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Gift tolls for Dunkirk

One of the familiar sights and sounds of the season is the Salvation Army bell ringer and the red collection kettles, which remind us to be generous to those more in need.

I am writing today about a very special bell ringer with unique ties to Dunkirk and she turns out to be a Christmas treat for the city. She is hauntingly beautiful and yet well over 75 years old in our best estimate.

Her story is somewhat circuitous, so bear with me as it unfolds.

She was conceived in the creative mind of George W. Eggers, Dunkirk native (1883-1958), the young man who grew up on the corner of Swan and Fifth streets in Dunkirk in the home and studio of his photographer father, George H. Eggers.

This was the boy who was so motivated to be an artist that he rode his bicycle from Dunkirk to the Chautauqua Institute for art lessons. He went off to New York to study at the Pratt Institute of Art, and earned his way by drawing illustrations for New York newspapers and magazines. It was there in his first apartment that he met a neighbor, Gilbert DeForest Salyer who lived and had his tailor shop close by. The two became friends and George even taught Salyer how to draw.

As the economy changed, Salyer decided to move to California and asked to purchase Eggers’ painting of “The Bell Ringer,” which was tacked on the wall of Eggers’ studio. Salyer confessed he had “fallen in love with her” and while Eggers would not sell it to him, he presented the painting to his friend as a farewell gift before they parted ways.

We know this story because in March 2014, the OBSERVER received an inquiry from Salyer’s grandson, Gilbert Crabbe of Summerland, Calif., who had searched the internet for information related to the artist.

He wrote the following:

“While researching George William Eggers (my sister owns an Eggers original) I came upon your very detailed and informative description of his professional history. We remember that our particular work of art was displayed in my grandfather’s home ever since we were born (1937). Except for my sister and me, our family has passed on. Therefore, the painting will soon leave our possession one way or another.

“Although never seen on public display, we feel, after viewing all available online work by Mr. Eggers, that our piece is extraordinary not only in execution, but in the striking emotional experience it evokes. The work is apparently of a charity ‘bell ringer’ near a ‘French’ millinery store. I would forward a photo of the work to you if you so desired. Mr. Eggers gave the piece to my grandfather after he swooned over it several times! In any case, thank you for your efforts, and for enlightening us on George William Eggers.”

Sensing a good story, Lifestyles editor Diane Chodan asked if I wanted to follow up on this intriguing communication.

Now, nine months of emails and phone calls later the story comes together. Much has happened in the interim. There were a couple of health crises, a damaged camera and consultations with his sister in another location at the California end of the correspondence. At our end we were able to provide Crabbe with photographs of the Eggers family delivered to us from John Paul Wolfe of the McClurg Museum. We connected Crabbe to Michael Smith, Eggers’ grandson now retired in Lakewood and invited him to the gala first time exhibit of the 300-plus works of art donated by Michael and Katie Smith to the Dunkirk Historical Society/museum. Crabbe was unable to attend, but did enlist the assistance of his cousin Phil Salyer in California, also an artist, to photograph the artwork and mail it to us to be part of the Shorewood Country Club exhibition that was held on Nov, 6.

Crabbe’s sister, Beverly Schmidt, added more details to the story. She remembers the day her grandfather gathered the children around him and drew faces from his past astonishing them with his talent.

He shared he had learned this from his friend, Eggers, the artist who had painted the charity lady. The painting had hung for years in the tailor shop attached to the wall with four needles. It was later framed and moved to the foyer of the house to greet people at the front door.

Later still, moved to the bedroom “where we would meditate on the different messages she gave to each of us as we looked at how she did her work of collecting donations.” It has been lovingly passed on through the generations, reframed on several occasions. Schmidt is herself an accomplished artist, graduate of Chouinard Art Institute and is known in Pacific Grove, Ca for her generosity in teaching art in many settings to many age groups.

Although The Bell Ringer will no doubt remain with the family (yes, we did ask about her availability as a donation or purchase) we are richer for knowing about her existence and the story of friendship and inspiration which accompanied her over the years.

Through this artwork of George Eggers, depicting a19th-century woman in somber attire ringing a bell in front of a French millinery shop, we are reminded that The Salvation Army is international in scope and dates back to London 1865. Methodist Reform minister Wm Booth describing his worship group to a friend in a letter wrote “We are a volunteer army,” then crossed out the word” volunteer” and inserted the word “Salvation.” Thus began the Christian Salvation Army which remains structured in a quasi-military fashion, has a worldwide membership of over 1.5 million and serves over 30 million people each year in the USA through various Social Services.

Here in Dunkirk, the Salvation Army organizes a food bank, a thrift store, afterschool basketball and other crisis services and is now being overseen by Captain John Merchant. The physical presence of this organization in Dunkirk is itself at risk, operating now on the sheer goodwill of the Jamestown officers stretching their schedules to accommodate the needs of Northern Chautauqua County.

What a loss this would be for our community.

With this historic perspective of the Red Kettle charity that has stirred hearts and served the world for generations, even inspired art and acts of kindness near and far, let us remember the true spirit of Christmas, give generously, volunteer to ring a bell, and be grateful for our new awareness of another artistic creation of George W. Eggers, “The Bell Ringer,”a source of pride for his hometown.

Skeeter Tower is a resident of Dunkirk.

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