season then on the crafting of family names. The opportunity will not return on this scale again. Editing the last names of immigrants passing through Ellis Island was unintentionally done by officials incorrectly transposing names onto entry records. As a result, two adult siblings named Smith may have records showing one as Smith and the other as Smyth. Such errors generally became permanent changes. Families in our Southern states have the charming custom of calling their
children by somewhat lyrically paired names. Fans of the television series The Waltons may recall John Boy and Jim Bob. Betty Mae, Eddy Joe, Mary Alice, and Lila Sue are further examples. Names given to infants decades ago are rarely selected today. Understandably, Adolf (or Adolph), which is Teutonic for wolf, is a name most Americans abhor. Wolf Blitzer can be thankful he is not of Teutonic ancestry. He may not want either to be identified by his middle name, Isaac, had he been given the Teutonic “Adolf.”
There are perfectly good names for boys not commonly used today. They include Horace, Floyd, Seymour, Leonard, and Winthrop. Not likely to regain popularity soon are these venerable names for girls: Dagmar, Fannie, Fifi, and Gretchen. When these names reemerge as popular choices, subsequent editing of them can be anticipated. Senior citizens with archaic given names reveal their age group when communicating with strangers. To avoid potential age discrimination, they may use an age-neutral nickname, such as
Skip, Buck, or Cookie. Teens who dislike their given names soon edit them. Timing is critical. If seniors wait until they enter their golden years, others may regard name editing as a sure sign of dementia. Walt Sonneville, a retired market-research analyst, is the author of My 22 Cents’ Worth: The Higher-Valued Opinion of a Senior Citizen and A Musing Moment: Meditative Essays on Life and Learning, books of personal-opinion essays, free of partisan and sectarian viewpoints. Contact him at waltsonneville@earthlink.net.
Valentine’s Day: It’s for the Birds Saint Valentine, whose day we celebrate on Feb. 14, was a martyr. Although his story is well known, some say the real reason we associate him with the spirit of love comes from above—specifically, birds. Medieval Christians observed that many birds mated at the time of the
Saint Valentine’s feast. From that rose a belief that all birds chose their mates on Feb. 14. From that belief, many people assumed a
connection to human beings, believing that everyone should choose a mate on that day—or at least celebrate the rituals associated with mating.
The belief about birds mating on Feb. 14 has some basis in reality because many species of birds do begin to mate by this date. The birds’ behavior has little to do with romance, though, and everything to do with biology. But that may be at the heart of our behavior on Valentine’s Day, too.
Calendar of Events
Lebanon County
Lebanon County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
All events held at the Park at Governor Dick unless noted.
Annville Senior Community Center – (717) 867-1796 200 S. White Oak St., Annville Feb. 10 to 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Bake Sale Fundraiser for MotherDaughter Luncheon Feb. 12, 10:30 a.m. – “All Kinds of Love” Valentine and Center Anniversary Party Feb. 26, TBA – Health and Wellness Presentation at MSSC
Feb. 2, 1 to 4 p.m. – Music on the Porch: Bluegrass and Country Music Jam Feb. 15, 10 a.m. to noon – Great Backyard Bird Count
Programs and Support Groups Feb. 20, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 26, 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Free Digital Planetarium Program for Senior Citizens: Black Holes Full Dome Show Cedar Crest High School 115 E. Evergreen Road, Lebanon Reservations at (717) 2722033, ext. 5412
Free and open to the public
Feb. 25, 6 to 7 p.m. Feb. 25, 4 p.m. Free CLSD Gold Card Dress Personal Care Family Support Rehearsal: How to Succeed in Group Business (Without Really Linden Village Trying) 100 Tuck Court, Lebanon (717) 274-7400 Cedar Crest High School Auditorium If you have an event you would like to 115 E. Evergreen Road, include, please email information to Lebanon mjoyce@onlinepub.com for (717) 272-2033 consideration.
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Maple Street Community Center – (717) 273-1048 710 Maple St., Lebanon Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:15 a.m. – $1 Zumba Classes Feb. 20, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Bus Trip: Hunterdon Hills Playhouse Feb. 21, 9 a.m. – Presidential Pancake Breakfast Myerstown Senior Community Center – (717) 866-6786 51 W. Stoever Ave., Myerstown Feb. 12, 11:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Bus Trip: Inn 422 Feb. 19, 10:15 a.m. – Card-Making Class Feb. 26, 4 to 11 p.m. – Bus Trip: Hometown Family Restaurant and Hershey Theatre Palmyra Senior Community Center – (717) 838-8237 101 S. Railroad St., Palmyra Feb. 3, 10:45 a.m. – “Your Favorite Super Bowl Commercial” Social Feb. 13, 10:15 a.m. – Pinochle Game Feb. 14, 11:30 a.m. – Valentine’s Day Luncheon at Red Lobster Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
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February 2014
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