Springtime Fills the AirSpring, as a rule, occurs early in Florida, well

before the seasonal date of March 21st. Recently manyHawthorne residents remarked about seeing flocks ofrobins. Up North, robins are considered the harbingersof spring and it could apply here as well.

Once again the avid gardeners at Hawthorne canbe seen planting seeds in their reserved plot of groundacross from the sales office. Occasionally they stop torest, leaning on their hoes, to dream of the freshvegetables, strawberries or melons they will eventuallyharvest.

The "Home Beautification" group members areoutside planting new and colorful flowers for allHawthornites to enjoy.

The Hawthorne fishermen are elated that the bassare beginning to surface so they can hook them andreel them in.

Many species of birds can be heard trilling theirearly morning songs as they build nests and wait for thefledglings to emerge from the eggs, later bringing themfood and teaching them to fly. It's a well-known factthat some blackbirds guard their nests with a vengeanceagainst any human daring to come near.

Here and there a red-bud tree is beginning tobloom changing the landscape into a pink fairyland.

Ah yes, spring has sprung at Hawthorne, andaren't we glad! -Margaret Albro

SpringHer tempestous howl dried the earthAnd March was gone! Then April's birthBrought forth its tears in burdened gloomTo wet the soil for May time's bloom.

- Minnie Goodman

by Bernice Martin,Program Director

Less than two years ago, my husband and Imoved into Leesburg with the intention ofenjoying a quiet life in this quaint little city. I hadnot worked for a couple of years, and had notplanned to work again. Little did I realize that myfirst visit to Hawthorne would eventually result inmy being offered the position of the ProgramDirector. I am grateful for the opportunity ofserving in this capacity. It has been a rewardingexperience in so many ways. I consider it anhonor to have been able to represent Hawthorneat many functions and before many organizations.I have always enjoyed, in these past 14 months,extolling the many benefits of life in Hawthorneand its marvelous facilities.

If I have made contributions to Hawthorne,I certainly have derived much from being here. Ithas been rewarding to see new activitiesdevelop. Upon arriving, I could not conceive ofmore being added to the already extensiveprogram calendar. But in this past year we haveseen John Mattern's beautification program growfrom 15 people last spring to a currentattendance of 150. Dr. Camillo Merlino's"Wonder of Words" group now meets eachmonth with fascination and expectation. He andhis words are a wonder. Mac and VilletteMorgan ever developing beautiful fine art exhibitsculminating with the recent all Hawthorneexhibit. I remember the day Al Casano cameinto my office expressing concern for his friends

A Tribute toBerniceMartin

The editor and the staff of Penn Notesregret that Mrs. Martin is leaving Hawthorne. Wehave enjoyed our association with her. Duringthis time she has contributed a great deal to"Penn Notes" as our associate editor.

Hawthorne has especially benefitted fromher expertise in gerontology which she hasshared in her interesting editorials.

We extend our best wishes for herhappiness and good health.

-Staff

and neighbors in Hawthorne selling their coins tocollectors with no knowledge of their value. Hewas willing to share his expertise and started thenumismatics class. "Bringing college to you" isnow into its second semester with an addedclass. Not that Hawthorne is lacking in qualifiedintstructors, but having outside college instructorslead the ancient history and anthropology classesprovides added interest. The Lake CountyTransportation system has been a big assist toour visually and physically handicappedneighbors. The Yoga class, which I started withonly 10 women, has now grown to three classesof both men and women. These people havebecome very accomplished, and derive personalbenefit from their own increased vitality andenergy.

Now my body is sending me messages todecelerate, and so I must step down as programdirector. I shall always cherish the manyfriendships I have made among you.

Throughout my tenure, I have enjoyed thecomplete support and cooperation of my "boss,"Amos Henley, president of Colonial PennCommunities, Inc. How fortunate Hawthorne isto have a person of his experience andunderstanding at the helm. The superb facilitiesand smooth operation of our large community,which we are inclined to take for granted, are atribute to his effective leadership.

Blessed with a combination of a beautifulenvironment, excellent management andforward looking residents, I am convincedHawthorne will continue to offer a rewardingliving experience to thousands of able people inthe years ahead.

Penn Notes StaffEditor , Elnora BolanAssociate Editor Bernice MartinPhotographers John Tienken,

Don ComunaleStaff. , , Margaret Albro,

Mary Elizabeth Caldwell, Joe Feol,Howard Mantz, AnnaK. Merlino, Roland Mernitz,

Marie Richardson, Edith Schipper

Pumping Peppy Portions of PhilosophyThe Book Review Club is alive and well,

Thanks! It continues to pump peppy portions ofphilosophy into the mainstream of ourHawthorne community at a steady rate.Chairman, Elinor Dickerson; Co-Chairman,Bernice McCracken; Treasurer, CharlotteBrennan; and secretary, Marge Scheller willcomplete their terms of office in March.

The main function of the club is handlingthe arrangements for the monthlycomprehensive book reviews given on thesecond Tuesdays of each month (exceptDecember) to a receptive audience of some 200people. Donation boxes are placed at hopefulspots in the auditorium. Money collected is usedto cover expenses and allow the club to assistwith benefits to the community. Theircontributions for 1980-81 are: year's subscriptionto the Wall Street Journal, placed in our Library;Lavalier microphone for Ch. 4 Today Show;and $50 to the General Fund.

Book reviews and reviewers cover a widediversity of interests, as shown by the currentyear's offerings:

Anatomy of Illness by Norman CousinsThoughts for Summer Reading, reviews of

six books by Bill Lacey.

The Benchwarmers by Joe Goulden, acritique by Joe Feol.

Shadow of the Moon by M.M. Kaye,reviewed by Mary Straka.

The Third Wave by Alvin Toffler, reviewedby Earl Kauffman.

The Brethren by Bob Woodward and ScottArmstrong, reviewed by Nick Nickerson.

Bess and Harry by Jhan Robbins, reviewedby Gwen Black.

Getting Well Again by Dr. and Mrs. O.Carl Simonton, reviewed by Rosalind

Sykes.Sold to the Lady in the Green Hat by

Emma Bailey, to be reviewed by GeorgeKress in March.

Gerrit Schipper isalready elected as theincoming chairman of theBook Review Club for1981-1982. If you areinterested in this activity,please contact him.

- Rosalind MacRae Sykes

Rosalind Sykes

The Magic Eye DoorIt has been fun to look around in Bartlett's

Quotations for words to express some personalthoughts and feelings brought on by thegenerous, imaginative and immensely practicaldecision of the Memorial Fund to buy the magiceye door for the Hawthorne community. Let meshare with you some of the pleasure I found.

On the welcome ease of access the doorgives not only to the handicapped and the"heavy laden," but also to just anyone at all, Ithought Longfellow's lines maliciously amusing:

Joy and Temperance and ReposeSlam the door on the Doctor's nose.It's easy too to take up Spenser's challenge

to believe, and to put off hesitation:How over that same door was writ,"Be bold, be bold, be bold, and everywhere,

be bold."Appreciation and gratitude are in the words

of Andrew Lang:

One gift the fairies give me: the love offriends;

The golden key, that opens the enchanteddoor.

And Hilaire Belloc's lusty song brought methe right note of rejoicing:

The Tipple's aboard and the night is young,The door's ajar and the Barrel is sprung,I am singing the best song ever was sungAnd it has a rousing chorus. "Then of course, Shakespeare, whose magic

eye-and pen-so often sees and writes it all:To me, fair friend, you never can be old,For as you were when first your eye I eye'dSuch seems your beauty still.And finally, with apologies to the Apostle

Peter, a scriptural benediction:"Behold I (no longer) stand at the door and

knock. "-Ed Pope

Rock HoundsPink rhodochrosite from Argentina, green

malachite from Africa, tourmaline of variouscolors from Maine -- these are a few of the semi-precious stones the Hawthorne lapidary groupworks with. The stones are obtained fromsuppliers or rock shops and many times found intheir native habitat and dug up by Hawthorne'sassiduous "rock hounds".

Seven years ago a number of interestedpersons got together to undertake the cuttingand polishing of stones and combining them withmetals to make interesting and artistic jewelrypieces. The necessary equipment and supplieswere purchased and the first class got underway, taught by Arthur Richards. Since that timelapidary has been consistently popular. A widevariety of beautiful items -- among themnecklaces, bracelets, belt buckles, bolos -- hasbeen produced by the members of this activegroup.

Beginners' instruction is given onWednesday mornings and a new class of eight 3-hour sessions started twice a year. After that, thecraftsman may proceed on his own initiative,using the machines on Friday afternoons andSaturday mornings. All Hawthorne residents arewelcome to join a beginning class. Priorexperience is not required. In fact, according toHarry Spicher, lapidary chairman, very fewmembers of the group have done this type ofwork before coming to Hawthorne.

Last year group members shared theirinterest and knowledge with the community bytaking their work and equipment to BeverlyShores Elementary School and spending a longafternoon demonstrating and talking to theyoungsters there.

The community-wide breakfast on February7 was sponsored by the lapidary group to raisemoney for repairs and replacements for theirpresent equipment (now creaking a bit with age)and for needed supplies. The 31 lovely jewelrypieces given away at the breakfast were donatedby individual members of the group.

One interesting experience some lapidarymembers have had is to study their craft atHawthorne's summertime "Maine Event" at theUniversity of Maine. The class there has beentaught by a professor of microbiology who is alsoa talented lapidarist and expects to expand hisBuck's Rock Shop upon retirement fromteaching. Plans for the 1981 "Maine Event"include the repetition of this popular class.

- Marie L. Richardson

Amos W. Henley. left. president of ColonialPenn Communities, uisits with Paul Oroffice,president and chief executiue officer of DowCorporation. at the recent annual Midland.Michigan County picnic when 650 Dow retireeswere guests of Colonial Penn at Hawthorne.

AstronomyWhat is astronomy? Astronomy is not

astrology. Astronomy is a science while astrologyis a pseudo-science. (It uses some of theterminology of astronomy, such as the names ofthe constellations of the zodiac.) It is unfortunatethat daily newspapers may have regular spacefor astrology but only occasional articles onastronomy.

In a study of astronomy we are interested insizes and distances, particularly in the solarsystem, and how we have determined them.The universe is in motion. Which way is aheavenly body moving and why? How can asatellite be placed in orbit 22,300 miles abovethe equator so that it will always be aboveColumbia, South America, to give us dailyweather pictures for Florida? How is gravityrelated to motion in the universe?

How can the spectroscope be used to helpus find distance to stars, their sizes andtemperatures? These are just a few of thequestions related to astronomy which arediscussed in my two astronomy classes here atHawthorne.

As you walk on a clear evening or earlymorning, which stars and constellations do yousee above Hawthorne? Come to our Astronomyclass and learn all about them.

-Gerard Frison

Why Not Vacation at an Elderhostel?Are you planning to go away from

Hawthorne this summer? If so, please proceed toanswer the following questions.

Is there a particular spot in this land of oursyou're yearning to visit but have never found arational excuse for doing so? Is there an area youlove well and would like to return to? Is there aplace you know nothing about but would enjoyinvestigating?

Do you like to explore areas of learning newto you? Are you interested in knowing moreabout your favorite cultural, intellectual oracademic subject? Would you care to practice acraft, a performing art? Do you enjoy makingnew friends in an informal but stimulatingatmosphere?

If your answer to some of the abovequestions is affirmative, why not considerElderhostel this year?

Elderhostel, as described in the 88-page1981 catalogue, is a program "for elder citizenson the move -- not just in terms of travel but inthe sense of reaching out to new experiences."It is a network of more than 400 colleges,universities, and other educational institutionswhich offer, from June to August, low-costshort-term residential programs for older adults.For 1981 there are 927 weeks of specialofferings at 406 institutions in all 50 states andCanada.

The programs offered are unbelievablydiversified, as are the ins.itutions themselves andtheir locations . You can find courses on foodand wine, mathematical recreations and games,Amish life, UFO investigation, Japanese raku,the Mississippi River, the art and architecture ofPhiladelphia, ceramics, creative writing theSoviet Union, Shakespeare, and some withintriguing titles such as "Mockingbirds,Magnolias, and Moonshine," "How to Eat aPoem" and "The Biologist as ReluctantTroublemaker." The courses are taught byregular faculty members of the host institutionand in general do not presuppose previousknowledge of the subject.

The institutions are big (CaliforniaPolytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo,5,168 acres) and small (Doane College, Crete,Nebraska, with an enrollment of 650 students).The dates of their founding are centuries apart:College of William and Mary, Williamsburg,Virginia, 1693; College of the Atlantic, MountDesert Island, Maine, 1969. As for location, you

may choose to go "to the mountains, to theprairies, to the oceans white with foam" or toAlaska or Hawaii for your Elderhostelexperience. It is also possible to participate in theprogram at several different locations, travelingfrom campus to campus. However, Elderhostelis not a sightseeing or recreational program butan opportunity for a learning experience that canenrich the lives of the participants.

One final question: doesn't Elderhostelsound like an unusual, interesting, exciting wayto spend some part of your summer?

- Marie L. RichardsonNote: A copy of the 1981 Elderhostel Catalogueis available in the Library at Hawthorne foranyone wishing to consult it. Mail registrationsare being accepted now. Registration may bemade by telephone beginning March 19.

She Arranges FlowersAt the White House

Meta Ott of Leesburg, who did flowerarrangements for President Ronald Reagan'sinaugural celebrations, entertained the HomeBeautification group at Hawthorne in February.She was introduced by John Mattern.

Mrs. Ott s-: qualifies to go to Washingtonbecause of her unusual talent and good tastewith flowers. Her anecdotes held her Hawthorneaudience spellbound as they watched herskillfully select pinks, yellow mums, carnationsand greens to make bouquets which the luckyones in the audience won later as attendanceprizes.

She has been at the White House for thelast four inaugurals. She met the first ladies andmany of the staff members who were all verycordial.

Meta has helped to decorate the Christmastrees, and to place flowers from top to bottom inthe White House for many affairs of state.

Rosalyn Carter, Meta related, enjoyedgardening at home, but didn't seem to wantmany cut flowers in her private quarters.

Nancy Reagan likes lilacs, red roses andpeppermint carnations. She is especially fond ofeucalyptus which sweetens the air.

Meta is always ready to pack her bag for thenext flight out to Washington D. C. so that shecan help to make flower arrangements for thenext gala.

-Staff

Art and the ArtistA kind of serendipity of the Hawthorne Art

Show in January must surely be the people wemet there. Such was our pleasure at meetingVirginia Lee Thornton, an artist who had severalexcellent exhibits that added immeasurably tothat gala afternoon.

Virginia Lee Thornton (Valee), a naturalborn artist, hails from South Bend, Indiana. Herfirst day in kindergarten she crayoned a circusscene complete with prancing horses, balletriders and trainers. The drawing wound up in theprincipal's office and Va lee's success andreputation followed. She began exhibiting at anearly age winning her first prize award at ten.Many firsts have highlighted her career.

She was educated at St. Mary's College andstudied with H. Stanford Barrett. Later shespecialized in portrait painting with LeonMakielski at Ann Arbor, Michigan. She became aprotegee of the famous portrait artist Laslo Szaboof Buffalo, New York.

"Portraiture is the natural consequence oftrue affection." This has influenced Virginia Leeall her professional life. She paints in pastels andoils with a keen sensitivity as she studies hersubject to catch an intimate characteristic notreadily apparent. The turn of the head, anunconscious gesture, the posture and carriage ofthe sitter are caught by the discerning eye andtrained brush of this talented artist. TheMadonna and Child, exhibited at our Art Show,was a self portrait of the artist and her son Mark.It was featured on Mother's Day in South Bend.

Valee is also noted for her restoration of.many paintings in national historical sites in theMiddle West. For the Win Schuler Restaurantsshe did a series of English authors, includingRobert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, Samuel Johnsonand depicted scenes from Thomas Hardy'snovels on murals from "Far From theMaddening Crowd" which brought her nationalrecognition.

Her portraits are on permanent display inLondon, Johannesburg, Argentina, Zurich,Australia and nearly every state in the Union.Every portrait has a story to tell of bravery ortugging at the heart strings. It seems a bit of eachhas rubbed off on this perceptive, gracious artistwith the revealing brush.

Hawthorne artist, Virginia Lee Thornton,painting a picture of her neighbor Gladys Bailiff.

The day we visited her studio she was busilyengaged on an oil painting of Gladys Bailiff, aneighbor. It was a beautiful bright sunny day, thescene was relaxed, the sitter at ease, but theartist was in complete control as she transferred alikeness on the canvas. We watched inadmiration as the canvas almost became alive.

In private life Virginia Lee is the wife ofDavid Thornton, a pharmacist. He hasencouraged and helped Valee in her artwork. Atthe beginning of a commission he stretches thecanvas, after completion he makes the framesuitable for that particular painting. His earlyretirement brought them to our park inSeptember, 1980. We are proud of our residentswho have established national reputations beforesettling in Hawthorne. --Anna K. Merlino

InspirationIf you can look to the heavensAnd see the beauty of the skies,And forget the mundane eventsOf our daily humdrum lives.Then take up your pen; you realizeYou have composed a poem.

- Minnie Goodman

Indians Have BeenHere At Hawthorne

"Micanopy," "Withlacoochee,""Okahumpka," "Umatilla," "Palatlakaha:" theseand other melodic Indian names tell us thatIndians have been here in Central Florida and atHawthorne. But, like the legendary Kilroy, theyare now nowhere to be seen. Some scatteredSeminole settlements -- only some of which arereservations -- remain, mostly in South Florida.The Seminoles are the only Indians who neversigned a peace treaty with the U. S.Government.

Central Florida was once the battleground ofthe costly Seminole wars. The aboriginal FloridaIndians had been killed or died of disease. Thedifferent tribes which fled from Georgia andAlabama were progressively pushed southward,and were absorbed into what was known as theSeminole nation. They felt that they werefighting for their land, which belonged to themand to which they belonged. The U.S. Armytried to get them to leave Florida, and to go to aterritory west of the Mississippi. A tragiccollision course resulted.

In December, 1835, the Seminolesretaliated for the army's "scorched earth" policy,by what has been known as the "DadeMassacre." Major Dade, and over a hundredsoldiers, marching on a road from Tampa to Ft.King (near Ocala), were surprised by Indians,who killed Dade and all but three of his men.The site, near Bushnell, is now commemoratedas the "Dade Battlefield State Park." Thesurprise attack was led by the Seminole chief,Micanopy, who lived in Okahumpka. Later,while discussing peace terms under a flag oftruce, he was taken prisoner, along with theSeminole war leader, Osceola. The, young andfiery Osceola, whose spirit had been broken bythis treachery, died in prison; but Micanopy,along with other Seminoles, was sent to awestern territory, where he continued to be chiefof the Seminoles, there.

Now, in thepeaceful Dade Battlefield StatePark, with its spreading live oaks, there is little toremind us of this troubled history. There are onlysome tools of the Seminoles, pictures of leaders,and records of the attack, in the little IndianMuseum there.

- Edith Schipper

Memorial FundAt the annual meeting of the Memorial

Fund of Hawthorne, it was reported that there isan enrollment of over 700 members. Onebecomes a member of the fund by paying annualdues of one dollar or more or by making acontribution to the Fund in memory of adeceased relative, neighbor or friend who was aresident of the park.

The funds thus received are disbursed bythe Board of Directors according to thesuggestions of the members, in conformity withthe rules of the tax exempt status of the Fund.

A major project of the Fund was financingthe installation of a "Magic Eye" door in theclubhouse at a cost of $6,600. Our appreciationto Colonial Penn Communities for permittingand arranging for the installation of the door,which was financed entirely by funds receivedfrom members.

Contributions were also made to the organfund and projector fund, and a large printdictionary was purchased for use in the library.

Among future projects is relocating andraising the movie screen in the clubhouse andinstalling screen shades in the clubhousewindows.

The present Board of Directors hasorganized itself as follows: President, PaulNewman; Vice-President, James Corwin;Secretary, Abby Lacy; Treasurer, GlennaThomas. Other members of the Board are FrankFagan, Mildred Bovee, Jim Stevens, MadolynSimms and Pop Mernitz. ASSisting the Board inkeeping records and posting names are HelenEcklund and Floyd Hinrichs.

-Roland (Pop) Mernitz

Wild GeeseA mystic silence, sweet and still in sleep,Is wakened with the whispering whirr of wings,As from their hidden haunts in marshland deepWild geese soar up where one lark, sunlit, sings.

As deepening dusk enfolds departing day,And lyric lark glides lingeringly to nest,Night silhouettes against the sun's last rayWild geese, returning rhythmically to rest.

- © Ruth Dallwig Campbell

St. Patrick's DayIreland seems a charmed land where once

strange creatures, monsters and fairies lived.Today there is still that strange mysticism thatpermeates the land leading those who have livedthere to believe in leprechauns, banshees andelves -- and strangely, a deep faith in Christianity.

St. Patrick's contest with the serpents is atraditional symbol of the faith and spirit that castout the mystic "dragons," the "little people," andopened the door for Christian faith. SerpentLake in the Gap of Dunloe is still pointed out asthe lake into which St. Patrick cast the last Irishsnake.

Patricius, a Romanized British Celt, wascaptured by Niall of the Nine Hostages andbrought to Ireland as a slave. Six years laterPatricius escaped and found his way to Romewhere he was trained in the priesthood.

He returned to Ireland as Bishop of the Seeof Armagh in 438 a.d. He was warmly greetedby Loguire, son of Niall. A Druid advisor toldLoguire that Patrick would "free the slaves andraise up men of lowly kin." Patrick's preachingsbore fruit. Two hundred years later the slaveclass no longer existed.

Patrick, Bishop of Armagh, as he was nowknown, was imbued with a passion formissionary work for the salvation of Ireland. Helived to see the whole island accept Christianity.His work continued for 60 years during which hepreached, organized schools and supervised theconstruction of churches.

He destroyed pagan symbols and emblemsso thoroughly that Irish history before his time isdifficult to trace. He accomplished what standsas a most noble personal history of Christianity,subsequent to the times of the Apostles.

In modern times March 17th, St. Patrick'sDay, is honored wherever Hibernians gather,and by many "honorary" Irish, with parades,with ornate floats, sometimes with a religiousmotif: with dances, Irish gatherings and pubcrawls for this is often the last fling of gaiety.before'the beginning of the Lenten season. Thisis the only day in the year in which green beer isoffered wherever the "Fir Eren" (Men of Ireland)gather.

Boston and New York City are the ports oflanding to which most of the early Irishimmigrants came. These cities have always madea big thing of St. Patrick's Day. The parades areenormous. Prominent persons, Political figures,the Sons of Erin, march to ~i-)ebands of kilted

bagpipers,behind ornatedisplay floats.These paradesserve to work upa prodigiousthirst often slakedwith green-color-ed beer at hostel-ries along theroute.

And thereare Irish-namedcities, like Dub-lin, Georgia.Here St. Patrickis celebrated -- once a year. Dublin, Georgia,was founded by a Dublinite over a hundredyears ago. Unfortunately the Irish brogue andthe Georgia drawl never did blend into anythingintelligible here. The brogue died away and sodid most of the early settlers. There is but oneIrish Holiday here, St. Patrick's Day, highlightedby a huge parade with floats, "mummers" andpipers, Celtic "kilties" and high school bands --Oh, yes, and with green-colored beer.-Joe Feol

Ladies DayThe luncheon was perfect from soup to

dessertI then bid farewell to my dearest friend

Gert,I strolled along feeling serene and assuredThen suddenly cringed from the pain I

endured;As crowds passed me filled to the brim

with good cheerI shook with the effort to hold back a tear.My nearby abode now seemed ten miles

away,A sky that was sunny became bleak and

grayEach block was a mile -- every minute a

year,That I might collapse was my ultimate

fear;I reached home and sent heartful thanks

to the HeavensThen kicked off those 6's that should have

been 7's.- Ethel McQuillan