>> THIS TIME ON POINTS NORTH MEET VERMONT'S OWN PROVERB MEISTER AND LEARN FIRSTHAND WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY.

THEN TO HARDWICK'S CAFE FOR TEA AND SOCIABILITY.

FINALLY A LOOK BACK AT THE GRAND AVENUE VERMONT ENTERPRISES, THE COUNTRY STORE.

>> HI.

I'M FRAN STODDARD.

>> I'M ROB MICHALAK.

WELCOME TO POINTS NORTH.

>> WE BEGIN WITH A VISIT TO THE WORLD OF HIGH SCHOLARSHIP.

AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO LEARN, UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS ARE ACTUALLY AS HUMAN AS THE REST OF US.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY HAVE A FLAIR FOR A CERTAIN FIGURE OF SPEECH.

>> A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND.

>> ABRAHAM LINCOLN USED THEM TO REUNITE A NATION.

WINSTON CHURCHILL USED THEM TO KEEP A NATION UNITED AGAINST ADOLPH HITLER, WHO USED THEM TO START HIS OWN WORLD WAR.

IN FACT ALL THE WORLD'S MOVERS AND SHAKERS HAVE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER RELIED ON PRO PROVERBS TO GET THEIR POINT ACROSS.

PRO VERBS HAVE BEEN SUCH A WELL RECOGNIZED EXPRESSIVE DEVICE THERE HAVE LONG BEEN EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT.

>> IF YOU WANT TO GET ALONG IN A CULTURE OR SOCIETY AT ALL YOU SHOULD NO SOME OF ITS BASIC PRO VEXER.

DR.

WOLFGANG MIEDER HAS DEDICATED A GOOD PART OF HIS CAREER TO PROVERBS, THEIR HISTORY AND USE.

>> AN AMERICAN PROVERB FROM THE 1950'S BUT SINCE ALL GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES, LET ME GIVE YOU A FAVORITE ONE OF ALL OF OURS, MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUNSHINES.

THIS PROVERB REMINDS US THAT WE LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF GOOD SITUATIONS BUT WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IT OUR OWN INDEPENDENT WAY WITHOUT ANYBODY TELLING US HOW AND WHEN AND WHAT TO DO IT.

>> SO WHAT EXACTLY IS A PROVERB?

>> DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.

>> IT'S A CONCISE STATEMENT.

IT HAS TO BE A COMPLETE SENTENCE , A COMPLETE THOUGHT.

EXPRESS SOMETHING USUALLY METAPHORICALLY.

>> ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD >> PROVERBS ARE EVERYWHERE NO MATTER WHERE YOU TURN WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE GROCERY STORE, WHETHER YOU WATCH THE EVENING NEWS, WHETHER YOU WATCH A PRESIDENT GIVING THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS.

PROVERBS PERM PERMEAE OUR ENTIRE LIFE.

THEY ARE KERNELS OF WISDOM AND TRUTH AND THEREBY EXPRESS GENERALITIES AND THOUGHTS JUDGED TO BE TRUE FOR GENERATIONS.

BY LOOKING AT HOW PEOPLE USE THEM IN VARIOUS FORMS, VARIOUS SITUATIONS, YOU CAN DRAW CONCLUSIONS OF HOW PEOPLE TALK TO US, HOW THEY USE METAPHORS TO MAKE THEIR LANGUAGE MORE VIVID, AND THAT WILL ENABLE YOU TO SEE HOW LANGUAGE AS A COMMUNICATIVE TOOL WORKS.

>> [SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] >> HIS DAY JOB HAS LONG BEENS THAT OF A LANGUAGE PROFESSOR.

HE CURRENTLY CHAIRS THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT'S GERMAN AND RUSSIAN DEPARTMENT.

IN THE 20 YEARS SINCE HIS ORIGINAL GRAD SCHOOL FASCINATION WITH PROVERBS BEGAN HE'S ATTAINED THE STATUS OF WORLD'S LEADING EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT.

>> I BECAME MORE AND MORE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT PROVERBS ARE EVERYWHERE.

SO WHAT I LIKE SO VERY MUCH ABOUT THIS FIELD IS THAT I CAN OVERCOME MICON STRAINTS OF BEING A GERMAN PROFESSOR BUT GO INTO INTERNATIONAL STUDIES OF FOLKLORE, ANTHROPOLOGY, OF SOCIOLOGY, OF PSYCHOLOGY, OF MASS MEDIA, OF ART HISTORY.

HERE WE CAN SEE THE PROVERBS VERB DON'T LOOK A GIFT HORSE INTO THE MOUTH SHOWING CLEARLY FOR HISTORICAL INTEREST THAT THIS PROVERB WAS VERY WELL KNOWN IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

AND WHAT WAS TRUE IN THE MIDDLE AGES AND IN THE 17th CENTURY IS CLEARLY ALSO TRUE IN THE MODERN AGE AS THIS ADVERTISEMENT ILLUSTRATES VERY CLEARLY.

THAT ADVERTISING, BIG FISH LITTLE FISH HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR.

HERE'S A JANL OF GENERAL ELECTRIC'S EATING ANOTHER COMPANY AND THEN WE COULD ALSO TAKE A LOOK HERE AS HOW BIG CORPORATIONS SWALLOW UP SMALLER ONES.

THIS IS AN OIL PAINTING FROM PETER BOIGLE.

FROM 1859.

IT ILLUSTRATES OVER 100 PROVERBIAL EXPRESSIONS AND PROVERBS.

AS SLIPPERY AS AN EEL.

BANGING ONE'S HEAD AGAINST THE WALL.

>> AS FOR THE PROVERBIAL HEAR NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL , HE MAINTAINS HIS OWN COLLECTION OF SOUVENIR ART.

>> THESE ARE THE VARIOUS PROJECTS I'M WORKING ON AT ANY TIME.

IF WE TAKE ONE EXAMPLE A BOX LIKE THIS CONTAINS ALL THE MATERIALS THAT I HAVE COLLECTED ON THE PROVERB THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.

IN THIS BOX I HAVE ALL KINDS OF MATERIALS ON THIS PROVERB RANGING FROM ADVERTISEMENTS, CARTOONS TEENS, CARICATURES ALL THE WAY TO UP IN HEADLINES AND HERE JUST AS AN EXAMPLE I HAPPEN TO HAVE THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROVERB, THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, WHICH WAS A SONG IN THE EARLY 1920'S.

>> AT AN AVERAGE RATE OF OVER TWO BOOKS PER YEAR HE HAS MANAG ED TO GENERATE A PRO DIJOUS BODY OF PUBLISHED SCHOLARSHIP.

>> THE WORK I DO WITH PROVERBS EVEN AFTER 20 YEARS STILL VERY, VERY MUCH EXCITES ME.

I HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED AT WHAT I DO IN THE IMAGE OF KING ARTHUR'S ROUNDTABLE.

MY STUDY, MY ARCHIVE, MY BOOKS ARE SO TO SPEAK THE ROUNDTABLE, THE SOURCE.

THEN I HAVE AN IDEA AND I GET VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT AND I GALLOP OUT ON MY HORSE WITH MY ARMOR AND GO AND GET ALL THE MATERIAL I POSSIBLY NEED TO INVESTIGATE THE NEW PROBLEM.

I GO TO MY CARD SYSTEM AND FIND SOMETHING THAT WILL LEAD ME TO VARIOUS ARTICLES AND BOOKS THAT ARE PERHAPS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR AGAIN IN VERY MANY LANGUAGES ON AN INTERNATIONAL BASIS.

ONCE I FIND THE ITEM THEN I GO TO MY ARCHIVE HERE AND I FIND HUNDREDS OF ARTICLES THAT I PHOTOCOPIED OVER MANY YEARS.

THEN IF WE LOOK FOR EXAMPLE HERE IF I WERE INTERESTED IN THE EXPRESSION AS DEAD AS A DOOR NAIL I WOULD FIND AN ARTICLE ON IT HERE OR ONE THAT ALL OF US KNOW IN AMERICA, WHERE IS THE BEEF, A PROVERBIAL QUESTION.

FOR EXAMPLE THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.

SOMETHING EQUIVALENT TO LIKE FATHER LIKE SON OR LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER.

NO SCHARN CAN GO ON IN ISOLATION AND THE BEST SOURCES YOU CAN POSSIBLY HAVE ARE THOSE BOOKS AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU CAN GET FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME INTERESTS.

>> IT BOASTS OVER 5,000 TITLES DEVOTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL STUDY OF CATCHY SAYINGS IT'S NEVER BEEN WHAT YOU CALL A BOOM ING FIELD.

>> I WOULD SAY THE INNER CIRCLE OF PROVERB SCHOLARS IS PROBABLY ABOUT 50.

PRETTY MUCH IN EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT THEIR BUSINESS TO SAY PROVERBS ARE VERY INTERESTING INDEED AND I'M EXCITED AND I'M GOING TO WORK ON THEM.

THIS IS -- OF A OF A FRANCE SLIP PER HAIDER IN 19th CENTURY , GREAT SCHOLAR VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE START OF PROVERB RESEARCH.

GERTA CLO BERG IS A SCHOLAR IN GERMANY.

THIS IS MY GOOD FRIEND FROM FINLAND WHO HAS STUDIED THE PROVERBS OF FINLAND, ASTONIA, LATVIA, LITHUANIA.

COLLINS IS AN ART HISTORIAN FROM HOLLAND.

HIS INTEREST IS PARTICULARLY THE WAY PROVERBS ARE ILLUSTRATED.

>> THIS IS WONG WOLFIE MIEDER.

HE WAS A BOY WHOSE EVENTUAL PROFESSION WOULD BE ONLY AS UNIQUE AS THE PATH HE TOOK TO REACH IT.

>> GROWING UP IN GERMANY IN THE '50s WAS NOT EASY.

THE WAR HAD COME TO AN ENDS.

PEOPLE WERE FRUSTRATED.

GOING TO SCHOOL AT LEAST FOR ME PERSONALLY WAS NOT A HAPPY TIME.

I FELT RESTRICTED.

I ALWAYS FELT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR FREEDOMS.

SO AMERICA TO US YOUNGSTERS IN THE 50s IN GERMANY WAS THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.

THE COUNTRY WHERE ROADS WERE PAVED WITH GOLD.

I MEAN I REALLY THOUGHT THAT.

I HAD MET A JOURNALIST IN GERMANY, AND I PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER AND SAID WELL I COULD ACTUALLY WRITE HIM AND MAYBE PUT AN AD IN THE PAPER.

LITTLE GERMAN BOY LOOKING FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES.

12 FAMILIES SAID YES, COME AHEAD THAT WAS MY TWO YEARS AT THIS AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL WAS A BIG SCHOOL IN THE SUBURB OF DETROIT ALMOST 2500 STUDENTS.

BUT THE TEACHERS WERE SO CARING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I STARTED EXCELLING IN SCHOOL.

I LIKED THE TEENAGE LIFE.

WE USED TO GO AND CRUISE AS WE CALLED IT UP AND DOWN MAIN STREET.

I STILL REMEMBER THE 1959 CADILLACS WITH THE BIG WINGS AND ALL THE 1959 CHEVROLET, FOR EXAMPLE.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES WAS THE T- BIRD WITH A BUBBLY WINDOW IN THE BACK.

I THINK IT TOOK ME ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO ABSOLUTELY FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS COUNTRY, AND I KNOW VERY PRECISELY THAT ON MY BIRTHDAY IN FEBRUARY I GOT A TRAM FROM MY PARENTS TELLING ME THAT I COULD STAY.

ONE NIGHT MY AMERICAN FATHER CAME HOME AND AT DINNER TABLE HE SAID, WELL, I HAVE DECIDED THAT YOUR NAME IS TOO COMPLICATE, WOLFGANG.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS GOING TO SAY.

HE SAID I'LL GIVE YOU A CHOICE OF THREE NAMES.

HE SAID YOU CAN BE JOE, YOU CAN BE LEO, OR YOU CAN BE PETE.

SO I CHOSE PETE, AND I WOULD SAY I WAS PETE FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS.

I FORGOT ABOUT MY GERMAN HERITAGE.

I WANTED TO BE A TRUE AMERICAN.

I THINK I KIND OF SUCCEEDED FOR A WHILE.

ONLY WHEN I WENT TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AND REALIZED I WAS GOING BACK INTO THE GERMAN I INTRODUCED MYSELF AS WOLFGANG AGAIN.

MY LIFE AS PETE KIND OF CAME TO AN END AND I THINK THAT WAS A NICE HIATUS.

AS A TEENAGER, A COLLEGE KID I WAS PETE.

THEN BACK TO MY HERITAGE.

>> WE FOUND HERITAGE HAS MEANT AS MUCH TO WOLFGANG MIEDER AS HIS NEW FOUND HERITAGE.

>> THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE WHEN I CAME TO AMERICA WERE SO GOOD TO ME.

I WOULD LIKE TO DO SOMETHING IN RETURN.

I SIMPLY HAVE WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COMMON PEOPLE OF THIS AREA WHAT THAT PROVERBIAL WISDOM IS A AND I MUST ADMIT TO YOU THOSE SMALL BOOKS HAVE BEEN AS MUCH JOY TO ME AS ANYTHING I HAVE EVER DONE, ESPECIALLY AS AN IMMIGRANT OF THIS COUNTRY.

HERE I AM LIVING IN VERMONT AND I ALL OF A SUDDEN CAN DO A BOOK ON VERMONT PROVERBS.

>> IN VERMONT PARLANCE HE'S A FLAT LANDER, SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE THE STATE, BUT IT'S FITTING THAT THIS MASTER OF WORDS WOULD SO THOROUGHLY DEFLATE THAT BY EPITOMIZES THE SPIRIT OF HIS ADOPTED HOMELAND.

>> I THINK WITH GOOD GOOD WILL AND ABOVE ALL FAITH IN PEOPLE THERE'S AT LEAST A CHANCE TO MAKE YOUR SMALLER DREAMS COME TRUE.

THAT IS WHAT AMERICA MEANT TO ME I GOT A CHANCE.

>> GET READY FOR ANOTHER ROAD TRIP.

THIS WEEK BACK ROADS VISITS THE TOWN AT THE EDGE OF THE NORTHEAST KINGDOM.

WE'LL MEET ONE VERY RESOURCEFUL WOMAN THERE WHO HAS TRANSFORMED AN EMPTY STOREFRONT INTO A CENTER OF LOCAL COMMUNITY LIFE.

>> HARDWICK, VERMONT.

SITUATED AT THE EDGE OF VERMONT 'S FABLED NORTHEAST KINGDOM, IT'S A COZY COMMUNITY OF ABOUT 3,000.

UNTIL RECENTLY THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO PLACE IN HARDWICK FOR TOWN RESIDENTS TO GATHER INFORMALLY ON A REGULAR BASIS.

THAT'S WHY LINDA FOX CREATED THE RENAISSANCE CAFE.

>> COME ON IN.

HI, LADIES.

HI, RUTH!

>> HI, LINDA!

>> RANDY IS OUR STAFF PERSON THIS AFTERNOON.

WE HAVE COFFEE AND NONCOFFEE BEVERAGES.

WE HAVE TEA, COCOA, MILK, JUICES ESPRESSO, CAPPUCINO, LATTE, MOCHA, HOT SPICED CIDER.

IF YOU LOOK HERE WE HAVE ABOUT 28 DIFFERENT THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN SELECT FROM.

>> HOW LONG YOU BEEN COMING HERE FOR?

>> SINCE THEY OPENED.

>> ALMOST TWO YEARS.

>> YES.

THIS IS OUR TABLE.

[LAUGHTER] >> WHAT'S HAPPENING AT SCHOOL?

NO COFFEE TODAY?

YOU DON'T HAVE CLASSES ON TUESDAY?

THESE ARE STUDENTS FROM STERLING COLLEGE.

HELLO.

HI.

HOW YOU DOING?

>> WHAT'S GOING ON?

ANYONE DANCING AROUND HERE?

>> THE TV IS INTERVIEWING US.

YES!

EARL IS ONE OF OUR REGS.

WE LOVE TO SEE HIM COME IN HERE.

>> HOW YOU DOING?

>> JODI IS GOING TO READ HER POETRY THEN THE MUSIC IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT'S AN COMMUNITY CENTER.

OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE A GATHERING PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME TO AND NOT A PLACE WHERE SINCE WE'RE A NONPROFIT WE'RE A COOPERATIVE, WE -- OUR GOAL IS NOT TO MAKE MONEY, OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE THIS KIND OF A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO.

THIS IS ALSO A GALLERY.

AN ART GALLERY.

WE HAVE A CHANGING SHOW EVERY FOUR TO SIX WEEKS.

THIS SHOW IS RANDY KEANNY'S SHOW , OUR STAFF PERSON TODAY.

RANDY, CAN YOU COME TELL US ABOUT SOME OF YOUR ARTWORK?

>> YES.

THESE ARE TWO QUOTES FROM SHAKESPEARE.

THE 50th SONNET.

THIS IS THE FIRST SPEECH OF HENRY THE IV.

GREAT ANTI-WAR SPEECH.

>> THE IDEA FOR THE CAFE ACTUALLY HAPPENED HERE.

YOU CAN SEE.

COME ON IN.

IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL HAVING THIS BOOKSTORE NEXT TO THE CAFE WHERE PEOPLE CAN WANDER BACK AND FORTH, BRING THEIR COFFEE IN WHILE THEY LOOK AT BOOKS OR COME HERE AND BUY THEIR BOOKS AND TAKE THEM BACK TO THE CAFE WHILE THEY HAVE COFFEE OR TEA.

>> HOW OLD IS THIS BOOKSTORE?

>> I THINK IT'S SIX YEARS.

LINDA, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?

>> SIX YEARS.

>> I WAS RIGHT.

>> THIS IS THE OWNER OF THE BOOKSTORE.

IT WAS RIGHT HERE AT THIS DESK THAT THE CAFE GOT STARTED, RIGHT >> YES.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN TOWN WHO TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD OPEN A CAFE.

I DIDN'T WANT TO START ANOTHER BUSINESS.

I HAD ENOUGH TO DO WITH MY OWN BUSINESS.

SO I STARTED CALLING ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAD SUGGESTED THAT TO ME AND LINDA TOOK THE IDEA AND RAN WITH IT IMMEDIATELY.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE WERE STANDING HERE TALKING SHE SAID, LANCE IS LEAVING, GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.

THAT SPACE IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE.

WE KNEW THERE WAS A DOOR THAT WOULD OPEN BETWEEN THE TWO AND WE SAID, THAT'S THE PERFECT SPACE FOR A CAFE.

NOW WHO IS GOING TO DO IT?

>> LINDA DID IT.

>> IN SOME WAYS IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY CENTER AND AN ART GALLERY AND CULTURAL CENTER AND WEIGHT WATCHERS MEETS HERE.

DIFFERENT GROUPS CAN MEET HERE WHEN WE'RE NOT OPEN AS A CAFE.

ANYONE BASICALLY WHO WANTS A PLACE, A SMALL PLACE TO MEET CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS AND MEET HERE.

>> JODI IS ONE OF OUR LOCAL POETS.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WAS THAT AWARD YOU GOT?

[AUDIO NOT UNDERSTANDABLE] >> IT'S ABOUT -- [AUDIO NOT UNDERSTANDABLE] >> DO YOU HAVE A TITLE YET?

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ASPARAGUS.

[LAUGHTER] >> ASPARAGUS IN VERMONT.

>> YES.

>> GREAT.

>> WE'RE THE INARTICULATE SOURCE I MOVE PAST MILK WEED POD IN SNOW, ABANDONED HOUSE.

WHAT'S TRUE REMAINS THERE EMBEDDED UNSTILL SPRING WHERE WORDS CREEP LIKE ICE.

IF I COME BACK WITH A LITTLE SPEECH, FORGIVE MY HAPPINESS.

HOLD TO A DREAM FOLLOW A STAR HOLD TO A DREAM >> THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE HERE FROM OTHER PLACES I HAVE LIVED OR BEEN IS THE MULTI- GENERATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS THAT I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE 80, I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE 20, FRIENDS WHO ARE 12.

IT DOESN'T MATTER.

MY FRIENDSHIPS ARE ALL EQUAL.

I DON'T HAVE TO BE FRIENDS WITH ONLY PEOPLE MY AGE.

I FIND THAT VERY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER AREAS WHERE PEOPLE TENDS TO GROUP BY THEIR AGE GROUPS OR SOCIOECONOMIC GROUPS.

HOLD TO A DREAM CARRY IT UP AND DOWN FOLLOW A STAR SEARCH THE WORLD AROUND HOLD TO A DREAM CARRY IT CLOSE TO ME I'M FROZEN IN TIME >> THE REGULARS AT THE RENAISSANCE CAFE EVEN INCLUDE AUTHOR DAVID MA'AM MET.

>> DAVE DISCOVERED THIS PLACE THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE OPEN.

WHEN HE FIRST STARTED COMING IN HE WAS VERY QUIET, HE WOULD SIT IN THE CORNER AND DRINK HIS TEA AND WRITE.

HE'S GOTTEN TO KNOW US AND WE HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW HIM OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.

IT'S REALLY FUN TO SEE HIM.

HAVE.

>> LINDA WAS RAISED IN WESTERN NEW YORK STATE.

SHE MOVED TO VERMONT SEVERAL YEARS AGO AN DECIDED TO SETTLE DOWN.

SHE CLEARLY FEELS A STRONG ATTACHMENT TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> IT'S A BUSINESS PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER OVER THE LAST YEAR AND TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO PROMOTE HARDWICK, BUT DOING IT IN A REAL WAY, NOT IN A RESORT WAY OR YOU DON'T WANT TO BECOME A RESORT COMMUNITY.

WE WANT TO JUST BE REAL PEOPLE DOING REAL THINGS.

WHERE THIS NEXT BUILDING IS THERE WAS A FIRE THAT DESTROYED THREE BUILDINGS.

THE NIGHT OF THE FIRE THE TEMPERATURE, THE WIND CHILL WAS 30 BELOW ZERO, AND THE FIREMEN HAD AN INCH OF ICE ON THEIR BEARDS AND ON THEIR FACES.

OVER AT THE LAUNDROMAT THEY HAD DONUTS AND COFFEE FOR THE FIREMEN AND THEY WERE HERE ALL NIGHT LONG WORKING ON THIS FIRE.

HI, EARL.

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE HERE.

>> YES, I'M HERE.

I'M ON MY WAY TO THE POST OFFICE TO GET THE MAIL.

>> IS HE TAKING PICTURES?

>> HE SURE IS TAKING A PICTURE.

[LAUGHTER] BUT WE'RE GLAD.

WE LOVE YOU, EARL.

AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN AROUND HERE THEY HAVE MISSED THE H. ARDWICK, VERMONT.

HI, ANNIE.

>> HEY.

>> TRYING TO GET JUICE FOR THE CAFE.

THE CAFE HAS AN ACCOUNT HERE WHERE WE CHARGE OUR PURCHASES AND THEN ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH I COME AND PAY THE BILL.

THAT WORKS OUT REALLY WELL FOR US AND HOPEFULLY WE HELP SUPPORT THE CO-OP.

WE COULD EVEN BRING SOME BAKED GOODS.

THE PEOPLE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD THINK OF CHARGING FOR THAT.

>> LINDA'S VISION OF THE RENAISSANCE CAFE AS A COMMUNITY CENTER IS QUICKLY COMING TRUE.

FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF THE HARDWICK BUSINESS ASSOCIATION A USED IT AS THE SITE FOR THEIR WEEKLY MEETINGS.

HOLD TO A DREAM >> IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE CAFE TO ESTABLISH ITSELF BUT WILL NO DOUBT BE APPRECIATED BY THE TOWN OF HARDWICK FOR YEARS TO COME.

>> IT'S A NICE ADDITION TO MAIN STREET.

PEOPLE ENJOY COMING HERE TO CONVERSE OR HAVE AN OCCASIONAL MEETING.

SOMETIMES THEY HAVE ENTERTAINMENT HERE.

I THINK IT'S A REAL POSITIVE ADDITION.

>> MY IMMEDIATE THOUGHT IS WHAT CAN I FIND IN COMMON WITH THAT PERSON WALKING IN THE DOOR AND HOW CAN I WELCOME THEM AND MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE?

[APPLAUSE] >> USED TO BE THAT RURAL VERMONTERS COULD FIND EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED IN THEIR LOCAL COUNTRY STORE.

TODAY SHOPPING STILL TAKES PLACE UNDER ONE ROOF IN A MALL.

COUNTRY STORES ARE BECOMING JUST A FADING MEMORY.

HERE ARE SOME PERSONAL REFLEXES ON THE GRANDAD OF SHOPPING EXPERIENCES.

MOST SHOPPING TODAY TAKES PLACE IN LARGE CHAIN STORES BUT VERMONT STILL HAS A HOST OF LOCAL FAMILY STORES WHOSE PLACE IS VITAL IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

ONE OF THESE IS THE HASTINGS STORE IN WEST DANVILLE RUN BY JANE CLARA BUY'S FAMILY FOR.

IT ALWAYS TAKES CARE OF ITS CUSTOMERS FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE OFFER IS MY SON SAYS WE TAKE CARE OF YOU FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE.

WE SELL BABY FOOD AND DIAPERS AND HEADSTONES.

IN THE MIDDLE I'M A JUSTICE AND I MARRY PEOPLE AS WELL.

I HAVE DONE A NUMBER OF WEDDINGS THAT'S THE COUNTER.

ONE FELLOW CAME IN DRESSED IN A HUNTING OUTFIT.

CAMOUFLAGE.

HE SAID ARE YOU BUSY?

I THOUGHT HE WANTED A SODA.

I SAID WHAT CAN I DO?

HE SAID I WOULD LIKE TO GET MARRIED.

I SAID, WHEN?

HE SAID RIGHT NOW.

THERE WAS HIS BRIDE, ALSO IN CAMOUFLAGE.

THEY SAID WE DON'T WANT ANY FANCY SERVICE.

JUST PRONOUNCE US HUSBAND AND WIFE AND DO THE PAPERWORK, SO I DID.

>> FUN SERVING PEOPLE.

>> SOME DAYS IT'S MORE FUN THAN OTHERS.

[LAUGHTER] >> EVERY COUNTRY STORE IS UNIQUE .. A MIRROR OF THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES.

IN WOODSTOCK AT F.H.

GILLING HAM 'S YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF STARING AT THE CAT.

>> YOU'LL PAROLE SEE BRING HAS OR FRANK BILLINGS, GREAT GRANDSOS OF THE FOUNDER WHO CARRY ON IN A STORE THAT'S BEEN IN OPERATION FOR 108 YEARS.

>> A POTPOURI LAST WEEK.

HE WALKED IN THE FRONT DOOR AND I COULD IMMEDIATELY TELL WE GOT POTPOURI.

IT'S IN THE BACK OF THE STORE BUT YOU CAN STILL SMELL IT.

>> YOU DO WALK IN THE DOOR AFTER THE STORE HAS BEEN SHUT ALL NIGHT AND YOU CAN SMELL IT.

WE HAD BASKETS FROM VIETNAM AND THEY HAD BEEN SMOKED.

I COULD SMELL THAT.

I WOULD AGREE THE SMELL THAT REALLY STANDS OUT IS THE SMELL OF COFFEE GRINDING.

THAT'S GOT TO BE THE BACKGROUND FOR ALL GENERAL STORES.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE REAL TRAITS OF THE GILLING HAM FAMILY IS WE SAVE EVERYTHING.

IF YOU TAKE A TRIP TO THE ATTIC YOU CAN SEE IT'S VERY TRUE.

>> WHEN I WAS RENOVATING ON THE THIRD FLOOR IN MY EARLY YEARS HERE I FOUND THESE PIECES AND PULLED THEM OUT.

AUNT CLARA WAS ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT IT WAS AND HOW IT WENT.

THE STORE IN THE DAYS OF MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS ONE OF THE DOWNTOWN LEADING GROCERY STORES.

EVERYONE SHOPPED HERE DAILY.

THEN AS THE TOURIST BUSINESS BECAME MORE BUSINESS MY GRANDFATHER WARREN AND HESS BROTHER ROLF WERE QUICK TO FOLLOW WHAT THE TOURIST INDUSTRY WANTED.

THEY HAD THINGS SUCH AS RATTLESNAKE MEAT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE FAMOUS STORIES MY GRANDMOTHERS MOTHER TOLD.

>> THESE SEEM LIKE AN OIS AUS IN OUR FAST-PACED LIFE.

IT MAY BE ONE OF THE ANCHORS THAT HOLDS OUR WAY OF LIFE HERE TO AQUI ETER, MORE PERSONAL TIME >> THAT'S THIS EDITION OF POINTS NORTH.

>> WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW AND THAT YOU'LL TUNE US IN NEXT TIME WHEN WE'LL MEET VERMONT INVENTORS AND THEIR WFL MACHINES , AND DO SIGHTSEEING.

>> UNTIL THEN, FOR ALL OF US AT