Skating Then and Now
By Agnes Schoch Selin
January 13th 1944
Little Norway, conducted by Miss Barbara Burns in the old canal boat basin on the Isle of Que, has added more winter pleasure to the young people of this vicinity than any other sport.
A few years ago Barbara persuaded her father, J. Howard Burns, to allow her to make a skating rink of the property he owned just south of the Penn's Creek bridge on East Pine street. Thru most of the summer Barbara and her brothers cleared the basin of underbrush. Then as the first freezing weather came they ran 4 pipeline into Penn's Creek and with the aid of an old automobile engine pumped water into the shallow basin. The next day it was a mirror of smooth ice. The basin is so shallow that were one to break thru the ice. they would no more than wet their ankles. This is one of the features of Little Norway that the fond parents especially approve of, as their darlings could not possibly be drowned. The basin being cup shaped is another advantage as the edges of the cup prevent the cold winter wind from blowing chilly blasts on the skaters. Another feature of the basin is that every year Barbara plants more and more evergreens along the edge, which add greatly to scenic effect.
At length came the day when Barbara built the Wine Cellar, in which wine never appears, but where the skaters may purchase soft drinks. This building is a two story affair of stone construction with open fireplaces on both floors, where a roaring fire warms the skaters while they rest and refresh themselves. The Wine Cellar is rustic and boasts a brightly painted door thru which the skaters glide happily onto the ice. A loud speaker plays music for their enjoyment, and at night floodlights Illuminate the ice pond. Altogether Little Norway is most attractive, and affords the young people hereabout a clean healthy sport. During the height of the season Barbara adds special attractions by bringing into our midst professional skaters.
This winter Little Norway been one of the few amusements afforded to the young men of the 35th College Training Detachment of the Army Flying Corps stationed at Susquehanna University, It is especially enjoyed try the soldiers from Georgia and other Southern States who never before skated on ice. Apparently it is an experience worthy of their best efforts, for regardless of the number of tumbles they are up and off again with vigor and vim.
Upon the occasion of a recent visit to Little Norway I took special cognizance of the dress of the present day skaters--that is the girls. They were arrayed in so little. Skirts short indeed, attractive quilted jackets that fit like a glove, dinkies or what have yon, precariously perched on their heads, mittens of white fur or bright knitted affairs and on their feet white high top skating shoes attached to their figure skates. The skating curves were lovely--that the gay young things cut on the ice. Among this bevy of youth we spied Art "Laddie" who dates from our skating days. He is still going strong and I wager could beat any one in a game of hockey, which in our day was shinny.
Speaking of shinny, that strenuous game was taken seriously hereabout, where skating has been one of our major sports since the days of John Mason, Hermit of Blue Hill. He thought nothing of skating to Harrisburg on the Susquehanna River from his Leaning Tower on Blue Hill, making a few purchases and coming back the same day. Just a small matter of approximately 50 miles one way.
In the heyday of shinny Selin's Grove boasted two teams. Dr. Peter R.. Wagenseller was "chooser" of one team and William H. Gemberling of the other. The teams numbered as many skaters as turned up, sometimes over 100. Every Christmas afternoon when there was ice on the Isle of Que Mills dam on Penn's Creek, a big game was played. The limits for the skaters were from the breast of the dam to the old covered red bridge, now extinct. All along the shore bonfires were lighted and the admiring populi gathered around the flames to keep warm and cheer their favorites.
After the game the two teams retreated to what used to be called the "Hole in the Wall", in South Market street, the building now occupied by the American Store. In the basement of that building Chris Staum ran a saloon. The town always treated the teams to refreshments, which consisted of 12 raw oysters and a glass of beer, followed by oyster stew, cabbage slaw, crackers and more beer, which cost the magnificent sum of 25 cents per head.
James Carey, of West Chestnut street, still holds the title of best figure skater in town and for many miles hereabout, not including Hershey,. The Carey family came here from Maine and conducted the Maine Mill near the northern end of the Isle of Que. Naturally the Carey family, hailing from Maine, skated well. It was born in the bone, but "Jimmie" was the prize package. Beside figure skating he was high jumper. taking as many as six barrels in his stride. Occasionally Mr. Carey hears the call of the steel skates and demonstrates to the younger set, who look on enviously.
Up at the old Maine Mill was what we called the "Gut", which refined name referred to an ideal place to skate. If you were good you skated up Penn's Creek, crossed the upper part of the island on foot and skated on the "Gut."
The girls in my day preferred the old canal bed. It was a sheltered haven from the wind and the water under the ice not too deep, just in case you went thru.
The dam at the Tale of Que Mills was another story. It you went under the ice in that deep water you faced the possibility of going thru the mill, and not coming out a pretty spectacle to say the least of it tho Timesman J. Frank Youngman, Jr. performed the feat unharmed when a mere. lad.
All this was before the days of electric refrigeration, and cutting ice on the dam was a lively business nereabout. Not only were several local ice men's storehouses to be filled, but the dam furnished considerable ice for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
1940s skating costume pattern, in the Daily Item
Looking at those scantily clad youngsters the other night at Little Norway I tried to remember the dress of skating girls a generation ago. In the first place the skates were entirely different. Instead of being beautiful affairs on white kid shoes, they were skates that you locked onto your school shoes with a key that you wore on a string around your neck. Thus they were clamped around the toe of the shoe, and in the back were held in place with straps of leather wound around the ankle.
American Wool and Fur Skating Ensemble, 1868. (Met Museum)
In order to wear the skate sufficiently firm you had to strap the things so tightly all blood circulation in the feet was stopped. That invariably caused frozen toes and heels. For years after such a frost bite how your feet tickled and burned in the evenings beside the stove, because furnaces were few and far between in Selin's Grove at that time. Were the girls barelegged? I should say not. They wore long underwear, over which were cotton stockings and as the final covering a garment called an Equestrian, altho it had nothing to do with horses. This latter affair was the triumph of the Gay Nineties. They were made of black wool, and apparently the forerunner of the Annette Kellerman bathing suit. Arrayed in Equestrians one might fall bead-over-heels and still remain a lady.
Our best dressed young women wore short coats of Alaska Seal, with little fur hats, not unlike the lids of today, and carried muffs. Their skirts were long and enveloped them to the ankles, with a generous flair below the knee. In fact they looked charming.
Example of a Sleigh Runner Chair
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NOTES
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"Shinny" - was a free form (no teams) version of ice hockey, using whatever tools and equipment could be found - sticks, cans, etc.
Susquehanna University was chosen by the War Department as one of the colleges to provide the Army Air Forces training program. The University hosted the 35th College Training Detachment from March 1943 through the spring of 1944. This 1945 Lanthorn page details the detachment's time on campus.
The two couples are posing for photos near the isle of Que. I believe the girls are both wearing the seal coats that Agnes talks about in her Skating Then And Now article.
1899 Wilkes Barre Newspaper
Silk and Fur Skating Ensemble, 1863-67.
(Met Museum)
According to author John Ruth in his 1878 book Decorum:
“Velvet trimmed with fur, with turban hat of the same, and gloves and boots also fur bordered, combine to make the most elegant skating costume imaginable. But any of the soft, warm, bright-colored woolen fabrics are quite suitable, if not so rich.”
Fur-trimmed velvets remained popular throughout the remainder of the century. In her 1893 book Rules of Etiquette & Home Culture, Mrs. Walter Houghton states:
“An elegant skating costume may be made of velvet, trimmed with fur, with fur bordered gloves and boots. Any of the warm, bright colored wool fabrics, however, are suitable for the dress. If blue or green are worn, they should be relieved with trimmings of dark furs.”
ladies were warned to avoid dresses made of silk, a fabric which wasn’t suitable for wear on the ice. Novice skaters were also advised to steer clear of costumes trimmed in white fur. As Duffey explains:
“White furs should only be worn by experienced skaters, for they easily become soiled by the novitiate in tumbles upon the ice.”
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