By Dana Jones, School Director 1948-9
After World War Two ended in 1945, the Pope family of
Cypress Gardens, Florida were the first Americans to
promote water skiing with their shows and national competitions.
Bruce Parker of Amityville, New York was the first to
promote the sport in the lakes of the north with a series
of schools.
In the summer of 1947 Bruce opened his school at the
Northeast Marina which was within walking distance of
downtown Wolfeboro. Jim Wales and his Wife "Ginny" owned
and operated the marina. He offered engine repair, gasoline,
airplane and speed boat rides.
The School instructors were from Florida - Bill and
Jim is the best I can remember. Jim was third in the
nation in trick riding. They promised to teach anyone
to water ski for $3.50.
They used the "Bruce Parker" teaching method
which involved "practice starting" while on
land. The pupil would put on the skis, and sit down on
the back of the skis. The instructor would stand on the
front of the skis, grasp the students hands and have
the student rise to a sitting position while keeping
the arms straight. This exercise simulated the "deep
water" start needed in case of a
fall in the lake. Then one could get up again and resume
skiing.
People were curious, business was moderate and the price
of $3.50 at that time was, to some, excessive.
I, Dana Jones had attended Brewster Free Academy the
previous winter with a group of veterans discharged too
late to be admitted to college. I had spent the summers
of 1932 through 1938 at Camp Wyanoke on Wolfeboro Neck,
and short-order cooked in the Wolfeboro Diner that winter.
I had an attachment to the town and its people. I found
a job for $25.00 a week with Jim Wales at the Marina.
A go-fer, I pumped gas, gave speed boat rides and watched
the school teachings. In late July they offered me a
chance to ski without instruction -1 jumped at the chance.
They didn't realize the strong resemblance snow skiing
has to water skiing. With a snow ski background, I water
skied right away.
During that summer, speed boat races were held each
Sunday on a rotating basis with the Weirs, Alton Bay
and Wolfeboro. The head of Wolfeboro Chamber of Commerce
asked Bill and Jim to put on a show prior to the races.
They agreed for $50.00.
The show had several passes - Bill skied double with
Ginny Wales on his shoulders and also laid her back over
his arms holding the tow line. He skied backwards too.
Jim did his tricks - one ski with his heel, and then,
toe, on a hose attached to the tow line bar. They did
the skiers salute - on one ski and then the other raised
vertically, take off one ski and hold it over your head
with your free foot in the tow bar, then put the ski
back on.
I did a "clown act". I had a raccoon coat,
skis, poles, hat and red flannel underwear underneath.
I moved among the anchored boats asking about ski lessons
without any snow. I got up on the dock with the M.C.
and, after an exchange, jumped in the water without the
coat. I had a lesson - very unstable on the skis and,
the second time around, while waving to the crowd, I "accidentally" went
off the jump helter-skelter. I came back to the Wales
dock and everyone was laughing - the back flap of the
flannels had come undone and I didn't have on a bathing
suit!
Later, Jim and I did an over/under — he went off
the jump and I crossed under him while he was in the
air.
Since profits were low, the boys decided not to return
the next year. Bruce Parker contacted me about running
the school in 1948. I had spent the winter at Bates College
in Maine. I talked with my friend. Jack Griem, a fellow
snow ski team member, and we agreed to run the school.
We met Bruce Parker in Wolfeboro in mid June of 1948.
He had arranged for us to headquarter, teach and perform
three dinner shows a week off the patio ofBrightwater's
Inn. Also included was lunch. We went to a lumber yard
and, in about 2 hours, we built a ski jump that we anchored
off the patio. Business started slowly but picked up
We heard from the C ofC's in Alton Bay and Weirs for
Sunday shows before the races. We agreed, including turning
the jump upside down so we could tow it easily to those
places.
We obtained three local girls for the show. They bought
their own identical swim suits in return for free skiing.
We opened each show with us and them in a few skiers
salute passes. Jack Griem did the jumping and I did the
trick rides.
I always raced the boat with the name of the school
on the side as extra advertising that seemed to work.
We taught twice a week at the Wunashunta Lodge located
on Rt. 28 in South Wolfeboro. We tried to teach at the
Bald Eagle Club in Melvin Village, but they wouldn't
let us in.
Over the summers, the pupils ranged in age from a 7
year old boy to a 70 year old man. We taught everyone
to ski except for one lady who consistently let go of
the tow line.
The boat was a 16 foot Chris Craft - wooden planked
with a Grey 100 horsepower engine. It's propeller had
a pitch and diameter suitable to pull 5 skiers up from
the water. We believe you needed 25 mph to ski 2 people
- 30 for 5. Most boats at that time didn't go more than
40mph.
One morning we found the boat on the bottom next to
the dock. It was not submerged. I called Nat Goodhue
at his marina across the way. Using a high speed pump
he gave us, we raised the boat enough to start it and
speed across to a waiting rail cradle. The chop of the
lake had pounded out many screws from the bottom. Nat
turned his crew onto the problem and we were back in
the water 2 hours later. He charged me $5.00 - the cost
of the cradle use, and said "us working folk had
to stick together".
That first summer was profitable enough for Bruce to
want us back the next year. However, the local boat owners
had figured out how to teach their guests and families.
Bruce's involvement on the Lakes ended the fall of 1949.
The summer of 1950 I worked for Ken Forkey at Saunders
Bay Boat Yard in Guilford. Where I helped with the Correct
Craft boats he sold raced for him on Sundays and taught
water skiing to the occasional students. One of these
students, Dick Binette, was the founder of the Weirs
Water Ski Club that grew a national and international
reputation. This was my last summer on the Lake, although
I have returned each year for one reason or another including
visits to two sons, Peter in Barrington, NH and Donald
in Laconia.
I met Dick again in 2005 at his Happy Landings store
next to Weirs Beach.
