West Seneca Central High School - Acenes Yearbook (West Seneca, NY)

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F l CENTENNIAL CONTEST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION FIRST PRIZE HTHE EBENEZERSU By: Elizabeth Congelli The Ebenezers came from Germany to win their religious freedom. They were Inspiration- ists in Germany. They came to Buffalo because they heard there was land for sale at a low price and it was near a good market. In a few months there was a village called Middle Ebenezer, which is now Gardenville. In the meantime two villages of Lower and Upper Ebenezer were growing up. The name Ebenezer means NOur Lord has helped us.N In all governing affairs a council of thirteen elders were present. The village had its own store, school, church and buildings that were needed. The Ebenezers became very good farmers and were known for their onions. , g The families had their own houses, but their meals were served in large central eating houses which could accommodate up to fifty persons. The families were not paid for their work but were given enough for their living expenses. The Ebenezers did not participate in social activities. The only time they got together was at eating time. The young people didn't play with each other. Parties, social gatherings and even music were forbidden. The men wore beards, full trousers, flat crowned hats, but no mustaches. The women wore dresses of dark colors, with full skirts with broad bands at the waist. A shawl and bonnet were added to their outfit. The towns grew. They needed more land but the value had risen. The elders thought it best to move to the West where the land was still cheap. There was a more specific reason for going, though. Buffalo gave more worldly attractions and temptations for the young people. They moved to Amana, Iowa, where they now live and are very successful in making refrigerators, woolen goods, and other products. Today they are called Amanas. They own and i-1 eat in their own houses and work ericans. Q . nirigii :hillzTigEfa,I14:: 'jfjjg:-W - 'J g 1 1 1 ww n M19 . gidfrh'-111 F I I gjygraf V 11? --M A -, I .E nb -V V' 4, , hurt? N f ' 'fx f f -lf-' --ig jf , ' , ' I .Elm ...,... . f. :T ,- --,' . ,r..- 'ffm . T N 44 1: gm w e -fr' I N m y

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l ' 1 CENTENNIAL CONTEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION' FIRST PRIZE MTH SOCIAL LIFE OF THE-EBENEZERSN By: Thelma Hertzell V ATTENTION, CITIZENS OF WEST SENECA! SENSATIONAL ONE DAY TRIP BY TIME MACHINE TO NEST SENECA, l85l. IN HONOR OF THIS Towns CENTERNIAL, THE '1'R1P'wTLL BE OF GLIARGEQS AILL' I CITIZENS DESIRING PASSAGE, ASSEMBLE AT WEST SENECA TOWN HALL ON JULY 15 AT SSOO A0 Mop The above announcement intrigued meg On that eventful day, I embarked with twenty others on our unusual journey into the paste Back, into timeg Ebenezero Christian Metz, one of Ebenezerls founders? met the towne As We walked along, We noticed that the men were 1930--1900-ifinally-18513 we had reached space ship and invited us to see the dressed in e fashion strange to uso Metz? for instance, was attired in a breed brimmedg flat crowned hat, and full trousers. he had no mustache, but a close trimmed beardu - , One of our first stops was at e lerge community dining hallq Here the men and women ' gsthered.three times daily to partake of the wholesome Ebenezeregrown food, end to share in the scant social life of the times. Because we were very interested in the family and the social life of the community, from there we Went to the Metz home, typical of all the Ebenezer residenceso' The house was large and comfortable, Metz explained, HEach family is supplied with living quartersg No Ebenezer citizen is ever erowdedan He continued, HEbenezers do not work for wages? or own properqy. Everything is owned by all, for the common goodn. we attended one of the Church serviceso tThe people no minister, silent prayer, chanted hymns, Bible lesson, After Church no one spoke, but went quietly homeo This I conversed with an Ebenezer girl of about eighteen Shawl, and sunbcnnet with a cape at the backo The girl each other, play cards, dence, drink, smoke, or partake After a time, the girl confided that her fiance had six monthso NHe has to remain there until next sum ern year, unable to communicate, to test our loven. had about eleven a weekn There is and exhortations by the eldersl oertainly was not e social occasion, She wore e full skirt, sheuldef'f - told me that Ebenezers did not visit of Worldly pleasurese been up in the Ganadien woods for we are separated in this way for one At the end of the day, our wearyigroup boarded the,, ..inaohine, set the dial for 1951, waved goodebye to Christian Metz, and-started home, ' I 'lt' A 'ral ' I ' ' fm! - ':. -fi ' W W '-.w'5 - Q vw X . wffmvwtfe, '- - lvzueawzfeneweie ' i 'Xf9N 51 'Yi ff .k +9f' fire!- Ve-'W' A n'??fV.f.?'1 'lf' 'f'LiT57a -' 5 tww?f.'1tsEa? saiwef , N A I bl Y mx, r jyi .4 .,,r'.,5u,! L:'v 1 wi.. . t - Hn.: fe--.qw ,,,,-nf f5g.4gf:gg,l,,. , e . . Sf'-Pg, if , xT'i'y '.l'A'- '-if ' :VH ,:WWf'Wi3E2YN,-L iq .- V, .' ' A ' . W l5f3:Qg?ef3x?3gtnfedpdyefwwjf ' .-G L,g':1'ff1f ..:. 5 g.fH, f 4 f . w f n , gap HG., J ,. , A b I V A m--- 413

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