TIME MACHINE ... Early Rock 'N Roll Legend Performs On Eastern Shore!

　
　

(Reader-friendly viewing of newspaper archives material)

May, 1958

(The Salisbury Times)

(Excerpts)

He Sends 'Em ----- Like Crazy

Haley's Comets Rock Shore Teenagers

By Jerry Kelly

(Of The Times Staff)

Bill Haley and his Comets blazed a glittering trail across the stage of the Boulevard Theater last night. It was "crazy, man, crazy," all the way.

At least that is the opinion this morning of Salisbury's rock 'n' rollers who got "sent."

Haley, one of the music's originators, gave local teeners some exciting moments. He played before a nearly packed house of hand-clapping, foot-stompers.

He was a solid success.

Before the curtains went up and the footlights went on, Haley looked like a success. A mellow, mild-mannered man, he had just returned from two months tour of South America where even the anti-Nixon demonstrations couldn't dim his popularity. 

In case you haven't a teenager at home to tell you who Bill Haley is, maybe you'll recall him by some of the titles of his records. They include "Crazy, Man, Crazy," "Rock Around The Clock," "Shake, Rattle, And Roll," and the never-to-be-forgotten record which gave us the salutation "See You Later Alligator."

They've sold 35 million records, not counting another million and a half in albums, and have appeared in five motion pictures- twice featured.

"We were four years before everybody else with rock 'n' roll" says Haley. "We started as a dance band; we wanted them to dance."

The sudden advent of Elvis Presley changed all that, though. He added a new dimension to the music and put the kids to cringing, says Haley.

How does he dream up- to borrow a phrase- those crazy song titles?

"I hear them from the teenagers," he says. "The fellows in the band, and myself compose all the tunes we use." Haley reasons its music for young people, so he has to keep it in their vernacular.

"Like 'See You Alligator,' I heard that from a teenager."

The Pennsylvania native doesn't believe some of the theories that his kind of music has a bad effect on young people. Says he:

"When a kid comes to our show he's had sixteen years of training- or lack of it- from his parents. There's nothing we can do to influence a kid that age."

Reminded that some boys and girls have been known to leave their seats during the excitement of the music, Haley allowed: "If that happens we stop the performance."

This was the group's first visit to Salisbury, although they've played all around the state- Baltimore and Ocean City. "I'd like to come back. It looks like we've got a good following down here" said Haley, looking out over the audience.

An announcer introduced him and his band moments later and they began rocking. When they started, the hand-clapping, foot-stomping began.

　

Youth was having its day.

　
　
August, 1920

(Cumberland Evening Times)

POCOMOKE CAN NOT HAVE PROF. FONTAINE

School Patrons There Seek in Vain to Have Him Released of Obligation to Come Here

Despite persistent importunity on the part of the patrons of the schools of Pocomoke City, Md., that Prof. E. Clark Fontaine be relieved of his obligation to become principal of the Allegany County High School this school year the school authorities here will hold him to it, feeling that in him they have found the right man to build up the big local institution.

John W. Ennis, for the patrons of Pocomoke City High School, sent (Allegany) county superintendent Edward F. Webb a telegram today stating that the patrons had refused to accept Mr. Fontaine's resignation and asked that he be released of any moral obligation here, as he was needed in Pocomoke. Prof. Webb sent a reply that the position of the Pocomoke patrons was unfair to Mr. Fontaine and the Allegany county board, and that Mr. Fontaine's growth depended upon opportunities in a broader field.　

Footnote: In 1948 Dr. Fontaine retired as supervisor of high schools for the State Department Of Education and returned to live in Pocomoke City where he began his teaching career in 1903.


　　
September, 1941

(The Salisbury Times)

(Excerpts)

4TH BATTALION STATE GUARD IS COMPLETE

Two Additional Shore Companies Are Mustered

Completion of the Fourth Battalion of the Maryland State Guard was accomplished last night when Company T at Pocomoke and Company B of Crisfield were mustered into service.

Approximately 55 men were sworn into Guard service at the Pocomoke Armory, while Crisfield mustered approximately 65. Capt. Rupert Catlin is company commander at Crisfield, and Capt. Griffin Callahan heads the Pocomoke unit.

August, 1901

Excitement about the prospects of oil in the ground in the Pocomoke area resulted in a number of prominent citizens forming The Pocomoke Oil Company to fund the drilling of at least one well. A published report stated: Work will begin at once, and everybody is watching results with eager interest. 

　
March, 1894

(The Herald And Torchlight- Hagerstown, Md)

A champion eater in Snow Hill, Worcester county, recently ate twenty-eight bananas, an orange, and a stew of oysters in fifteen minutes. He offered to bet he could eat ten more bananas.

　
　
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