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A shift of the word “scroll” from noun to verb, from reed brushed ink on papyrus to sponsored posts on Instagram. Though media form and format evolved over time, the concept of advertising remains the same. Consider this: the thirty- second video or audio segment that may only serve as a delay before the music or video you intended to view, plays - a modern representation of an advertising tradition dating back thousands of years. Researchers have found Ancient Chinese poems that suggest an oral method used by early laborers of various trades. The divine gift of writing was bestowed upon...

One of my fondest memories as a child was sugaring season at the Chamberlin family farm. Typically, the season began as early as the last week of February. On our hill, the second week in March was more realistic. My uncle always seemed to know exactly when he needed to start tapping the trees each year. To me, it appeared as if he had some kind of mystical sixth sense. When I was little, it was all about fresh maple syrup, still hot and drizzled over snow - a treat that would surely “ruin” my dinner, but it only happened...

I remember going into Gillingham’s with my mom years ago and always making the priority of our trip: a visit to the toy room. Some things I remember being at the top of my list were Tiddly Winks, a kaleidoscope, a sock monkey, and an ink and stamp set. I knew if I aced that math test, or helped with chores at home, I just might be the proud owner of one of them. One of the best parts about getting to buy the toys for Gillie’s is seeing and hearing people’s reactions, as they peruse through the toy room. ...

Another season goes by in our shire town. Familiar buttery Christmas lights lace snow-lined streets, yes, even in February, as I am writing this. A sweet-smelling spring will soon awaken our senses as daylight hours linger a bit longer.  A playful, nostalgic summer is on our minds and in our hearts. A golden autumn will peek through and shift our pace into a colorful frenzy of leaves wistfully falling to the ground, and tourists marveling at their majestic color. Wavering through the knowing windows of F.H. Gillingham & Sons, as it does predictably and unpredictably, another year has come and...

Co-operation: “Defined as concurrent effort or labor, is one of the principles which govern our actions in the conduct of our business, and is undoubtedly one of the chief causes of our success.” – F.H. Gillingham Co-operation as defined by F.H. Gillingham (F.H.) can be found in one of the many flyers that were once placed in local mailboxes around Woodstock. These flyers were filled with quirky phrases that seemed to be a trademark of F.H. and his advertising. The flyer titled “Co-operation” along with its definition still rings true in the establishment today. F.H. believed that to be successful...