Middletown Township Historical Society opens Franklin Mint time capsule in December
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP » On Friday, August 15, 1969,
1200 guests from all over the world were present for the laying of the cornerstone at the Franklin Mint’s new $10 million dollar office and plant on Baltimore Pike/US Route
1 in Middletown Township, Delaware County. The company was founded in 1964, and as of 1969, it had gained the status as being the largest private mint in the world.
The cornerstone, engraved with the words, “Creativity, Excellence, Integrity” and the year 1969, was set in place by Franklin Mint Founder and President Joseph Segel. Within the cornerstone was a time capsule that was expected to be there for a century or more.
However, the fortunes of the Mint rose and fell. In
2004 the company drastically cut back on its catalog mailings, closed its 30 retail stores and its museum. Eventually it went out of business entirely. Now 50 years after the cornerstone was laid, the business and the building are gone. The land will be developed as housing.
The developer saved the giant Ben Franklin coin that was on the side of the Franklin Mint Museum building, the large letters that spelled out “The Franklin Mint” along Baltimore Pike, the cornerstone and a sundial designed by the Franklin Mint’s chief designer Gilroy Roberts, who served as the Ninth Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint from 1948 to 1964 and is best known for his design of the obverse side of the
Kennedy half dollar. These objects will be incorporated into the design of the new community.
The time capsule was donated to the Middletown Township Historical Society. The community is invited 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8 in the auditorium of the former Roosevelt School, 464 South Old Middletown Rd., Middletown Township, for the official unveiling of the time capsule’s contents.
Members of the Franklin Mint Manufacturing Employees 1975 to 1985 group will be there along with other special guests. The Segel family may also attend.
This program is free and open to all. Refreshments will be served. Reservations are requested at info@mthsdelco.org or 610-316-5620. People should provide their name and the number guests in their party.
For more information on the Middletown Township Historical Society, visit www. mthsdelco.org.
Eagles vs. Cowboys game tickets raffle benefits St. Francis
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A raffle for tickets to the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Dallas Cowboys game 4:25 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22 at Lincoln Financial Field will benefit St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lenni. Tickets are one seat from center field, eighth row.
Only 200 raffle tickets will be sold at $50, giving buyers a one in 200 chance to win the tickets, valued at $1,000.
Raffle tickets can be purchased by calling Belle at 610-529-2920.
DCIU and Center for Dispute Resolutions present free workshop
The Delaware County Intermediate Unit, along with the Center for Dispute Resolutions, will host a free, oneday workshop to help parents and educators learn practical approaches to resolve disagreements about special educations Dec. 3 at the DCIU Morton Education Center, 200 Yale Ave, Morton. Session One for educators will be held 1-4 p.m. and Session Two for parents and educators will be held from 6-9 p.m.
“Creating Agreement in Special Education: Conflict Resolution Skills for Parents and Educators” will help parents and educators enhance communication and problem-solving skills and facilitate resolutions to disagreements about special education. Participants can expect to examine the value of discovering a person’s interests underlying his/her position: discuss strategies to solve disputes at the local level; identify constructive ways to respond to conflict; identify different methods of conflict management; examine a sixstep conflict resolution process; and demonstrate the use of communication and conflict management skills to promote positive outcomes.
Educators are invited to the day session and can register at https://bit.
ly/2lC1CEQ/. Parents and Educators are invited to the evening session and can register at https:// bit.
ly/2lywwOm/. For questions, e-mail Kevin Kane at kkane@dciu.org.
Widener clinic offers inexpensive relationship counseling
The Widener Intimacy, Sexuality, Education, and Relationships Clinic (WISER) is accepting new clients for relationship and sexual wellbeing-focused counseling services. Services are provided by graduate students within the Center for Human Sexuality Studies as well as the center’s highly qualified, distinguished faculty.
The clinic offers affordable, specialized counseling in a welcoming, judgment-free environment to all, including LGBTQ+, polyfriendly, consensual non-monogamy, and other lesser represented communities. Counseling services are available to individuals 15 years and older, couples, and families. The clinic costs $10 per session for Widener students, $15 per session for non-Widener students, and a sliding scale for the public.
The Center is located at Widener University’s Hannum House, on 14th St. between Walnut and Potter Sts. in Chester. The clinic does not provide crisis management, weekend support, medical support or sexual trauma support.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Erika Evans-Weaver at 610-499-1377 or eevans@widener.edu.
Author visits Hilltoppers of Temple Sholom
The Hilltoppers of Temple Sholom, 55 N. Church Lane, Broomall, will welcome Lena Romanoff Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Romanoff is the author of “Your People, My People: Finding Fulfillment and Acceptance as a Jew by Choice,” a book for Interfaith and conversionary couples. She also runs support groups for parents, grandparents, and children of these couples. Through her sessions and discussions with these couples, conversations of superstitions, specifically the Evil Eye, would arise, which led to her research on the topic.
Everyone is welcome to come learn about the superstition of the Evil Eye and what it all means. The event is free for Hilltoppers members, with a suggested $5 donation for guests. For questions, call the office at 610-356-5165.
Delco Fire Police host State Fire Police Association
The Delaware County Fire Police Association will host the Pennsylvania State Fire Police Association meeting Sunday, Nov.
17 at the Lower Chichester Fire Co., Station 39.
Registration and set up starts at 10 a.m., and the luncheon starts at 12 noon, which is free to members. Guests pay $4. Meeting starts at 1 p.m. when the business of the Association will be conducted and will feature guest speaker Tim Boyce, director of Delco Emergency Communications Center. Officers for 2020 will be sworn in by Mag. Judge Griffin of Lower Chichester.
For more information, contact Paul Blanford at
610-299-2486.