Introduction to the Index

Index of Available Issues of the

Center Moriches Record

including

Volume 1 #1 from October 31, 1900
and issues from September, 1926 — December, 1934

Index prepared by
Maurine R. Donnelly
with assistance from Nan Peel, Director Center Moriches Free Public Library

Published by the
Center Moriches Free Public Library
235 Main Street
Center Moriches, N.Y. 11934

Copyright 1997

The Moriches Bay Historical Society made the bound volumes of the Center Moriches Record from their library available to the Center Moriches Free Public Library in order to have them microfilmed and indexed by the library. This index would then become part of a statewide project headed by Stony Brook University in which local history is made available to researchers through the study of newspaper articles of the past.

Irma Davin, formerly a reporter for The Moriches Bay Tide, supplied the library with the first issue of The Record, dated October 31, 1900, which had been given to her by John Cummings, the editor and publisher of The Moriches Bay Tide. Because the fragile condition of this first issue prevented successful microfilming, it was transcribed onto the computer and has been printed out for the public’s use.

To find information on a specific event, consult the index heading. For example: under the heading, “Suffolk County 11/30/33 Votes cast….70,585 34.3.2″ — the first number after the heading of Suffolk County indicates the month of the issue, the second number indicates the date of the issue, & the third number indicates the year of issue. The title of the article in the example is, “Votes cast…70,585” which is followed by the volume number, 34, the issue number, 2, and the page number, 2. Because of the method the paper used, volume numbers sometimes differ from the actual year of the issue, because the first issue was dated 10/31/1900 which means that each volume year ends in October. Entries are listed in chronological order which allows the reader to follow the progress of the news.

Subject headings for all the churches, synagogues, and religious meetings begin with the word “Religion”. Unless a specific town is named in the heading, the church is located in Center Moriches.

Lodges are listed by the title of the lodge, such as Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, Catholic Daughters of America, International Order of Odd Fellows, Junior Order of United American Mechanics, Knights of Columbus, Modern Woodmen of America, Order of the Araranth, Order of the Eastern Star, Rebekah Lodge & Order of Free Masons.

Clubs and societies are listed by their titles, such as, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Woman’s Club.

An alphabetical listing of death notices appearing in The Record is found under the heading, Obiturary Notices.

If an asterisk follows the date, it indicates that there was a typographical error in the dating of the paper and so the searcher may need to consult several issues of the paper to find the specific article in question.

The newspaper served to bring all sorts of information and entertainment to the readers. Books & articles were serialized in the weekly paper a method often used by famous authors, such as Charles Dickens and George Eliot. Serializations are indicated in The Record with Book Series as a general heading. The date listed before the title of the book means that the book serialization begins in that issue, and the volume number that follows is from that first serialization.

Continuation articles have the date and volume number of the first article in the series listed, and are found under the heading Center Moriches Record. Some titles of continuations are, “Economic Highlights”, “Round About Long Island”, “In The Good Old Days”, “Can It Be Done”, with a drawing showing the new invention, and the column of school news, “Sunrise Student”, which written by the students of the Center Moriches School District.

Although no specific mention of Black Friday, the date of the stock market crash in 1932, was made in the The Record, articles in the years following indicated that our Long Island area was in the midst of the Great Depression, and showed how groups banded together to help. The Record gave free advertising for anyone looking for a job, benefit card parties were held, and a druggist gave free labor on all RX’s. The Record included Editorials of encouragment, and the American Legion was mobilized for the War against Depression.

The motto used to describe Center Moriches was:

“On the South Side of Long Island where the Sunshine Lingers Longer.”

The spelling of the of our village was debated in the issue of 11/3/32; whether it should be Centre or Center.

Some things stay the same: a cartoon in the January 1, 1927, issue says, “Ultimate in Futility to try to find a parking space on Saturday afternoon.”

And some things change. Our current health regards cause all to be aware of the dangers of smoking. But not so in the 20’s. In many of the 1927 issues of the paper are advertisements for cigarettes, using prominent figures, such as actors and senators. One such ad says, “Senator Charles Curtis, Leader of U.S. Senate writes, ‘Lucky Strikes do not affect the voice. I notice that most of my colleagues in the Senate now use them…” [May 27, 1927]. Another says, “Were you to meet Senator Cameron and talk about smoking, he’d say to you, ‘Public speaking taxes the voice. One must think of the throat. I find, in smoking, that Lucky Strikes not only give greater enjoyment but protect the throat.” [June 3, 1927]. And, “You delight Blanche Ring if you offered her a Lucky Strike. She’d say to you; ‘The life of an actress is one of nerve-strain. If she sings, also, her worries are doubled. If she is mentally tired, she cannot help but convey her fatigue to those out in front…” [June 10, 1927].

Comic strips appearing in the issues of 1934 were “Our Pet Peeve Along the Concrete,” “The Featherheads,” “Finney of the Force,” “S’Matter Pop,” and “Keeping Up With The Joneses.”

Another ad, this time for the advantages of piano lessons for the children, says, “What Walter Damrosch says about your children and the piano: This is advice that no parent can disregard. The piano unlocks all of music’s treasures. Your child deserves the privilege of a piano education. Take steps now to assure her of this permanent means to happiness.” [April 5, 1928]

An advertisement from Johnson’s Photography Studio, in Patchogue, said, “If anything should happen to that kiddie and you didn’t have a picture…but let’s not think of it!” [February 11, 1927].

And, “The Latest Fad: Tap Dancing. Why not learn at Mrs. Dolores Russell’s Studio. Moriches Ball Room” [December 4, 1930].

Annother ad says, “Nervous Woman Nearly Drives Husband Away. ‘I was very nervous and cross with my husband. I nearly drove him away. Vinol has changed this and we are very happy again. Mrs. V. D.’ The Moriches Pharmacy.” [February 13, 1920].

An article in the August 15, 1929 issue, tells that Justice Neville issued a warrant for Bruno, charging abduction. It seems he had owed the landlady $50 and was told to leave if he didn’t get work. So he left, and the landlady’s daughter left with him.

On March 18, 1927, it was reported that Capt. W. O. Chichester returned from a 5 week trip to Florida. He went to Havanna on the Steamship Seneca on the Clyde Line with Captain Byron Leek and reported that Miami business is at a standstill because of too many hotels.

The famous Bloomer Girls were to play in Center Moriches (September 1, 1932). And on July 2, 1931, it was reported that the only surviving pony express rider, Charles Miller, also known as Broncho Charley, was to cross the continent on horseback.

On January 14, 1927, it was reported that since the bay froze over, Isaac Osborn had been felling trees and cut down a 200 year old hickory tree on the Ruchart farm to make room for more farming. In the July 3rd, 1929 issue one is told where to go to see the rare night blooming cereus plant in East Moriches. In the same spirit of community interest, it was reported the David Goldsmith is painting the store fronts in Goldsmith’s Block (June 8, 1934) “and making them look very attrative”.

In the first issue of The Record, a headline reports, “Moriches is to boom if Charles E. Blaney’s plans are all carried out.” The article tells of how Mr. Blaney has purchased a tract of 68 acres on Old Neck since the rents in the city are too expensive for his enterprises. A well-known playwright, he planed to build winter quarters for his circus on the tract at Old Neck, with an auditorium for theatrical performances. “His place was quite attractive to children this summer, as he had ponies, donkeys, bears, Angora rabbits and numerous other animals at his pretty summer residence on Lake Avenue, fronting Senekes Creek.”

Also in this first issue it is noted that the cranberries grown in Perkins Marsh in Riverhead are the size of robin’s eggs and that pickers make excellent wages on account of the immense size of the berries – 12 cents a pail.

Reading the old newspapers gives an overview of life as it was then. It provides a useful comparison for the life of today’s reader, sometimes giving an insight about life staying the same, even as it changes.