End of Season Meeting and Nostalgia

 We ended the summer season here at Joe's Pond officially with our final business meeting of the Joe's Pond Association. There was a lot to cover, and some important matters under discussion. Here is a video of that meeting: Fall Meeting, Eurasian Watermilfoil Update, August 30, 2025

Back in the days before EWM, one of the highlights of the summer was the annual Joe's Pond Boat Parade. Summer residents came up with some pretty novel ideas to decorate their boats. Ralph Hastings brought out the "Fire Boat". This was a very early model pontoon boat with a pump aboard that was purchased by West Danville and Joe's Pond Association to use in an emergency to pump water from the pond to fight fires. In the hands of Ralph, the fire hose sprayed water high in the air and occasionally onto the shore, soaking onlookers and generally creating good-natured chaos. 

Jamie Stewart, JPA secretary, sent me some pictures of clippings he found in a file as he was wrapping things up - as all good secretaries do - after a very active three months of meetings and activities. The clippings were from the 1970s.  As with other activities, the boat parade's life span petered out as entries declined and it became difficult to find anyone to manage the complexities of organizing it. It was fun while it lasted, and there were some very creative entries. That was in an era where just about every kid on the pond had access to a small fishing boat with a motor. They were as common as today's toys such as  jet skies and paddle boards are, and were rarely used for fishing - but they contributed to a very active group of youngsters interacting around the pond every summer, forming long-lasting friendships that have endured over the years.

Now, a look back at the really early days of JPA, before there were high-powered motor boats, pontoon boats, and kayaks - when sailboats, rowboats, and the noteworthy steamer "Mineola" plied the waters of Joe's Pond. Then, when the Joe's Pond Association was in it's infancy, there were bonfires, pot-luck suppers at camps, and annual clam bakes to raise money to operate the Association. The income from these events was small, but the needs of the Association were also small, compared to today's requirements.

Here's what Jamie found:

As I was perusing through the files I found that you gave me way back when and I got curious about the folders and found the check stubs for the JPA.  So, here is some interesting stuff:

Clambake 9/1/1928

1-1/2 barrels clams paid to Mrs. Henry Beck - $15.25  

5 pounds butter - $2.90 total or $0.58 per pound

5 pounds coffee - $3.00 or $0.60 per pound

Above all paid to Gilbert Hastings

Checking with the all knowledgeable internet I see that one 1928 dollar is worth $18.89 dollars today

Clambake 9/1/1928

16 dozen doughnuts - $3.20 or $0.20 per dozen

125 empty strawberry baskets - $1.25

Express on clams (?) - $3.75

2 quarts of cream - $1.20

2 quarts of milk - $0.20

wood - $1.00

4 pounds sugar - $0.50 or $0.12 per pound

100 paper cups - $1.00

Paid to Gilbert Hastings.

8/23/1929

3 pounds coffee - $1.65

Sugar - $0.90

7 pounds Butter - $3.85

Paid to Willy's Store

 

The above purchases were before the 1929 crash in November.

8/15/1930

50 Stamps - $1.00

Prices are a bit different today but so are the wages.  

Jamie

 

Indeed, prices and wages were different. Also, membership in the Joe's Pond Association during those first years was about 33 cottages, most of which were on the eastern shore of the pond until a dozen or so new members were signed up from the Cabot side of the pond in 1923. Those were difficult early years when the Association was negotiating with Eastern Light & Power for reasonable rates to supply electricity in the area, trying to arrange for garbage disposal, and struggling to keep raw sewage out of the pond.. The Association earned a few dollars each year by holding "marshmallow and aluminum" parties (like Tupperware parties with s'mores!), maple sugar parties, and bean suppers, adding three or four dollars to their bank account from each event. The cost to attend these events was generally 25 cents per person. The income was low, the budget minimal.

 

Yes, times have changed - but not one of us would want to go back to having no shelter at the recreation field, having to sit at splintery wooden picnic tables and benches, cooking marshmallows, corn, or hotdogs over an open fire in the middle of the field, an uneven tennis court, and croquet games.