SMMS Newsletter: March 1998


P.O. Box 177 Empire, Michigan 49630 March 1998		1998/1999 Vol.9, No.1
News From Our President It is again a pleasure to report on the activities of your Society. Your four officers, Vice President Jack Kolasinski, Treasurer Joe Orbeck, Secretary Judy Fogle and I "met" by conference call on January 24, We discussed several issues which I will summarize for you. Most of our time was spent on whether we should reprint the report, Coming Through With Rye, an historic agricultural study of South Manitou Island printed by the Midwest Field Area of the National Park Service in Omaha, Nebraska in 1996. It was distributed free by the Park Service to libraries and some individuals. After discussing the pros and cons of this issue, your Board voted unanimously not to reprint the report. I have so informed Ivan Miller, Superintendent of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, of that decision. We also discussed the possibility of establishing a non-profit bulk mail permit now that our mailing list is over 200. This is a time consuming process which we hope to begin after we get some more answers to our questions. We are also exploring sending the Newsletter to those with E-mail addresses. You may recall that in the last Newsletter I reported on the effort to have our members provide historical and cultural education services on South Manitou Island. I am pleased to report that some progress has been made recently. Through correspondence and telephone conversations with both Ivan Miller and Neal Bullington, Chief of Interpretation, the following procedures have been developed: Write to Neal at Sleeping Bear Dunes N.L., 9922 Front St., Empire, MI 49630, and request a copy of the brochure "Volunteers in Parks". Fill out the application and return it to him. There are 37 areas of interest which can be indicated. I would suggest educational programs, public relations, and visitor programs and services. Check off others which may apply. Neal will go though these applications and assign those whose interests most match up with the needs of the Park Service. Make sure that you list your membership in the Society. You can also reach Neal at (616) 326-5134. Although the program is designed for longer assignments such as four weeks, some persons stay for the whole summer and others come for a day or a week (which might work out for someone living in or near Leelanau County). copyrighted 1998/1999, Vol.9, No.1

Free housing on the island will be provided (usually shared with other volunteers or park staff), free transportation to and from the island, and uniform items such as windbreaker, baseball cap, pullover shirts, and name tags.

Neal predicts that after one or two of our members "go though the bureaucratic procedures" that more of our members will do these interpretive procedures. So, I hope that several of you take advantage of this opportunity.

Another item that your Board discussed was my suggestion to change the format of our Annual Meeting on July 25. In the past we have gathered casually and began the meeting later than scheduled and heard mostly reports with not a lot of interaction. This year we will have a time to catch up with one another at 9:30 am. at the Empire United Methodist Church with the meeting beginning promptly at 10:00 am. Because of our regular reports to you in our Newsletters, we will devote nearly all of the meeting to an open forum to discuss the hopes and dreams and plans for our Society. Judy Fogle, our faithful Secretary, will keep notes on all of this so that these ideas are not lost. I hope that more of you will attend the Annual Meeting because of the change in format. We will still plan on being at the Empire Town Hall for the potluck lunch beginning as close to noon as is possible. This should make the day more interesting for all of us.

Our bylaws call for an audit to be done on our financial reports, although apparently none has been performed. I am looking for one of you, with the appropriate credentials, to volunteer to conduct this audit. Please contact me at the address listed below if you are willing to do this and are not related to any of the Officers.

Elsewhere in this Newsletter you will see about the idea to return to listing the telephone numbers of our members on our membership list and to add E-Mail addresses.

You will also read elsewhere about the plan to sell the remaining sweatshirts and T-shirts at 50 per cent off We have apparently saturated the interest in these items at regular prices. These sales will move us a little closer to breaking even on this project.

Jack Kolasinski and Judy Fogle are investigating setting up a website on the Internet. I can't help but think about how far we have come from the simple life with no technology of the year-round residents of South Manitou Island.

Well, it's time to FAX this material to Kathy Bietau, our Newsletter Editor.

If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please contact me through April at 6551 E. Dorado Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85715 (520) 721-1697 or from May though October at 8330 S. Dunn's Farm Road, Maple City, MI 49664 (616) 334-4355. I look forward to hearing from you.

President, Donald Morris

Meet John (Jack) Kolasinski, Jr. - Memorial Society Vice-President

I am a pharmacist specializing in pediatrics and neonatal care at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio. I graduated from Pharmacy School at the University of Toledo in 1972 and have been at St. Vincent's for almost 25 years. I am married. My wife, Barbara is a Realtor. We have two children. Julie is 22 and John has just turned 15.

To the best of my knowledge I have been going to Empire, Michigan, since I was a year old. My grandparents lived there. My Grandma is my connection to the island, her name was Lula Hutzler Payment. She was the

daughter of George Hutzler, Jr., Granddaughter of George Johann Hutzler. Grandma would sometimes talk about the island. I remember her talking about ice-skating to school across Lake Florence when she was a girl growing up there. Somehow I never made it to the Island while she was alive.

It wasn't until 2 years ago that I took my son to camp on the Island that I learned of my family's rich history there. My son John and I hiked all over the island. We wound up eating lunch in front of the old schoolhouse, We imagined her studying there and playing where we were eating. It gave me a real sense of connection to the place. That is when I decided to join the Society to learn more about the Island and it's history. I have since learned that the school we ate by is in need of repairs. We need to play an active part in preserving our history. I would like to see the school building stabilized and made into a Museum. I would like to see the farm of George C. Hutzler preserved because of it's historical significance. And if it's not to far fetched, I can see it being run as a historical period working farm, so that future generations could see what it was like to be a 19th century farmer while learning about this little island. A little island which played a large role in our countries history.

John (Jack) Kolasinski, Jr.

TREASURY REPORT
South Manitou Memorial Society
December 31, 1997

TREASURER'S REPORT - SEPTEMBER 30, 1998

ASSETS	9-30-98
First Chicago Corp. Bond - Perpetual Fund	$ 10,075.20
Empire National Bank C.D.'s	11,419.01
Jack Phillips Memorial Fund C.D.	1,644.97
Empire National Bank Savings Account	3,466.45
Empire National Bank Checking Account	535.52
TOTAL	$ 27,141.15

Increase of $804.51 since 6-30-97.
Submitted by Joe Orbeck - Memorial Society Treasurer.

ISLAND WORK OUTINGS

I'm really looking forward to 1998. It's going to be a great year filled with many possibilities for the Memorial Society. I am currently working with the National Park to organize a couple work outings on South Manitou for 1998. We hope to obtain permission to clear paths to the outlying graves that were marked with white crosses and picket fences by Glenn Furst and the kids from the Lockman Outdoor Center in Traverse City. We have several gravesite paths to clear. We also hope to obtain permission to clear the historic path from the schoolhouse to the old dock, along the railroad grade. Fred Burdick and I flagged this route a few years ago.

After we obtain permission to do the work on the Island, I will schedule the weekend outings. I would like to begin putting together a list of those people interested in volunteering. The first outing could be as early as Memorial Day. Everyone, member or not, is invited to help preserve a piece of our beautiful islands past!

Please call, write, or e-mail of your interest in attending this outing. I'll then correspond with those interested to arrange for accommodations, tool and material needs. I look forward to hearing from you!!!! Kathy Bietau - Newsletter Editor and Volunteer Coordinator. 2400 N. Morse Rd. Fountain, MI 49410 616-462-8937 e-mail address: bietau@carrinter.net NEWS RELEASE FROM THE NATIONAL PARK Sleeping Bear Dunes to Prepare Historic Properties Management Plan Empire, MI, -- The public is invited to attend scoping and information meetings to be held March 20th and 21st, 1998, in the National Lakeshore Headquarters auditorium, 9922 Front Street, Empire, Michigan. Superintendent Ivan D. Miller said, "The meetings are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and will begin with a presentation of the planning project and a slide show depicting the variety of properties in the Lakeshore and their current status." The National Park Service will prepare a General Management Plan Amendment (GMP), a Historic Properties Management Plan, and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). To facilitate sound planning and environmental analysis, the National Park Service intends to gather information necessary for the preparation of these plans and the EIS. Comments and suggestions in this scoping process are invited. Written comments and suggestions concerning preparation of the GMP Amendment, the Historic Properties Management Plan and the EIS will be received until April 17, 1998. They should be directed to: Superintendent, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 9922 Front Street, Empire, Michigan 49630. The Lakeshore's existing GMP was approved in 1979. In accordance with National Park Service Management Policies, the GMP sets forth a management concept for the Lakeshore, and identifies broad strategies for resolving issues and achieving management objectives. The GMP Amendment described in this notice will only address changes to the GMP necessary to provide an updated foundation for decision making related to the management of historic properties within the Lakeshore. The Historic Properties Management Plan is an implementation plan that will describe how goals identified in the Lakeshore's GMP and Strategic Plan will be achieved. The Historic Properties Management Plan is identified as a work element in the Lakeshore's Annual Performance Plan. The Annual Performance Plan and the Strategic Plan are required by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). Elements of the Historic Properties Management Plan will include: 1). Identification of landscapes and properties that should or may be preserved, and a determination of preservation strategies;

2). Identification of landscapes and properties that will not be preserved, and a determination of action strategies, and; 3). Identification of how visitors, surrounding communities, other interested groups and the Lakeshore can protect and preserve and adaptively use these landscapes and properties. The Historic Properties Management Plan will address properties throughout the Lakeshore including farms in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District, maritime structures, Glen Haven and the North and South Manitou Islands. Please attend scheduled meetings and send your comments by mail. Notices of the dates, times and locations of public sessions will be announced through local media outlets prior to the events. Information about public sessions and about the management plans and EIS will also be provided through periodic newsletters. The park's historic farmsteads have been inventoried in the reports prepared by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Landscape Architecture: 1) A Garden Apart: An Agricultural and Settlement History of Michigan's Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Region by Susan Olson Haswell and Professor Arnold R. Alanen, 1994, 2) Farming at the Water's Edge: An Assessment of Agricultural and Cultural Resources in the Proposed Port Oneida Rural Historic District at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan by Maria J. McEnaney, William H. Tischler, and Arnold R. Alanen, 1995, and 3) Coming Through With Rye: An Historic Agricultural Landscape Study of South Manitou Island at Steeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan by Brenda Wheeler Williams, Arnold R. Alanen, and William H. Tischler, 1996. Park personnel recommend that the public familiarize themselves with the Lakeshore's historic properties and the information available in these reports prior to the public meetings. The reports have been distributed to local libraries, Glen Lake Schools, local historical societies, and to interested parties. Reprints of these reports are also available at the Cottage Bookstore in Glen Arbor, Michigan (616) 334-4223. Further information can be obtained, and placement on the mailing list can be accomplished by contacting the Park's Historical Architect, Kimberly Mann, at (616) 326-5134. From the Editor: I strongly encourage all members who can attend this meeting to do so!!! This meeting will set the management direction for preservation, or NOT, of historic buildings on South Manitou Island. For many years we have watched farmsteads and island homes crumble from "lack of funds", or because the buildings did not hold "historic register" significance. Many of the buildings we once thought significant have been lost to the weather and to decisions made by previous Park administrations. This is our opportunity to influence the future direction of historic resources on South Manitou. If you are not familiar with the properties on the island, please contact me and I can arrange for some information to be sent to you. Be prepared to speak about the historic properties on the island, and their importance for preservation for future generations of South Manitou Memorial Society members!!! See you on March 20th or 21st!!!! The South Manitou Memorial Society Newsletter is copyrighted 1998/1999. Vol.9. No.1 The deadline for articles to be included in the next Newsletter is June 15. 1998. Please submit to Newsletter Editor: Kathy Bietau at: 2400 N. Morse Rd. Fountain, MI 49410. OR E-mail to bietau@carrinter.net

Members in Attendance at the SMMS Annual Meeting July, 1997 We thought you may be interested in seeing who attended the Annual Meeting last July. We hope this inspires you to attend this year!!!! Alanen, Arnold, Prof - University of Wisconsin, Madison - principal investigator conducting historical studies of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park Braden, Margaret Kelly - granddaughter of James and Lilian Burdick, daughter of Ruth Burdick Kelly, niece of Fred Burdick. Brightman, Marcie - Camper Burdick, Fred - born and raised on SMI Carlson, Joan 0.- Frankfort, MI - former owner of "Seagull Point," spent many vacations 1967-1997 on SMI Fogle, Judy - visiting island since 1975 to 1997, living in the Shapley cabin. Heisler, Cindy - Grandfather is Ernest G. Hutztler, mother Leota Hutzler Goeman Kelly, Pat - granddaughter of James and Lilian Burdick, daughter of Ruth Burdick Kelly, niece of Fred Burdick. Kolasinski, Lorraine - mother was Lola Hutzler Payment, great granddaughter of George Johana Hutzler and Andrew Erickson Kolasinski, Jr., John - same as above, mother is Lorraine Payment Kolasinski, one generation later MacDonald, Eric - University of Wisconsin, Madison - student researching NMI Morris, Zella M. and Don Morris - grandfather was Martin C. Furst, mother is Ethel Furst Stormer Orbeck, Joseph A. - great grandfather is George Conrad Hutzler Rocheleau, Harvey - father's name Henry - 1st Asst. Light Housekeeper SMI 1920, Ida Beck is my mother. Rocheleau, Paul - grandfather was Henry Rocheleau, 1st Asst. Light Housekeeper SMI, Ida Beck was grandmother, daughter of Theodore Beck Roe, Lynn M. - daughter of Gerald E. Crowner, who served on the SMI in the mid 20's, as a member of Coast Guard. Many vacations on SMI! Roy, Don - great grandmother was Florence Haas, grandparents were Louis & Jessie (Haas) Hutzler, mother Jessie Hutzler Roy. Smith, Marie - spent 25-30 years on island Tobin, Donald H. - Lived on island from 1931 to 1941; went to school for 4 years; teacher was my aunt Iola Tobin, my grandmother had the store and post office.

SMMS Outing for 1997 This year the outing occurred without rain, but the crossing was in a very heavy FOG. But, upon landing on South Manitou Island, the sun shown through. Much appreciation goes to the Grosvenors. Beth for arranging the reservations, Mike for making four ferry trips through the fog, and Michael and Molly for orchestrating the tour buggies. Also, the Grosvenors' interest with the SMMS visitors and their excited greetings of seeing old friends made all feel very welcome. After picnicking on the Coast Guard/Ranger Station front lawn, we loaded all 28 people into two vehicles (thanks to Mike's friend, who just happen to have a spark plug handy to get one of the vehicles rolling), and headed out to the schoolhouse. This year the schoolhouse door was open (thanks to Ranger Chris Eggle). We gathered around to hear stories. Such as: Fred Burdick's broken arm, the "jumper" (one blade sled), how parents would bring "hot" lunch to the students at the schoolhouse, Rosie Warner's "salt box house," picnics in the schoolhouse front yard, Christmas parties, Santa Claus arriving by sleigh with bells, how the teacher had to turn sideways to scoot down the isles because the seats were so close together, and the LONG walk to school (Sweet Water Trail). On to the cemetery, which looked so neat because of the mowing by Bob Smith (maintenance worker), Kathy Bietau' s (past ranger) trimming around the fence line, and Don Crouch (maintenance worker) for sharing tools to do the work. Stories were told about the passing of "Tilli" Matilda Thompson and how Bertha Peth was called back to the island to care for the Thompson children, especially young Clarabell. But the highlight of the cemetery visit was brightened by the beautiful single rose growing above Bertha Peth's grave. Bob Smith had been clearing a juniper bush when he discovered the rose bush and nursed it to it's shining just for us (SMMS members). Thanks Bob!

Better yet was the Tobin brothers and sister�s visit to their "Tobin" house. Norma, John, and Don walked through their family home, explaining where the pot belly stove sat, where the furniture was placed, where the walls were, which room was the parents room, and where one of the boys fell down the stairs opening on his head when "fooling around." (He recovered fortunately, but has never been able to figure out the dent in his head.!)

Here is a list of members who attended the outing this year. Maybe your name will be added to the list next year!

Arnie Alanem
Chuck Belden
Kathy Bietau
Wayne Braden
Margaret Braden
Fred Burdick
Norma Tobin Egler
Judy Fogle
Lisa Fogle

Roland Gillett
Ellis Henniges
Pat Kelly
Shone Kelly
Eric MacDonald
Paul Maleski
Zella Morris
Don Morris
Gary Nelson

Connie Nelson
Joe Orbeck
Lynn Crower Rae
Don Roy
Jeanette Thomas
John Tobin
Don Tobin
Dan Tomaszewski

submitted by Judy Fogle

South Manitou Memorial Society
Sweatshirt & T-Shirt Order Form

South Manitou Memorial Society t-shirts and sweatshirts are available in oatmeal (cream-colored) with the society logo printed on the left chest with the above mission statement on the back in large print.

Name: __________________________________________________________________

Street: __________________________________________________________________

City: ___________________________________State:__________Zip:_____________

Telephone: _________________________home_________________________evenings

T-Shirts Size L (8) S (7) Youth L (5) Youth M (6)	No ____ ____ ____ ____	Price ea. 7.00 7.00 6.00 6.00	Total ________ ________ ________ ________		Sweatshirts Size XXL (3) M (3) S (3) Youth L (3) Youth M (2) Youth S (2)	No ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____	Price ea. $13.00 12.00 12.00 10.00 10.00 10.00	Total ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________
*Shipping ($4.00 per order) Total Enclosed								________ ________

Payable to SMMS. Send order to JUDY FOGLE, 2595 OKEMOS RD, MASON MI 48854

Tobin descendants visit Lake Florence during SMMS outing.

"I REMEMBER WHEN ..." This poem was sent to me by Felicia Shirk ...

MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION (Please print) NAME: __________________________________________________________ ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ CITY: ___________________________________________________________ STATE: _________________________________________________________ ZIP CODE: ______________________________________________________ TELEPHONE NUMBER: ______________________________________________ EMAIL ADDRESS: ________________________________________________ Relationship to South Manitou Island: _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ *Return in attached envelope or send to: Judy Fogle, 2595 Okemos Rd., Mason, MI 48854

South Manitou Memorial Society
P.O. Box 177
Empire, MI 49630

*******************************
President: Don Morris
Vice-President: Jack Kolasinski
Treasurer: Joe Orbeck
Secretary: Judy Fogle

FORWARDING & RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED

The South Manitou Memorial Society
Newsletter is published three times
a year. In March, July , and
November. Ideas, suggestions,
research, stories, photographs,
illustrations, etc., are encouraged.
Send to above address.

SOUTH MANITOU MEMORIAL SOCIETY
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

NAME: ____________________________________ DATE: _______________
ADDRESS: ________________________________________________________
CITY/STATE/ZIP: __________________________________________________

DONATION: ________ $10.00 ________ $25.00 ________ $50.00
________ $100.00 ________ $OTHER

MEMBERSHIP IN THE MEMORIAL SOCITEY IS A "ONE-TIME, LIFE-TIME" MEMBERSHIP!!!
THE SMMS IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE TO THE
EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW.
SEND TO: SMMS P.O. BOX 177 EMPIRE, MI 49630