(Regarding "When Pocomoke Was Young":)

 Anonymous said...

Many years ago my late grandfather attended McMaster One-Room School which was located at the intersection of the current Brantley and Buck Harbor Schools. One September day, when he was about eleven years old, the County Superintendent of Schools made a visit and inspection. While the superintendent was meeting with the teacher inside my grandfather and two of his compatriots took time to inspect the superintendent's new Model A Ford.

Automobiles were a rarity in those days in that area so the boys gave it a thorough inspection, even opening the side covers on the engine compartment to peer at the engine inside. Since it was squirrel hunting season one of the lads had some shotgun shells in his pocket and suggested they unscrew the four spark plugs and pour some gunpowder in the cylinders, replace the sparkplugs and see what would happen.

They waited around until the superintendent finished his meeting and returned to his new Model A. In those days there were no car keys and an automobile had a starter pedal on the floor used to start the engine. When the Superintendent stepped on the starter pedal there was a muffled explosion which propelled the cylinder head, both side covers and the hood about fifty feet into the air!

The Superintendent was mortified and contacted the Ford Motor Company which said that something like this had never happened before and responded by sending a team of mechanics and engineers to investigate. The cause of the catastrophic engine failure was never determined and to save their reputation Ford presented the superintendent with a brand new Model A.

Anonymous said... Minor correction...McMaster School was at the intersection of Brantley and Buck Harbor ROADS, not schools. That's what happens when I try to do anything before having my coffee.