THE SEA HORSE WENT SWIMMINGLY IN THE OL’ DAYS

I finally had a chance to read this month’s Volume One and as usual I loved it – especially Frank Smoot’s Thanks For Asking portion. The words “Sea Horse” really interested me since I have had some minor parts in this place since the 50s when there was a Root Beer Stand “Dean’s Drive-In” located about halfway up the driveway of the current restaurant. I’d ride my horse over there and have a rootbeer now and then from my horse’s home over on Preston Road (behind the Menards store – it was the Jim Flynn property).

Through the years, I’d stop there until I eventually moved out of the area. In the late 60s to mid-70s, I worked there for Helen who was the “Mrs Dean” mentioned in the article. She was the mother of Gary who together tried to hold the place together until Helen died several years ago and Gary about 4-5 years later. 

He tried to hold the place together with karaoke nights, but the early glory days of the Sea Horse were long gone. Glory Days they were, as they put on the nicest of weddings out in the gardens under the arbor and amid lovely ponds, plants, and flowers and lovely rock landscaping. But trying to work on a zero budget, one by one the good parts went astray. Helen at one time had a lovely greenhouse where she used her green thumb to make beautiful flowers and plants for decor – that went awry too.

All the beautiful and valuable brass deep sea items, like dive helmets, bells, lanterns and other brass WERE a lovely thing to see as well as the two hand-crafted big ships behind glass and other nautical items. They truly had the most memorable weddings there, great food and drinks, and a Piano Bar second to NONE! 

– Jean Curtis

I MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENTS, BUT I DEFEND THE RIGHT TO STATE THEM

“All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.” George Orwell might have been referring to the first two Shortcuts articles in the October 21st edition of Volume One. Everyone has the right to an opinion but some have more of a right than others.

I might not share The Pickle owner Jed Hart’s sentiments when it comes to the Muslim faith but I applaud him for standing up to the members of the Student Life and Diversity Commission who have apparently appointed themselves the arbiters of what opinions can or cannot be expressed in Water Street taverns.

Unfortunately Professor Tom Hilton caved in and apologized for expressing his opinion regarding the Eau Queer Film Festival. In the days of old the Inquisitors could toss you in the dungeon and subject you to all sorts of gruesome torture to get you to change your mind. In today’s more civilized world all they have to do is threaten you with “administrative action.”

Anybody ever heard of the First Amendment?

– John Staber, Eau Claire