Did you grow up in Middletown in the era of poodle skirts, air raid drills and rabbit ear antennas on top of the snowy TV? Do you remember ‘the ramp’ at Bussy’s Store, getting your tonsils out at the old hospital, playing basketball at Fleischmanns school or watching Elvis movies at the Galli-Curci (admission: $1.25)?

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown invites you to bring your memories to the HSM hall Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m. when it will hold its second program of the season, “Mid-Century Middletown: Remembering the Fifties and Sixties.”

Admission for HSM members is $2, non-members $4. Refreshments will be available.

A slide show featuring photos taken by Ethel Bussy c. 1950 will be augmented by other images from the ‘50s and early ‘60s. They will be interspersed with slides of front pages and advertisements from the Catskill Mountain News of the period.

County’ firemen’s convention in Margaretville, 1949

The Hall’s Bridge swimming hole

The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown and Fairview Public Library will collaborate on a program focused on women’s suffrage Saturday, April 30.

“Tea Time with Emma,” a classic afternoon tea with sweets, sandwiches and yes, Earl Grey tea, will start at 3 p.m. at Stick in the Mud in the Bussy Building on Margaretville’s Main Street. Those attending will meet Emma Keeney (above left), a local boarding house proprietor, who was a Margaretville activist in the movement to achieve the right to vote for women.

Emma will be portrayed by Connie Jeffers (above right), who will exhort participants to encourage their political representatives to allow women the right to vote in local, state and national elections.

Prior to the tea, the acclaimed film “Suffragette,” starring Meryl Streep, will be screened at 1 p.m. at Fairview Library next door to the Bussy Building.

Both film and tea are by reservation only: $25 for both, $20 for tea alone. Call 845-586-2860 by April 25 to claim your seats.

Scones, sandwiches and biscuits will be served by hostess Lizzie Douglas at this “suffrage tea” at Stick in the Mud, patterned after a fundraising event from 1914.

Emma Keeney, 1903

Amy Taylor of Margaretville is the newest trustee of the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown. She was elected by HSM members at the organization’s tenth annual meeting and luncheon October 26.

Amy, husband Ken and their four children have been active members of the Society for several years, and in particular have served as performers, docents, script writers and site volunteers for the annual Living History Cemetery Tour since it was initiated in 2012.

The tour was one of many 2014 events and activities to be reviewed at the annual meeting, when 45 people enjoyed an autumn luncheon prepared by Anna Blish, and a program by George Quinn, author of Skiing in the Catskill Region.

Winning tickets were drawn for three raffle prizes. Eleanor Mager won a framed work of cut paper art by Marcia Guthrie. Nate Hendricks won a half-gallon of maple syrup made by John Riedel and donated by Anne Sanford. Randy Sanford won a ceramic platter made and donated by Ros Welchman.

The Sunday afternoon event brought to a close a busy year that included five programs at the HSM hall on Cemetery Road. Some 250 people attended the programs ranging from Ice Age geology to Old School Baptist Church music. HSM participated in the collaborative headwaters History Days; hosted exhibits at the Margaretville Cauliflower Festival; and joined with the Margaretville Fire Department to sponsor scholarships for two MCS seniors.

The Third Annual Cemetery Tour took place in June at Sanford Cemetery in Dunraven and drew 130 people. Successful fundraising events were also held at Spillian, the former Fleischmann family mansion in Fleischmanns; and at The Raven’s Nest, the Margaretville home of Tom and Connie Jeffers.

A new roof was put on the HSM hall this year, a project that was supported by grants from the O’Connor Foundation, the Community Foundation of South Central New York, NBT Bank and many members and friends of the Society. New lights, along with antique fixtures donated by Dick and Jennie Liddle, were also installed in the hall, which was rented out for two private parties.

An illuminating talk, “From Candle to Bulb: A History of Lighting” will be presented by Paul Misko on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. at the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM), 778 Cemetery Rd., Margaretville.

The program will cover ancient oil lamps, whale oil, lard and kerosene lamps, and end with early flashlights.

Misko will discuss how changes in lighting changed our lifestyles through the ages. He will bring a number of lamps and lanterns and will light up several of them to show how they worked. He will discuss the shortcomings and dangers of the various fuels, and the constant struggle of inventors to improve both the amount of light, and safety of the many types of lamps used.

Paul Misko, a historian from the Woodland Valley area in Ulster County, gives talks, does radio and writes articles on Catskill hiking and history. He is the founder of the Catskill 4000 Club, whose focus is exploring not only great views, but the history of the Catskills as well.