OCR Text |
Show yiuwo up ju&i a stone s throw away from Salem Pond ivicii i By CARIN GREEN Special To The Daily Herald SALEM - Ponds have always invited boys to pick up rocks and throw their pebbles into the still w ater. They watch the ripples go on much like the days of our and on - lies. According to Ted Hanks who wrote a history of Salem, "the pond was used to swim, skate, cut ice for the ice houses, place to picnic, to celebrate, to spoon and a place to build memories." So it is with Don Pierce, 85. who was born Aug. 10, 1910, in a home near Salem Pond, the same house that his father and grandfather had lived in. "This home was just a stone's throw from the pond." He notes that the focus of the tow n and his life coincide and both center on Salem Pond and the pond is the center of his memories. As a young hov he was one of thousands who carefully selected a smooth rock and would skip the rock across the waters. Time and time again would count the number of skips. "The highest number we had was eight," he said. The pond was established with a dam built by the original founding fathers in 1855. It failed and a subsequent second dam was again built. The town's establishment had begun. Since that time, the pond has seen small and great events. "The history of the pond is like a history of me," he said. Pierce remembers being baptized at age 8 (along with most of the town in those days) in the waters of the pond. Later, when he was a priest, he baptized nearly 40 more people in the pond into the LDS faith. "I lived across from the pond, and if no one was assigned to baptize, they would come and get me," he said. During his childhood, they would spear carp and some bass with his father, brothers and friends. "My father speared one that weighed almost 20 pounds," he said. "We would also swim a minimum of three times a week during the summer time." The pond was used for irrigation as well as fighting fires prior to 1930. Then the volunteer fire department was organized in 1953. "I was the second fire chief of the volunteer fire department. We fought some fires using the pond, as I recall," he said. "I was out of town one time, and my own barn caught tire. I was the chief at that time. And they used the pond water to put out the fire, but the barn burned pretty well down. They did keep the fire from spreading to other buildings, watching through the night to see that it didn't start again." As a child, he attended dances in afternoons where children were the only dancers. The adults went later. "They called it a little dance for ages Our 'band' was an accordion and piano. Those were fun. I was bashful and would set on my seat. Then I would get enough courage. walk over and ask a girl. Even on the waltz, I would dance over mv own and her feet." His dancing skills increased and he started attending the open air dances located near the pond in Salem. Spring Lake and Benjamin. "We would have watermelon busts at the park and picnic. I didn't dance well, but I sure liked to hold the girls." he said. The Salem Pond Company was organized in 1901 and his grandfather. Isaac Riley Pierce. Sr. was the largest stockholder. "I am now secretary of the organization and have been for 10 years." He remembers the celebration of the town when there was railroad service on the "old Orem railroad." and the celebration it had in 1916. Pierce has seen historical events that rocked the world. He remembers the flu epidemic of 1918. the railroad bridge installed in 1916 and radios coming in town in 1925. "Roads were mucky in those days. We needed a team of horses to get around," he said. He has been a councilman for two terms totaling six years, worked as Salem City recorder for 7 years and as a charter member of the fire department. "When I went in full time for the city. I wore several hats. Officially, I was deputy treasurer, and budget officer, and first building inspector. filled in the blanks they didn't have like detailing the work for employees, carpenter work and whatever was asked of me. I charted a lot of work for the electrical department." He also served as an LDS bishop. 1 Pierce HOT a && na i: i rnTjTJ jOTsniKtauss j Beginnings Harold Jones founded Jones Paint & Glass in 1938. Since lncn Joncs Paim and Glass has become one of the biggest paint and glass businesses in the state. full-servi- LI" 1250 West 100 North, Provo Manufacturing Plant Joncs Paint & Glass takes great pride in its glass manufacturing plant. The plant manufactures and installs commercial, residential, and auto glass. The plant includes one of the largest, most modern glass showrooms in Utah. Joncs Paint Glass employs 300 has been helping people people with paint and glass needs for 58 years. With 150 vehicles in the Joncs service fleet, six retail outlets state-widand our great manufacturing plant, Joncs Paint & Glass is ready to serve your paint and glass needs. & in Utah, and e, has noted that advance- ments of mankind have progressed beyond the early settlers' ideas. "I read about the first airplane, then sat and watched as Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. He didn't know how much further the knowledge could go. "But the progress keeps coming. We have gone from ink well to the computer. But I like the computer. I feel that we need these things and have learned to use one. I spend time on it for doing genealogy but I do get it done. I am thrilled w ith the things we have." But with progress also comes change, some in ways that Pierce did not want. "It seems that w ith the high ji i jTi 1 tech progress, there has come deterioration in values. These are wonderful things that have happened, but the character of people has deteriorated." He said he also felt that the rapid growth of Salem has seen changes. "The progress gets in the way of what people need and the future is in jeopardy morally." He looks at life with humor and optimism. "I have had a good and I happy life. We can have the best as small in a have had all my life. Living town, married to my sweetheart Maybeth Reynolds for 51 years (she has since passed away seven years ago), and have children and grandchildren - I really do have it all." 170 North 100 West, Provo Paint Department Six years ago, Jones Paint & Glass completed a gigantic expansion of its Provo paint store. This gave the Provo store 2 ,000 square feet of space to house a larger paint area, a home decorating center, and an auto 1 paint department. This expansion also included a 20,000 square foot parking lot providing easier customer access. Officers of Jones Paint & Glass From small beginnings come great things. Here, pictured left to right, are Ken Jones, Don Butler, Harold Joncs, and Merlynn Jones. IjGNESPAINT&GLASS 133 |