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hatham High School inducted seven new members into its National Art Honor Society (NAHS) chapter on the evening of May 28. NAHS has a long-standing commitment to celebrating the talent and achievements of students in the visual arts. Chatham High School’s chapter has a commitment to raising awareness of all the benefits an art education has for each member of the school community.
Congratulations to the Chatham High girls varsity softball team for their SECOND STRAIGHT STATE CHAMPIONSHIP! We’ll have more next month.
Happy 250th, America! I
ntrepid photographer Richard E. Lindmark has added the two latest Hometown Heroes banners that have recently taken their place in the collection on telephone poles around the Village of Chatham.
For humans by humans
Pictured from top left are inductees Nixie Jeanty, Bailey McShane, Taylor Kubisek, Katie Sutherland, Skylar Groom, Annika Poland, and Olivia Feiden. Senior members – inducted in 2025 -- pictured in the front row are Finn Williams, Charlotte Coalter, and Lily Hall.
The Grange not just for farmers
It is unfortunate that so many of the area Granges have disbanded, but the two remaining show hope of keeping alive the founders’ intent of an organization focused on helping rural residents.
By Barbara Peduzzi
The fraternal organization known as The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry was founded on December 4, 1867, in Fredonia, NY, by six men and one woman. It is the oldest nation-wide American agricultural advocacy group.
Women were established as fully equal members since the beginning; in fact, women, and any teen old enough to draw a plow, were encouraged to participate. It was required that four of the elected positions in any group be held by women, who were expected to “promote virtue” among men and children and for this they paid less in dues.
The organization grew quickly, mainly due to the farmers’ feeling that they were suffering unjustly from high freight charges on their railroad shipping, and that prices for supplies were excessive.
Taking action
Fighting these things spurred further action. Grange lobbying was essential in forming Rural Free Delivery mail, making it possible for farmers to get their mail regularly, even when spending long hours in the fields. Other Grange-backed additions and improvements include Land Grant, Vocational and Agricultural colleges like Morrisville and Alfred in New York State, the Cooperative Extension Service and 4-H clubs, and the Rural Electrification administration and Rural Telephone Act. Agway was originally formed as the Grange League Federation, a cooperative that lowered farm supply prices, and auto insurance for members was obtained from the National Grange Mutual Insurance Company, begun in 1932.
The State Master lobbies for farm issues -some current topics are lobbying against large, corporate farms, and buying up land for solar
farms. The decline of farmers is an ongoing issue these days, which is a main reason for opening membership to include anyone, not only farmers.
At one time there were Grange chapters in most towns in Columbia County, but now those have dwindled to just two. Long-time member and 40-year secretary of East Chatham #1006 Dodie Gearing, and Copake #935 President Roberta Roll talked about those.
East Chatham #1006
East Chatham’s organizational meeting was May 21, 1906, with 89 people present. Early meetings were in a large room above Clark’s Hardware Store, at the corner of Frisbee Street and County Route 9. Furnishings purchased included an organ and a piano, and music, talks and games were parts of meetings. Some items of business were appointing a Visiting Committee to call on the sick, as Sisters
A well-deserved historical marker braces the sign announcing the annual cupcake fund-raising and social event; an old milk can subtly shows the agricultural history of the Grange Hall. (Photo by Barbara Peduzzi)
Ella and Flora Cady were ill; petitioning Governor Charles Hughes to abolish race track gambling in New York State; Assemblyman Bashford to hold an open hunting season on hares and rabbits due to the destruction caused by the animals in the county; and Representative Hamilton Fish, Jr. to keep the legislature from charging a 10-cents-a-pound tax on oleomargarine.
At the end of 1909, there were 114 members; a February 1, 1910 night-cap party raised money to buy forks.
The former schoolhouse just east of the four corners became the Grange Hall. When they had to give up that building, meetings moved to the New Concord Reformed Church, where the 100th anniversary celebration was held on September 9, 2006. In 2018, meetings moved to member’s homes and they now meet at the firehouse.
The Grange has always been primarily a farming organization, but membership is open to all. Granges have always been a social center of their community. Square dances were often held, “Franklin Gearing was a caller,” his daughter-in-law recalled.
Another memory she told was a “Secret Travel Night,” with eight people in two cars going to visit the Stockbridge Grange.
Granges would also host open forums for political candidates, however, organization regulations forbid endorsing any one person.
“We’re always getting ready for the fair exhibit,” Gearing said, referring to the annual Columbia County Fair in Chatham. Years ago, granges across the county filled all the booths in the Grange Building. Today, the two remaining still show off their work.
Members also work on projects such as making cancer blankets for the Columbia Memorial Hospital Oncology unit. A game night is coming up, and a recent gardening series demonstrated canning and freezing produce. Gearing noted that they have been “doing a lot locally” to attempt creating programs that will be good for the community.
The Grange Youth recently made signs for 17 Revolutionary War graves in Mountain View Cemetery, and helped clean the grounds and erect the signs. One focus is on getting the youth group involved with projects.
The Gearing family has been Grange members for five generations, she noted. Arthur and Elsie, then Franklin and Jenny, Wayne and Dodie, Sara and finally Michael. Wayne has been a member for 60 years, Dodie for 55 -- “The first Saturday back from our honeymoon I went to a meeting and was made a member.”
Copake Grange #935
Frank Sherman was behind starting the Copake Grange #935, current President Roberta Roll said. The first meeting was held October 17, 1902, with 65 people from Millerton and New York State granges all pledging to join. Their charter was granted a week later.
After being at a low of only about five members and in danger of losing that charter, in 2017 a Revitalization Committee, which strongly felt they “can’t risk losing the original building,” was formed. Roll said, “A bunch joined and encouraged friends to join. From there we started building back up and growing.”
This infusion has encouraged the intention to “bring this place to prominence in the community.”
A program committee developed signature events such as the Cupcake Celebration in June, and arranges music, events and theatre programs. “The Grange has always been known for its dinners,” she boasted.
Successfully repairing and preserving the building has proved a major achievement. Mechanical upgrades include a new furnace and “lots of electrical.” Windows that had been inoperable for over 10 years were redone by an expert working on sashes and more. “That was large, both in scope of work and the cost,” Roll recalled.
A main goal for the Grange is to build the agricultural membership, and to develop a bridge between the general public and the farmers. The Copake area has lost a lot of dairy farms, Roll told, with smaller, ‘niche’ farms replacing them.
A recent dinner brought the groups together, with speakers to help the public see that farmers are an integral part of the community, and to improve understanding of their challenges. Roll deemed it “very successful. People started to get a sense of what it takes to bring food to their table. Many said, ‘Wow! I learned so much!’”
More events, panel discussions and workshops are planned, with some open to all and some just farmers.
Roll considers all of these as accomplishments, “A big thing started that will continue.” They hope to rehabilitate the second floor of the building, but a main thing is needing a second egress from it, which will be a very large project. The first town library was in a “tiny room” on this floor, and there are still books in it.
The non-profit 501(c)3 Friends of Copake Grange has been a substantial help, getting grants for the building and programs. Their raising money has been “quite successful,” Roll praised. “There’s no way we could have restored the building without it.” They continue to work to get more people involved, and welcome everybody in town. •
The New Concord American Revolutionary Soldier Honor of The Patriot Event drew 18 people, with East Chatham Youth Grange members placing signs they had made at graves of Revolutionary War veterans in Mountain View Cemetery. Dodie Gearing, Isabella and Elizabeth Cielsielcynk, Alexander Pirrone and others took part in the ceremonies. (Photo contributed)
East Chatham Youth Grange members created and erected commemorative 250th Anniversary signs for Revolutionary War veteran’s graves in Mountain View Cemetery. (Photo contributed)
Commemorative 250th Anniversary signs made and placed by East Chatham Young Grange members at the New Concord American Revolutionary Soldier Honor of The Patriot Event mark graves of Revolutionary War veterans’ graves at Mountain View Cemetery (Photo contributed)
A needlepoint sign which has, “Been at the Grange as long as anyone remembers,” greets people entering the theatre side of the interior to see a program or show. (Photo by Barbara Peduzzi)
Original floors and wainscotting, with period lighting fixtures show off the warmth and richness which restorative work brought back to the Copake Grange Hall, built in 1903. (Photo by Barbara Peduzzi)
Chatham High
This month, we’ve expanded the usual page 7 presentation to two pages in order to get a closer look at the Class of 1944, many of whom went on to become community stalwarts.
Memorial Day, 2026
Above column, top to bottom: Dan Herrick delivers opening remarks. Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Undersheriff Ian Boehme. CFD
Ladies Auxiliary marchers. Young onlookers. Chatham High band members.
Right, top to bottom: At the monument. Brownies on Main Street. Chatham Fire Department on the march. Ghent Band. PHOTOS BY RICHARD E. LINDMARK
The legends of ‘66
Baseball or football field, or hoop court, Chatham’s 1966 athletes went all out, producing some of the most prolific scorers, hitters, and athletes the school has seen – including four CCS Sports Hall of Famers.
As a young sports freak amongst other young sports freaks in the 1960s, these people were larger than life to us, and the battles they fought on the Chatham High gridiron, basketball court, and baseball diamond were legendary.
We’re talking about competition that had consequences. Football and baseball were still being played on the rock pile on the Woodbridge Avenue field adjacent to what’s now the Chatham Middle School, where basketball happened inside in the not-so-well lit Bruce C. Bowes gym, and spectators sat elbow-toelbow and you could get so close to the action that your foot might rest on the out-of-bounds line. Something about it all seemed so permanent then. Chalk it up to youth, or whatever, but the games mattered.
Laaaaambert
Al “Lamb Chop” Lambert, assisted by Bill “Blow Torch” McKenna, had the Chatham cagers at 7-2 in the league, good for a second place tie with arch-enemy Ockawamick, and 13-2 overall, in mid-February, 1966. That squad was led by Ron Legere, Keith “Bucket” Kraham, John Congdon, Terry Cozzolino, and Bill ‘Wilfred’ Dennis, along with Bob “Sunshine” Radley, Jim Radley, Don “Fowler” Macfarlane, Paul Torrey, and Ed “Monk” Northup.
In the March 3, 1966, edition of The Chatham Courier, Henry Auger wrote: “Chatham’s basketball aggregation, which ended a most successful season on Tuesday night at Ockawamick, was the most prolific scoring machine ever to represent Chatham Central on the basketball court. It will be a long time before such a high scoring combination takes to the hardwood again for CCHS.”
The 1966 baseball team featured four future Chatham Hall-of-Famers: Bill Dennis, Don Macfarlane, Ron Legere, and Keith Kraham.
Front row, left to right: GeorgeSwires, Frank Davis, Bob Radley, Ron Macfarlane, Don Macfarlane, Coach Jack Havlik. Rear, left to right: Tom Davis, Ron Legere, Guy Madsen, Keith Kraham, Bill Dennis, Terry Cozzolino, and D. Callander.
Future pro, Bill Dennis.
Bob Radley excelled in all sports in 1966, as his dad did in the early days at CCS.
Let’s let Mr. Auger in his “Sports Doings” column describe some of their exploits.:
“Scholastic baseball games such as the one played between Chatham and Ichabod Crane last week are a pleasure to watch. It’s a shame contests of this type are not seen more frequently. Last week’s 10-inning battle, which Chatham won 1-0, wasn’t perfect as four miscues were committed, three by ICC and one by Chatham, but it certainly ranks as one of the top schoolboy tilts seen by this writer. It was a nice ball game to win and a heartbreaker to lose. Bill Dennis, who was on the hill for Chatham, had a sparkling performance and it just wouldn’t have been right for him to lose. Dennis struck out 17, allowed only one hit during the first nine innings and, finished up with a neat three-hitter.”
“Don Macfarlane is becoming known as the George Scott of the area schoolboys. Macfarlane, a standout catcher, had three of the seven hits off Skinkle and had a pair of circuit clouts, over the fence jobs, against Pittsfield...Sophomore Keith Kraham is another ball player who should be watched closely.”
Others on the 1966 baseball team, coached by Jack “Peanuts” Havlik, included Bob Radley (no-hitter vs. Mt. Everett), Frank Davis, Frank Fila, Pete Davis, Guy Madsen, and Terry Cozzolino.
Kraham went to star in baseball and football at the University of Connecticut – to this day his name appears on some of the top-10 lists in baseball and football accomplishments.
Dennis was signed by the Minnesota Twins organization and spent a couple of years in their minor league system, before succumbing to arm trouble in 1968.
Following the 1966 baseball season, Chatham and Ichabod Crane left the Columbia County Athletic Basketball and Baseball Leagues to join the newly formed Patroon Conference.
Coming off a third place finish, Coach Don Coe and his assistant, Ed Knight, led the 1966 football team into Southern Conference play with Jim Radley at QB, and Kraham, Macfarlane, and co-captain Pat Wemitt, described as “a slippery back who is extremely difficult to catch once he gets beyond the line,” in the backfield. Also, Ralph Ambrosio and John Barret, centers; co-captain Doug Alamillo, Jay Boss, Dave Geno, William Moshimer, and Tracy Trimm, tackles; and Ron “Gunga” Hart, Ed Ingham, Fred Kline, Jon Mink, Sam Orne, George Sherman, at guard.
And, QBs Paul Burdette and Steve Legere; ends Terry Cozzolino, Neil Gaylord, Richard Leonard, Don Perry, and Keith Lashway; wingbacks Cliff Campbell and Rick Rath; halfbacks Dave Cash and Roger Herzhauser; and fullback John Paul.
The tentative junior varsity squad for that season included Claude Bovi, John Cozzolino, Van Calhoun, Dave Cross, Frank Curcio, Jim Dunavin, Lou DiGiovanni, John DiMuro, Paul Hanson, Tom Hanson, Gary Hunt, Chuck Leganczuk, Robert Moshimer, Rich Mesick, Cliff Merchant, Hank Mullins, Tom O’Connell, Dave Sawyer, Jeff Steward, and Mike Tessitore.
Chatham headed into its final game that season with a 6-1 overall record, clinching second place behind a 7-0 Voorheesville team. Following an earlier Panthers win over Ockawamick, Auger wrote: “Plaudits are in line for Chatham’s defensive unit … Jay Boss, Ron Hart. Terry Cozzolino, and Keith Kraham (a 76-yard interception return for a TD) led the defensive onslaught. Work turned in by Tracy Trimm, Jon Mink, Ed Ingham, Cliff Campbell, Don Macfarlane, Dave Cash, John Barrett and Ralph Amhrosio had to be outstanding. It has been noted in this space several times that Chatham has a spirited eleven.”
The final scores fade away. But the names do not. •
Left, Keith Kraham cuts through the defense. Top right, Jeff Steward. Bottom right, Coach Don Coe.
The Art Class that Never Ended: “Alumnartists” of Ockawamick School
“The confrontation between an artist with his individual view of the world and a two-dimensional canvas in space should result in a meaningful blend of humanity and mathematics. ‘The whole is equal to the sum of the parts. Mathematicians and scientists tell us so. It is the vocation of the artist – and the theologian – to prove a different solution. Art – and love – are always greater than their components.” – Christine Guarino
By Susan Bues & Steve Wildermuth
The old Ockawamick School on Route 217 in Claverack (now “The Campus,” a collaborative arts venue) was the educational hub for hundreds of local children from kindergarten through 12th grade. While it closed in a consolidation in 1971, a reunion of all who had ever attended this school was held in the summer of 2015, attracting over 500 former students and faculty.
It was the brainchild of Ghent resident and Ockawamick graduate Steve Wildermuth to organize an art show of the school’s alumni as a part of the reunion. He dubbed them “Alumnartists,” and the name stuck. It was a colorful adjunct to the weekend of festivities, which included presentations, a barbecue and even some old high school rock and roll bands performing.
Wildermuth contacted several fellow members of the Columbia County Photo Club, Ken Bovat and Susan Bues, also Ockawamick graduates, and between them, they recruited painter Christine Guarino and
graphic artist Richard Wambach, and others. The Philmont Public Library welcomed the exhibition in its Garafalo Cultural Center. There has been a show of Alumnartists every year since (except 2020 and 2023). Over the years, other alumni have joined in with the initial group, but those five have persisted.
Energized
Invited and inspired, the Alumnartists returned home for the 2015 show, and since it was very successful, decided they should do it again. Renewing their friendship with a shared sense of place, rooted in similar values and memories, the core group – Wildermuth, Bovat, Bues, Guarino and Wambach – meets regularly and plans a themed show each year. Over drinks and lunch at High Falls Restaurant, they have planned “Come Together Again” (2025), “Anything Goes” (2024), “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” (2022), “Your Home-town Brew” (2021), “Five Hands, One Heart” (2019), “Beyond the Landscape –the Artists’ Vision” (2018) and sought out other alumni to participate.
Artists in the core group are: Ken Bovat, an award-winning master photographer and craftsman and owner of Photo-Art by Ken Bovat. He won first in the 2024 World Photographic Cup Competition, judged in Singapore, in the Nature/Wildlife Category for his image “Going Green.” In 2019, he was awarded NYS Court of Honor for Best Portrait, Best Illustrative Category and Best in Show, as well as “Best of the Best” for highest scoring image in NYS. Christine Guarino, mixed media artist, was Associate Professor of Art at Central Connecticut State University. Her work is in many private and public collections. Recently her work was juried into the 2025 Woodstock National Exhibition: Every Picture Tells a Story and also in their 2026 Active Members’ Spring Exhibition. She is participating in the International Digital Art, Assemblage and Collage show at the Limner Gallery in Hudson and in the 91st Annual Juried Art Show in Cooperstown NY.
“Miserere” Oil on canvas by Steve Wildermuth
“The Spelling Bee” Photograph By Ken Bovat
Steve Wildermuth, painter and photographer, was an active member of the Columbia County Council on the Arts (now disbanded) and the Art School of Columbia County, and presently belongs to the Columbia County Photo Club and the Spencertown Academy. A graduate of the College of St. Rose, Steve is retired from a career with Verizon, and he continues his musical talents as liturgical musician at the Parish of Our Lady of Hope Catholic church in Copake Falls.
Richard Wambach, graphic designer and illustrator, owner of Wambach Communications Group, a marketing and creative services agency, for over 50 years. He had one-man shows at the Hyde Park Library gallery and the Rhinebeck Bank atrium gallery recently, and displays in several gift shops in Vermont. He can often be found at arts and crafts shows, farmer’s markets and other weekend street festivals in Columbia and Dutchess Counties. He has also accepted many commissions to draw people’s homes, farms, yachts and antique autos as well as continuing to build his own portfolio of popular historic subjects.
Susan Bues, photographer and painter, also writes poetry. One of her photos was selected for the Berkshire Museum’s “Art of the Hills” show in 2024. She pairs poetry with her visual art, often from her own writings. She’s a member of the Columbia County Photo Club and exhibits in various local shows including the Berkshire Botanical Garden, where she was awarded first prize in the “People’s Choice” in 2019.
Another artist whose work has appeared in past shows is Ockawamick graduate Peter Von Sholly, a writer and illustrator living in California, whose graphic novels and storyboards are well known in the horror movie and fantasy fiction field. Pete has done storyboards in Hollywood for over 100 feature films and publishes his own work of fiction and cartoons.
Abstract painter Catherine Harms, painter/ teacher Connie Townsend (now deceased), and photographers Brian Yorck and Frank Wildermuth have participated in the past. Jim Hamm, a local painter, will display his work at this upcoming show. All attended Ockawamick.
Mrs. Nicke
Each of these artists was inspired by art teacher Kathryn Nicke, whose long tenure at Ockawamick meant she taught them all at some point. Mrs. Nicke was the common thread for them, clearly illustrating the importance of arts education in schools. “She created space for students to work, arranged special courses to suit their progression, and obtained whatever materials were needed to keep us all working and producing,” said Bues. “Mrs. Nicke’s legacy lives on in her students.”
“I was an extremely shy child, and Mrs. Nicke really boosted my self-esteem by gently pushing me out of my comfort zone and into the public eye,” said Guarino. “Every year she had me sit at an easel with a few other art students and draw from a model at our annual
“Reflection at Hand Hollow” Photograph by Susan Bues
Kathryn Nicke
school fair, Ockawamick’s Powwow. She encouraged me to enter countywide poster contests, where I won awards and found myself honored at Lions Club luncheons and interviewed in the Hudson Register Star. She also taught me that it was okay to lose; art is subjective. When she heard I was considering teaching art as a career, she insisted I teach all her classes on Future Teachers Day. That sealed the deal for me.”
“Mrs. Nicke helped make visual arts a natural part of our lives by encouraging us to see creativity everywhere,” agreed Bovat. “Through her guidance, art was not an assignment but a way to express ourselves, understand others, and appreciate the beauty in everyday moments.”
Fond remembrances
Wambach remembers Mrs. Nicke fondly. “It was due to her intense interest in my young art talent that led me to seek a career in commercial art,” he said. “She patiently kept coaching me, positively critiquing my work and encouraging me to be in the OCS Art Club, create poster designs for school events, illustrate the yearbook and pursue my own interests in drawing, calligraphy and painting. She helped me explore opportunities beyond high school which led me to Dutchess Community College and my mentor, painter, combat artist and art department chairman, David Lax. He got me my first job in the field with a Poughkeepsie printing company while I was still at DCC. I give Mrs. Nicke all the credit for my enjoyable design career of 54 years.”
Wildermuth emphasizes their teacher’s patience and flexibility. “Kathryn Nicke was a wonderful art instructor,” he said. “She had great talent and the patience of a saint. She went the extra mile for her students – in my case, and in Peter Von Sholly’s as well she devised an A.P. class in Advanced Drawing and Illustration for both of us in our senior year.”
The continued visibility of art groups like this encourages a celebration of local artists, and demonstrates the breadth and depth of what can be achieved with persistent influences of art in our local schools. From acclaimed photography, a professional Hollywood artist and much-admired paintings to hobbyist writers and art dabblers, all came out of a one-woman “influencer” before that was a thing to be.
Bovat says, “I believe that our Art Shows enrich our community by creating a space for expression, conversation, and shared inspiration. It helps us to feel more connected, prouder of where we live, and more aware of the creativity that we bring every day.”
This year’s show, “The Art of Living – the Tenth Turning – will open at the Philmont Public Library on Friday, August 28. The artists’ reception will be from 5-8 p.m. The gallery is available when the library is open (see www.PhilmontLibrary.com for hours). The exhibition runs through early October. •
“Bleeding Hearts” Mixed Media by Christine Guarino
“The Way It Was” Collage by Richard Wambach
Spring semester is over and it’s time get out of Dodge and do some exploring.
Road Trip!
By Vivienne Murphy
Like many university students in Dublin, I spent the end of spring buried in exams and assignments. For weeks, my days revolved around deadlines, lectures, and long hours in the library. Once the semester finally ended, I was ready for a break from the fast pace of student life. To celebrate finishing my exams, I decided to take a trip across the country to County Clare. Traveling west felt like leaving behind the crowded streets and constant noise of Dublin and entering a much calmer world. What began as a short escape after exam season quickly became one of the most relaxing and memorable trips I have taken in Ireland.
About a week after our final exam, my friend Anda and I decided to take a bus to Doolin, a coastal town in the Burren region of County Clare. Having spent most of the year in Dublin, we were both excited to explore another part of Ireland. For Anda, the trip was especially exciting because she had never traveled outside of Dublin before. She was eager to experience Ireland’s famous landscapes and natural beauty for the first time.
My godmother owns a house in Doolin, so we were lucky enough to stay with her during our visit. After the long four-hour journey, she picked us up from the bus stop and drove us to her beautiful home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. From the moment we arrived, we felt a sense of peace. The house was filled with natural light, and the only sounds were birds singing and waves crashing in the distance. Having become so used to life in a busy city centre, spending even a few days surrounded by nature felt surreal.
Sea air
Eager to make the most of our first evening, we immediately headed to Lahinch Beach, a renowned two-kilometre stretch of sand along
the Wild Atlantic Way. The sunshine on our faces and the salty breeze in the air made the walk the perfect end to a long day of traveling. As we strolled along the shoreline, all the stress and exhaustion from exam season seemed to disappear.
The next morning, Anda and I woke up naturally to the sound of birds chirping rather than a blaring alarm clock. It was refreshing to start the day without rushing anywhere. After breakfast, my godmother drove us to several of the region’s most famous attractions. Living only fifteen minutes from the Cliffs of Moher, she had easy access to one of Ireland’s most iconic landmarks.
She dropped us off at the cliffs, where we set off on part of the famous cliff walk. Stretching for fourteen kilometres and reaching heights of up to 214 metres above the Atlantic Ocean, the Cliffs of Moher are one of the most spectacular natural sights in Ireland. The views were breathtaking, with waves crashing against the rocks far below and endless ocean stretching out before us. Although the winds were strong, nothing could take away from the experience. It remains one of the most scenic walks I have ever taken.
Another world
After lunch, we continued our adventure through the Burren National Park, a unique glaciokarst landscape known for its vast limestone terrain and ancient archaeological sites. Despite its rocky appearance, the region is surprisingly fertile, supporting a remarkable mix of Arctic, Alpine, and Mediterranean plant species. Driving through the Burren felt like entering another world. The grey limestone stretched endlessly across the landscape, broken only by patches of wildflowers and ancient stone walls.
One of the most fascinating places we visited
was Aillwee Cave, one of the oldest cave systems in County Clare. Located on a hillside overlooking Galway Bay, the cave offers visitors a chance to explore deep underground passages carved through the limestone. Anda and I joined a guided tour and followed the winding pathways into the heart of the mountain. Inside, we saw impressive stalactites and stalagmites, an underground river, and even a waterfall. We also learned about the cave’s history and the discovery of ancient bear remains, which led experts to believe it may have been one of the last bear dens in Ireland. The experience gave us a greater appreciation for the natural history of the area.
Our final stop of the day was Fanore Beach, located where the Caher River meets the Atlantic Ocean on the edge of the Burren. As we walked along the shore, we admired the unique limestone formations and extensive sand dunes that make this beach so distinctive. I was particularly struck by the colour of the sand, which appeared almost golden-orange in the afternoon sunlight. Combined with the dramatic limestone hills in the background, the scenery was truly unforgettable.
After a long day of exploring this remarkable region, we returned home just in time to witness the magic of a Clare sunset. As we sat down for dinner, swirls of pink, purple, and orange filled the sky and reflected across the ocean. It was the perfect ending to an incredible trip. County Clare offered not only stunning landscapes but also a sense of peace that was a welcome contrast to the pressures of university life. Long after returning to Dublin, the memories of coastal walks, dramatic cliffs, ancient caves, and beautiful sunsets remained with me, making this one of the most memorable trips I have taken in Ireland. •
together Where community comes
By Thomas Patterson
“We return to the world and we feel ourselves purer and better and wiser from this communion with the dead,” said Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, speaking on the beauty of rural cemeteries. Story, who was one of the founding fathers of the rural cemetery movement, served on the Supreme Court from 1812 to 1845.
In the days of pre-industrial Chatham, nature was often seen as an enemy. The farmer had to fight a never-ending battle to gain yield from his fields and to keep his house waterproof and from not rotting away. The winter was a time of bitter cold and little to no harvest, and starvation was a constant threat. For many years, graveyards were mostly run by a conjoining church, or a man would own his family’s private graveyard, but in the time of Justice Joseph Story, things were starting to change.
Bricks were used to build sturdier structures, and manufacturing and shipping helped people get supplies through the winters. Nature started to be less challenging, and began to be recognized for its beauty. In 1858, Central Park was built in the center of New York City, and places of nature were popping up in other dense cities like London, Paris, Berlin.
Chatham Rural Cemetery has served as the final resting place for many locals over the years.
Changing times
One of the things also affected by this trend of embracing nature were graveyards. In 1831, Mount Auburn Cemetery, just outside Boston, was founded as America’s first rural graveyard. Also in the 1830s, a new term started to appear to describe these places of the dead. The word “cemetery” is Greek for “sleeping place,” a more friendly and inviting term than the one it replaced. These rural cemeteries were often placed on the outskirts of town, as there was now no more space for a churchrun or backyard gravesite due to industrial era housing and development.
This trend hit Chatham in 1852, seventeen years before the Village of Chatham was officially established in 1869, when plans to form the Chatham Rural Cemetery Association were born. On the 21st day of October 1856, the association was founded by Chairman Harry Brigham and Secretary Ebeneezer Backus, with a total of nine trustees. The price of plots ranged from $2 for a single grave to $30 for a plot. The cemetery fits in nicely with its purpose, being very picturesque and having two ponds, a huge weeping willow tree, well cared for lawns and beautiful foliage. The sunshine glows through the trees and lots of wildlife like to dwell on and near the place.
The space now holds more than 2,000 souls, the earliest one dating to 1770, long before the association was formed. Walking through the grave sites, one can see some familiar names of great Chatham founders and local celebrities, such as Louis Payn, politician and manufacturer; Walter Crandell of the Crandell Theatre; John Blunt, a Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient; and Floyd Buckley, who voiced Popeye the Sailor on the radio and starred in other films of the early 1900s.
Many military veterans are buried in the cemetery as well. A few have very interesting stories behind their burials. For example, William Strever followed his son, a sharpshooter, into the Union Army during the Civil War, leaving his wife to care for five children and a farm. George McClellan joined the U.S. Army in World War I and was awarded the Croix de Guerre due to his “very great devotion and gaiety, and by his coolness under the most difficult circumstances.” Howie Ploss, who served in Europe in World War II, was the mailman in our hometown of Chatham.
Home to rest
An interesting story follows a man named George Traver, who was born in Chatham, and attended Chatham High School. He worked as a fireman on the Harlem line, a section of the railway system. In 1942, at the start of World War Two, he enlisted into the United States Marine Corps and was sent to the South Pacific theater. Traver fought valiantly, and at the Battle of Guadalcanal, was wounded. He won two Purple Heart medals and sent one to his girlfriend and the other to his parents. On November 20, 1943, Traver was killed by enemy fire at the Battle of Tarawa. His body wasn’t recovered at the time. In 2016, Traver’s remains were found and identified under the parking lot of a mall and now lie at their final resting place in our Chatham Rural Cemetery, along with all these veterans and many others buried there, forever to be honored for the service they gave to their country. [See July 2016 Chatham Press]
Besides holding the bodies of interesting people, several films have been shot on location in Chatham Cemetery, most commonly around the vault. It is no surprise the filmmakers chose the Chatham Rural Cemetery. It is quite characteristic of all things graveyard, with its beautiful landscape and thousands of gravestones. It remains the resting place of many a wartime hero and founding father of the Chatham we now know today. •
MOVIESAT THE
Backrooms
“To describe Backrooms to someone is like describing a dog to someone who’s never seen one, and then asking them to draw it.”
By Hans Kristen
Kane Parsons is the youngest A24 director ever to hit number one at the box office, and the mastermind behind the highest grossing A24 film to date, Backrooms. The movie is scheduled to hit the Crandell Theatre July 10-16.
Originating from his Backrooms (2022) YouTube series, the film ventures into this fluorescent realm of horror. The Backrooms concept originated from a real image taken in 2002 of what used to be a furniture store under construction in Wisconsin. The photo was uploaded to the store’s local blog, showing the second floor of the building where the new owners were taking progress photos in the process of a renovation. Users online took an interest in the photo for the uncanny feel of the space, hence the creation of The Backrooms.
The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as the protagonist Clark, a struggling owner of a furniture store, who discovers an entry way into a seemingly endless array of yellow office spaces under fluorescent lighting. Clark decides to venture into these mysterious “backrooms” in a seemingly endless maze of odd yet familiar liminal spaces filled with furniture. Astonished by his discovery, Clark invites some friends to help him explore the space, where they are met by an unexpected presence.
At age fourteen, Parsons started learning the visual effects software, Blender, through YouTube tutorials, to create short films for local film festivals. By the time he was sixteen he began posting videos on YouTube and building a strong audience. While Parsons wasn’t the original creator of the idea of Backrooms, it was Parsons’ content that took the concept to another level. “There was definitely no real presence of high-fidelity
content being made,” explained Parsons.
Going viral
In 2022, Parsons’ The Backrooms (Found Footage) YouTube video went viral. The video belongs to the genre known as “creepypasta,” a portmanteau of “creepy” and “copy pasta,” which characterizes an internet-native scary story often lacking a single original author, and frequently edited, adapted, and expanded upon by different users across the web. In the video a man ventures to the Backrooms after randomly falling through the ground, and tries to find an exit as he is being followed by a hostile creature. Viewers were fascinated by its simple yet horrifying nature.
But Backrooms is much more than just a horror film, containing a deeper and more artistic nature than the majority of films in the genre. The film doesn’t just rely on jumpscares, gore, and flashing lights to evoke fear into its audience, something horror films these days rely on too heavily. Rather it is a film that questions the boundaries of the past and carries with it a metaphor for loneliness, resonating with the viewer on a deeper level. Despite how we feel about Clark we all may have been in his position to some extent, struggling to find a way out of our situation in the midst of what seems to be a never-ending maze of horror. The endless possibilities the backrooms bring makes for a very thought-provoking film that had me leaving the theater wanting to see more. The future for Backrooms is bright -- I look forward to Kane Parsons venturing further into the concept.
Hazy memories
Parsons describes the set for Backrooms as “Your own personal, faint, memories from childhood like a hotel pool, the hallway of an
apartment, or a distant relative’s kitchen with light coming in and hitting an archway in a certain fashion. Little environmental details that have soaked into your nervous system.” This brings an odd sense of familiarity to these spaces such as a hallway, living room, or studio and adds an unorthodox feeling of comfort amidst the horror of Parsons’ work. But it is the visual beauty of the film that is its true storyteller. The countless pieces of vintage furniture, and the amount of space depicted by the film’s wide lens camera, captures the space beautifully while suggesting just how alone characters are amidst the vast space. To put the set for Backrooms into perspective, it takes place in over 30,000 square feet, and people reportedly were consistently getting lost on set during the production of the film. Backrooms is the beginning of a bright career for Kane Parsons in the film industry. Backrooms being Parsons’ debut film at age 21 excites me to see how the Backrooms world evolves and what worlds Parsons’ will continue to create. The infinite possibilities within the Backrooms had me leaving the theater fascinated and wanting to see more. Even with the potential for AI to take over these unique environments in filmmaking, Parsons embraces authenticity in his work avoiding artificial intelligence, stating, “The whole point of doing what I’m doing is to process life through art.” •
Budding film critic Hans Kristen, currently a Chatham High senior, has plans to attend either Emerson or Ithaca College for film school and has a passion for writing film reviews. He has recently created a YouTube channel –HansKristen11 – dedicated to reviewing films and creating film content. Here, he takes a look at a new film headed to the Crandell Theatre.
Chatham High
The Chatham Central School District has released the following as the 2025-26 senior class. Seniors who have qualified for graduation will be announced closer to commencement, scheduled for Friday, June 26.
Rylie Barden
Sean Bartow
Gabriel Bervy-Morse
Jaidan Blair
Suzy Bonesteel
Daimiyn Bonhotel
Kennedy Boughton
Eliza Braley
Paxton Brownell
Jack Bucholsky
Oliver Carroll
Brody Casivant
Emmet Cintron
Breannah Clark
Kyle Clough
Charlotte Coalter
Ariana Costa
Saori Cruz
James D’Alessio
Maddox Dallas-Wright
Alexis Davis
Frank Davis III
Zachary Distin
Madisyn Domkoski
Natasha Drumm
Lauren Elcox
Zachary Ellis
Josiah Eugenio
Reed Fisch
Ava Rae Ford
Camden Fox
Tyler Gebel
Kajlie Gile
Eric Goodrich Jr.
Kody Goodrich
V Gould
Tula Haley
Lily Hall
Carolyn Hammond
Bronson Haner
Sean Harrington
Mackenzy Heinze
Trinity Holland
Andrew Horton
Charlie Howard
Justin Huyck
Michaela Johnson
Aston Jones
Lyndsey Josefsberg
Sebastian Kramlich
Johann Kristen
Bryan Leal
Benjamin Levine
Karina Lezama
Jose Linares Galicia
Maddox Lippman
Conner Madsen
Madeleine Metrando
Meta Mae Mountain
Alexis Nehmens
Hunter Palmer
Tyler Palmer
James Patton
Ellery Pierce
Mira Pierce
Thomas Pierro
Hunter Pulcher
Logan Rockefeller
William Rojas-Cruz
Dominic Sauca
Samantha Silver
Aubrey Smith
Norah Sotherden
Carter Starks
Brayden Steltz
Cooper Steltz
Jordan Stocklas
Landen Thompson
Nathaniel Tibbitts
Jayden Valdez
Gunnar Verzello
Phila Visconti
Hunter Welch
Owen Wilber
Finn Williams
Annabelle Wright
TidBits
Busy stork
By February 1948, the Baby Boom was well underway, as The Chatham Courier reported in the waning days of the month. “Stork Delivers Babies at Rate of 2 a Day in 1947,” proclaimed the headline. “734 Total Sets A New High Record For Columbia.”
“Delivering brand new babies to Columbia County homes was a full-time job for two storks in 1947, deliveries being made by the long-legged ‘gentlemen’ according to the county Department of Health, at the rate of two a day throughout the year. The Health Department said today that the 734 births recorded for Columbia last year established a new high record for the county, at least since the department was organized in 1933.”
“The 1947 figure exceeds the next highest total of 630 in 1946 by 104, and tops the 14-year average of 530 by 204. The record number of births for 1947 in the county reflect the situation through New York State, which also established all-time records. Figures for the state as a whole show that babies were being born at the rate of two every three and one-half minutes.”
“Changes in the methods of infant delivery and the growing popularity of hospitals over homes for this purpose is boldly shown in the reports from the Town of Chatham as contrasted with those from the Village of Chatham. The birth of only one infant was recorded with Town Clerk Harry C. Ashley in 1947 and this incidentally was a 100 percent increase over 1944 and 1945. The number recorded with Village Clerk Richard A. Mason on the other hand was 62. The law requires that births be recorded where they take place rather than at the residence of the parents.”
“It is also interesting to observe that the Grim Reaper was completely outdistanced by the Stork last year. The number of deaths recorded for the county was 550, 185 of the increase in population thru new babies. Leading causes of death were heart disease and cancer in that order.”
Industrious industry
That same week in late February 1948, the Courier reported “No Recession for Chatham
Plants Seen – Labor Lack Industries Only Retarding Factor.”
“Dropping stock and commodity markets are apparently having no effect upon business in Chatham, according to statements made by representatives of the leading industries in this area.”
“The Chester Manufacturing Company which now has sixty-two persons on its payroll could take on thirty more within the next month, if they were available, according to Mr. Bernard Chester, owner of the plant. ‘We haven’t felt, and we don’t expect, any slow up,’ Mr. Chester said. ‘We’ve got brand new equipment coming in every day, and our payroll is $1400 a week. If we could get more people we would employ them.’”
“Likewise, the Columbia Boxboard Mills, which employs eighty men, is witnessing no slow up and doesn’t anticipate one.
‘For the next six months, at least,’ Mr. Charles Howarth, president, said. ‘I expect no change. As for shutting down, or slowing up, we’re not doing it here. A business like this is always expanding and we are constantly purchasing new machinery and other equipment.’”
“A spokesman for Jones manufacturing company said that far from slowing up, the company branch in Chatham is employing everyone who goes in looking for a job. ‘We have from thirty to thirty-five people working constantly,’ she said, ‘and we would hire more if they were available. As it is, I don’t think anyone applying for a job is ever turned away.’”
“The Chatham Telephone Corporation is laying miles of new telephone wire, and is installing new phones as quickly as it can get them, according to Clifford Sayer, manager of the Chatham office.”
1912
In early February 1912, the Courier reported the following local news items:
W.T. Vosburg has just completed the installation of a steam heating plant in the residence of E.D. Couch on Jones Avenue.
Linemen in the employ of the New York Telephone Company have been renewing the cable hooks on their line over the Boston & Albany tracks near the Main Street crossing as the action of the gas from the stacks of the locomotives had caused several of the hooks
to break.
It begins to look as if Chatham will soon be able to include with its various other attractions, that of being a strictly moral town. During the month of December there were no cases in police court and the same was true of January. Police officers who depend upon fees are finding slim picking in the village portion of the town these days.
Charles Boright, chauffeur for Mr. and Mrs. E.N. Ogden, has disposed of his runabout auto and in New York a few days ago purchased a large seven-passenger car which he ran from New York to Chatham Saturday in a little more than seven hours. He found good roads until Claverack was reached. Between that place and Chatham they were unusually rough.
Last Friday afternoon a party of youngsters wanted to find out what would happen when they dropped matches into an empty tank on an oil car standing on the siding between the Woodbridge Avenue crossing and the high bridge. They removed the manhole cover from the large tank, dropped in a few matches, and the explosion that resulted from the ignited gases was plainly heard at the Union Station. One of the boys had his head over the hole an instant before the explosion occurred. No damage was done but they were the most thoroughly frightened crowd of boys in the United States.
As a winter game, basket ball has the strangle hold on our popular preference. A few years ago this game was unknown here and now the contests call out enthusiastic audiences.
Fencing is another popular sport among the men. It is delightful to see such good friends as W.P. Pratt and Earl Fellows engaged in trying to poke each other with the foils.
The roadbed on the Chatham division of the Rutland Railroad never was in as good condition as it is today. Time was, and not so very long ago either, when the person who paid his or her three cents per mile for the privilege of being jolted over this road needed to be a gymnast in order to stay in his seat, and it is no wonder that folks used to ask conductor Cowan whether the train was on the rack or cutting ‘cross lots.’ All this is changed and this roadbed is in excellent repair. •
The Columbia Corporation complex back in the day.
Chatham
High Boys & Girls Track 2026
Front row: Nathan Hatcher, Narayan Flores, Jordan Surita, Finn Williams, Tyler Gebel, Carlo Severino, Blake Doyle Back row: Paxton Brownell, Aiden McShane, Levi Stevens, Eli Valdez, Aston Jones, Adam Geel Missing from the photo: Oliver Carroll, Breidyn Dahlberg, George Eutzy, Cheverse Hall, Leo Jiang, Dax Patel, Kellen Pell
GIRLS ROSTER Seniors Charlotte Coalter, Ariana Costa, Josiah Eugenio, Lily Hall, Karina Lezama, Mira Pierce, and Norah Sotherden. Juniors Jenna Davis, Nixie Jeanty, Bailey McShane, and Annika Poland.
Seniors Oliver Carroll, Tyler Gebel, and Finn Williams. Juniors Breidyn Dahlberg, George Eutzy, Adam Geel, Leo Jiang, Aiden McShane, and Dax Patel.
Sophomores Blake Doyle, Narayan Flores, Cheverse Hall, Nathan Hatcher, Kellen Pell, Levi Stevens, and Eli Valdez. Freshman Jordan Surita and 8th grader Carlo Severino.
With three offices in Copake, Valatie, and Chatham we are here to help you with any of your insurance needs. Contact us today for a quote on your home, auto, business, health insurance or life insurance. We are the Kneller Agency and we’re here to insure your world.
