I would like to introduce myself and my new monthly column, “View From My Rocking Chair,” to all of Farm and Dairy’s readers. My name is Paul Harvey and I am the co-founder of Coolspring Power Museum. My wish is to share a variety of my writings from the past many years with you. Some are detailed and technical, while others are just fun. They have all been enjoyable to write, and I hope you will also enjoy reading them.
Paul’s early life
Now, I would like to give you a little biographical sketch of my life here in Coolspring, Pennsylvania, over the past 80 years. Yes, I was born here and have lived in the same family home ever since. I have been lucky that my professional career has allowed me to do that.
My mom was a school teacher and my dad was a mechanic with a garage here in Coolspring. He taught me so much. He ran his garage and store and farmed the fields that are now CPM. So, I grew up in a rural village in western Pennsylvania that provided a happy childhood.
I entered school in 1950, into a one room school house with 16 students in all eight grades. The big coal stove in the center of the room kept us warm all winter and it was fun when the teacher would ask me to go fetch a bucket of coal. When the weather was bad, we played jacks and did puzzles on the big table at the back of the room. We always could get a snack from our lunch buckets at the morning recess. Fresh tomatoes from the garden were great in the fall. At the end of eighth grade, a bus took us to Punxsutawney for day-long testing to see if we would qualify for high school. Gosh, I had never seen a cafeteria before — it was quite an experience for a country kid.
Enthralled by engines
During my sophomore year at Punxsutawney High School, I happened to find a gas engine. After school and feeding the chickens, I took my beagle, Tootsie, and my 12-gauge shotgun and headed east of Coolspring, looking for a couple of bunnies. I knew that a gas well was being drilled, so I gave it wide berth. But, hmmm, I heard an odd putt-putt sound. I followed it down to the little creek and found an IHC LA running a water pump, supplying the rig. Wow, I had never seen anything like this!
The next evening, leaving Tootsie and the gun at home, I ventured up to the drilling rig. It was an old style standard rig, and the driller was a kindly gent who taught me so much. Asking him about an engine for sale, he said he had one for $5. The next evening, it was here and a new adventure started.
That winter, my Dad and I got the engine running. I was hooked. And I guess the hobby never stopped growing after that.
The next year, I commuted to Clarion State College, endeavoring to be a biology teacher. During that year, my advisor convinced me to study medicine and transfer to a school that specializes in that. My maternal grandfather, Parker P. Horner, was a country doctor. Top-rated in pre-med schools was St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
I was able to transfer, but now found myself away from home and lodged in a very small dormitory room — quite an experience. But it all turned out so well as my roommate was a city boy and I was a country boy. We both profited from our unique experiences.
Graduating from St. Vincent in 1965, I entered the West Virginia University School of Medicine. I soon discovered that Morgantown, West Virginia was on the eastern border of a large oil field that had many gas engines still in operation. With any time off, I took my old IHC pickup and began exploring. I became friends with one of the well pumpers who soon showed me how to start these large engines. A new world just opened.
Treasure hunting
Interning at Washington Hospital in Washington, Pennsylvania, I found an entirely different oil field and variety of engines. I soon acquired a 1946 Reo winch truck and started hauling goodies home. This was 1970.
After my internship and three days in Philadelphia to take the Board Exams, I returned home to Coolspring. Then, relaxing a month, I set up a medical practice in Brookville, Pennsylvania in July 1970. Enduring four years of private practice, I became an employee of Brookville Hospital and directed their Emergency Department for the next 36 years. Finally, in July of 2020, I retired having completed 50 years of medical practice. It was a wonderful career.
Retirement is great, and I can now devote my time to Coolspring Power Museum and all the wonderful gas engines. My life has treated me very well!
It is my sincere hope that readers have enjoyed this little biographical sketch of my life. Next month, I will be writing an introductory sketch about the Coolspring Power Museum.
