The Pennypacker Express

______May—June 2020 MMXX ______

NOTICE— As Montgomery County continues to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, all Montgomery County parks and historic sites are closed to the public until further notice. This edition of the Pennypacker Express will not contain information on any events. When we know when we will be open and be able to have events again, we will send out a notice as well as post information on our website.

In the meantime, please enjoy these articles, check out our Facebook posts, and our on-line collection, available at—https://pennypackermills.pastperfectonline.com/

Did you know that the celebra- John Wanamaker and food giant H. J. Heinz. By tion of Mother’s Day began in 1908, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that many in Philadelphia? Anna Jarvis the city were observing Mother’s Day. Interestingly, (1862-1948) is credited with Jarvis never married or became a mother. That did making this special day for mothers. Jarvis was a not deter her from her mission to honor mothers. Philadelphian who was determined to recognize her She and George Bailey, chairman of the World’s own mother with a national observance. She was not Sunday School Association, created a church led the first woman to propose this holiday and certainly celebration of Mother’s Day and in 1910, the Associ- not the first woman to engage Philadelphia society in ation endorsed the holiday. Sunday school attend- celebrating it. In 1870, Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) ance increased as many mothers approved of the founded the Women’s Journal, a Boston publication themed lessons on appreciation and respect for par- that featured a Mother’s Day Proclamation. Howe ents. The popularity of Mother’s Day grew quickly wanted to use Mother’s Day as a call to women to and in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed promote peace in their homes in the aftermath of the the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Civil War. The holiday was originally celebrated on June 2nd between the years 1873 and 1913. Soon Mother’s Day was widely celebrated and par- ticipation increased each year. Many businesses Jarvis’ goal in celebrating a special day for mothers began to advertise special Mother’s Day sales. In was to honor and commemorate her “unselfish 1913, Wanamaker’s Department store became one Christian mother,” whose whole focus was on her of the first businesses to host a Mother’s Day cele- children. Jarvis’ Mother’s Day differed from Howe’s bration that included music and flowers for custom- idea as she advocated that individuals “honor the ers. mother of their own heart” and pay no mind to wom- en’s work beyond motherhood. Jarvis organized a Today, we can still honor our Mothers and celebrate wealthy group of supporters to sit on a Mother’s Day their contributions to our lives. What will you do? Committee. They included department store owner Page 2

With the recent coronavirus, it allowed a toilet to be flushed seems everyone has been hoard- more efficiently. Giblin worked for In 1857, New Yorker Joseph C. ing toilet paper and now seems Thomas Crapper who had a suc- Gayetty produced the first pack- like a good time for us to explore cessful plumbing business. It is aged bathroom tissue in the U.S. the origins of this much needed most likely that Thomas bought The product was called, “The product. the patent from Giblin, and then Therapeutic Paper.” It contained marketed the toilet successfully. a large amount of aloe, a curative Where it all Began addition. The product was sold in China was where the first toilet In 1828, the original meaning of packs of 500 sheets for fifty paper was produced back in 1391 toilet, or toilette, is of French cents, and Mr. Gayetty had his AD. The Bureau of Imperial Sup- origin meaning the “act of wash- name printed on each sheet! plies began producing 720,000 ing, dressing, and preparing one- sheets of toilet paper a year with self.” As the years went by, the In 1890, the Scott Paper Compa- each sheet measuring two feet by word evolved into actually being ny of Philadelphia became the three feet! It was for use by the the room in which one arranges first company to manufacture tis- Emperors only. their toilet. In modern days, toilet sue on a roll, specifically for the refers to the plumbing fixture that use of toilet paper. Consumer re- Wealthy Romans used wool, one might use in a “bathroom,” sistance toward the rosewater and sponges soaked in with the word “bathroom” now “unmentionable” product resulted salt water at the end of a stick. meaning the facility one goes to in Mr. Scott coming up with the Wealthy French used lace, wool for the purpose of using the toilet idea of customizing rolls for every and hemp. In the Middle Ages, or lavatory. merchant and customer they had. hay balls and a scraper stick were Under this private label arrange- kept in a container in the privy. There were many names for the ment, Scott purchased large Early Americans used rags, “jumbo” rolls of paper from vari- newsprint, paper from catalogs, ous paper mills and converted corncobs, and leaves. Eskimos them into packages of small rolls used snow and Tundra moss. Ha- and stacked sheets. waiians used coconut shells, A bidet was used in France. Defe- Toilet Paper Rolls for Everyone cating in the river was very com- Founded in 1879 by brothers E. mon. Today, cleaning with the left Irvin and Clarence Scott in Phila- hand and water is common in In- delphia, the Scott Paper Compa- dia. ny specialized in producing toilet Above: Bathroom at Pennypacker paper. At first they purchased pa- Mills. Sir John Harrington, a British no- per and tissue from outside sup- bleman and godson to Queen pliers and cut, rolled and pack- Elizabeth I, invented the first bathroom. Often people used an aged the paper. They converted flushing toilet. His device used a outhouse on their property. It large rolls of tissue into small rolls vale that when pulled would re- was also called the House of and stacked sheets and marketed lease the water from the water Honor, the House Morning, the the product through drug and va- closet. Sir John suggested flush- necessarium, the necessary riety stores under their private ing at least twice a day. Rumor house, the privy, the john, the label. had it that this is where the name loo, the W.C. (for water closet), “john” originated. In 1819, the si- room 100, the lavatory, the closet Then, in 1896, Irvin’s son, Arthur, lent valve was patented by Albert of ease, and other names, not to joined the company at the age of Giblin in England. This device be mentioned! 21. He convinced his father and Page 3

uncle to phase Scott advertisements were sug- out their private gesting that “over 65% of middle label business aged men and women suffered and concentrate from some sort of rectal disease.” on their own Inferior toilet paper was the brand names. cause. It was printed in Scott ad- The company vertisements that “harsh toilet tis- purchased the private label name sue may cause serious injury.” “Waldorf” from a Philadelphian The advertisement stated, “Scott “paper jobber” named Albert De Tissue, Sani-tissue and Waldorf Above: Paper towel rack . Cernea in 1902 and began pro- are famous bathroom tissues Below: Wording on paper towel ducing this as their first brand specifically processed to satisfy rack: “Use like a Blotter.” Source: name. the three requirements doctors Pennypacker Mills. say toilet tissue must have to be As sales grew, it became evident safe: absorbency-softness- that production changes were chemical purity.” Each sheet was necessary to guarantee con- made of “thirsty fibers.” Scott tis- sistency. In 1910, Scott bought sue was made from the finest in- an abandoned soap factory in gredients and “they are neither Chester, five miles south of Phila- acid nor alkaline in reaction. Each cloth towel. So, she cut up paper delphia for $85,000 and began sheet is fully sterilized in manu- into squares and used them as making their own parent rolls of facture,” it read. individual towels. Around this tissue, 72” wide at 150-200 feet time, Scott was experimenting per minute, instead of buying Modern Day Toilet Paper with a new type of crepe tissue. It from others. Rolls were sold with The size of toilet paper can vary was so thick that it couldn’t be cut either 650 or 1,000 perforated from one manufacturer to anoth- and rolled into toilet paper, so, sheets. The cost was $.10 for a er. The standard size is 4.5” x Arthur Scott ordered it to be made roll of 1000 sheets. In 1915, Scott 4.5.” Recently, manufacturers into rolls of towels and perforated installed an advanced, high- have developed “cheater sheets,” into individual 12x18” sheets. This speed Fourdrinier papermaking which run as small as 4” x 3.8.” were called “Sani-Towels.” Ad- machine. It made paper 148” This means about 15% less pa- vertisements boasted, “For use wide at 500 feet per minute. By per used. once by one user.” Success was 1921, their brand, “Waldorf” rep- helped by states that outlawed resented 64% of Scott’s total You might wonder how many the use of cloth-roll towels be- case sales and by 1925, Scott days does the standard roll of toi- cause of spreading disease. became the leading toilet paper let paper last in a household bath- company in the world. room? Well, a typical roll lasts five On your next visit to Pennypacker days in the most used bathrooms Mills, make sure to take note of Early Challenges in the house. On average, con- the toilet paper roll in our second The toilet paper roll did not easily sumers use 8.6 sheets per trip so floor bathroom and also see the fit into the consumer market at a total of 57 sheets per day, or an paper towel rack as you enter the first. At the time, society did not annual total of 22,805 sheets, ac- servant’s wing of the mansion speak of the subject of frequency. cording to the Charmin Company. that has the saying “use like a It was quite “unmentionable” to blotter” on it. These are small, but talk about this product in con- Toilet Paper to Paper Towel touching reminders of something servative, Victorian times. Howev- There is a story that in 1907, a that was hardly ever given a er, during this time indoor plumb- teacher in Philadelphia blamed a thought about today until recently, ing was improving and the public mild cold epidemic on the fact but was “cutting edge” technology had a desire for better hygiene. that her students used the same in the early 20th century! Page 4

This year, we are celebrating powder which is used for artil- the work and passion of the lery firings, for the musicians individuals who are part of a who entertain our visitors, and very important organization pay for special speakers who here, the Friends of Penny- inform visitors with fascinating packer Mills. Through their talks. continued efforts these past ten years, this site has been Interpretive Signs able to accomplish some amazing things, which we The Friends were able to suc- would not otherwise be able to. cessfully acquire several of Below are just a sampling of Galusha’s personal and mili- their successes: tary items for our collection including letters, his field Artifacts Belonging to sword, epaulets, and military Galusha Pennypacker instruction booklets. These While the items frequently go on display site has during our Civil War Event. thousands While the mansion has a fasci- of artifacts Civil War Event nating story, the grounds have and docu- This event provides a multi- their own interpretation. Most ments, pe- tude of experiences for visi- notably, the property hosted an riodically tors including a daily battle, encampment during the Revo- some come artillery demonstration, kids lutionary War and was land- to auction programs, speakers, music & scaped by a noted landscape that are not tours of the mansion. architect, Thomas Meehan. in our col- lection. Galusha Pennypacker The Friends have funded sev- was a second cousin of Samu- eral interpretive signs on the el Pennypacker and had an property for visitors who walk illustrious military career during the site and wish to know more the Civil War. He was an out- about the history here. standing soldier, who was ad- mired by his men and his su- Restoration of the Servant periors for unwavering gallant- Area ry, and being a soldier’s sol- Several years ago, the servant dier. He was a recipient of the area in the mansion became Medal of Honor for bravery at The Friends have been able available for the site to restore the Battle of Fort Fisher at to solicit donations from area and re-open. It took a year to Cape Fear, North Carolina. businesses as sponsors that accomplish, but this area has provide funds for the black Page 5

who cannot climb stairs to enjoy a guided tour through the second stained glass, paintings, metal floor too. signs, dolls’ clothes, scarves, ap- plique and much more! Restoration of the Arbor Historical pic- The Craft Marketplace draws tures show over a thousand people to the two arbors site to buy wonderful gifts and outside the specialty items for the home each Servant Area, year. It is a huge effort on the which have part of the whole organization, been main- but the rewards allow the site to become one of the most inter- tained over offer outstanding programming, esting parts of our tours. Using the years. talent, and acquisition of im- painstaking paint analysis, lay- This year, it portant items for the collection ers and layers of paint were dis- was apparent and interpretation here, and covered until the first layer of that they many of the crafters are now paint was determined. Today, needed replacement. Friends members. tours show visitors exactly what the colors of the walls were, The Friends provided the funding thanks to the Friends funding of for the materials that allowed the the paint analysis! site staff to reproduce exact rep- licas of the original arbors. Video Interpretation These arbors provide a shady respite for visitors and interest- ingly, many brides who get mar- ried here enjoy walking to the alter from beneath these arbors too!

The Craft Marketplace The Friends of Pennypacker Mills The primary fundraiser for the has become an integral part of Friends is the outstanding Craft the site, offering financial support, Marketplace which occurs in mid volunteers, and outreach. These -September. Now in its 8th year, are special people who make over one-hundred crafters partic- time in their busy lives to contrib- Handicapped visitors are not al- ipate in offering unique, hand- ute in numerous ways. Please ways able to get to the second made crafts from jewelry, to food consider becoming a member of floor for a guided tour. Thanks to items, soaps, furniture, bird feed- the Friends and get involved! Go the Friends, a new video tour ers, knitted and crocheted items, to their website: using a tablet has enabled those www.friendsppm.org Montgomery Board of Commissioners Valerie Arkoosh, MD, MPH, Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence, Jr. Vice Chair Joseph C. Gale, Commissioner

Pennypacker Mills 5 Haldeman Road Schwenksville, PA 19473

While Pennypacker Mills is temporarily closed, the trees and landscape are sprouting and the animals are showing up too. The weeping willow is starting to turn green. The old lilac bushes are blooming purple and white flowers and the blue birds have come to roost in the nest boxes too. This peaceful time is allowing nature to take hold so that when we return, it will all be waiting for us! We hope to see everyone soon!