DUBOIS – On a fall evening, the DuBois Area Historical Society’s seventh annual Spirit of DuBois Lantern Walk celebrated the 100th anniversary of DuBois voting to become a third-class city by drawing its second largest attendance.
Two hundred and forty-eight people took the walking tour and another 10 attended the indoor dress rehearsal earlier in the week driving the attendance to a total of 258 people.
“The DuBois Area Historical Society appreciates the support for this event from the community,” said Tom Schott, who chairs the committee for the lantern walk. “This event is the work of many people who volunteer their time to bring history alive for the community.”
The 2014 lantern walk traced the history of DuBois by decade from the decision to become a third-class city in 1914. Each of the stops featured a major event or an activity that influenced DuBois during a particular decade.
The performers at the stops were: Darius Clement as Albert (1914-23); Beecher Klingensmith as a working class man (1924-33); Sharon Folmar as a Blue Star mother (1934-43); Levi Thompson as a soap box derby Boy (1944-53); Amanda Amrhein, Zach Munn, Ben Hayes, Noah Orner and Merica Pallone as five teenagers discussing school mergers (1954-63); Nancy Rosman as a well-dressed working woman (1964-73); Caleb Thompson as Spike Buck, the tour’s annual animal character; Ryan Haggerty as a disco boy (1974-83); Tom Shade as hospital administrator Peter Monge (1984-93); Carolyn Rhoades as a switchboard operator (1994-2003); and Mel Amrhein as a satisfied customer (2004-2014).
The tours also included a stop at the DuBois City building where City Manager John “Herm” Suplizio provided greetings and members of the police department and city council distributed souvenir flashlights to all attending the walk.
The lantern walk was researched and written by Todd Thompson, Beecher Klingensmith, Gene Aravich, Ginny Schott, Ruth Gregori and Tom Schott. Leading tours were Paul Bojalad, Galen Kilmer, Ginny Schott, Tom Schott and Todd Thompson. Karen Amrhein, Gene Aravich, Jeanne Hayes, Kathy Pallone and Jerry Watson accompanied the tours.
Helping out in the museum and with the annual cookie offering following the walks were: David Beer, Nellie Beer, Kathleen Clement, Ruth Gregori, Jean Hayes, Carol Laughlin, George Reilly, Mary Reilly, Cherie Shannon, Susie Shaffer and Susan Thompson; along with DuBois High School students Isaac Shaffer and Ting Ting Zhou and DuBois Middle School student Jenny Zhou.
Sponsorship and assistance for the walk was provided by: the City of DuBois, Way Office Supply, First United Presbyterian Church, Scotty’s Donuts, Cessna Taxidermy, Reitz Theater, Jack Amick and St. Michael’s Terrace, Maureen Woods of DuBois for sharing her Blue Star Mother banner for use as a prop and Joe Skubisz of DuBois for the railroad lantern used in the logo design.
Sense Media is producing a DVD of the 2014 Spirit of Dubois Lantern Walk. The cost is $18 plus tax ($1.08) with a $5 shipping and handling fee if it needs to be mailed. The DVD will be available by Thanksgiving. Mail orders may be sent to the DuBois Area Historical Society at P.O. Box 401, DuBois, PA 15801 or by telephone 814-371-9006.