Ann Richards is alert, with a sparkle in her eye. She looks right at you and smiles when conversing.

She remembers a Toronto parade of soldiers celebrating the end of World War I in 1918 — when she was 5 years old.

Ann, 100, is a resident of The Livingston County Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Mount Morris. She was born on March 5, 1913, in Peterborough, Ontario. Her family moved to Mount Morris in 1921 because her father took a position managing the A & P Grocery Store in the village.

In the mid-1940s, Ann and her husband, Ernest “Dick” Richards, moved to Medina, Orleans County, where they lived for the next 40 years. Their only daughter Bonnie was adopted as a newborn during this time.

Ann loved the Girl Scouts program and almost single-handedly introduced it to Medina. She became active as a trainer of leaders, eventually receiving the honor of Medina’s Woman of the Year in 1963 for her tireless work with the Girl Scouts.

“Mom brought me to all her Girl Scout meetings when I was a pre-schooler. I guess I hold the record for being the youngest Girl Scout,” daughter Bonnie Newman said jokingly.

Tea Parties were another of Ann’s passions. She and some friends studied the rituals of having a tea party, and their get-togethers followed the proper etiquette.

“They really enjoyed having tea together and creating a situation of a different culture,” Bonnie said. “Mom is a very social person. She loves being around people; that’s when she feels happiest.”

Ann worked as head switchboard operator for Rochester Telephone and a stint as a pharmacy clerk in Medina.

In the mid-’80s Anne and her husband moved to Captiva Island, Fla., where Ann lived until 2000. Mr. Richards died in 1992. Ann returned to Mount Morris to live with her daughter in 2001. She has lived in the Livingston County Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation since 2010.

———

Ann would like the presence of your company at her 100th Open House Birthday Party, from 2 to 4 p.m. March 2 at The Livingston County Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. Murray Hill, Mount Morris. No gifts, cards welcome.

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Jane’s Pantry on Main Street, a business that sells unusual foods, candies and spices, was host to Sinter Klaas, the Saint Nicholas of the Dutch tradition.

Visitors learned about Dutch Christmas Customs, they tasted Dutch foods, they visited with Sinter Klaas and children received traditional Dutch gifts.

Sinter Klaas resembles a bishop in his dress, fashioned after the fourth century Bishop Nicholas in Turkey, whose both parents died and left him a lot of money, much of which he gave away.

Tradition has it that Nicholas tossed bags of gold down chimneys to reach wooden shoes and drying socks. He liked children. Sound familiar?

It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the chubby, bearded, red and white dressed man became today’s Santa. He evolved from an advertisement by the Coca Cola Company.

Rochester Boys Choir singing traditional Christmas favorites at St. Patrick’s Church in Mount Morris. Tony D’Imperio

The Rochester Boys Choir sang traditional Christmas favorites during a concert in St. Patrick’s Church.

LaMont Haywood, one of the older choristers in the Choir, has a connection to Mount Morris: his mother Melissa Anzalone-Haywood grew up in the village. LaMont has been with the choir for about six years.

Founded in 2002, the Rochester Boys Choir is an independent, community-based family of choirs for boys with treble (soprano range) voices, ages seven and up. The choir we heard, though, had mixed voices.

In the past, tradition was strong to remove a boy from the choir when his voice changed to a deeper range, but Choir Director Dr. Robert Poovey was able to convince the choir board to retain boys with alto, tenor and bass ranges.

The Rochester Boys Choir draws talented boy singers from the greater Rochester Metropolitan Area. The choir’s mission is to train and encourage boys in the art of fine choral singing by promoting the tradition through a variety of public and private performances.

Other events included in last Saturday’s festivities:

Hundreds lined Main Street to view an evening parade of area fire trucks sporting impressive displays of holiday lights, strung in creative arrangements.

The choir of United Presbyterian Church, directed by Elizabeth Simpson, sings Christmas favorites at Theatre 101. Photo by Tony D’Imperio

There were performances by the choirs of United Presbyterian and Saint Patrick’s Catholic Churches, singing their favorite Christmas Music in Theatre 101.

Visitors to Mills Mansion savored festive cookies and mulled, warm cider by candlelight.

The official lighting of the Mount Morris Christmas Tree in Patriots Park drew gasps and cheers of appreciation.

A living nativity scene on the Provo property at the corner of Main and Chapel Streets was directed by Joan Harter and performed by actors from the Village Baptist Church.

Kids climbed into Santa’s lap at Theatre 101, where enthusiastic elves were ready to help with handing out candy canes to the kids.

Kids and adults enjoyed free horse-drawn carriage rides along Main Street.

One year-old Kyleigh Pagano shares time with mom Cliftene and brother Anthony. Photo by Tony D’Imperio

The post A very Mount Morris Christmas appeared first on Livingston County News.

It seems that a meteorologist and Charles Dickens would be strange bedfellows.

Well, not really Charles Dickens, but a performer who does a solo interpretation of the author.

Mike Randall, who performed at Theatre 101 last Sunday, spent over a year researching to recreate the presentation of Dickens’ well-known story, A Christmas Carol. It was superb!

He writes that “no detail was overlooked, even taking a woodshop class so that I could build a replica of Dickens’ famous reading stand, the centerpiece of my performance.”

Randall has performed a variety of roles in theaters around the country, and he continues to perform his critically acclaimed, one-man portrayal of Mark Twain.

He has made more than 2000 appearances (including Theatre 101) as the great American author and appears annually in California at the Huck Finn Jubilee as the official Mark Twain.

An award winning feature reporter, Randall has college work in radio and TV, also in Theatre Arts from SUNY Geneseo.

In his ‘day-job’, Randall is Chief Meteorologist at WKBW-TV in Buffalo. He’s received awards from both the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society — the only local meteorologist to receive recognition from both.

Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England on February 7, 1812. He was the second of eight siblings.

Although he had little formal schooling, Dickens taught himself shorthand and launched a career as a journalist. At the age of 16, he was hired as a court reporter and soon joined the staff of a newspaper that reported on Parliament.

Disillusioned with politics, Dickens developed an interest in social reform and began contributing to the True Sun, a radical newspaper.

In 1843, he published A Christmas Carol, one of his most famous works. His disenchantment with the world’s economic imbalance becomes clear in this work. Dickens blamed much of society’s ills on people’s obsession with earning money (Scrooge) and acquiring status based on money.

It is not widely known that Dickens visited the United States in 1842, where he found people to be “crass, vulgar and not to his liking.” He wrote a book about his experiences here; one stop was Buffalo, then a city of only 20,000.

Dickens returned in 1867-68 for the American Reading Tour; his reception was mixed, as many Americans were offended by the book which labeled them in a not so shining light. Dickens died in 1870.

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Mount Morris has a connection to Red Hook, Brooklyn in the person of real estate developer Greg O’Connell. He bought and restored vacant, deteriorating, historical buildings in both places, now with thriving businesses.

Red Hook, near the Brooklyn waterfront, took a big hit from Hurricane Sandy. Flooding, loss of power and wind damage have caused inconvenience, stress and heartache among the residents and business owners.

In appreciation for all that O’Connell has done to revive Mount Morris Main Street, Rick and Cathie Barry, managers of Main Street’s Theatre 101, organized the benefit concert in that venue for those Red Hook folks dealing with massive damage.

(Theatre 101 is owned by O’Connell, rent free to the Barrys. All bills are paid by O’Connell, who has an interest in seeing the arts prosper.)

Musical performers donating their talents include: The Dady Brothers, Tom Greenfield, Lisa Winter, The Wrays, Len Squires, Pete Cappadonia Band, Tom Hanney of the White Hots, Beth Sleboda, Tom Stahl, Bob Bunce Trio, Andy Sanderson and Brian Rauber.

The generosity of those filling every seat last week resulted in donations totaling $4,870, expected to reach well over $5,000 through donations from people not at the benefit.

$2,950 came from cash donations and a 50/50 raffle won by Joan Cottone, who gave back $210, her half of the raffle. The silent auction brought in $1,920; one of its largest donations was a $2,000 value in wine from Eagle Crest Winery.

All proceeds will be directed by the Red Hook Initiative to hard-hit Red Hook residents and O’Connell’s business tenants, since he is concerned that some might never be able to open again.

Red Hook Initiative is a not-for-profit organization that has been fundamental in supporting relief efforts in Red Hook.

O’Connell wrote to Mount Morris:

The invitation said “come join us for the kickoff ceremony.”

Indeed, there was a resemblance to when the toe meets the football: everyone at the gathering was standing; there was no other option.

Many of the team members — the design and money people; village and town officials; and, of course, the firefighters — who will bring the fire station to completion were there last Saturday to get a look together at the new six acre site located between the town and the village on Chapel Street.

A spokesperson from Chatfield Engineers said “We’ve been working on the design [of the station] for about five years. Soon we will move from concept design to final design.”

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Area Specialist Cynthia Newcomb’s remarks reminded the gathering that the village applied for funding in 2010, “hoping to establish a facility that would meet the needs of the village and town residents.”

The village has received a $2,914,900 loan and an $85,100 grant through the USDA’s Community Facilities Program; this $3 million is expected to cover all project expenses.

Last year, village residents voted to pass a proposition authorizing the village to borrow the nearly $3 million.

The Community Facilities Program offers guaranteed loans to develop essential community facilities in rural areas and towns of up to 20,000 population. In addition to municipalities, loans are available to counties, tribal governments and non-profits.

USDA New York Acting State Director Dave Schermerhorn wrote in support of the project: “The fire station will help residents by providing a framework for job creation and economic growth. Having a strong public safety system is fundamental to improving and maintaining the prosperity of our rural communities.”

The current fire station is over 50 years old, and department members report that for one of the later model trucks purchased several years ago, an 8 by10 foot hole had to be made in the back wall of the building in order for it to fit.

Also, they maintain that there is no training space around the trucks without pulling one out over the sidewalk and into one lane of Main Street traffic.

The new fire station and six acre site should solve these problems.

Proposals to build a new fire station have come and gone for over 15 years. Designs by both department members and engineers have been discussed along with cost estimates; and committees were formed to recommend action.

“We’ve had many delays and some controversies, but now let’s reaffirm our partnerships and get this thing done,” asserted Mayor Harry Long in his closing remarks at the kickoff ceremony.

Ground breaking is expected next Spring, 2013.

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As a ten year old girl in 1919, Mynabelle “Myna” Hilts remembers World War I and President Woodrow Wilson.

Mynabelle is an “old German name” said Byrta Ford, Myna’s daughter, and the center for nursing staff delights in using Mynabelle instead of Myna when talking to her mom. It’s such a rare name today that there’s joy to hearing the ‘music’ in it.

Myna is alert, looking me right in the eye as we talked during her birthday celebration at the nursing center.

She lived alone in her home until 98, drove a car until 95 and played bridge, a card game popular in the ’40s and ’50s that was complicated, requiring logic and reason. Myna loved the game, only quitting at 96.

There seems to be that longevity ‘gene’ in Myna’s family: a sister lived to 94, while her mother was in her 90S when she passed. Sadly, Myna’s husband passed away 45 years ago at age 60.

Myna has a healthy appetite, finishing all of her lunch and saving room for a piece of her birthday cake and a cup of coffee. “Her favorite snack is M&Ms,” remarked Byrta, smiling.

Myna grew up in Rochester, graduating as an illustrator from RIT in 1928, back when the college was named Mechanics Institute and was located on Main Street in downtown Rochester. There were very few women enrolled in Mechanics Institute at that time.

Myna never had a career in the corporate world, but she and her husband ran an antique business in a shop near their home in Leicester. There, Myna used her illustrator’s talent and skills to paint designs on the lampshades of old glass lamps.

“My dad worked for the phone company, and in his spare time during evenings and weekends, he repaired the old lamps, getting them ready for mom’s lampshade designs,” said Byrta.

Making designs on metal serving trays and on the headrest of wood chairs was another expression of Myna’s creativity. She also did paintings of wildlife, her favorite subject.

“Not to sound prejudiced, but mom was very good as an illustrator. I’m very proud of her talent and accomplishments. And I’m thankful for her good health,” said Byrta.

Town of Leicester Historian Tom Roffe was Myna’s neighbor, remembering that she was quite involved in the community and recalling that she organized a regional art show held at the National Hotel in Cuylerville.

Roffe wonders whether Mynabelle Hilts — born October 11, 1909 — is the oldest resident of Livingston County.

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For a several years, the vacant lot at the intersection of Main and State Streets in Mount Morris was covered with weeds. Before that, in the 1940s and ‘50s, the space was home to a gas station and a grave monument company.

The last building there was a small restaurant that was demolished by Department of Transportation during the 2005 Main Street road improvement project in order to create a sight-line at the intersection.

The journey to becoming Patriots Park began with a design by Department of Transportation staff and some Mount Morris citizens.

First, the flagpole — donated by the Rotary Club — in front of the Main Street ARC offices was moved to the park. Then, a couple years ago a fountain that was long ago in the middle of Main Street, removed in the 1930s and relocated to a local cemetery, is now in Patriots Park fully refurbished and operational.

Before the 19060s, the surface of Main Street was a brick road. Blacktop was laid on top of the bricks as the next feature toward modernization, and when the Department of Transportation dug everything up to make a concrete surface, some of the bricks were saved; they now are pavers on the walkways in the park.

The most recent addition to the park is landscaping that includes rose bushes and a variety of other flowers, shrubbery, an area of grass and a low concrete border wall donated by the Spallina Family of Elim Materials.

New York City Landscape artist Lynden Miller, a cohort of Greg O’Connell, designed the layout for the plants and Seth Phillips of Geneseo selected them. Greg O’Connell contributed the expenses for the landscaping. Greg said smiling, “We’re not finished yet; a thousand tulip bulbs will be coming sometime in the next two weeks.”

A metal sunflower sculpture, created by Metal Trades students from Genesee Valley Educational Partnership, was in the Dansville auction with other metal sculptures. O’Connell obtained the piece with a high bid of $3,200 and donated it to the Pocket Park.

“Patriots Park is a symbol of our community, a coming together,” Mayor Harry Long remarked at the Sept. 22 dedication ceremony, recognizing the contributions of many groups and individuals.

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Mount Morris Central School DIstrict Superintendent Dawn Mirand (County News file photo by Tony D’Imperio)

Mount Morris is one of 27 school districts whose Annual Professional Performance Plans were approved by the state. All school districts were required to submit a plan by July 1, 2012; some plans were returned for more work, others missed the deadline.

Mount Morris received a $70,000 award because its plan was filed before deadline. The money will be used to “strengthen teacher and principal effectiveness,” said Mount Morris Superintendent of Schools Dawn Mirand.

At the end of the current school year, all Mount Morris teachers will be rated either highly effective, effective, developing or ineffective.

The ratings are determined by these measures: 20 percent from student scores on State tests; 20 percent from local tests and 60 percent from observations of teaching by administrators and peers.

Above state-average scores for a teacher’s students would result in a “Highly Effective” rating if observations show excellence.

Meeting state average on test scores would give a teacher an “Effective” rating. “Below State” average places a teacher with a “Developing” rating and well-below state average an Ineffective rating.

Teachers who receive Developing or Ineffective Ratings will get a Teacher Improvement Plan which includes identification of improvement areas, a timeline for achieving them and the way that improvement is measured.

More than two consecutive years of ineffective ratings could result in termination of employment.

During the school year that ended last June 2012, Mount Morris teachers in grades 4-8, English/Language Arts and Math teachers used the State’s evaluation system to measure their teaching with test scores; this was an in-house initiative.

Since the official state mandate was not in effect yet, results were not released publicly, nor turned into the State; information was, however, analyzed by the teachers using State guidelines.

The state has also introduced evaluation requirements for principals which include feedback from teachers, students, parents and the community.

Visits to the principal from trained administrators will be part of the evaluation process. School graduation rates will also be used in the principal’s rating.

Superintendent Mirand said that it was necessary to negotiate the development of the evaluation plan with the teachers’ association because it was a change in past practices. “Everything went smoothly,” Mirand noted.

She reflected that the “spirit of this plan is to improve instruction, to coach and support teachers so that students leave us well-prepared to be successful contributors to society. It [the plan] is not to punish, but to help those teachers who need to get better.”

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Nearly 150 classic cars filled both baseball playing fields at Mount Morris’ Bellamy Park during the 16th Annual Good Ol’ Boys Car Show in Mount Morris Aug. 26.

Club spokesman Jim DiSalvo said that the “judges had a tough time [awarding prizes] this year because there were so many cars in excellent condition.”

Half of the money collected by the non-profit organization through registrations and raffles goes to charitable and good-will causes. Donations from this year’s show will produce packages are for military people; contributions to the Mercy Flight Service and to Theresa House will also receive contributions.

The nearly 80 club members are very diverse, family-oriented, with many husband and wife teams, who enjoy each others’ company and love talking about cars said Treasurer Cathy Little.

Click on a thumbnail below to launch a slideshow by Tony D’Imperio.

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Tom Kelleher’s position as Mount Morris K-12 school principal is interim until next June when the school district will hire a permanent replacement for Mike Murray, former K-12 principal who left Mount Morris and is now Athletic Director with the Churchville Chili Schools.

Since his retirement as high school principal in 2006 from Letchworth Central, Kelleher, 61, has served several interim terms in area schools: half-year in LeRoy; one year in Avon and two years in Attica.

Kelleher says that he didn’t go looking for these positions, but when the calls came, he was ready to get on board. The network of school districts in the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership provides communication that helps schools to make contacts with each other about jobs; this was the case with Kelleher.

We hear a lot about interim positions lately in this area. Their popularity is related not only to the advantages of less bureaucracy in finding people when using the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership association, but also school districts can save money by hiring interim employees because they don’t have to pay for health insurance or pension benefits.

Kelleher grew up in Hornell, now resides in Castile with his wife of 37 years. She is a fourth grade teacher at Letchworth Central. The Kellehers have four grown children. “A good family is my most significant accomplishment,” he says with a big smile.

He graduated with a BS degree in Physical Education from SUNY Cortland, NY and Masters in Health Education from Michigan State. Kelleher taught Health Education for 11 years and in 1985 was appointed Assistant Principal in Wayland for two years. He then went on to Letchworth.

During his year at Mount Morris, Kelleher plans to emphasize work with teachers on interpreting student test scores and using results to make changes in programs and teaching strategies. “The scores can be better,” he says.

Another prominent place ‘on Kelleher’s plate’ is carrying out the new state-mandated teacher evaluation procedures. Under this law, teachers will be rated as highly effective, effective, developing or ineffective. Earning two consecutive years of ineffective ratings could be grounds for termination. Concentration is planned for grades three through eight in Mount Morris this year.

Three indicators will be used to determine effectiveness: student growth on state assessment tests will make up 20 percent; student growth on local tests, 20 percent; and observations of teachers by administrators and peer reviewers, 60 percent.

Tom Kelleher is personable and easy-going, so I’m betting that his relationship with staff and students will be comfortable and productive.

He is conscientious about and committed to his one year stay in Mount Morris.

Kelleher plans to communicate regularly with students, encouraging and supporting them to take part in school activities, something that could use some improvement he said.

When I asked if there was anything he’d like to change about himself Kelleher said, “I’d like to be able to shut the office door behind me at the end of the day and not take the job with me, but it’s not that easy for me.”

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