Page:Brunswick 100 Years of Memories.pdf/181

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Another type of fishing was with dip nets. Such

nets were nine to ten feet square with a mesh of about 1-1/4 inches. Four bows, either steel rods or split hickory, held the corners and were fitted into a central "block" which was fastened to a long pole on a fulcrum if fishing from a boat, or to a long rope if fishing from the bridge. No bait was used, but it is surprising how many fish, mostly carp and suck_ers, were caught that way, particularly when the nver was high and the "fish were runnin?." Use of trot lines, locally called "outlines," was Illega~, as was gigging- fishing at night with a light and fish spear - but some of each did go on. There were even reported instances of using dynamite.. It was a common sight from the bndge to see a dozen or more boats on the river at a time, and many more around sunset. Boats were predominan tly made of wood, about 16-feet long, flat bottomed, with sides made of 12-inch lumber, and were propelled by a pole from the stern. The main boat landing was located near the present boat ramp and was called "The Willows." On any day, one could find 75 to 100 boats tied there. Starting in the late 1930's, some outboard motors did appear, but the river is so rocky when low that the old-style motors were constantly "shearing pins." Newer motors with automatic clutches are used on bass boats, but one still must be careful using a motor in the river near Brunswick. The Potomac also gave us a variety of swimming spots. Some, such as "The Sand~ar upstream from the bridge on the Maryland side, could be reached on foot; others required a boat. Some families would have a Sunday outing on one of the big rocks above the "Dutchman " where they would fish, swim, and picnic all day. Camping along the river was always popular. Groups of two or more would clear a spot of weeds and brush and set up tents all along the banks to combine leisurely fishing with cooking out and roughing it. The location upstream from the bridge on the Virginia side had a fine spring, and was known as the "Sugar Camp." By and large, Brunswick people respected the river. They knew their limitations and were careful in dangerous areas. They also knew that what was usually a calm easy-flowin g steam could become extremely dangerous in flood times. W-BRH

APPLE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL & BRUNSW ICK SCHOOL S The great Shenandoah Apple Blossom Fes~val was a tradition for Brunswick' s school population, especially the elementary children, from 1924 to 1930. Elementary teachers and mothers (some fathers too) would spend months planning and making costumes. One student remembers the B&O providing a seemingly endless supply of crepe paper for the occasion. Another participant recalls gomg to Winchester to parade as a southern belle in her long pink colonial dress and carrying an umbrella covered with pink and white crepe paper flowers. Someone remembers freezing one year and roasting the next, such variation in climate occurred. Brunswick participated from 1924 to 1930, except for one year, according to county school minutes. Dutch Burns and Mary Orndorff Cummings remember attending the 1924 festival. The School Board minutes provided some scattered data about the events. On April 8, 1925 Commissio ner Gross invited the Board of Education to accompany the students and the school teachers of Brunswick on a free trip over the B&O RR to Winchester during Apple Blossom Time. In May of 1926 the School Board discussed the "advisabilit y" of Brunswick schools having one day for the Frederick Fair in case the schools of Brunswick continued to participate in the Apple Blossom Festival. No resolution to this was noted in the minutes of May 11, 1926. In spring of 1929, a letter from the Scho_ols' Superintend ent to the Director-Ge neral of the Sixth Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival stated that Brunswick would not be able to take part because tests were to be given at that time. A month later,on April 3, the School Board denied permissi0n for Brunswick schools to be dismissed to participate in the festival. C. W. Galloway, V.P. of the B&O RR, replied by letter; but the Education Board_sto?d by their decision and the students were not d1sm1ssed. The Board appointed Mr. Gross and the school superintend ent to confer with B&O leaders to work out a solution so no misunderst anding would remain from the Board's move and there would "still. exist a friendly feeling between the conflicting parties." On March 5, 1930, the School Board favored participatio n of Brunswick Schools in the Seventh Annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival that spring. The School Board office was to arran_ge with the B&O for biennial attendance. On Apnl 2, the

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