Manhattan Township Historical Society to host local hobby display on Jan. 17

MANHATTAN – When Andy Partak’s wife, Eileen, began making jewelry, she had trouble deciphering the chainmail part of the process and sought her husband’s assistance, Partak said.

As Partak helped Eileen, he thought, “This is neat,” and decided to make a Halberd chainmail shirt, such as medieval knights might have worn. Partak, of Manhattan, will demonstrate his method Saturday at the Manhattan Historical Society’s hobby display.

“If people want to try it, they can sit right down and use my tools – no problem,” Partak said.

The tools and supplies are quite simple, Partak said, just electrical wire with the insulation stripped away, a pair of pliers and a cutter. Any kids present that day may practice with the smaller rings Eileen will have available, Partak added.

It impressed Partak, a lifetime member of the society, that something as historical as chainmail still has modern applications. It’s a concept too easily shrugged off as old-fashioned in today’s world.

“Now that we live in a digital world," Partak said, “let us not forget these manipulative skills that still have importance in our society.”

The hobby display is the fourth monthly event the historical society has hosted since it began renting the first floor of a historical building for its museum last year, said Mary Kay Cooper, secretary and former technology coordinator at Manhattan School District 114.

Past events at the museum have included a grand opening in October, a display of World War II memorabilia from a family with local ties in November, and a display of old-fashioned toys in December, Cooper said.

One reason for the monthly events is to make known resources the society offers – artifacts as well as historical information of Manhattan and family history the society is continually obtaining, Cooper said.

In fact, Cooper added, a small group of volunteers – called the Memory Clippers – meets at 6:30 p.m. the third Monday of the month – weather permitting – to digitalize and organize materials. Cooper said she always can use more help in filing, sorting, organizing and computerizing information.

“We only have 13 to 15 members,” Cooper said. “We have one member that is 40, and then we go up to mostly 60-, 70- and 80-year-olds."

While written records and photographs are factually useful, a hobby display actually shows how local people once spent their leisure time before the age of televisions, video games and computers. In addition to their entertainment value, samples of hobbies also may contain much history.

For instance, Cooper said that in the early 1900s, her grandmother, Laura Schuster, and Schuster’s sister took art classes taught by a Joliet Franciscan sister at the motherhouse and initiated an interest in creativity that extended down the generations.

“My aunt [Irma Herbst, deceased] did China oil painting,” Cooper said, “and used it as a money-making thing when she ended up a single mother.”

Cooper’s mother, Catherine Bourrie (deceased) had made corn husk dolls, ornaments pinned with jewels and jewelry from safety pins. Bourrie also learned to paint when she was in her 60s. Cooper can draw and paint, but not nearly as well as her relatives, she said

“We’ll also have information about starting hobbies,” Copper said, “and why hobbies reduce stress.”

One of the society’s newest volunteers is Susan Carlton of Rockdale, who lived in the upstairs apartment of what is now the museum from 1949 through 1952 – until Carlton was in third grade.

Back then, the first floor housed the post office, and Carlton said she spent many nights of her young life listening to the postmaster cancel the mail by hand.

“I learned to ride my two-wheeler in that basement,” Carlton said.

For the hobby show, Carlton is contributing some of her embroidery, along with pieces by her mother, Viola Cullen (deceased), and grandmother, Mary Conschack (deceased). One is an item Conschack had begun in the 1920s and never finished. Carlton believes it was due to paralysis as a complication from diphtheria.

Another piece is a baby jacket Cullen had made as a member of a sewing circle that met in Elwood before Carlton was born in 1944. A third is an embroidered crib sheet and pillow Carlton had stitched in high school for a favorite teacher’s baby shower, which is now in Carlton’s possession.

“My favorite teacher knows my oldest daughter,” Carlton said. “She gave it back to her and said, ‘Your mother made this. You should really have this,’ so my daughter had it framed.”

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IF YOU GO

WHAT: Hobby display

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: The Manhattan Township Historical Society, 255 S. State St., Manhattan

ETC: Featured hobbies include crocheting, knitting, quilting, wood burning, painting, jewelry, tooth pick ornaments, corn husk dolls, miniatures, leather craft, ceramics, photography, gardening and weaving. Also the following collections: coin, stamp, rocks/fossils, cardinals, dolls, salt and pepper.

CONTACT: ManhattanHistorical@yahoo.com