LEROYPENNYSAVER&NEWS -OCTOBER 26, 2014
Six Pewter Platter Cozies
byLynneBelluscio
Last weekend the former
residents of LeRoy House
gathered to share their stories. If
you weren’t able to get tickets,
they might be willing to come
back again next spring. The
Historical Society depends on a
dedicated group of volunteers to
make this happen.
They all came together for a
group photo in the front parlor
after the last tour on Sunday
night. LizCarney andElizabeth
Bolton portrayed Ingham
students, Mary Cox and Anner
Peck, and Cheryll Fernaays
served them tea.BrendaBealwas
Mrs. Spry and Jacob Williams
portrayedher son, Robert.
Scott Ripley volunteered
to help with the evening and
became Roy McPherson, the
first president of the Historical
Society. Joanne Graham took
the part of Secretary, Adrienne
Sanderson. Sam Leadley came
up with a thick Irish brogue to
play Jacob LeRoy’s gardener,
Florence McCarthy and Sylvia
Fraser stoked up the fire in the
kitchen and became the cook.
Joining thecast in thebasement
was Sylvia Furr, the governess
and Evan Williams, one of the
LeRoyboys,Augusta.Theguides
for the evening were Michelle
Penepento,andNatalieMistersaro
andKatlinBlackburn. Iportrayed
Miss Marsh, a music teacher at
theLeRoyAcademic Institute.
Allof thescenarioswerebased
on people and events associated
with thehouse.Andalthoughwe
take a few liberties to make the
stories amusing, the underlying
themes are based on historical
facts. JacobLeRoydidgrowgiant
cauliflowers and his gardener,
Florence McCarthy, was Irish
andcame toLeRoy fromHerman
LeRoy’s country estate. Mrs.
Spry,who lived inLeRoyHouse,
wason thewelcomingcommittee
for Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit to
LeRoy. Her husband was the
superintendent of schools and
they had a sonRobert.
Mary Cox lived in LeRoy
House with her father and she
attended InghamUniversity.She
didnot think favorablyofMadam
Emily Staunton, the founder of
the University. The Cox family
did “inherit” peacocks left by
the Bartow family. Anner Peck
boarded at Ingham University
and remarked about the soldiers
who attended the Presbyterian
Church. She also shared a room
with a girlwhoplayed the guitar
and interruptedAnner’sstudying.
She also hated the food that was
served at school, especially the
applesaucewith nutmeg.
Professor Russell and his
wife Margaret, and their four
children lived in an apartment
in the front of LeRoy House.
Professor Russell introduced
the German kindergarten to
LeRoy, and he did insist that
studentswear slippers inschool
to reduce the noise from their
woodenheeledshoes.Professor
Blennerhasset lived in LeRoy
House and he did walk down
Main Street carrying an open
canofoysters.Healsobelieved
thatLeRoyHousewashaunted.
Nowa fewcommentsabout the
1942Historical Societymeeting
that was held this last weekend.
Yes, insurance for theHistorical
Societywas $14 in1942. (Today
the bill is nearly $4,000) and
yes dues was only $1. (Today a
single membership is $20) And
yes, theTownofLeRoygave the
Historical Society $500 (That
has not changed.) And yes, the
Historical Society had furnace
problems and had to decline
the offer to use the house as a
poling place on Election Day,
because there was no assurance
theheat couldbe turnedon. (Our
furnace,although it isnot thecoal
furnace from 73 years ago, gave
usproblems thisyear, andweare
keepingourfingerscrossed itwill
stillbeworkingbyElectionDay.)
And yes, it was reported
that the Historical Society had
received a dainty silver filigree
bouquet holder, a canon ball
found in a field on South Street,
and the gong from Ingham
University. But Ihave toconfess,
that President McPherson and
SecretarySandersonnever turned
the six pewter platter cozies
into a tongue twister, (but they
should have. Bet you can’t say
“sixpewter platter cozies” three
times fast.)
Again, thank you to our
enthusiastic volunteers. Instead
of a bouquet of flowers, you all
get a giant cauliflower!
