Silver Bay in 1918 — Good-bye Irene and Sid

Lake George cottagers passing by in canoes and and row boats must have thought it was a wedding, the Silver Bay correspondent to the Lake George Mirror reported on Aug.3, 1918.

But it was just an example of the whimsical spirit that still inhabits Silver Bay today.

“Why all the hilarity on the Silver Bay dock Monday evening as the (steamboat) Sagamore approached?” the Silver Bay correspondent asked, going on to explain.

There was shouting and dancing among a group of merrymakers that gathered at the dock.

“Soon showers of rice were in evidence, and when the gang plank stretched out to the dock, two girls caught up another girl and carried her aboard. The men did the same with their companion.”

There was another round of cheering, singing and laughing among the farewell delegation.

“‘Good-bye Sid, Good-bye Irene,’ and Sidney Matcaffe and Irene Patterson churned away from sight. — But it wasn’t a wedding.”

In fact, Sid and Irene weren’t even boyfriend and girlfriend.

“It was merely a coincidence that each of them had friends at Glen Eyre and took the same boat over for an evening party. But Huck Ebersol got the brilliant idea of sending the couple off in true wedding style, and his plan worked better than he thought.”

In other Aug. 13, 1918 Silver Bay news:

• Eight of the “younger girls” of Silver Bay, with Miss Charlotte Penfield as chaperone, went on a camping trip to Vicar’s Island.

“Now the girls are back and all of them are nursing painful blisters from sunburn, but the trip was worth it.”

• Mother Nature, ”for the time being,” ended the tradition of female Silver Bay employees sleeping out on hot nights at Inspiration Point, Sunrise Mountain or Odell Island.

“Sad to relate, a big thunder storm came up on one of the hottest nights, and the next morning, early, the girls came back bedraggled and wet, dragging blankets and pillows behind them.”

• Miss Scottland performed an impressive interpretive dance program in Greek costume at a recent employees’ social.

“So many requests have come to Miss Scottland to teach a class of girls that she has promised to do so whenever the hours can be arranged.”

• Young people of Onieda Bay invited to a party of Silver Bay youth at See Memorial Hall, behind the auditorium, provided the music for dancing.

“A Victrola made the long and perilous trip to add its tunes to the festival. It couldn’t be heard very well, however, as it would have taken ten Victrolas to drown out the shouts and laughter.”

Apparently there were watermelons than phonograph players.

“Next year there will likely be a watermelon garden out in front of See Memorial, for the seeds scattered here Tuesday evening were sufficient to plant several acres.”

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