Fall Meeting - October 21
"Growing Up Manx"
will be presented by our membership Secretary, Andrew Ravenscroft.Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to hear recollections and see photographs of Andrew ‘s personal experiences on the Isle of Man.
ENJOY A CATERED MEAL AT NOON
T J’s Catering from Sauk City will be providing our Soup, Salad and Sandwich Buffet. The cost is $10.00 per person, payable at the meeting.
COUNTRY VEGETABLE SOUP
FRUIT SALAD
BROCCOLI CASHEW SALAD
SLICED SMOKED HAM
SLICED TURKEY BREAST
VARIETY OF FRESH BAKED BREADS, WHIPPED BUTTER, MAYONNAISE, MUSTARD, SLICED TOMATOES, LETTUCE, AND PICKLES
FRESH GROUND COLUMBIAN DECAF
LEMONADE
Make your reservation by calling Vice President, Judy Bonnet, at (608) 884-8905 by October 8.
The Manx People *
National Traits
"Some of our traits of character are conspicuous in our proverbs. One of these is extreme caution and deliberation. One proverb says "a slow fire makes a sweet malt." Another is "Maybe the last dog is catching the hare." A third says "Listen with both ears and then judge." One of our commonest sayings is "Traa dt liooar!" ("Time enough.")
Those who call us slow generally give us the credit of being also sure. In temperament, the average Manxman is something between an Irishman and a Scotchman, the enthusiasm of one being tempered with the coolness of the other. Neither optimist or pessimist, he prefers in all things the middle course as being the safest. His habitual policy is Moderation. He will not readily commit himself to an unqualified opinion or make a point blank statement. Everything is "middlin’;" "Are you quite well?" "Aw, middlin’." He seldom says definitely, "It is so"; but generally "Maybe it is" or "Lek enough it is." In every statement a qualification is found to come in somewhere."
W. H. Gill – 1895
*Taken from "Our Living Heritage, handing it down"
Membership Secretary Report
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at the Fall meeting, having had to miss the Spring meeting this year. Of course, my reason for missing the meeting was about as good as it gets, being a trip back to the Isle of Man to visit family. We had an excellent trip, and I look forward to sharing some of my photographs as part of my presentation on Growing Up Manx.
There isn't a lot to report on the membership front this time, other than the very good news of the addition of 3 new members at the last meeting. I was pleased to see that in time-honored WMS tradition, one of the new members (Judy Bonnet) was immediately nominated for a post on the Board, and is now serving as Vice President! Word of mouth probably does more to boost our membership than any other factor, so my thanks to everyone who encourages potential members to come along to our meetings and to join up. Manx people show up in the strangest places, so it never hurts to ask when you see what looks like a Manx surname, or to advertise by wearing a Manx pin.
In the meantime, I'm continuing to work on the web site and some headed stationery for the Society to use, and I will bring some samples of the stationery with me to the meeting in October.
Looking forward to seeing you all next month,
Andrew
WMS Library
Our Wisconsin Manx Society has a wonderful library. The library consists of books, magazines, copied articles, 70 Isle of Mann Family History Society volumes, videos, cassettes, and even a puzzle of a Manx cottage. Some of these items are new and some are old. They have been donated, loaned by our members, or purchased by the society.
One of our latest and nicest additions to the library is a collection of (original or copied) NAMA Bulletins. Our president, Joyce Benjamin, organized the bulletins before sending them to be bound into seven hard cover volumes. A collection of ten years issues is in each volume
The WMS library collection includes approximately three-fourths of the publications of the Isle of Mann Family History Society. It would be greatly appreciated if our members who subscribe to the Isle of Mann Family History Society quarterly publications would check to see if they could donate the missing issues.
Missing Issues:
1981 October, July, December
1982 January, April, July, October, December
1983 April, July, October, December
1984 December
1985 December
1986 December
1988 February, May, August, November
1998 August
The last issue we have is November 1998.
Your continued support of our lending library helps to make our Society one of the most unique of all the Manx societies. Let’s help make our library collection one of the most complete, too!
Librarian Norma Bircher (with her husband John) transports the books to each meeting so members can check out whatever interests them. Norma asks that the books be returned at the next meeting or mailed directly to her home. Unlike public libraries, no one is "fined" if the books aren’t returned until a later meeting.
It takes 3 storage tubs to carry the entire library to the meetings and soon another will be needed. The society has provided Norma and John with a cart to more easily transport them to and from the car.
Norma says: "Remember, our library is there for you!"
Minutes of Wisconsin Manx Society, Inc
The Wisconsin Manx Society, Inc. met at Midvale Community Church, Madison on April 22nd, 2001. Following 11AM to Noon Registration and Social Hour and a delicious catered lunch at 12:00, President, Joyce Benjamin convened the business meeting and Past President; Jody Morey accompanied the group in the singing of the Manx National Anthem.
Introductions included three new members, Meg Turville-Heitz of Madison and Judith Bonnet and Dorothy Gillette of Edgerton. Judith is Dorothy’s daughter. She read about the WMS in the Edgerton newspaper. She says she doesn’t have Manx ancestry but has visited IOM and is enchanted with it. We were happy to greet Melissa Maurer who joined at our last meeting and to welcome back Paul Rabenhorst Jr. (Tim) who is not often in the area on our meeting days.
Reports were as follows:
Recording Secretary- Members were reminded that Minutes of the October meeting were in the Spring Newsletter. Minutes of a March 11th Board Meeting are in the hands of the Executive Board members and a copy may be obtained from the Recording Secretary or President.
Treasurer – Balance on hand - $1153.84. A proposed budget will be prepared in an effort to make more informed decisions on expenditures and membership fees.
Vice- President –Bill Wade was pleased to announce an agreement with T.J.’s of Sauk City to cater our lunch. We all agreed that it was a delicious lunch. Sue of T.J.’s promptly and efficiently served soup, sandwiches, salads and beverages with large cookies for dessert.
Newsletter – Judy Schlueter, new co-editor explained some slight differences in format and publishing procedures as efforts are made to increase efficiency and update communication with our members. She and Dorrie will appreciate comments and suggestions as well as member news and information. Deadline for the Fall Newsletter will be September 14, 2001.
Membership – Andrew Ravenscroft, Chairman is visiting on the Isle (with Olivia and Elizabeth). His report was in the Spring Newsletter, but he wants us to know that the Website address he listed in that report was incomplete. The correct address for the Wisconsin Manx Society Website is
www.oocities.org/wisconsinmanx.Librarian
– Norma Bircher announced that a New Book on Postage Stamps and a catalog of Celtic attire are available for library loan. She reminded us that since our collection is growing quite large and burdensome to transport, she may bring only items that have been borrowed (by members) over the last few years to meetings unless others are requested in advance.President – Joyce will provide an Isle of Man display table at a Celtic Festival in Minot, N. Dakota in September. The board has approved payment of the registration fee and she will provide her own transportation. Our member Lois Ralph of Marquette, Mich. has requested information regarding descendents of James and Ellen Skillicorn, 1856 immigrants. Celtic Women International will meet in Milwaukee in fall of 2001. Joyce hopes to attend and invites other members to join her. She recommends two books: Island of Barbed Wire (about Wartime prison camp on I.O.M.) and English Passengers by Kneale.
Bill Wade, retiring Vice President was thanked for his diligent efforts over the past two years. He has maintained our good relationship with the church in which we meet and made all necessary arrangements for pre-meeting meals including procuring menu choices and taking reservations. We’ll miss him on the Executive Board and look forward to his return in the future.
Nominating - Chris Merritt reported that except for Vice President, all positions open for nomination could be filled by officers willing to continue for another term. A candidate could not be found to nominate for the V.P. position until the day of the meeting. After explanation of the role of the WMS V.P. (assist and stand-in for Pres. + make meeting place and food arrangements, attend executive board meetings but not be President –elect) and with assurance of assistance, Judy Bonnet agreed to complete the slate. The following slate was unanimously accepted and elected.
President - Joyce Benjamin
Vice President - Judy Bonnet
Recording Secretary - Dorrie Alff
Treasurer - Joan Ogden
Membership Secretary - Andrew Ravenscroft
Librarian - Norma Bircher
Historian - Mae Reese
Governor - Mona Voutilla
Governor - Chris Merritt
Governor - Judy Schlueter
Following the election, official pins of office were exchanged. (Bill Wade gave the Vice President’s pin to Judy Bonnet and Dorrie Alff gave the Newsletter Editor pin to Judy Schlueter, Co-Editor.)
Next Meeting – October 21, 2001
Respectfully submitted – Doris J. Alff, Recording Secretary