Volume 7 Issue 2 (Spring 2014)
“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” ~William Faulkner

Inescapable History
This issue represents the 6th anniversary of The Hemlock; accordingly it seems
appropriate that the theme of this issue is the ways that the past can intrude into the
present. One of the central goals of the Environmental Focus Group has been to raise
awareness of the rich history of central Pennsylvania. If you know where to look, traces
of the past can be found everywhere in our town and our campus.
April Events
On Thursday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m., Joby Topper will be presenting a talk “Towers,
Trees, and Traditions” that will discuss changes to the LHU campus over the years. The
talk will be held in Rogers Gymnasium, the oldest building on campus. The event is
free and open to the public.
On Tuesday, April 22 (Earth Day) at 5:00 p.m. the Environmental Focus Group will
dedicate the new Nature Trail. In the 1930s the LHU Naturalist Club developed a trail
on the mountain behind campus. In April the trail will be restored and plaques will be
installed that interpret the cultural and environmental history of the campus. Join us in
front of Robinson as we reveal the interpretative plaques and walk the trail (1 ½ miles,
about 40 minutes).

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 2

On Tuesday, April 22, at 7:00 p.m. the Environmental Focus Group and
the Environmental Club will show the film Play Again in Greenburg
Auditorium (Willis Building). Play Again is a documentary about
teenagers who spend most of their days in front of computer screens.
The movie “unplugs these teens and takes them on their first
wilderness adventure – no electricity, no cell phone coverage, no virtual
reality.” The event is free and open to the public.
Normal Hill

~Joby Topper (LHU Library Director)
As a youngster at Lock Haven’s summer wrestling camps of the early 1980s, I clearly
remember jogging from Thomas Fieldhouse, around Rogers Gym, and up the 156
concrete steps from Robinson to McEntire Hall. These days, I can barely manage to
walk up these steps without stopping to catch my breath. Sad, but true. Anyone who
has ever lived in North, McEntire, High, or Gross Hall—whether as a student or, like
me, as a summer camper—is familiar with the subject of my essay: Normal Hill.
“Normal Hill” is so named for being the site of Lock Haven’s first Normal School (a
school for the training of public school teachers). Completed in 1877, the original school
building stood very close to where North Hall stands today.
From the top of Normal Hill, students
and faculty enjoyed a spectacular view of
the city, the river, and the surrounding
hills and valleys. They could also enjoy
clean, cold water pumped from the old
Wetzel Spring on the Glen Road side of
Normal Hill up to a small reservoir that
was located near the present site of
McEntire Hall. (When it was discovered
that the Wetzel Spring could not quite meet the demands of the school, water was
pumped from a well on the river-side of the hill up to the reservoir to supplement the
spring water supply.) The school was high above the flood plain, an important
advantage in a river town like Lock Haven. It was also above the reach of “miasma,”

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 3

the fumes belched up from marshes and swamps, believed by many people to carry
disease.
The situation atop Normal Hill seemed ideal until December 9, 1888, when the Normal
School was destroyed by fire. The fire company’s steam engine was unable to pump
water from the pipes at the intersection of Fairview and Main to the top of Normal Hill
with enough force to douse the flames. Fortunately the fire was slow-burning, which
enabled firefighters to rescue all of the students and faculty and much of their personal
property.
The Fire of 1888 convinced the Normal School faculty and trustees to abandon the hill
and re-build on lower ground where the school would be more accessible to fire
engines, if the need should arise. The perceived threat of miasma, along with the notion
that highlands were inherently
healthier than lowlands, was fading
into superstition by 1888 thanks
mainly to German microbiologist
Robert Koch, who provided
compelling evidence during the
1880s to support the germ theory of
disease. In April 1889, the trustees
purchased three acres at the base of
Normal Hill—the area now
occupied by Rogers, Stevenson, Russell, and Sullivan—and chose a building site just
above and to the west of the main path of flood waters. Dirt and rock were excavated
from the base of the hill to create a large, level space on which to build the new school.
Construction was completed in May 1890.
The school’s water continued to come from the reservoir on Normal Hill, but, after 1893,
the reservoir was no longer fed by the Wetzel Spring or by the riverside well. Between
July and December of 1893, city water superintendent Charles F. Keller (father of Boyd
R. Keller of Keller Reservoir fame) coordinated a massive public works project in which
over six miles of new water pipe were laid from the McElhattan Spring (about nine
miles east of Lock Haven) to various points in the city, to include the school reservoir.
To this day, though the reservoir on Normal Hill no longer exists, the waters of the

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 4

McElhattan Gap feed Keller Reservoir and Ohl Reservoir, Lock Haven’s principal water
supplies.
Normal Hill at the turn of the century was only sparsely populated with small trees and
shrubs. Lumbermen of the 1850s and 60s had stripped the hill of its tall healthy trees in
the days before most people saw the wisdom in selective cutting and reforestation.
But Normal Hill found a friend in Levi J. Ulmer. Ulmer, a professor of science and
geography, organized the school’s first
“Naturalist Club” in 1923. Ulmer and the
students in the Naturalist Club planted
thousands of trees on and around Normal
Hill during the 1920s and 30s. They also
blazed a Nature Trail on Normal Hill and
around the larger adjoining hill that
separates the Glen Road valley (the “boys’
glen”) from the valley now occupied by
Lawrence Field and Jack Stadium (the
“girls’ glen”). In 1937, the Club made the college woodlands an animal sanctuary and
secured pledges of cooperation from local hunters. In December 1942, shortly after
Ulmer died, President Richard T. Parsons named the campus woodlands “Ulmer
Memorial Forest” in honor of Ulmer’s devotion to the enjoyment and preservation of
Normal Hill and the surrounding hills and valleys.
Normal Hill was used almost exclusively as a hiking and picnic area until 1939, when
six tennis courts were built near the present site of North Hall. The courts were built by
popular demand after the old tennis courts were removed in 1938 to make way for the
construction of Thomas Fieldhouse.
The pressing need for student housing during the 1950s and 60s led to the purchase of
additional properties along North Fairview for the construction of Smith (1959-60) and
Woolridge (1962-63). The college finally turned to Normal Hill when no more property
was available for sale along North Fairview or Susquehanna. The first dormitory built
on Normal Hill was North Hall (1965-67), which required the removal of the tennis
courts. The old reservoir was filled-in and covered in November 1968 during
construction of McEntire. High Hall was next (1970-71), followed by Gross (1973).

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 5

The new dorms and the accompanying network of paved roadways dramatically
changed the look and feel of Normal Hill. Yet students, faculty, and local citizens
continued to enjoy the hill’s trails and picnic spots. Athletes and ROTC trainees ran the
old Nature Trail and created a few paths of their own.
The faculty and staff of the Environmental Focus Group and the students of the
Environmental Club have decided to restore the old Nature Trail. On Saturday, April
12th, we’ll begin cleaning up the woods on and around the trail and clearing away brush
to make the trail more obvious to the casual hiker. We’ll also post signs along the trail
indicating points of interest to biologists, geologists, historians, nature lovers, and
casual hikers. Our goal is to entice you to climb those 156 steps from Robinson to
McEntire and explore Normal Hill and the surrounding woods. Take a break from
studying for exams or grading papers; it is well worth your time.
Lock Haven a River Town
Recently Downtown Lock Haven, Inc. and the Lock Haven City Council have agreed to
seek a “River Town” designation from the Susquehanna Greenways
Partnership. The goal of the partnership is to link the natural,
cultural, historic, and recreational resources of the Susquehanna
River. A River Town designation would open the door to grants and
technical assistance to help the community connect to the river. On
March 27, those interested in the River Town concept met in the
Durwachter Alumni Center to brainstorm ways of integrating the
river into the culture of the community.

County Announces 175th Anniversary Celebrations: Let’s Party Like it’s 1839!

~Maria Boileau (Clinton County Director of Voter Registration and Elections)
On June 21, 2014 Clinton County will officially celebrate its 175th anniversary, and the
Clinton County Commissioners are excited about celebrating the rich heritage of
Clinton County.
Some of the many events scheduled throughout the year include the Best of Clinton
County Summer Festival and Parade, a historic church tour sponsored by the Clinton
County Historical Society, a historic train ride, a boat parade to coincide with the City’s

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 6

summer concert series and a number of existing events that could host anniversary
themed celebrations.
Community groups and organizations are encouraged to submit their 175 th Anniversary
themed activities to the county for inclusion in the
Anniversary Calendar. Throughout the year the
county will be documenting the events and activities
with photos and in November the Commissioners
will present a commemorative book of the 175th year
of Clinton County. “This is a great opportunity for
students with an interest in history and photography
to help document what is going on all over the
county” explains Boileau. “ The 175th Celebration has
a website at www.clintoncountypa.com/175. For more information please contact
Maria Boileau at the Clinton County Voter Registration Office at 570-893-4019 or email
175@clintoncountypa.com.

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 7

The View from Route 11/15

~Susan Rimby (Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Education )
Huck Finn commuter, I follow the river.
I’d write a ballad if I were John Denver
Of island-bound trees awash in fall colors,
And once fertile fields now shorn for the winter,
Their pumpkins and cornstalks displayed by road vendors.
I squint in the sunshine that tickles the water
And smile as I travel towards home and my lover.
Observations from the Levee

~Susan Rimby (Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Education )
The leaves shine orange in the afternoon light.
The water mirrors sky/tree/hill.
Today, the Susquehanna is my bosom companion.
The current paces me,
The crisp breeze soothes me.
The river winds toward where I want to go.

Photo by John F. Katz

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 8

Trail Running: Exploring on Foot

~Ashley Moyer (LHU Recreation Management Major)
The popularity of trail running has been growing in recent years, and it is noticeable
even, and maybe especially, in our area around Lock Haven. Those mountains you see
surrounding campus are the setting of many local races throughout the year, the most
popular being the autumn Megatransect and the upcoming Hyner View Trail Challenge
in April. These races are tough: leading participants over extremely rocky terrain, up
ridiculously steep hills, through streams, and sometimes-diverse weather conditions.
Why are so many people taking to the single-track?
Surely, the reasons vary by person, but mostly we do it
for the great community atmosphere, the desire to
improve physically and mentally, and of course, the
aesthetics of being outside in the natural environment.
Trying to keep pace in our everyday lives with the
world around us, we often forget about the exciting
things right outside our doors. Trail running is an
amazing chance to see and experience things for
yourself, to experience what is real, not viewed on a
screen. I find trail running to be an opportunity for
exploration – traveling by foot to see things far from
human touch. While out running, I have seen many
extraordinary things over the last few years – deer, a mother bear and her cubs, and I
have learned a great deal about various birds and their calls. I have also witnessed rare
and unexpected sights, such as: a tiny Saw-Whet Owl startled out of his tree branch
slumber to stare at me with wide eyes, a deer bounding down into the same hollow I’m
running through and up the other side of the mountain with a coyote in hot pursuit,
and the mountain goat standing proudly, high on a rocky Colorado mountaintop.
Another great thing about trail running is that it is cheap, simple, and anyone can do it!
There are no rules, few boundaries, and you are the only person setting the limits of
your experience. All you need is comfortable clothing, a good pair of shoes, and a trail
to follow. Running alone is a great opportunity to reconnect your thoughts and

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 9

recharge, or it can be bonding with a social group. The
distance, location, and speed are of your choosing; there
are so many places to see, and running takes you there
faster!
Lock Haven is a prime location for trail running. We have
trails to the north at Hyner View State Park and to the
south at R.B. Winter. However, my personal favorite is
even closer, on public city lands, a place called Zindel Park
in McElhatten. To get there, head north on 220 from Lock
Haven, take the McElhatten exit and turn right at the stop
sign. Follow straight onto Reservoir Road until reaching
the parking area at the end. Many trails cover the mountains from here, many leading
off the road that goes past the gate to Keller Reservoir and behind, but there is no map
or trail signs. Do not be deterred! With a little exploration, you can discover the routes
that link together and find all this area has to offer. I still

Views from “Devil’s Den” in Zindel Park.

have not discovered them all!
Relationships and Resilience
~Danny Brumbaugh (LHU Social Work major)
In Hermann Hesse’s novel Siddhartha, he speaks in great detail of the protagonist’s
moment of Nirvana. Siddhartha sees himself and his life as a long and flowing river.
Each person he meets, each moment, each celebration of joy, every life, every death,
from the smallest microcosm to the largest macrocosm are a flowing part of the river of
his existence.
If it weren’t for the great relationships I have with my friends and family (which both
are really the same as far as I am concerned), I wouldn’t have nearly as much of the
strength as I do now. Late night talks, beers drunk together, miles traversed through
the woods, crawls and climbs through caves, music played, and eye contact traded-these are just a few of the great moments I shared with friends and family over my
winter break. These moments and people (much like the ice on the now frozen
Susquehanna) are a huge part of my own personal tributary. Because of them my
waters are far from still and for this I am thankful.

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 10

On a recent winter hike with two of my good friends, Dave and
Grace, we had a moment of clarity and commonality, while
discussing the existence of a craggy old elm tree. On a previous hike
Dave pointed out that particular elm and asked his students if it was
alive or dead. Some students said it was alive, and many said it was
dead. After tallying up the vote, he asked the class “Why does it
have to be either?” By this he was implying that though the tree
appeared to be dying, it was in fact swarming with a million
different insects and microscopic organisms. Just like Siddhartha’s
river, it was continually flowing, perpetually living and dying at the
same time. That was one resilient Elm. My resilience helps me to flow from one
minute, one hour, one day, and one year to the next. I refuse to give up and choose the
path of an empty, stale, existence.
It is with these strengths that I write these words and breathe these breaths.
Hemlock Hike: LHU Hiking in the 1920s

~Bob Myers
A few months ago Joby Topper sent me an article entitled “Where Shall We Go for a
Walk?” that had been published in the March 10, 1927 Normal Times. The article is
clearly an ancestor of the Hemlock hikes since it describes six hikes that were popular
among students at Central State Normal School in the 1920s. I thought it might be
interesting to present one of these hikes, complete with annotations, especially since this
hike overlaps with the new Nature Trail.
The anonymous author begins by defining his
audience. He scorns those who would hike
merely for exercise, and explains that he
writes for those who are “willing to go for a
hike or a walk but don’t know where to go,
and either from inability to ask questions, or
fear of getting themselves lost . . . or from lack
Ad from 1927 Normal Times

of ability to make up their minds, don’t get
started on that long thought of plan of exploring

the country round about by the slow but certain method of perambulation.” He writes

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 11

for someone “who really likes to get away from rows of brick houses and pretend that
he’s seeing the real country (he daren’t mind getting muddy by the way).”
Given the changes in place names and geography, the first hike is the only one that I can
recreate for modern readers with any certainty. The writer advises that this hike should
be taken “before breakfast preferably.” The route and my annotations follow:
Go up Girls’ Glen until you reach the Cottage, the first house on the right after you leave the
Normal Then turn left and follow the path up over the hill.
Girls’ Glen is the narrow valley that runs from Akeley to the football field
(soon to be the return loop of the Nature Trail). In the 1920s Lusk Run Road
ran along this path until it was moved to its current route in 1932. The
Cottage must have been located just past Hubert Jack Stadium. The “path up
over the hill” follows the saddle between the two hills, passing the site of the
Naturalist Cabin that was built in 1941.
By and by you will meet the road that goes up Boys’ Glen. When you reach this, turn left
once more, follow the road until you see the home of Dr. Armstrong looming up before you.
Boys’ Glen is the modern Glen Road. Dr. Dallas Armstrong served as college
president from 1925-1937. His house was on Fairview Street where Ulmer
Planetarium stands.
If you prefer, when you come to a narrow grassy road that crosses a stone culvert, you may
turn left across this, go up over the hill to the old reservoir and by going down either of two
paths up there you may precipitate yourself into your own back door . If you want to go
steep, take the one farther east. If you are not in such a hurry, take the one toward the west
and dodge the briars. This likewise deposits you at the back door, or more specifically the
tennis court back of the gym.
The grassy road was probably near the current road that leads to McEntire.
The old reservoir was at the top of Normal Hill, between McEntire and High
halls (see Joby Topper’s article in this issue). The two paths would have led
down the hill to the campus. The eastern path probably followed the current
steps from North to Price. The western path probably followed the steps that
now run from McEntire to Robinson. The gym is Rogers Gymnasium, the

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 12

oldest building on campus. The tennis courts were located where Robinson
currently stands.
As he concludes his description of this hike, the writer becomes rather poetic: “This is
the simplest form of the walk that I have described to you. It is a walk that abounds in
spirits and shades of the past, partly because you pass two cemeteries with another one
out of sight over the hill to the right of you as you go down Boy’s Glen [Highland
Cemetery], and partly because the place itself is haunted by the spirits of departed
Normalites.” He notes the wildlife that might be seen--rabbits, groundhogs, and downy
woodpeckers—and points out, “I would not be much surprised if you would meet a
group of Nature Study people led by Mr. Ulmer, chasing to and fro trying to catch up
with some songster in order to shoot him with their field-glasses.” Finally, he describes
the view of the sunrise from Normal Hill: “First of all you may see the Normal, looking
like an old castle from the back, then the town, river and the hills beyond. It is good to
get out of bed in the morning during spring.” I couldn’t agree more.

Arbor Day 1929 (Prof. Levi Ulmer in cap and glasses)

Environmental Focus Group
Bob Myers (Chair), Md. Khalequzzaman, Lenny Long, Jeff Walsh, Lee Putt, Ralph
Harnishfeger, Barrie Overton, Todd Nesbitt, Sharon Stringer, Jamie Walker, Steve
Guthrie, John Reid, Lynn Bruner, Elisabeth Lynch, Kevin Hamilton, Keith Roush, Steve
Seiler, Elizabeth Gruber, Joby Topper, Ray Steele, Michael McSkimming, Mark Jones,
Allison Fritts, Susan Rimby, Stephen Neun, and Scott Carnicom. The committee is
charged with promoting and supporting activities, experiences, and structures that
encourage students, faculty, and staff to develop a stronger sense of place for Lock

The Hemlock 7.2 (Spring 2014), page 13

Haven University and central Pennsylvania. Such a sense of place involves a
stewardship of natural resources (environmentalism), meaningful outdoor experiences,
and appreciation for the heritage of the region.