As most of us know, Wi lbu r and Or v i l l e Wright made their famous first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina Dec. 17, 1903. However, did you know Barberton also had an aviation company in the early 1900s?

A few years after the Wright Brothers’ flight, a we l l - k n ow n l o c a l inventor named Michael Par idon deve loped a love affair with flight and aviation. Paridon, who was born and raised east of Barberton, was a young machinist at the Diamond Match Company, where he

earned the reputation of being a mechanical genius.

In his more than 52 years with Diamond Match, Paridon patented over 70 devices. In 1906, his mechanical ingenuity was rewarded by the grant of a long-lived patent for inventing the first m a t c h b o o k p a c k i n g machine, which was an automatic “endless chain” aff air, which is still used in a modifi ed form by match companies. In addition to his mechanical abilities in the match industry, he decided he would apply his knowledge towards designing and building his own airplane. Th e Local History Room presents Aviation in Barberton Feb. 19. Visit the library to learn about Paridon’s fi rst fl ights. Th e program will be held in the Spillette Meeting Room at 2:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Historically Speaking

By Sarah HayesLocal History Librarian

Barberton Public Library

Page 7

Th e Barberton Th e Barberton Herald

LIFELIFETh ursday, February 13, 2020© 2020 Vespoint Publishing Company, Inc.

HERALD AROUND THE WORLDHERALD AROUND THE WORLD

Enjoying Cockleshell Beach, St. Kitts on Southern Caribbean cruise are Craig and Annie Gillenwater, Jeanne and Rick Shipley, Paul and Kim Bednarik, Terry and Therese Harper and Robin and Paula Adair. Not pictured are Aline and Larry Folden.

Robert Vorhees and Anna Mabrey tour the Incan ruins at Machu Picchu, Peru.

Machu Picchu!Caribbean!

Barberton and the birth of flight

It’s almost Valentine’s Day. Time for me to take out my heart-shaped valentines

candy box. Lots of treasures in there to warm my heart and embarrass the heck out of Himself.

I did not save the candy it once held. I don’t even remember when Himself gave it to me. Very likely when we were teenagers. A lot of time has passed since he wrote the letters and cards inside.

I am reminded of Valentine’s Day over the years. When we were in grade school we fashioned a sort of valentine mail box. We decorated a box and put it on our desks to receive all the valentines we planned on receiving. It could be a triumphant day for the more popular kids. It must have been devastatingly sad for those who were not among that selected group.

Th e valentines weren’t much. Mostly purchased in packs from the dime store, they were simply signed and placed in the boxes for the recipient to take home. A very few creative children made valentines of colorful construction paper decorated with doilies. By the time our kids reached that age their school had made it a rule that children had to have a valentine for each member in the class. Just in case someone forgot, most teachers kindly provided extras. Th e kids still searched for the perfect box (usually a shoe box), carefully decorated the box and took it to school. Th e PTA moms provided refreshments and the day was properly celebrated. Perhaps that’s why I originally saved the box Himself gave me. Th ere was just something about a valentine candy box that made it diffi cult to throw away. I think he gets embarrassed because his letters were not overtly romantic. For the most part they are prosaic and humorous. Except for one. He was away at college, working on a thesis which would complete his degree requirements, but he took the time to write. Th e letter refl ected his quiet, heartfelt manner, ending with a quote from the Rubiat by Omar Khayyam: “A book of verses underneath the bough, a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou beside me singing in the wilderness.” 

We have shared many loaves of bread, many verses and not a few bottles of wine since then, but I was his from that moment on.

HERSELFby Margaret Frost

Valentine’s Day

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High school biology s tudent s in t eacher Matthew Latham’s class have been participating in hands-on laboratories in preparation for the Ohio State Graduation Tests.

Th e labs, which Latham says stimulate the senses and gives the students a hands-on experience with biological situations, have helped students learn about chromosomes and how they determine our genetic patterns. By studying chromosomes, scientists can predict

probabilities of disease and defects and learn how to prevent or even stop specifi c defects from forming.

“We can always read about the biological p roce s s e s ,” e xp l a in s Latham, “but seeing it and actually solving biological problems and discussing these types of issues makes it much more of a reality.” Th ese types of lessons fi t in with today’s current issues, and they prepare students for life after school as well as for the OGTs.

Students study building blocks of life

COURTESY PHOTOSaedie Suboticki and Lexi Wines arrange chromosomes

to determine the person’s gender and look for abnormalities.

Fourth grade Barberton Elementary West students honor the 100 year anniversary of O.C. Barber’s death in art.

Left to right: Amira Marshall, Emily Jackson-Lane, Eliana Soohey, Kyal Blake and Jozlyn Board.

Classrooms celebrate O.C. Barber

COURTESY PHOTO

Artists honored

COURTESY PHOTOSeveral Barberton High School students are honored

for their work in the Fall Summa Hospital Art Exhibit. Their artwork was displayed at Barberton Summa Hospital during the fall  semester and community members voted on their top choices to receive scholarships. Congratulations to all of the artists for a job well done. Winning scholarships were: Third Place, Reed Wigner; Second Place, Maris Ries; First Place, Dorothy Matney.

L to R: Dr. Michael Hughes, Mrs. Dana Riffl e, Mr. Ron White, Michal Krajocovic, Magen West, Indigo Chargualaf, Xane Long, Jade Payne, Santana Boykin, Maris Ries, Jordan Chillik, Reed Wigner, Mrs. Sarah Waldow.

Library hosts video games for teensStudents in grades 7-12

can participate in Game On at Barberton Public Library, Tuesday, Feb. 18. Th e program begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Spillette Meeting Room. Students can play a variety of video games on Xbox One, PlayStation 2 and 3 and Wii. Students may also bring their own handheld devices to use. Pizza will be served. Registration is not required for this free program. Stop by the library

to learn about more programs available for teens. For a full list, visit our website calendar at www.barbertonlibrary.org.

Bright Line Weight Loss & Maintenance Club meeting is 10:30 a.m., Saturdays on the second fl oor at Barberton Public Library. Newcomers are welcome. For more infor-mation, call 234-718-0628.

Meet with Bright Line

Three athletes from The University of Akron visited Mrs. Weishaar’s second grade classroom at Barberton Elementary East. The athletes read a story to the students. This was the fi rst of fi ve visits through the 2nd and 7 Foundation. Each child received the book to take home.

Zips visit BEE

COURTESY PHOTO