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 On the 14th of May 1949
approximately 4.5 million copies of the Saturday Evening Post appeared
throughout America with the colored pictorial front cover honoring the
typical American volunteer fire organization responding to a fire alarm.
The cover painting was made by Mr. Stephen Dohanos. He was a
staff cover artist for the Saturday Evening Post who created several
covers for the Post over the years.
The scene portrayed the Center Square intersection at Skippack Pike and
DeKalb Pike (Routes 73 & 202) with the Centre Square Fire
Company
and its members going into action. Fire trucks are pulling
out of
the fire station on the corner (prior to 1954 the fire station was
located at the southeast corner of this intersection) and firemen are
running to the station and to the trucks. In front of the
station
can be seen the fire alarm gong. This gong, used for sending
out
the alarm for firemen, is located in front of our main station at 1298
Skippack Pike. In addition to the fire trucks and firemen
responding, in the background is Reed's Department Store which is still
standing today.
The fireman dashing across the front cover in coat-covered striped
pajamas was the company secretary, John A Henryson, Jr., preceded by
Phil G. Boyd, 3rd, the company treasurer. Other officers and
members of the company were : Louis F. Rossiter, Whitpain
Township Police, directing traffic; Charles F. Kershner, driver of
Truck No. 1; Kenneth Berkheimer seated next to him; George J. Methlie,
Sr., on the far side of the truck; on the back of the truck is Elmer
Cole's body with George H. Geere's head superimposed upon it by the
artist. On the right hand side of the truck is Charles F.
Murphy. William Reed, Sr. is shown rushing from his
department
store still wearing his apron. The lady peering from Reed's
Department Store window with one of her sons is Mrs. John A. Henryson,
Jr.
The original oil painting was the presented to the Fire Company by Mr.
Kenneth J. Stuart, then Art Director of the magazine, and is a proud
possesion of the CSFC. It hangs today in our lounge at
station
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