The Halcyon Seekers chapter of the New Hampshire Circle of Home and Family swept into March with a program about brooms.

Brooms are a very old cleaning tool, used for centuries to sweep caves, cabins, castles, and homes. Early models were a bunch of twigs, straw, hay, or corn husks tied to a stick. These didn’t last long, as the broom parts either broke or fell off the stick.

In 1810, a broom making machine was invented that used a sorghum grain tassel and produced a round broom attached with a peg system. The Shakers in the mid-1800s improved the design and made a machine that produced a flat broom attached with wire to the handle. The broom part was then sewn in place.

When plastic was invented, brooms were also made with plastic bristles. Brooms came in all shapes and sizes for different purposes. As with anything else, new devices for cleaning have replaced the broom. Few broom makers are left.

Some interesting folklore concerning brooms:

• During World War II, American submarines would hoist a broomstick when pulling into port to indicate that they had swept the seas of enemy vessels.
• Storing a broom with bristles up will ward off evil spirits and negative energy and protect the home.
• A broom placed in a doorway is a symbol of matrimony.
• To have luck in a marriage, a couple should jump over a broom on entering their home also indicating you were jumping into a new life.

Witches have long been associated with brooms and were supposed to be able to fly on them after they had been treated with a magic ointment. People actually claimed to see witches in flight. Some attribute these sightings to folks under the influence of hallucinogens.

On Saturday, April 25, our group will be attending the Spring Fling to be held at AE/MS. Our featured speaker will be Peter James from The Concord Coach Society. There is a $5 registration fee, and the deadline for attending is April 15. For more information, call 735-5493.