Tom McHugh - Chestertown Spy

Thinking of My Car History by Tom McHugh

September 23, 2016 by Tom McHugh

At 78, I suppose I have the right to start doing those things old people do: reviewing my past and either forgiving myself or others for things I mostly forget; thinking too often about a pain in my left arm, probably due to lack of exercise; or secretly practicing standing like a Blue Heron on one foot, to improve my balance (18 seconds is my record).

But, I am honest when I say I don’t do those things. I plan to live forever, and I’m mostly pleased with the life I’ve led. But in my pauses between jobs, I do sometimes get the strangest need to “categorize” my life using unusual measuring points…and my latest is my person car history.

We all know that America has always had a fascination with the automobile. I have owned 13 motor driven conveyances (not including boats). All were automobiles except for one Czech motorbike, bright yellow, my imitation Harley.

Here is my review, and I’ve tried to put a tag on each one (photos are stock images, not my cars), maybe to help explain my choices.

1959. AUSTIN HEALEY SPRITE (convertible, Robin’s Egg Blue) Pure rebellion. I had saved $2000 the summer I graduated from college (1959)…working on oil tankers, Sun Oil. My mom had picked out a sensible 1954 black Ford coupe. I went to Philadelphia and took my cash, and bought the Sprite. Furious Mom, but she did offer to split my insurance!

1964 PLYMOUTH VALIANT CONVERTIBLE. First “married” car. Black, white vinyl interior, convertible top (white). A reliable Chrysler product. My “settling down” car.

1968. MERCEDES BENZ 300. Small limousine (1962 model) I was in my second year as Assistant Professor of Education, at Washington College. Married. Making $8,500 a year driving the Valiant. By chance, saw the Mercedes on a used car lot. It had belonged to the American Ambassador to Ireland, Matthew McCloskey. It had the two flag inserts on the fenders. Black..leather interior. I bought a chauffeur’s cap…Why did I do this? Maybe resisting settling into the Professoriat?

1973 FORD F-150 PICKUP, WITH CAMPER BACK. In ’74 I accepted an Associate Professor position at Vassar College, and I guess I thought it would be a lark to arrive at that school in a Ford Pickup. It did raise questions.

1976 VW Bug, Yellow. Traded the Ford. I loved this Bug. It was a “between marriages” car. Sold it about 1979 to a Vassar grad. He delivered pizza in it for two years, in the Rockies. Tough car.

1979-2003 (about) A series of Volvo station wagons (before they went upscale), and then a run of Subarus. Dependable, colorless…

Interludes of “wild brain/aging/rebellion” cars.

Not a car, but the Czech motorbike fits here. I was in my 60’s. Nuff said

I almost forgot that somewhere in the late 70s I bought a 74′ Cadillac convertible from John’s Used Cars, at the Fairlee turn on Rt 20. Aztec Bronze was the color; white leather interior, V8, about 9 MPG. I had the name “Lucille” painted on the trunk…and it turned heads at Barker’s Corner, at the first light coming into C’town. Look up “Lucille.”

1974 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible

And, almost forgot…there was a Toyota two seater somewhere in this history, at least it was economical..almost.

So, here I am,78, semi-retired, trying to be practical, watch the rubles, check on my annuity-like my ancient Uncle Bill used to do….And what do I drive? A 2010 Honda Fit, dependable, 39 mpg, good transportation…but at least it has standard shift!

Tom McHugh is retired college professor (Washington College and Vassar College), He is founder and retired executive director of The Mainstay, and is currently serving as Facilitator for Fine Arts with the Kent County Public Schools.

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Chestertown’s New Roundabout Reconsidered by Tom McHugh

November 14, 2014 by Tom McHugh

Though a Rock Hall resident, I have frequent reasons to go to…or through…Chestertown.

And, of course, I enter via the new roundabout. I am a supporter of roundabouts, and I am sure that on completion sometime in 2015, this one will be a great success.

Many people complain about the three to five-minute backups which occur at each of the three entrance routes to the roundabout. I don’t complain; I find the three to five minutes restful moments. But, I do think that the Chestertown “powers-that- be” are missing a real business growth opportunity! We all know that some stores downtown are vacant and that all possible ideas are being explored to revitalize High Street. So what I propose here is meant to help…not criticize.

How about this: at the roadside shoulders of each of the approaches to the roundabout the town might rent booths to creative vendors. Each booth would have to offer a service that could be offered and completed in between three and five minutes. Here are some of my ideas:

–blood pressure monitoring. The operator would jump into your passenger seat, slap on the cuff, and get a read out on his or her iPod connection. You might consider tipping. A really fast operator could also do a flu shot perhaps.

—doggie nails on the quick. Equipped with a Dremel tool grinder, and a muzzle if needed, the operator enters the car, gives a quick grind down to those long dog nails or cat nails, and leaves a brochure. Tipping for sure.

—SULTANA could watch for cars with kids, and sign them up for FREE sails with John Swain passing out the brochure. The “free sails” would refer (in fine print) to old actual sails cut in patches, which normally sell for $5 for use as picnic napkins.

—oysters on the half. Jamie White, Rock Hall waterman, can shuck three oysters in two and one-half minutes, and present them, for the low cost of $3.75. Included in this would be his card and a “Visit Chestertown, The Gateway to Rock Hall” brochure.

…donuts from Dunkin’ could be purchased and resold through car windows, thus freeing up parking spaces downtown. In conjunction with this, a raffle could be held, the prize being one of those parking meter covers.

–proponents of a more formal use of a town park could not only pass out literature, but also give away one square foot of artificial turf.

And I could go on.

Of course, this effort would require leadership and supervision. Perhaps Town Manager Ingersoll might use some of his spare time to handle this effort.

I don’t think Rock Hall plans a roundabout. We just love our one blinking light.

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Op-Ed: Spontaneity, Excellence, and Education at Kent County High by Tom McHugh

September 12, 2013 by Tom McHugh

The Mainstay, a local center for the arts, has a grant from the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust…and the focus of the grant is improving jazz performance at both Washington College and Kent County High School. This is the second year of our work together.

Last week, on Friday September 6, a bit of magic took place in the band room at Kent County High School.

The background: The Mainstay had one of its regular jazz programs scheduled for Thursday evening, September 5… MAX N’ FRIENDS… a group of national level jazz musicians who we regard as our “house band”. They have performed for us as a group of six at least 15 times over the years. The leader, Chuck Redd, is a famed vibraphonist, and drummer, and was a member for many years of TheCharlie Byrd Trio. Chuck called me on Wednesday and mentioned that since he was booked with the band to play at the Chestertown Jazz Festival on Saturday, he was going to stay over in Rock Hall on Friday. He told me this on Wednesday afternoon…so, a quick email and call went to the “magic music man” at KCHS, Keith Wharton, asking if he would like to make use of Chuck for an hour on Friday and the Snow grant would give a small honorarium to Chuck Redd.

“Bring him on…” was Keith’s response…

So, at 11:30 Friday, Chuck and I arrived at the KCHS band room, unpacked the vibes with the help of Keith’s kids, and set up drums.

Now if you don’t know “Dr. Wharton” (that’s what the kids call him) he is very quiet; he smiles with his eyes, and when you have finished with whatever you are saying to him, he just drifts away…usually to a place where he is engaged with a student. So, when he said, “I talked to Gina (Gina Jachimowicz is the principal of Worton Elementary across the way from the high school) and she said I could walk over and bring back five of my beginning drummers,4th graders, so they could come watch…” and off he went…the head of the music department, to hold the hands of these kids in the walkover, so that this opportunity would be available for them. And were they ever excited…

While Chuck waited for the older kids to show, he taught these youngsters how to do a drum beat basic, a paradiddle, by patting their hands on their knees, and then translated that into having them do Dizzy Gillespie’s classic, SALT PEANUTS!

When the older kids arrived, about 12 or 15 of them, all band performers at some level, Chuck played drums and vibes, and talked about music. And then,in the door came volunteer Sam Scalzo ,famed local sax man, to listen, and Carol Niemand, who teaches a volunteer drama class, who thought this experience would benefit her group. When Chuck demonstrated some of the famed Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa solos, eyes widened. And the questions were flying.

And now, the next surprise…during the presentation, Tracy Williams, Principal, KCHS, quietly entered the room. Now if you know schools, for a principal to carve 20 minutes from a frenetic schedule, at the last minute, to come support an activity for her kids…well..the kids were smiling, kind of waving hello, and Ms Williams pulled out her camera..(I would swear it was an Instamatic), and took a bunch of candids. Folks, I practically lived in public high schools during my career. This principal is aware of what is surrounding her, and responding.

Redd closed the one hour session a wonderful vibes piece. Before playing,he asked “..is the band drummer here today?” A tentative hand went up and Chuck invited the young man to join him, on drums, and the kid did just a great job.

So, why the fuss you say? Well, what happened here was something that all those people we hear about, who are considering locating to Kent County, should see…community people helping out, a department head who lives his job way beyond any job description, principals who knows how important a spontaneous act can be, and most of all, kids who are learning, and enjoying it greatly.

And you know? I could tell you a lot of similar stories about kids, parents, and superb teachers and administrators who do things like this every day in our schools. Those experiences would make a great brochure wouldn’t they?

Tom McHugh, Director The Mainstay
Professor Emeritus of Education
Vassar College

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In Praise of Oysters this Weekend

October 9, 2012 by Tom McHugh

For a good part of the 20th century, Rock Hall was “king” when it came to oystering. Day after day, during the oyster season, as many as 100 boats left Rock Hall harbor and returned at the end of the day with a full catch, piled high . Tractor trailor trucks left Rock Hall for New England, New York City, and points west.

Beginning with Hurrican Agnes in 1972, things changed. The famed Rock Hall oyster beds were threatened by pollution, weather patterns, and other factors. They were gradually regaining their strength when Hurrican Irene , in 2011, forced the opening of 43 gates at Conowingo Dam, pushing millions of tons of silt, debris and mud over the oyster beds just off Rock Hall. (When those Conowingo gates opened, picture the equivalent of 6,120 olympic-sized pools of water rushing through the gates…each minute!)

But Rock Hall is a gritty, fight back, stiff upper lip kind of town. FallFest 2012 will celebrate both the tradition of Rock Hall oystering and the commitment to the return of the famed local oyster. This is the 15th year of this festival.

On Saturday, October 13 there will be the usual family events: great local food, excellent music, (we end the day in front of The Mainstay with Deanna Bogart), ponies, steel drums, and crafts…but a key focus will be on the corner of Sharp and Main, “Oyster Corner.”

Look for four or five of our best Rock Hall shuckers, opening as many as 3,000 Chesapeake Bay oysters, at “a buck a shuck”. or 6 for five. Some of our local oystermen will be there to answer your questions about the Bay too. And for kids, there will be a place to try their hand at tonging for oysters.

If you haven’t yet been to a FallFest celebration, don’t miss this one. It will be a day of fun, history, humor, and it will warm your soul.

14th Annual Rock Hall FallFest
A Celebration of Family, Community and Oysters
Saturday, October 13th, 2012
10am – 4pm, Rain or Shine!

Cover photo courtesy of Kent County Dept. of Planning & Zoning

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

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