summer 2009 newsletter - north berrien historical society

8/8/2019 Summer 2009 Newsletter - North Berrien Historical Society

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When the Coloma Comets and the Watervliet

Panthers played football each year, the local newspa-

pers often called it a battle of the ages or a clash ofthe Titans.1 Although the two high schools havent

been in the same athletic division for years, for most

players and fans it is the most important game of the

year. In my experience playing for the Comets, there

were two football seasons: the

regular season and the Coloma-

Watervliet game.

I was lucky enough to have

played in the 1974 game that was

held in Coloma. Both teams were

state ranked and champions in

their respective conferences. It

was estimated that there were

over 4,500 spectators at the game

that year. I am not sure about the

number but I do remember the noise from all the fans.

It was so loud that I couldnt hear the play called in

the huddle or the signals from the quarterback! At

least that was my excuse for jumping offside. Co-loma won that year, but in two of the three games I

played against Watervliet, the Panthers took the win.

Ask anyone who has won more games in the last cen-

tury, and youll probably get a different answer de-

pending on whether theyre wearing green or maroon.

According to The Coloma Courier, the first

football game between Coloma and Watervliet was

played on Thursday, November 4, 1909 at Coloma on

Suttons field south of town.2 Coloma came away thevictor by a score of 12 to 0. It seems Coloma and

Watervliet had football teams earlier than 1909 but

they were not sponsored by the respective schools.

The schools apparently could not field enough players

to make two full teams until then.

The early football games

from the spectators point of view

were much different from the

games today. For example, the

game was always played during

the afternoon as neither school

had lights for their field until the

late 1940s. The fans would stand

along the sidelines as neither

school had any bleachers and the

fans would move up and down the sidelines following

the players. In 1924 the cost of a season ticket was a

whopping $1.00. Mary Alyce (Wooley) Hettig re-

calls an intense rivalry with Watervliet during hertime as a Coloma High School student in the 40s.3

The day before the game, a noisy pep assembly at the

school was followed by an informal parade of stu-

dents and the marching band along West Street to

downtown Coloma.

(Continued on page 4)

North Berriens Annual Battle of the Ages

NORTH BERRIEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER

Vol. I, No. 2 Hagar Bainbridge Coloma Watervliet Summer 2009

300 Coloma Ave./ P.O. Box 207, Coloma, Michigan 49038 www.NorthBerrienHistory.org


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North Berrien Historical SocietyBoard of Directors

Scott Young PresidentBennet Leedy 1st Vice PresidentKandyce Hays 2nd Vice PresidentCindy Young SecretaryShirley Boone TreasurerRay Mays Assistant TreasurerKarin Miller DirectorPauline Morris Director

Sherry Polashak DirectorSally Williams Director

Staff

Alexander Gates Director / CuratorTracy Gierada Director of EducationGwen Elsner Office Manager

300 Coloma Ave., P.O. Box 207

Coloma, MI 49038

Phone: (269) 468-3330

Fax: (269) 468-4083

www.NorthBerrienHistory.org

[email protected]

The mission of the North BerrienHistorical Society is to preserve anddistribute information regarding the

history of North Berrien County. Wewish to promote, encourage learning,

and disseminate knowledge of theareas cultural and architectural legacy.

Page 2

From the Directors DeskBy Alexander Gates

Education NewsBy Tracy Gierada

This summer will mark an important turning

point in the educational work of the North Berrien

Historical Museum.

New school programs are being planned to

meet the States Grade Level Content Expectations for

social studies curriculum in the third and fourth

grades. Starting in September, we will be able to offer

better quality learning experiences for school groups at

the museum, and we should attract more local teachers

to take their class field trips here.

In addition, the traveling trunks which have

long been offered will be fully re-vamped with funds

donated by the Coloma Lionesses. The new trunks

will feature freshly focused historical topics, lesson

plans, books, images, and hands-on artifacts.

I am also excited to introduce a new program

series called Summer Time Travelers for ages 5-12.

This free program will give kids the chance to experi-

ence life in years gone by with an interactive and fun

tour through time learn more on the next page.

It has been an exciting year so far at NBHS

with Abraham Lincoln: Self-Made in America bring-

ing in large crowds to the museum. The second half of

2009 promises to be just as exciting with planning

well under way for the celebration of the 175th anni-

versary of the founding of Shingle Diggins and the

100th Coloma-Watervliet Football Game.

North Berrien history connected with headline

news in April when the USS Bainbridge rescued

captured American sailors being held by Somali

pirates. Both the USS Bainbridge and Bainbridge

Township share the same namesake Captain William

Bainbridge, who famously fought piracy during theBarbary War (1801-1805).

On June 27 we will participate in the Michiana

Regional History Day in Buchanan contact the mu-

seum for more information or to get involved.


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Page 3

Mark your Calendars!

Saturday, June 6,

12 - 3pm

Book Signing with Rick Rasmussen for his new bookThen & Now:Coloma - Paw Paw Lake - Watervlietat the North Berrien Historical Museum

Saturday, June 13,

12 - 5pm

Port-a-Pit Chicken Fundraiser and Family Day, NBHMColomas 175th Birthday Celebration, Baker Park, Coloma

Tuesday, June 16, 7pmNBHM Speaker: Bob Myers, Curator, Berrien County Historical Association,Berrien Springs, MI. Gangsters in Berrien County.

Saturday, June 27,

10am - 2pm

Michiana Regional History Day at Buchanan Common near Pears Mill inBuchanan, MI. Regional history organizations will share news of their work.

Tuesday, July 21, 7pmNBHM Speaker: Valerie Van Heest, Holland, MI. Shipwrecked! Learn about the

fascinating history of Lake Michigan shipwrecks.

August 7 - 9Coloma Glad-Peach Festival. Visit our ice cream Cone Barn! On Saturday, viewthe Wanigan an educational trailer from the Michigan Forest Association.

Friday, August 28 100th Coloma-Watervliet Football Game, Watervliet High School

Hello all! My name is

Elizabeth Meyer and I amworking with Alex as a Cura-torial Intern. Im a 2005 gradu-ate of St. Joseph High Schooland in December I will receivemy Bachelor of Arts degreefrom Michigan State Univer-sity. I major in Studio Art with a concentration inCeramics and a minor in Apparel and Textile Designwith a concentration in Weaving and Fiber Arts. Lastsummer after I interned at The Krasl Art Center in St.

Joseph, I realized that I loved working as a curatorialassistant, so now Im working here at the North Ber-rien Historical Museum to learn more in-depth aboutbeing a curator. After I graduate my plan is to moveto Santa Fe, NM and try to get a job in a gallery ormuseum and work my way up to Curator. So if anyof you know anyone in Santa Fe or that region in theArt business or any business at all basically, pleaselet me know, I need all the help I can get! Wellthanks for reading about me. Stop by the museumsometime and Ill probably be working. Cheers!

NBHS Welcomes Intern Time Travelers programs tobe offered this summer

This summer we will offer trips to the past at

the North Berrien Historical Museum. Designed for

ages 5-12, Summer Time Travelers are free, interac-

tive educational programs meant to inspire an interest

in history and in historical museums. Each session

brings to life a unique and exciting theme where we

will discover first- hand how the past differed from

our lives today.

Summer 2009 Schedule

9am - 12pm

Date Wed., June 24 Wed., July 15

Wed., August 12

If you have a loan or donation to help us

bring one of these themes to life, or if you could

volunteer during a Summer Time Travelers

program, please call Tracy at 468-3330.


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Page 4

(Continued from Page 1)

The football field itself in the early

years was any field that was more or less flat,

big enough and free of any cow-made land

mines. During the Depression, McDaniels

field in Coloma was built by a combination ofWPA and local workers and the grass was

planted in neat rows with a corn planter. The

Comets have continued to play there to this

day. Panthers football games were held in

Hays Park until about 1967 when they moved

to the new Watervliet High School campus.4

For the players the game has also

changed greatly over the past century. When

Coloma and Watervliet began their football

rivalry, players could fold up their helmetsand put them in their pockets when the game

was over (if they wore helmets at all). In the

early days the Panthers and Comets played each other

two or three times a year, but when the schools were

placed in different conferences they began to meet

only once a year. By the 1940s, the Coloma-

Watervliet game was always played on Armistice Day

in November, later on the closest Friday. As a result,

many alumni (including your humble author) recall

playing the big game through freezing cold, sleet and

snow. About ten years ago it became the first game of

the year, and now usually takes place in August heat.

Some things, however, have stayed the same

since 1909. The rivalry between Coloma and Waterv

liet has been one of the longest and strongest in the

region. Each team has seen its share of glory, which

makes for great football games year after year. In

1915 Coloma had an undefeated season, making them

the champions of Southwest Michigan.5 Watervliet

had a celebrated team in 1921, scoring a season total

of 294 points while giving up only 7. Their

only loss that season was to Coloma.6 An-

other notable year was 1979, when the Wa-

tervliet Panthers became the first football

team from Southwest Michigan to play in

the state final at the Pontiac Silverdome.7

On August 28 of this year the two

teams will meet again at Watervliet to play

the 100th annual football game between Co-

loma and Watervliet. Ill be there cheering

on my son as he, too, plays for Coloma. Our

100 years of tradition should be celebrated

by remembering the past and by looking for-

ward to another century of this great rivalry.

By Marc HettigColoma High School Football Team, 1915 Southwest Michigan ChampsCollection of the North Berrien Historical Society, 9998.01.35

Watervliet High School Football Team, Undefeated in 1936Collection of the North Berrien Historical Society, 9998.23.01


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Page 5

Are you one of the over 5,000 or more alumni players that have played in one of southwest Michigans

premier rivalries? Are you one of the thousands of Comets or Panthers fans to cheer on your classmates and

relatives in football? The NBHS has been very busy working with the 100th game alumni committee making

this upcoming game a real celebration. Below is a listing of a few of the activities planned so far:

Alumni sponsored team dinners at the North Berrien Senior Center

Pre-game tail gate dinner in the parking lot at Watervliet schools

Post-game party at the Waterfront Restaurant

Saturday morning golf outing; To participate, contact Bruce Owen at 468-4485

All alumni players will be acknowledged in the pregame ceremonies on the field

A special packet will be sent to alumni serving in the armed forces: alumni shirt, CD of game, history

booklet and program from game

An opportunity for all alumni to write about their fondest memories of the Coloma-Watervliet game at

www.pantherstadium.net; will be placed in a booklet which will be available at the gate on August 28

Special parade float - Business sponsorships available, please contact Marc Hettig

Banner across the main street in both Watervliet and Coloma

Mayor and Township supervisor shake hands at the boundary between the two towns prior to the game

Special commemorative game balls for each team to kick off with and keep in their trophy cases

Special game jerseys for each team to wear and keep or at least a shoulder patch to wear

Rep. John Proos will make a declaration in the state house proclaiming the 100th game and give each

school an official document for their respective trophy cases

We need any football memorabilia for the historical society displays

please contact Museum Curator Alex Gates at 468-3330

Activities to Commemorate 100th Coloma-Watervliet Football Game

Game T-Shirts for Sale

Available at the North Berrien

Historical Museum, North Berrien Senior

Center and the Coloma and Watervliet

athletic director offices are special school

-colored T-shirts for sale: green for Co-

loma and maroon for Watervliet. Make

sure you get one to show your school sprit

at the 100th game in August. They make

great presents.

Please note there will be special

white alumni players-only shirts avail-

able shortly just for past football players who have played in a Co-

loma - Watervliet football game.

We hope to fill the stands with white, green and maroon t-

shirts on August 28. All monies earned from the sale of these t-shirt

will go to offset the cost of special jerseys for the players.

Battle of the Ages, pages 1 and 4.1 One example of this appeared in The Co-

loma Courier, vol.36, no.11, Friday, October

3, 1930.2 Started Out Right, The Coloma Cou-

rier, vol.17, no.14, Friday, November 12,

1909.3 Interview with Mary Alyce Hettig, May

12, 2009.4 Interview with Greg Krell, May 12, 2009.

5 Marion Leedy, Colomas 1915 GridChampions Were Do-It Yourself Squad,

The News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI,

date unknown.

6 Recalling Yesteryears: 1921 Watervliet

Champs, Watervliet Record, October 7,

1971, 11.7 Al Arend, Watervliet Earns Shot at

State Title, The Herald-Palladium, Benton

Harbor St. Joseph, MI, November 17,

1979.


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Page 6

In April, the Museum welcomed over 1300

visitors to view the traveling exhibit Abraham Lin-

coln: Self-Made in America. The displays provoked

discussion and reflection on our 16th president whichwere very appropriate to mark the 200th anniversary

of his birth. A variety of events engaged all ages of

the public from North Berrien and beyond.

Many young children and families visited the

museum excited to view their winning entries to our

Lincoln Coloring Contest. Another great success was

our Spring Break with Lincoln program, which of-

fered kids the chance to meet Lincoln, a Civil War

soldier, and a lady in mourning, learn how to make

rope, line dance, and write with a quill pen amongother fun activities. In all, we provided creative edu-

cational programs and school tours to over 500 local

children.

Our Lincoln Book Discussion at the Coloma

Public Library was well-attended and offered a lively

conversation skillfully led by history professor Chris

Paine from LMC. We were also pleased to host large

crowds at our featured speakers, Senator Tom George

and Dr. Bill Anderson, who each provided new and

astute perspectives to enhance our focus on Lincoln.

The North Berrien Historical Society is ex-

tremely grateful to the volunteers and community

partners who made possible this exhibit and active

programming schedule. Many volunteers helped out

multiple times, and their dedication was crucial to

providing quality visits and learning opportunities to

hundreds of visitors and students, making the month

of April 2009 the busiest the museum has ever seen.

Lincoln brings in a record number of visitors

The North Berrien Historical Museums latest

exhibit, 175 Years/ Objects/ Stories: Highlights from

the Permanent Collection is scheduled to open in the

main gallery this fall. The goal of the exhibit is to dis

play a wide range of objects in the historical societys

collection that have never before been on display tothe public. Well-known stories from North Berrien

will be featured such as Jacobs Tower, Colomas

German POW Camp, the Watervliet Paper Mill and

Territorial Road. The exhibit will include examples o

the diverse objects in the collection from fossils and

minerals to textiles and agricultural equipment. The

exhibit will also feature feedback stations so visitors

can share their own stories and comments about the

objects on display.

Upcoming Exhibit:

175 Years/ Objects/ Stories

Visitors take in the exhibit at our Opening on April 3, 2009.

At Spring Break with Lincoln on April 8, young visitors

learned an old-fashioned line dance and enjoyed live fiddle

and banjo by volunteer musician Jan Burda.

Dr. Bill Anderson delivers his address Abraham Lincoln: A Full

Measure of Greatness to a full house on April 23.


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Page 7

New Members

Sue Dahlquist- Coloma Marcia Warner Coloma

Dolores Totzke- Coloma Wes Platt Watervliet

Nancy Weir- Coloma Mikaela Jerue Decatur

Kenneth Parrigin- Coloma Dave Scheuer Coloma

Marcia Hammond- Coloma

DonationsThe Friendly Tavern

Robin MaxonAmy HilerRon Taylor

Calvin Britain Elementary School

The North Berrien Historical Society continues

to stay up-to-date with modern technology. Current

museum news is now available on the museums blogwhich can be accessed from our website. We have

also recently introduced monthly E-News, an e-mail

reminder of upcoming events at the museum. This

feature allows us to save postage and paper while

keeping members and friends aware of our activities.

The museum has had much needed emergency

lights installed, plus electrical upgrades to the Carter

House that bring the property up to code. Two addi-

tional phone lines have been added to the museum to

deal with a higher volume of calls and to allow for aseparate fax line.

New garage doors have been ordered for the

Carter House and Carter Barn. The current doors are

in poor condition and will be replaced with steel ga-

rage doors with a similar look. The grounds are once

again being filled with beautiful flowers with the help

of our garden volunteers. Stop by the museum this

summer to tour the grounds and see what is new.

Technology, capital improvements

help the long-term work of NBHS

The permanent collection of the North Berrien

Historical Society continues to expand with the gen-

erous contributions of community members. We

would like to acknowledge the recent donations that

have enriched our holdings:

Bennet Leedy NBHS slides

Rosanne Bittner Image of Bittners Gas Stationon Red Arrow Highway

Irma Krieger Postcard of Cribbs School, 1914

If you have an object, document, or photo-

graph that is significant to the history of Coloma,

Watervliet, Hagar or Bainbridge townships, please

consider contacting Curator Alex Gates at 468-3330

to discuss the possibility of donating or loaning it to

the North Berrien Historical Society.

Thank you to our recent donors

Individual ($15)

I would like to

volunteer for NBHS

Additional tax-deductible contribution: $________

Name

Address

City, State, ZIP

Phone

New Member

Returning Member

Total Amount Enclosed: $________

Send your completed form along with your check to:

North Berrien Historical SocietyP.O. Box 207, Coloma, MI 49038

Family ($50)

Student ($8)

Senior ($10)

E-mail

North Berrien Historical SocietyMembership Form

Thank you for your support!

Please check desired annual membership level.


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At the Museum:Port-a-Pit Chicken Fundraiser

and Family Day 12 - 5 pm

Hagar Bainbridge Coloma Watervliet www.NorthBerrienHistory.or

P.O. Box 207, Coloma, MI 49038

NONPROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Watervliet, MI

Permit No. 29

Newsletter - Summer 2009

At Baker Park in Coloma:Colomas 175

th

Birthday Celebration

Saturday, June 13

Win a prize in our free,

family-friendly treasure hunt

Picnic at the museum or take your food to go!$5 Half Chicken or Pork Chop, $8 Lunch Meal - Tickets on sale now

Enjoy complimentary

birthday cake and live music

Support and Celebrate Local Heritage

summer 2009 newsletter - north berrien historical society

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