On the very first page is a picture of the Lighthouse in Scidmore Park. This Lighthouse was built by Estes “Estie” Griffin. Estie was a true naturalist and was Custodian, at the Park, for many years. He did more to promote, improve and expand the natural aspects of the park than anyone else, before or since his time. When I first knew the Griffins they lived at the very south edge of the city, on Forest Street, and Estie worked for Fairbanks Morse.

Estie and Minnie raised two boys, Elmos and Marlin. Elmos was a little younger than me and Marlin was still younger than Elmos. Minnie was an accomplished artist and in later years, a few of us rank amateurs would gather at the Griffin home, one evening a week, and she would help us with our painting. I have one of her paintings (Old Stone Bridge) that I cherish greatly.

Marlin is a natural artist, if there could be such a person. He went professional following World War II, and is very successful, I am told. I understand that Elmos operated his own Machinery and Equipment Sales organization until his death, several years ago. I hadn’t seen either Elmos or Marlin since about 1930, but I will always remember the Griffins as one fine family.

Scidmore Park bears the name of it’s founder, Doctor Scidmore. By the way, that is pronounced “Sidmore”, not “Skidmore”. It was during that time that the park was first being developed. The Doctor would drive down there, at times, and show me what he had in mind. I am sure that he would be pleased if he could see what his generosity and foresight has produced. It really started out as, and for a long time was, The Tourist Park. At the same time that the Doctor was getting the park started, he was also, deeply involved, with the Sauganash Country Club, which was also just getting under way. I caddied for him, several times. The mention of Doctor Scidmore reminds me of an incident that took place one evening during the summer of 1924, while I was delivering my papers, I was bitten by a Rabid dog. The dog tore up my right arm, pretty bad, and the people who owned it took me, at my request, to Doctor Scidmore. The dog was a real pretty Collie that belonged to the Steubegan family, and had never bothered anyone, before. Doctor Scidmore started action, at once, to have the dog disposed of and the remains tested for Rabies. However, before that could be done, the owners gave it to a farmer friend, and it bit him too.

That event got the wheels turning and after what seemed to me to be an eternity, they concluded that the dog was rabid, and that I would have to go to the University of Michigan Hospital, at Ann Arbor, and have a series of twenty one injections, to keep me from becoming rabid also. I have no idea how they immunize a person today, but they gave me and that farmer a shot in alternate arms, every day for twenty one days. I am sure glad that I had two arms, for them to work on, because the pain in the arm that received the shot on Sunday would have subsided just enough so that I could stand another shot in it, on Tuesday.

The Doctor was a kind and thoughtful person and, for some reason, took a liking to me. He would, sometimes take me with him, on his calls.