This Was Doylestown, 1939

William Mercer leaves money to hospital, library, pool -

Editor's note - Born in 1858, William R. Mercer was the younger brother of Henry Chapman Mercer, and a sculptor and craftsman whose works include the . He and his wife, Martha, built the Tudor-style on Old Dublin Pike in 1927 to replace the 1850s Mercer family home on the site. After William Mercer died in 1939, Mrs. Mercer lived at Aldie until her death in 1960.

The will of William R. Mercer, who died February 26 in Washington, D.C., was probated Thursday in Bucks County Orphans' Court.

The will gives a total of $128,500 in specific money legacies. Mr. Mercer left sums to relatives, friends and a few employees, and also provided trust funds for his niece, the Baroness von Friesen, and his great-nephew, Bernard von Friesen, with the Girard Trust Company as trustee.

Among the recipients of monetary bequests are organizations in which Mr. and Mrs. Mercer have been especially interested.

These include $1,000 to the Bucks County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; $5,000 to the Doylestown Emergency Hospital; and $2,000 to the "in trust, to be used for the purchase of books of art and natural history."

The will leaves $5,000 to the Doylestown Trust Company in trust to pay the income annually to the trustees of the Fanny Chapman Memorial Swimming Pool "for the maintenance of the pool." A further provision is that, should the swimming pool be abandoned at any time, the principal of this trust shall be paid to the Doylestown Emergency Hospital.

The residence property of Mr. Mercer, known as "Aldie," for some years has been in the joint names of Mr. and Mrs. Mercer and is therefore not disposed of by this will. All of the remainder of Mr. Mercer's estate, which includes the farm along the Old Dublin pike which formerly belonged to Miss Fanny Chapman [William Mercer's aunt], is given to Mrs. Mercer.

Township Pupils To Battle Caterpillars -

Mrs. John A. Lester of Turk road, speaking to pupils of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades in the on Monday, urged the boys and girls to begin an extermination campaign against the tent caterpillar.

"I know how glad each of you boys and girls must be that you live in America and in a democracy, and want to do something to keep it a fine country in which to live," said Mrs. Lester. She pointed out that the pupils can perform some duty for their country by doing something for their township, which in turn aids the State and the nation.

She asked the boys and girls to collect as many tent caterpillar cocoons as possible in order to rid Doylestown township of the pest. Mrs. Lester will present prizes to the three children who have the collected the greatest number.

Mrs. Lila Keating, English and reading teacher, announced that the winners will be decided on the first Monday following Easter, which will be April 9.

Mrs. Lester explained that the wild cherry and apple trees are the worst targets of the enemy caterpillars. She exhibited samples of cocoons so that the pupils will have some idea in making their collections.

Mrs. Keating explained that the children will not confuse the cocoon of the praying mantis with that of the tent caterpillar because, under her observation, they have watched the hatching of praying mantises from cocoons as part of their education in nature work.

The pupils will bring their collections of cocoons to school on designated days, when they will be counted by the school teachers and proper credit given to the collectors.

Illustrator visits school on St. Patrick's Day -

Peter Keenan, an illustrator, cartoonist, and writer who resides in Edison, visited the Doylestown Township Consolidated School on St. Patrick's Day.

Mrs. Ellen Rufe and her pupils were hosts to the other primary teachers and their pupils in the second grade room.

Mr. Keenan delightfully entertained the children by telling stories. He showed them some of his beautiful illustrations of old Irish fairy tales which he has modernized for the child of today.

Mr. Keenan also showed a miniature replica which he had made of the church in which St. Patrick had worshipped in Ireland.

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American Legion post celebrates 20th anniversary -

The Albert R. Atkinson, Jr. Post 210, American Legion, celebrated its 20th anniversary at a meeting Wednesday evening at on North street.

The main feature of the largely attended meeting was a very interesting talk by Colonel George Ross, one of the first commanders of the post. He first spoke about the founding of the national American Legion in 1919.

"Our own post had its inception at a meeting held in our law office [] on August 8, 1919, when those present signed the application for the charter which hangs on our post wall. I well recall at the first organization meeting held in the Armory the difficulty confronting us in the selection of a name for the post.

"With no less honor to others who had been killed, it was decided to select the name of Albert R. Atkinson, Jr., a sergeant of old Company G. He was one of the first of that Company to lose his life [in France in 1918]. He was one of four brothers, all members of the same Company," Colonel Ross stated.

The meeting was attended by more than 100 persons, including a number of the past commanders, almost the entire personnel of the American Legion Cadet Corps and a number of friends of the post.

Among the past commanders were Colonel George Ross, Captain Daniel D. Atkinson, Captain Edward J. Gallagher, Samuel E. Sparce, Ira C. Shaw, Russell B. Gulick, Andrew H. Schott, Harman V. Cope and Richard J. Murray.

One of the guests at the meeting was Herman Flesser of the National Farm School [now ], who was an officer in the German Army during the World War.

Community singing was directed by Earl D. Handy. With William Spare as his accompanist, John B. Hill, a member of the post, rendered a number of selections on the musical saw. Tap dances were given by Henry Clemmer and William Fleming.

Club discusses Doylestown's "colonial treasures" -

The Colonial Club held its March meeting Friday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Calvin Boyer on West Court street, with fourteen members present.

The subject of the afternoon was "Colonial Treasures of Doylestown."

Mrs. F.R. Sanson presented a paper on the treasures of the Bucks County Historical Society Library. She spoke of a multitude of enlightening books, but chose the Pennsylvania Historical Society's publication of the Series of 1834, of which the Bucks County society has some twenty volumes.

Mrs. H.L. Kister, describing the many riches of , spoke of a "castle spinning wheel" used by ladies, a small drawing room edition of the spinning wheel used on a table for elegant diversion. She suggested the club visit Fonthill for its May meeting, and the members agreed.

Mrs. George M. Whitenack spoke of George S. Hotchkiss' collection of antique clocks. Mrs. Ginther, recalling Mr. Hotchkiss' invitation to the club, asked the members to arrange a visit to the collection some evening later on.

After the usual social half-hour, the club adjourned to meet on the second Monday in April at the home of Mrs. Herman Burgher on Maple avenue.

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Doylestown Town Notes -

George Carver, Jr. and Steven Bullock, employed at the Andre greenhouses in Doylestown township, left Thursday morning for the New York City Flower Show, where several vases of roses grown at the Andre greenhouses will be in competition.

Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Smith entertained their niece, Audrey Smith, 4, at a birthday party Saturday afternoon. They had games and refreshments.

Two students from Doylestown have recently been honored. Mary Alice Lippincott has been selected to be a member of the Laurel chain for May Day at Beaver College. Sally Foxhall has been admitted to the Alpha Sigma Alpha professional society of Temple University.

James E. Groff, of East State street, who underwent an operation in the Abington Hospital on Friday, is getting along nicely.

Mrs. Otto Schneider, of Taylor avenue, is spending some time with her son in Jersey City.

Leonard Halderman, supervising principal of the Doylestown Borough School, announced there will be no sessions of school on Thursday and Friday afternoon because of Schoolmen's Week, which will be attended by the Doylestown teachers at the University of Pennsylvania.

Miss Ruth H. Jacobs, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, formerly of Doylestown, is visiting Miss Cecelia Riley, of the Gardy apartments.

Excavation work on the new storm sewer on North Main street, part of the new highway contract, is about complete. The pipe will be laid this week.

Mr. and Mrs. Edward O. Steely, who were on a motor trip through the South, including a stop at St. Petersburg, Florida, returned to their home on West Court street on Friday after being gone more than a month.

Under the supervision of Hillborn Darlington, members of Boy Scout Troop 2 are learning to do metal work with copper and brass on Tuesday evenings in the basement of Darlington's greenhouse.

Miss Margaret Z. Conard, a member of the sales force of Musselman's store, is confined to her home on Linden avenue because of the grippe [flu].

With children from various schools in the county taking part, the Bucks County Music Festival was held Saturday evening in the Court House.

From the Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, Week of March 12-18, 1939