Volume XXIX • Number 1 • 2011 Historical Magazine of The Archives Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546 pagepage 12 page 31 (616) 526-6313 Origins is designed to publicize 2 From the Editor 20 “When I Was a Kid,” part III and advance the objectives of Meindert De Jong, with The Archives. These goals 4 In the Bowels of the City, 1990 Judith Hartzell include the gathering, Larry VanderLeest organization, and study of 30 “Bless the Lord, O My Soul” 10 Heartside Neighborhood, The Bible’s Infl uence on the Dutch historical materials produced by 1850–2000 the day-to-day activities of the Immigrants 150 Years Robert P. Swierenga Christian Reformed Church, H. J. Brinks its institutions, communities, and people. Richard H. Harms Editor Hendrina Van Spronsen Circulation Manager Tracey L. Gebbia Designer H.J. Brinks Harry Boonstra Janet Sheeres Associate Editors James C. Schaap Robert P. Swierenga Contributing Editors HeuleGordon Inc. ppageage 38 page 43 Printer 35 Different Worlds: The RCA and 43 Book Review the CRC 1850–1900 Harry Boonstra Harry Boonstra 45 Book Notes Cover photo: Trash collecting in Chicago. 46 For the Future upcoming Origins articles 47 Contributors from the editor . Available On-Line now open for research. Copies of We added the 2010 family informa- the inventory have already been sent tion from Banner notices to fi les to scholars in Grand Rapids; McAl- available via our website (http://www. len, Texas; and Seoul, South Korea. calvin.edu/hh/Banner/Banner.htm) These individuals will soon be using where we currently provide more this collection along with those of than 60 thousand citations to Banner Paul Schrotenboer, Peter Steen, and This Issue family information for the years 1985- Bernard Zylstra when examining the The current issue contains a variety 2010. Since 2007 we have been plac- Christian philosophy of Dooyeweerd of articles written by authors most ing links to digital versions of Origins and Vollenhoven. of whom who have previously been online at http://www.calvin.edu/hh/ Fourteen cubic feet of records were published in Origins. H.J. Brinks, the origins/Origins_Main_Page.htm once added to our collection of Christian founding editor of Origins, has a his- the issues are three years old—2005- school records. The additional mate- tory of the old Dutch neighborhood in 2008 are now available electronically rial came from schools (primarily Grand Rapids, now called Heartside; as PDF fi les. We have also begun to Oakdale and Sylvan) closed because Harry Boonstra reviews the complex scan earlier issues into PDF image of the recent reorganization in Grand relationship between the Reformed fi les, whose image quality is marginal, Rapids. The collection now totals 85 Church in America and the Christian but the text is very readable. Cur- cubic feet and documents the history Reformed Church; Robert Swierenga rently we have links to volumes 1-8 of schools from throughout Canada reports on the central role of the Bible (1983-1990) on our website and will and the United States. We organized among nineteenth-century Dutch add more as we are able to scan more and opened for research the records immigrants; and we present the third copies. of the Christian Reformed Church’s installment of Meindert De Jong’s Psalter Hymnal Revision Committee, autobiography. Larry Vander Leest, a News from the Archives 1977-1987, as well as the records of fi rst-time author in Origins, describes The H. Evan Runner papers have Epicenter Community CRC, a dis- one summer experience driving for a been processed and the fi nding aid continued congregation in Bradenton, garbage hauling fi rm in Chicago. completed so that the collection is Florida. 2 Volume XXIX • Number 1 • 2011 We received the congressional extensively annotated minutes of the subscription rate remains at $10, even papers (30 cubic feet), 1994-2010, Christian Reformed Church synods, though $10 no longer covers the cost of Vernon Ehlers. Plans call for more 1857-1881. for the two mailings a year. We are material to be transferred from his most grateful to our supporters, many years in local and state politics. The Staff of whom contribute well above the fi rst research physicist elected to con- Richard Harms is the curator of the subscription cost.D gress, Ehlers represented Michigan’s Archives; Hendrina Van Spronsen is 3rd Congressional District, 1993- the offi ce coordinator; Wendy Blank- 2011. Both Ehlers and his congres- espoor is librarian and cataloging sional predecessor, Paul B. Henry, had archivist; Melanie Vander Wal is de- been on the faculty of Calvin College partment assistant; Dr. Robert Bolt is Richard H. Harms and placed their papers in the ar- fi eld agent and assistant archivist. Our chives. student assistant is Jessica Nieboer. Recently received and yet-to-be Our volunteers include Rev. Dr. Paul organized materials include additional Bremer, Mrs. Willene De Groot, Mr. records from the CRC’s Sesquicenten- Ed Gerritsen, Mr. Fred Greidanus, Mr. nial Planning Committee, 2000-2007; Ralph Haan, Mrs. Helen Meulink, Rev. the research fi les of H. J. Brinks; Gerrit W. Sheeres, Mrs. Janet Sheeres, records from a variety of college, and Mr. Ralph Veenstra. seminary, and denominational offi ces. Endowment Fund Publications Thanks to investment markets that By the time this issue goes to press, continue to improve and the gener- Kurt Selles’s history of the Christian osity of many Origins subscribers, Reformed Church mission effort in our endowment fund has a current China will be published. Our next value of $469,539. Because of the project will be the translated and revenue from this balance our annual 3 In the Bowels of the City, 19901 Larry VanderLeest nit 23—Base here.” The speaker “Uh . I don’t know. The Mart’s Ublasted out the words in a by the river. Can’t miss it. I think I’ll “scratchy fashion. I grabbed for the take Wells, I guess.” As soon as the fi nger-worn mike attached to the words left my mouth, I knew it wasn’t dash as I blissfully sailed through the the right answer. “Why?” I asked the stoplights on Randolph. Driving in mike, “Which one am I supposed to the Loop at 4:30 a.m. is pure luxury, take?” I was thinking. “If you’ve dropped Another moment of silence, un- your empty at 333 Wacker, head to the comfortably long. Mart. You’re after a 20-yarder, in the “Look, 23, you’re not going there cave.” in your car, remember. And you’re not going shopping. You been to the cave?” “To a cave? Yea, sure. I’ve been to some caves. Been to Mammoth Cave, Cave of the Ozarks and . .” “Look, Unit 23,” thundered the voice from base, “I’m not in the %*# mood. I mean the cave, where we keep our containers, under the Merchandise Mart.” “The what?” I threw my question back into the black piece of plastic in my hand, now sure something was wrong. “Just as I thought.” . a long pause When the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Illinois, opened in 1930, it was the . “summer idiot.” . another pause largest building in the world with 4 million square feet of fl oor space. As the author notes, providing services (such as trash removal) to such a large and apparently some thinking going structure came with its own logistics. Image courtesy of the author. on back at base. “You ain’t been there, have you? I wondered if I’d sent you. “Roger.” I shouted back, eager to af- The other dispatchers haven’t either, fi rm that I had heard the message and apparently.” glad that I, by accident, was heading By now, I had double-parked on in the right direction. Wells Street as close to the side as I A moment of silence from the little dared without taking off a few car black box hanging from the ceiling in fenders. I put on my fl ashers and ap- A native of Chicago, Larry Vander Leest my cab. plied the air brake. I had been on the for thirty years was a teacher and ad- “Unit 23?” road for thirty minutes—max. Yet, I ministrator in the Chicago area, as well as “working on the truck” during break “Yes, Base?” could tell another adventure was com- periods. He and his wife Kathy own and “Aren’t you going to ask which ing and this radio discussion needed operate The Bluff, a bed and breakfast slot? . Hey, wait a minute . you my complete attention. on Whidbey Island, Washington. ever been there? Which street are you “OK, Base. I’m parked, got pen and gonna take?” paper, and ready for directions.” 4 Volume XXIX • Number 1 • 2011 The crackly voice was hesitant. realized it was cheaper to employ me met one of the Hovings. To the men “You ain’t ever been there . ” he at a non-union rate than paying over- who pulled out of his old buildings on repeated. The idea seemed hard for the time to a regular. Halsted, Sam Hoving, the old wooden man to digest. “I can’t give you @&*% Two years ago (in 1988) this cor- shoe founder of the business, was as directions to that place over the radio. poration tried to shed its Neanderthal remote as George Washington or Abe . .” Another pause . more thinking. image and words such as scavenger Lincoln. “Gol’ dang it. I ain’t got anybody else and disposal; and was absorbed by Sam (Siert), the fi rstborn son of 2 in the area right now, either.” I could BFI.