Jim Nolan's Blog

Dictionary Secrets & Skills by Robert P. Corcoran

Besides being extremely knowledgable about Plains, PA history, and a retired educator, my friend Bob Corcoran is a word maven with a Master of Science from the University of Scranton and his own print shop. His father, a Latin teacher, had his own printing machine in the basement of their house, and Bob would "sit on the floor and turn the big wheel" when the motor wasn't working. If there were any doubt that Bob loves words, printed or otherwise, it would be put to rest by two books he recently sent me, written and printed by Bob as a retirement project. They are both pretty amazing. Dr. Johnson (a.k.a. "Dictionary Johnson") would have loved them. Here's the cover and an inside page from the first:

This scholarly work explains the symbols used in parentheses after words in the dictionary and how they are used to understand how to pronounce them. We've all seen them. Who understands them? Well, Bob does, and now anybody can. You can buy a copy at Amazon here. 

The next book, Dictionary Skills, is a broader guide to using the dictionary. Here is the cover and another inside page. 

Both books come complete with exercises for students, and even word puzzles to test your knowledge. "Dictionary Skills" is available here. 

Scholars like Bob keep our constantly changing language alive. Their importance to writers and readers is overlooked, but it cannot be overestimated. Thanks for sending me these two terrific books, Bob—or should I say, "Dictionary Corcoran." 

I'd like end with Bob's own words from the preface to "Dictionary Secrets."

"Some people have a gift or propensity for words. Words seem to roll off the tips of their tongues. Others have a far greater gift, a sensitivity or penchant for words. Learn to study words, learn to enjoy words. 

    A developed sensitivity for words is the goal of this book."

Fismes, France Remembers Le Lieutenant Duddy

Bob Corcoran of Plains, PA is a retired educator and has contributed so much to my understanding of my great uncle, Lieut. John V. Curry. His son Bob recently traveled to France where he met the editor of the magazine "L'Echauguette de Fismes." I believe "l'echauguette" means watchtower. Lieutenant Michael J. Duddy of Plains was killed in action in Fismes on August 12, 1918. You can read about the Battle of Fismes and Fismette here. Ninety percent of Fismes was destroyed. Two thousand American lives were lost in the first two days. The editor was aware of Lieut. Duddy, and Bob returned with the May, 2018 issue. Scans of the cover and p. 16 appear above. Note the photo of the restored Hugo Walsh portraits of Duddy and Curry that hang in the Plains American Legion Hall, a project spearheaded by Bob and Bob. My French is bad, but the article seems to say that Lieut. Duddy's body was brought back to Plains in 1921. Thanks to Bob and Bob for sending this to me, to Mireille Robbe for writing the article, and to the people of Fismes for remembering Lieut. Duddy's sacrifice. 

Portrait of Lt. John V. Curry Restored

Thanks to Bob Corcoran and family, a painting of my great uncle John Curry was found and restored by talented Plains, PA artist Judy Docel. Bob sent me a framed photo that his grandson took of the painting, which I have put right next to my desk where I can see it all the time.

The painting is one of a pair. Lt. Michael Duddy, another young Plains man, was also killed in World War 1. Lt. Duddy and Lt. Curry both had schools named after them, and these portraits hung there. Lt. Duddy's portrait was recently discovered by Judy Docel at the Luzerne County Historical Society, and it is Bob's hope that Lt. Curry's painting can join it there. I think that would be terrific, and I am so grateful to the Corcoran family for all they have done for my family.

Before I met the Corcorans, who live in John's old house, I assumed John would have been forgotten after so long a time. The opposite was true.

Here's how John's portrait looked before restoration. 

Plains PA 1910 Yearbook Teachers List

Photo Credit: Northeast Pennsylvania Photo Collection

My great-grandmother's name, Sara Curry, appears under Port Bowkley, a section of Plains, which is near Wilkes-Barre. They spell Sara "Sarah;" I'm not sure she did. She is Mrs. Curry, because she was married to Gilbert, who was a school principal in the area. He was killed by lightning in 1899, leaving Sara with three young kids. I'm guessing Teresa Corcoran is a relative of my friend and former Plains teacher himself, Bob Corcoran; and that Mary C. Duddy is related to Lt. Michael Duddy who died in WW1. 

Lt. Curry and Lt. Duddy Resolution in Memoriam

In May my friends Bob Corcoran and his son Bobby were kind enough to arrange a loan of the portraits of Lt. Curry and Lt. Duddy to the Plains American Legion Post 558, from the school district where they were in storage. When the paintings are restored, Bob has kindly invited me to come to the ceremony and stay with him and his lovely wife Rose in the house his parents bought from my grandmother, Sara Curry. Sara would surely be grateful that these heroes are still remembered by their community and country. Thank you Corcoran family, Board of Education of the Wilkes-Barre School District, and American Legion Post 558.

Lt. Curry Portrait Found

Bobby Corcoran, who grew up in Plains, PA in the same house as Lt. John Curry, is also on the School Board there. He asked the Superintendent of Schools to search high and low for the portrait of my great uncle, John, that used to hang in the high school alongside Lt. Michael Duddy. Both soldiers were killed in action in World War 1. Sure enough, they found it. Bobby and his dad Bob hope to get it framed and hang it in the American Legion Hall in Plains. I'm so excited that they found it and that there are still people from his community that remember him and his mother, Sara Curry. Thank you, Corcorans!

102 Henry Street, Revisited

Eddie and I visited my great grandmother's old house on a snowy day in March, 2010. I'd gotten the address from correspondence between Sara and the Army Quartermasters Corps after her son, Lt. John Curry, was killed in action in 1918. We knocked on the door, not expecting anyone there to remember Sara or John. No one was home, but I was wrong about anyone remembering the Currys.

The week after Christmas, 2011, Eddie, George and I went back to 102 Henry to meet the Corcorans. Bob's dad bought the house from Sara in 1939, and Bob knew all about Sara and John, and knows all about the history of Plains as well. That's Bob, George, Ed, and Bob's son Bobby in the photo. We're so happy we got to meet them. Click to enlarge.

Then and Now: Wilcox Field, Plains, PA

This is a scan from the July 8, 1918 Wilkes-Barre Record sent to me by my friend Bob Corcoran. It's a photograph of the Lieut. John V. Curry Memorial Service at Wilcox Field in Plains. There's no such field anymore, but Bob showed me a spot he think could be the location shown in the newspaper. I think Bob's right. Click to enlarge and look at the house at the top right with the barn-shaped roof. Then check out the photo below, snapped 94 years later. The house to the right of the evergreen with the green facing looks like the same building.

1906 Letter Found in 1873 Teacher's Handbook

Below is a letter from "Mayme" to my great grandmother, Sara Curry, dated August 2, 1906. That was about eight years after Sara's husband Gilbert was killed by lightning, and 12 years before her son John was killed in the Battle of Cantigny in France. The letter was folded up in "The Teacher's Assistant, or Hints and Methods in School Discipline and Instruction" by Charles Northend (Sara was a teacher in Plains). It was one of the Curry books left in the house that Bob Corcoran kindly gave me yesterday. I wonder what Mayme's referring to when she writes on page 3: " I have something to tell you when I return. I would not trust it to paper." Guess we'll never know. Click on any page to enlarge image.

Lt. John Curry's WWI Army Trunk

Eddie Nolan, Bobby and Bob Corcoran, George Nolan, and the trunk.

Detail of the trunk's top. Click to enlarge and see detail.

Received an amazing e-mail just before Christmas. It reads:

"Dear Jim,
 I have been looking for you for years.  I have some memorabilia from the Curry family who once owned our home and I wish to share to with you.
 I have as much intrigue about your uncle as you may have.  There were two young men from Plains killed in France, Lt. Michael Duddy and Lt. John V. Curry.
 My father, Patrick J. Corcoran, was a teacher in the Plains schools and a friend of the Curry family.  In 1939 My father bought the house from your grandmother Sara Curry.  We still live in the home on 102 Henry Street.
 I noticed on your site that you once visited the house as evidenced by a youngster standing in front of the home.  I called to my wife, Rose, to look at the picture.  I commented that they should have come in for a visit, to which she replied, "Maybe they did, but our cars were not in the driveway."
 I know where your gravestone is located in the Sacred Heart Cemetery.  Our family stones are not far from there.
 Give me a call so we can arrange for you to receive the items we had preserved for years.
 I am a former Marine and retired administrator from the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.  Rose is a retired educator from then Scranton City School District.
 With great expectations, I am waiting to hear from you.

Respectfully yours,
Bob Corcoran

I was so excited talking to Bob on my commute home that I got off Metro North one stop earlier than I should have. Today, the boys and I drove to 102 Henry Street in Plains, PA to visit Bob and Rose and also met Bob's son Bobby. We had a delicious lunch and a tour of Plains (including Sacred Heart Cemetery). And then we took my great uncle's Army trunk back with us to Westchester. I'm so grateful to the Corcorans for keeping it all these years and for searching for us. And I'm really glad to know that 93 years after he was killed in action, John is still remembered in his hometown.