20060723 Annual Tawes Clam Bake

The annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake in Crisfield

The annual dinner theatre of Maryland politics

July 23rd, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

Caroline and I have attended the Crisfield event in the past, but our family schedule did not allow us to make the pilgrimage this year.

We’ve always enjoyed it when we have attended in the past. It is quite an experience. It has, over the years, taken on a larger than life, cult-like politico-religious aura. Sorta like going to church once a year at Easter. The annual political pilgrimage to the Holy Grail of politico-religious ceremonies.

Caroline and I have been traveling down to the Eastern Shore for many many years, especially after my brother was transferred to the Easton Black and Decker plant in 1983.

Not only is the shore visually beautiful, but native Eastern Shore folks are a special breed. After spending a few days on the shore, one really comes to understand that there really is no life west of the Bay Bridge.

If it were not for the force of family that has been in Carroll County for generations since the 1700s, I would’ve moved to the shore many years ago for the quality of life.

I’ll bet that folks on the shore have a longer life expectancy that those of us who persist in the hectic hornet’s nest we call the Western Shore. Well, now that I think of it, I’ll bet that folks who live in Southern and Western Maryland have longer life expectancies also.

We were first drawn to the Tawes festival because we are history buffs and enjoy the fact that the legacy of J. Millard Tawes has lived on for so many decades after his celebrated public service for the citizens of Maryland.
We also like seafood.

For a previous post about J. Millard Tawes, see my April 28th, 2006 entry: “20060426 Sept. 2000 Tawes Card Crisfield Museum Presentation.”

For more about Governor J. Millard Tawes or the Clam Bake, click on “J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum;” and here, or here.

The soap opera that we know as Maryland politics has also certainly been a bonus for us. It is the dinner theatre of Maryland politics. Crisfield has great food, great company and great theatre.

Actually, many really nice folks go there and it is the one occasion to see colleagues and leaders in a relaxed social setting.

Except when the event occurs during an election year. Then all the possers come out of the woodwork, as if most regular folks can’t tell when someone is obviously out of place at an event in which they only appear when it is in their own self-interest.

Apparently two of the best political writers in the Maryland region made the annual trek, Tom Dennison and Alan Brody, who write for the Gazette. Things would be different – as in, for the better – if we had more writers like Messrs. Dennison, Brody and Doug Tallman, who also writes for the Gazette.

In a Friday, July 21st, 2006 article in the Gazette, filed by Messrs. Dennison and Brody entitled: “Retail politics, wholesale fun - Candidates! Voters! Apparatchiks! Crab guts! Tawes shindig has something for everyone,” the event has been brought to life in a manner that makes other writers envious.

The only thing that could have made it better is if a scratch and sniff could have been provided to allow the readers the smells of Old Bay, crabs, beer and thousands of folks all crowded together in the heat and humidity of the lower shore.

They introduce the piece by saying:

CRISFIELD — Politicians came by land and by bay — one even left by air — to Maryland’s premier political frat party, known as the J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake, a sweaty 30-year tradition that serves as the kickoff for the fall’s busy election season.

Read the rest here, it is worth the effort of the click and the time to read it.

(Originally posted on http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ at: http://www.kevindayhoff.com/2006/07/20060723-kddc-annual-tawes-clam-bake.html )

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org
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20060426 Sept 2000 Tawes Card Crisfield Museum Presentation

Sept 2000 Tawes Card Crisfield Museum Presentation.

1938 J. Millard Tawes campaign card donated to the Tawes Museum

On September 2, 2000, my wife, Caroline and I traveled to Crisfield, Maryland and attended the 53rd annual Crisfield Crab Derby Labor Day Weekend. After lunch, Caroline and I presented the Governor J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum with a framed "1938 J. Millard Tawes for Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland Campaign Card"

If memory serves me correctly, the folks at the Tawes Museum had none in their collection and were not aware of the existence of a "1938 J. Millard Tawes for Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland Campaign Card."

At the time, attempts to donate another Tawes 1938 campaign card in our possession, to the Maryland State Archives were unsuccessful. Perhaps we should try again?

Delegate Bennett Bozman was very helpful in arranging for Caroline and I being able to make that donation to the museum.

The text of my remarks that afternoon explains things:

It is a pleasure to be in Crisfield today. I'd like to extend my greetings to Mayor Richard Scott, Vice-President Councilwoman Catherine Brown, Councilwoman Carolyn Evans, and Councilman Danny Thompson.

I am Westminster City Councilman Kevin Dayhoff and this is my wife Caroline Babylon.

Westminster is a small town in Carroll County - not unlike Crisfield and not unlike Somerset County. Both are rooted in the traditional values that have made this country great.

It is quite an honor to be here today for the 53rd National Hard Crab Derby and Fair to make this gift to the Governor J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum.

I want to particularly thank your Delegate Bennett Bozman (D) for his tireless efforts in helping bring this: 1938 J. Millard Tawes - Democratic Candidate for Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland - card back to Governor Tawes' hometown- which spawned his brilliant career of leadership in Maryland.

Indeed, your entire great Delegation to Annapolis was instrumental in bringing this 1938 Tawes campaign card home. We all owe a great debt of thanks to Delegate Norman Conway (D), Delegate Charlie McClenahan (R) Senator Lowell Stoltzfus (R) in addition to Delegate Bennett Bozman (D) for their support in this effort.

On August 13, 1938, the Westminster Riding Club was having it's Fourth Annual Horse and Pony Show. Our Aunt Eleanor Babylon was a founder of the Westminster Riding Club and was the Secretary for the Horse Show.

The Babylon Family has a rich and long history in community leadership. Our great-grandfather served as President of the Westminster City Council in the 1890s and my father-in-law - Caroline's father - served as President of the Westminster City Council for 25 years.

In 1938, Aunt Eleanor Babylon took it upon herself to correspond with a number of officials and leaders throughout the state - soliciting sponsorships for the Horse and Pony Show.

I'm not exactly sure how it is that Aunt Eleanor came upon the idea of writing to Mr. Tawes, but Margaret Lee Tawes graduated from Western Maryland College in Westminster, in 1932. Aunt Eleanor Babylon also attended Western Maryland College in that time frame, which causes one to speculate that they knew each other and were friends. This may have given Aunt Eleanor the idea to contact J. Millard Tawes, who at the time was running his first statewide election campaign.

Mr. Tawes responded with two gracious letters in which he contributed $10.00 towards the Horse and Pony Show. I find this significant and foretelling, as $10 was a good deal of money in the depression in 1938, and Carroll County is quite far away. It speaks directly to the early signs of Governor Tawes' great statewide leadership. One of his letters included this campaign card, which we found in Aunt Eleanor's personal papers several years after her death.

As students of history, Caroline and I immediately understood the value of the card. Our evaluation was heightened by our keen interest in Maryland's Eastern Shore. My brother, in search of the traditional values we grew up with in Carroll County as children, moved to Talbot County - on the water - in 1983. As children, my family traditionally spent its August vacation on the Nanticoke River.

As many of you are quite aware, the Tawes 1938 election campaign for Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland was a pivotal event in Governor Tawes' distinguished career. Earlier, in 1930, at age 36, Governor Tawes had begun his political career when he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court in Somerset County by narrowly defeating his republican opponent, Harry T. Phoebus by 72 votes. It is interesting that Mr. Phoebus later served Somerset County and the lower Eastern Shore honorably as a State Senator.

Governor Tawes won the 1938 campaign for Comptroller of the State of Maryland by defeating his opponent, William G. Jack by nearly 140,000 votes.

Without further ado, on behalf of myself, my wife Caroline, and the Babylon Family – on behalf of your delegation to Annapolis: Senator Stoltzfus, Delegate Conway, Delegate McClenahan and Delegate Bozman, I present to the Governor J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum, this framed 1938 J. Millard Tawes for Comptroller of the Treasury Maryland Campaign Card.

That day, there was a parade through town. As Caroline and I were talking with Delegate Bozman and Delegate Norman Conway (D), Delegate Charlie McClenahan (R), all representatives of the then-District 38, Somerset, Wicomico & Worcester Counties; the conversation turned to who was going to drive the new pick-up truck in which the three elected officials were going to ride in the parade.

Delegate Bozman turned to me and said, “well Kevin’ll drive.” And that was that. Caroline and I, who, as best as we could remember, had never been to Crisfield before, drove the three elected officials through town in the parade.
Later, Delegates Bozman, Conway and McClanahan, Caroline and I took a trip in Delegate McClanahan’s boat over to the Bayside Inn, in Ewell, on Smith Island.

We had the “Two crab cakes plus all you can eat lunch buffet.” It was $12.95 and delicious.

We later returned home after a wonderful day in Crisfield with memories that will last a lifetime and Delegate Bennett Bozman was instrumental in the occasion.

We have since returned to the lower eastern shore on several occasions. Most recently, on February 25, 2006, Caroline and I made a presentation for the Mar-Va Theater Annual Chicken Dinner meeting on “The economic benefits of the arts in a community.”

Each and every time we have visited the lower eastern shore, we have been greeted with the same hospitality and graciousness.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org
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20060426 MD Delegate Bennett Bozman passes away

Veteran MD Delegate Bennett Bozman, dead at age 69

April 26th, 2006

The Associated Press and Delmarva Daily Times is reporting this evening that veteran Maryland Eastern Shore, Maryland Delegate Bennett Bozman, D., Dist. 38B, Wicomico & Worcester Counties has passed away.

Susan Canfora, staff writer for Salisbury, Maryland, Delmarva Daily Times, writes that Del. Bozman died en route to Johns Hopkins… The Berlin, Maryland resident passed away from bacterial meningitis “while being transported from Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.”

The photograph of Delegate Bozman, is from The Daily Times’ Web-site.

Ms. Canfora elaborated, “Bozman, 69, a democrat who served District 38 covering Worcester and Wicomico counties, was a retired pharmacist and long-time politician. He is survived by his wife, two children and three grandchildren… See continuing coverage in Friday's The Daily Times.”

To find delegate Bozman’s Maryland House of Delegates brief bio, go: here.

He was an early riser, who often started his days at 5 AM and it was not uncommon for him to work through until midnight. He was known for using a series of cloth bags in order to keep his various categories of paperwork in order, eschewing the standard Annapolis briefcase.

For lunch, he was known for eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Not quite what one would think of when the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee and deputy majority whip has a power lunch.

The Associated Press article says, “Bozman, a Democrat, joined the House of Delegates in January 1991. He had served as deputy majority whip since 1995. He was a member of the Ways and Means Committee, Joint Committee on Federal Relations and the Joint Audit Committee.

“Bozman was born in Norfolk, Va., in 1936. He attended Washington High School, in Princess Anne, Md. He graduated from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. He served in U.S. Coast Guard from 1961 to 1969.”

In my Tentacle column of February 24, 2006, “Kelly’s Dream Deferred,” I wrote:

“As a newly minted elected municipal official in the late 1990s, I have fond memories of those folks who were friendly and helpful as I tried to unravel the byzantine rituals of the Maryland General Assembly. Perhaps, first among equals in that helpful group was Delegate Kelly... Most members of the Frederick and Carroll County delegations were very supportive... Several of the other names that quickly come to mind when I think of friendly folks who went out of their way to lend a hand were: Del. Brian R. Moe (D., Anne Arundel/PG); Del. Bennett Bozman (D., Wicomico/Worcester); Del. Norman H. Conway (D., Wicomico/Worcester); Sen. Donald F. Munson (R., Washington); then-Del. Charles McClenahan (R., Somerset, Wicomico & Worchester); and Judge Paul G. Goetzke, then Annapolis city attorney.”

My wife, Caroline and I have a number of very good memories of Delegate Bozman. One of my many favorites is when we visited Crisfield, Maryland in September 2000. (See: "20060426 Sept. 2000 Tawes Card Crisfield Museum Presentation.” on http://www.kevindayhoff.com/.

On September 2, 2000, my Caroline and I traveled to Crisfield, Maryland and attended the 53rd annual Crisfield Crab Derby Labor Day Weekend. After lunch, Caroline and I presented the Governor J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum with a framed "1938 J. Millard Tawes for Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland Campaign Card"

Delegate Bennett Bozman was very helpful in arranging for Caroline and I being able to make that donation to the museum.

I certainly did not agree about everything with Delegate Bozman. But he worked tirelessly for his constituency and he had a deep all abiding respect for his responsibilities as a Maryland elected official. With Bennett, there was always something positive to discuss and I always enjoyed his company. He always greeted me with a smile and friendly conversation. He will be missed.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org
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