Places to go and things to see by Gypsy Bev

Posts tagged ‘Dallas Bond and the Musical Farmers’

Deloris Ullmann Discovers Painting

Live your life and forget your age

Sometimes a hand reaches out and touches you in an unexpected way leading you on a new pathway. Such was the case with Deloris Ullmann, a retired educator from Shenandoah.

This painting shows her hometown of Mt. Ephraim many years ago.

Deloris grew up in Mt. Ephraim and started her education at a two-room school there before graduating from Sarahsville High School. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Ohio University and later her Master’s Degree from Marietta College.

Her family enjoyed music. Dallas Bond, front left, and her mother played on WILE in the late 40s.

In her younger years, Deloris was surrounded by a family that enjoyed music. Her parents organized “Dallas Bond and The Musical Farmers,” which was the first live musical group to air on radio station WILE in the late 40s. Deloris and her sisters also performed on WILE a few years later as “The Bond Sisters.” Because of that interest, Deloris can play piano, guitar, violin, and mandolin.

Deloris played guitar and sang at her retirement assembly.

She played guitar and sang “Love Letters in the Sand” at 4-H camp during Talent Night and played the fiddle with Jim’s Jammers at a Grange Banquet at Shenandoah High School. Even when she retired, she played the guitar and sang at her retirement assembly.

After retirement, a new path opened unexpectedly one day ten years ago when her neighbor Judy McKee, an art teacher from Shenandoah, came across the road for a visit. She asked Deloris, “Did you ever think of painting?”

Deloris smiled as she said, “I can’t even draw a circle.” Deloris said at that time the only thing she had ever painted was a paint-by-number picture.

Judy was persuasive and told her, “You can learn. I’ll give you lessons in my studio.”

She enjoys stopping along the road and painting an outdoor scene or whatever catches her eye.

Thus began a weekly encounter where Deloris learned something different every week. Judy had her try different paints – acrylic gouache wash, oils, and watercolors. They would take rides in the country and stop to paint a house, a church, a friendly animal, or flowers that caught their eye.

This painting is her favorite winter scene sharing one of her many barn pictures.

Barns became a favorite object for her paintings. They drove out Route 564 and she took pictures of all the barns along the road. Then from the photos, she painted pictures of those barns on 11×14 canvas.

This set of her cards share the series of barn pictures that she drew. Nice for a quick note to a friend!

Those paintings were also converted into cards that make delightful colorful notes to friends. It’s a creative way for more people to be able to enjoy her paintings.

Deloris remembered picnics at Coen’s Church grounds near Seneca Lake after it closed in the 1930s.

Something she especially enjoys is painting a scene from the past. It might be an old church or town that no longer exists. Recreating them from old pictures makes great paintings and great gifts.

She enjoyed painting Izzy, her sister’s dog.

While Deloris does sell her paintings, quite often she uses them as gifts to friends and family. When asked if she painted every day, Deloris shook her head, “I was taught to only paint when you feel like it. Never throw anything away. Let it set for a couple of days, then go back and add what is needed.”

Some of her paintings were displayed an at art guild show at Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center.

Her instructor, Judy, began painting at the age of four and participated in a local Art Guild. At one time, Judy encouraged Deloris to display her paintings with the guild when they had a show at Pritchard Laughlin Civic Center. Her paintings were also displayed in Art Market 649 in downtown Cambridge a few years back.

This painting shows their barn on Mud Run Road. Her paintings are filled with memories.

During this time, Deloris also wrote a book just for her family. The title of the book is “Two D’s in a Pod,” a clever way of mentioning her and her husband, Don. It is a collection of pictures and stories of their family from childhood on. It also includes many of her paintings.

In her spare time, she often plays piano at Mr. Ephraim Methodist Church. She recently sewed 100 aprons for an Eastern Star fund raiser. Don and Deloris also enjoy traveling. They have visited Germany several times, did a European tour, and have enjoyed many trips in the United States including Alaska and Hawaii.

Her teacher, Judy McKee, and Deloris enjoyed painting at the Guernsey County Library.

While Deloris discovered painting late in life, she finds it a wonderful relaxation. “Painting makes me really happy.”

This colorful painting of flowers reminded me of summertime.

Visit her Facebook page to see some of her paintings. If you would like to have Deloris paint something for you, send her a picture of your house, barn, animals, or flowers and her painting is sure to please you. Contact her at 740-509-1672 or drudou@gmail.com. Visit her website at http://www.delorisullmannart.com where most of her work is posted both old and new. Some items can be purchased online.

Age is just a number. The mind has the real potential for learning at any stage of life. Deloris Ullmann is proof of that.

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Art, Back Roads, Farming, Gardens, Ohio

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WILE: The Early Days of Cambridge, Ohio Radio

WILE Beatty Ave

WILE moved into this beautiful old home on Beatty Avenue in 1948.

You’re listening to WILE, 1270 on your radio dial.

Thus a radio station began broadcasting in the hills of southeastern Ohio in Cambridge on April 9, 1948 after playing “Beautiful Ohio” as their sign-on song. Located at 917  Beatty Avenue in the old Orme home, this daytime-only radio station operated on 1000 watts.

Enthusiastic young locals began working at the station in various capacities. Several young ladies were continuity writers, who wrote those much needed commercials, while young men became announcers.  They also had to keep things on schedule. Since everything was live at this time, that often became a difficult task.

WILE Sesqui - Square Studio

WILE placed a temporary station on the courthouse lawn to get people interested in their new venture.

WILE Donahoe - Sesqui Court

Howard Donahoe, founder, managing director, and co-owner, appears at the Sesquicentennial Court facing penalties for not having a beard.

1948 provided big excitement in downtown Cambridge as it celebrated the Sesquicentennial of Guernsey County. In order that area residents could learn more about this new radio station, WILE placed a temporary studio on the courthouse square for broadcasting. This perhaps began their popular remotes.

WILE Musical Farmers

“Dallas Bond and the Musical Farmers” had a regular Saturday program.

Early programs featured locals in everything from music to ministry. Groups came to the station for live performances. A popular musical show, “Dallas Bond and the Musical Farmers”, combined several small groups of local performers in Studio A.

Oak & Ash Hosfelt boys 001

Ray and John Hosfelt, known as Oak and Ash, brightened everyone’s day.

Another of those local groups contained two young men from Indian Camp, Ray and John Hosfelt, better known as Oak & Ash, “The Forest Rangers”. They sang their way into the hearts of many listeners throughout the county.

On Saturday morning, boys and girls gathered around the radio to listen to “Story Time for Children”. In the afternoon, “Junior Talent Time” gave youngsters a chance to shine by singing or playing a musical instrument. A couple friends practiced singing with me “You Are My Sunshine”, in hopes that someday we would get the courage to go to the radio station. But we never did.

WILE Beatty Ave Studio

Announcers had a grand piano for backup in the studio.

Donna Lake Shafer, who started working as a continuity writer at WILE in the summer after she graduated from Cambridge High School in 1948, remembers Election Night being a very important event at the radio station. Election results came over the station’s Teletype machine, which printed messages from news wire services. Only a few local places received up-to-the-minute reports of the Truman – Dewey presidential election.

Even though the radio station was off the air, people crowded inside the Beatty Avenue headquarters to hear results coming in on the Teletype machine. Donna stayed busy that night keeping hot coffee and cookies ready at this big election party, which was attended by owners of the radio station, local officials and curious citizens. Remember, television sets in homes didn’t exist at this time.

These were not high paying jobs, according to Laura Bates, an early employee of WILE. When she started in 1952, her salary was $140 a month. But Laura recalls, “I loved to write and use my imagination. Working at WILE was enjoyable. You felt like you were a family.”

WILE Velvetones B

VelvetonesB  were part of the WILE scene. Edgar Fisher on the right was later one of our city councilmen.

In those early days, the station manager banned certain music from the air. Sometimes it was too loud, or occasionally the lyrics might be offensive. The radio served as the voice of the community.

Many changes have been made over the years. The station is now located on College Hill, where its transmitter  stood years ago. Almost everything is recorded these days and the station airs around the clock. From Land ‘O Lakes Broadcasting Corporation in 1948 to AVC Communications today, their community spirit still gets broadcast over the hills of Southeastern Ohio.

 

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Cambridge, History, Music, Uncategorized

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