the “human fly.” The Sun reported on April 4, “The successful contestant was Miss Eva Barnes, little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paris Barnes, residing on the Norwich-Oxford state road. Her estimate was 850 corks.”
For educational interest to nearly all ages of the time, the Sun of April 3 reported, “Norwich today acts as a hostess to one of the few remaining Indian chiefs in the United States among the tribes on the Indian reservations. Chief Red Wing accompanied by his wife Princess Morning Star arrived at noon Friday and will appear before a public audience in the high school auditorium at 7:30 tonight.
“Chief Red Wing was one of the twenty-one chiefs called into conference by the late President Warren G. Harding at the White House in Washington for a special meeting with the object of spreading the traditions of the Indians and insofar as possible acquainting the citizens of the United States with their customs and educating the public with the real facts of the Indian tribes.
“He appears in native costume, with the brilliant headdress of the Chippewa tribe, beads and other garb. His entertainment program includes war dancing, fancy roping and tom-tom playing with Princess Morning Star as accompanist. The lecture is of unusual interest and should attract a capacity audience.” The Chief had visited all the Norwich schools earlier that day.
Norwich residents became “street supervisors” for, as reported in the Sun’s April 30 edition, “One of the biggest house moving jobs ever attempted in this part of the state…completed by L.D. Dexheimer of Guilford for William H. Brennan of North Broad and Cortland streets.
“The house is a large structure containing more than a dozen rooms and during the entire period of operations was occupied by Mr. Brennan and family, who were not inconvenienced in the least.” They moved the house over 100 feet, and the front of the house, which had faced North Broad Street, now faced Cortland Street.
If you were a Norwich resident and needed help in doing any spring cleaning chores, help was available. Sun readers of April 29 learned that by simply calling the high school office, they’d put you on the list for the Norwich High School Athletic Association work day.
“School will close in the academic department at noon on Friday, and every student is expected to have something to do for the afternoon.
“No line is drawn; all work is acceptable. At the close of the day there will be a jubilation in the nature of a dance at the high school, when the success of the day will be reckoned.”
On Wednesday, Oneonta connected with a Russian city in 2005.