The phrase “going the second mile” is familiar to us today.
It rouses the idea of going beyond the call of duty in helping someone or, perhaps
in a work place situation, taking on extra work or responsibilities. Googling the phrase turns up many Christian/spiritual/inspirational
articles all tracing back to the Bible and the story of the ancient Roman road
system. A Roman citizen could demand that anyone not a citizen carry their
burden along the road for one mile. In
his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus exhorted his followers to carry the load the
second mile. Merriam-Webster Dictionary sums up nicely: second mile, noun: a
deed of charity or kindness beyond the demands of duty – used chiefly in the phrase
go the second mile.
Another idea of the second mile is that after the first mile
of one’s life, one enters the second mile, be it retirement, the golden years
or even the leisure years. Now that’s a phrase we don’t hear too often – the
leisure years. These days most Seniors
lead quite active and involved lives and perhaps there is not much leisure to
them.
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On their 25th Anniversary, May 1989, Second
Milers president H. Neil Smith and founding members Dr. Robert Thomas and Art
Westfall get ready to slice the cake. |
In 1964, a group of Delmar men combined both connotations
when they named their club the Second Milers.
Earl S. Jones, Sr, a retired lawyer and parishioner of the First United Church
of Delmar, was the instigator, proposing a club for retired men to meet up once
a month for lunch and social time. At their second meeting in July 1964, the
group named Howard W. Davenport their first president and chose the name Second
Milers as representing that the members were on the second lap of their lives.
*
In December that year, a statement about the group’s purpose
was read. “The Second Milers of the Delmar Methodist church, a group of retired
men, seeks to promote sociability and Christian fellowship among its members,
and to render service to the church wherever possible, through their time and
talent.” The group quickly became
secular and open to all men of the community.
By the following spring they had eliminated the reference to Christian
fellowship and revised the second clause to “render service to the church and
community when practicable.”
Over the years, service to the church and community was
provided in various forms. Requests for assistance from local charitable groups
were regularly read at meetings, and members volunteered as they saw fit. Painting Red Cross hospital beds, counting
donations to UNICEF, serving coffee after church services are just a few. The list is long and varied.
But the real focus of the group was the social interaction
provided over lunch which was then followed by a program. And indeed, by 1994, the purpose of the group
had been distilled to a purpose of “fellowship to meet for luncheon and then
hear a timely presentation on important affairs of the day.”
For years, the men met at the Delmar Methodist church hall.
Few early menus survive but one meatless luncheon in February 1967, which
happened to fall on Ash Wednesday, featured macaroni, cheese and a tuna
casserole. The cost was 75 cents per
person. For almost 20 years, from
September 1971 to May 1991, meals were organized by Priscilla Stevens. She was in charge of the church’s kitchen and
made it her mission to support the men’s luncheon. Menus from her tenure were
varied from Sloppy Joes to fried fish sandwiches, and included fruit cups and
ice cream. Slowly the price for a meal rose to $3.00 per meal. After
Priscilla’s tenure, various caterers were brought in until the group moved over
to Normanside Country Club in 2004. They met there for the first time during
their 35th anniversary program on May 12, 1999. That was the first time they met anywhere
other than the church hall.
The majority of Second Milers 56 years of meetings had a
program. Topics were very diverse
reflecting members interests and community concerns. Slide shows by members of
their various travels were often on the schedule, like Carlton Gordon’s slide
show Three Months in Australia and New Zeeland presented December 13,1967.
Health and environmental topics came up over the years like the June 14, 1967
presentation on Progress Toward Clean Air & Water or the one from November
1976 about Air Pollution and the Weather. Musical programs were often featured,
especially the Friendship Singers. Bethlehem supervisors presented many a State
of the Town address, and town historian’s, including yours truly, turned up on
the roster as well. How about the October 8, 1969 presentation, simply titled
“Prestidigitation.”? That one sounds
intriguing.
Like all community groups and clubs, the Second Milers have
had their ups and downs. They were
always an informal group with no bylaws or incorporation. Membership numbers ranged from 80 in 1965 to 230
in the 1980s. In 2004, there was some
uncertainty about the club’s continuation, but rejuvenated leadership declared
the Second Milers “alive and well and pulsating with new energy.” That energy continued for a while, but the
last five years have seen a steady decline in membership, with Covid-19 giving
the group its final push. Their last
official meeting, March 11, 2020, just before the pandemic enfolded us, is
expected to be their last.
*I am indebted to John Alden’s 2009 history of the group for
much of the information in this article.
And also a shoutout to Bill Fuller and Bob Mulligan, Second Milers who
provided a warm welcome every time I spoke to the group.
Flashes and Dashes
The Bethlehem
Historical Association presents Ron Gabriel speaking about the Second Battle of
Gettysburg at their November 18 lecture. The time is 2 p.m. Location is the
Delmar Reformed Church. Masks and social
distancing are required for this in person event with limited seating. Save the
date for BHA’s Holiday Open House, Sunday afternoon, December 12. The last history hike of the season is a walk
at Bethlehem Cemetery, 9:30 am on November 13.
Visit BethlehemHistorical.org for more details.
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Second Milers gather at their 25th anniversary
celebration. Front row (left to right): Frederick Knapp, William Reuter, John
Longley, George Chesbro, Vincent Hummell, and Harold Hastings. Second Row:
Donald Stevens, Howard Gmelch, Jack Pellettier, Alan Hoffman, Neil Smith, John
Klim, Wayne Fry, and Carlton Gordon. |
