Sunday, August 3, 2014
Dating
I remember one event in High School that might be called a “date”. A classmate Gerry (sp?) Gerrity arranged a small party and brought girls, one for each. We may have kissed or not. Don't remember her name.
The members of my high school graduating class at our last two reunions remember there being a dance (“prom”). I don't. One, Fr Ray, remembers my mother pinning a corsage on him.
<>
I am pretty sure I did not date in college in freshman year. I joined the SAL fraternity in my sophomore year. I think there was an annual dance and that I had a date – probably the sister of a frat brother named Broviac.
Somewhere in the next two years I dated Gale Ossenbeck at least once.
In my senior year, while waiting for my senior picture, I struck up a conversation with the lady sitting next to me, named Mary Helen Rechtin. I remember her as intelligent and pretty. During the conversation I asked her for a date. One of us went in and had our picture taken. As that person returned, MH asked me if I was serious about the date. I don't know if that indicated my credibility or my naivete.
We went on a series of dates - mostly movies in downtown Cincinnati followed by dinner at Col. Pompillo's restaurant in Newport. I favored the antipasto. One movie, from Italy, was named Bell'Antonio. I think that when I went to Grad school in Cleveland, I just ignored her. I remember her as my first “serious” relationship. I regret I treated her badly.
<>
In Cleveland, there was a Newman Club in the middle of campus. Early in the school year, I met a freshman named Geraldine (Gerry) Hall. Her father was a surgeon. We dated all year. She broke with me at the end of the school year in the park with the reflecting pool in front of the Cleveland Art Museum. I cried.
I remember her as short and thin with short dark hair.
I remember the day JFK was shot, I spent the evening with her.
I remember going home (Christmas?) - flying down and taking the train back. She met me at the train station. She remarked she had been in the local train control tower watching the progress of the train.
I remember standing with her on the curb on Euclid at the light at Severance Hall. As we were about to step off the curb (we had the green) a car almost hit us. It went on and flipped over at the next intersection.
<>
That summer there were summer students staying at the graduate house. One was a Mrs Wiand. She was a teacher. She was an Italian Catholic. Her husband was German but not Catholic. They lived in Ashland OH. She introduced me to her daughter Lynne, who was an incoming freshman.
I remember Lynne as short and buxom with long blond hair. I remember that, the first time I went to a dorm to see her, I went to one girl's dorm and asked for the other.
I remember visiting the Wiands in Ashland at least once.
We dated most of the year exclusively. Around the end of the school year, the exclusivity ended. She started dating Joe Gigante, my roommate. By the time the following summer rolled around, we were not dating.
<>
At some point Bill Owens introduced me to the twin sister of a girl he was dating. Mostly we met on weekends at her parents' beach house on Lake Erie east of Cleveland.
<>
Dating in Oak Ridge was haphazard.
Most memorably I dated a beautiful blond tall nurse in Knoxville I met through the UTK Newman Club. We went to one formal event. There is a picture of us somewhere.
I dated someone named Rita with an Italian name in Oak Ridge. I asked her to marry me. She gently said no.
I met Sharyn through the summer volleyball games held on the tennis courts in Oak Ridge. When I had my auto accident in 1968, she brought me cookies in the hospital. We became engaged Thanksgiving 1968, told our parents Christmas 1968 and were married 1969Mar8.
Our honeymoon was at her uncle Everett''s house in Atlanta.
<>
When Sharyn left in 1994Aug, I found a Catholic divorced and separated group in Greentree PA run at a parish by a nun. Later I found a very small Catholic divorced and separated group at St Cyril in Brighton Heights. There I met MaryAnn Ranker. She asked me to go to a concert with her. We quickly became close.
I went to Altanta Labor Day 1995 after being laid off. She lived in my house w/Teresa for the next year. Summer 1996, Teresa went to Slippery Rock. That may have been the point at which MA joined me in Smyrna. She worked for the Salvation Army regional hq. She returned to PA after a year because of her son. After a year with her son, she came back to Smyrna, again working for SA. She stayed no more than a year.
At this point, my memories break up.
<>
I met Kat online at St Rafael's in late 2001 early 2002. Our first date was Memorial Day 2002. She was living at Clayton State University in a four person apartment.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Daley & Summe
This is a set of stories
about college. I don't remember where I became acquainted with D&S
but it was not in class. They did not major in science and they were
not in English and History, which were a kind of honors class, entry
into which was determined by grades or possibly a entrance test.
They might have been members of Sigma Alpha Lambda fraternity, which I joined in my sophomore year.
<>
One weekend (possibly extended) in summer, we left in Daley's Corvair for Chicago. I was in the back seat.
On the way, in Indiana, on a straight flat two lane road, in moderately heavy traffic, in person in the opposite direction decided to pass. He failed to complete in time. The two groups of cars went onto the right side of the road and the idiot made a third lane in the middle.
When we got to the city Daley had picked out and expensive high rise hotel, probably so he could steal monogrammed towels and glasses. I have a glass from Oxford House which might be from that trip.
Don't remember Saturday. We must have toured the city, the waterfront and a museum.
On Sunday, they got up for Mass. I did not. Their story is that they went into a church that looked Catholic and had a Catholic name. But sitting in the pew, they became nervous. One of them (probably Summe because Daley would tell him to do it), ask the usher "Is this a Catholic church?" The usher replied in the affirmative.
When the Mass began, it was in English. Again the usher was queried. "This is an English Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic church is down the street."
<>
One night I was out with D&S. No idea why. This was unusual.
We were in west Covington. I have a memory fragment that we were at a house where there was a party. A smaller fragment says Daley was looking to talk to a girl, possibly one of the Ossenbecks (Joan or Gale).
He was drunk. He had Summe doing the driving though I had drunk nothing and Summee had drunk something.
When we left we took the road back to city center closest to the river. It comes off a hill and makes a sharp left turn down hill, heading straight for the river. At the river, it makes a sharp right turn.
Summe failed to make the first turn , and the car landed in the bushes on the right. The police came.
I was thankful we were not in the river.
<>
In the early sixties, very little of the interstate highways had been built.
The second road trip was more ambitious than the first. We left of a morning and headed south towards Louisville. Our goal was New Orleans. The plan was to stay the night in Memphis as one of the new Holiday Inns. It was said there were five.
When we got to Memphis, we found out the Church of God had the place filled. So we headed south into Mississippi. On the road the Corvair threw its serpentine belt. The good news was this happened so often that there was a spare in the car. The bad news is that we did not have tools. Worse news is that we were in rural MS before there were businesses that stayed open all night.
While we were waiting for dawn, a guy comes along in an official looking car. He is the local game warden. He was out attending to a birth – I don't remember if it was human or not. He helped us change the belt. Though given the abilities of our group, he may have changed it himself.
We got to Clarksdale very late. There was one hotel – nasty. Smell of cigarettes and booze. Creatures scrrying all night. Just nasty.
The next day we got to NOLA. We parked on the street near some official building - possibly a state building. In the evening we went around the French Quarter. I had one drink, got tired and walked back to the car.
D&S stayed out most of the night. When they got back, the story was that an inebriated bar girl had been propositioning Summe when she suddenly grabbed him between the legs. It unnerved him and they left the place. Today it may be considered the high point of the trip.
I think we slept in the car. We then went east along US 90 into Florida. We stopped and dipped in the Gulf at some point.
The goal now was one of the hotels along FL's east coast. A group of our fellow students had been in Hondurus and were staying on the beach before returning to Nky. We connected with them and drank some of the booze they had brought into the country. It was called "liquid sand".
Low on money, we left for the north. We stopped at a grocery store and I had obtained vanilla wafers and apple juice.
As we drove along the two lane roads, we saw few gas stations. None had a bathroom. Somewhere in N FL we found one that had an outhouse. I evacuated very quickly.
In Knoxville TN, they found a Catholic church. It must have been Sunday. They went in. I can't remember if I did.
The trip back to N KY was long but uneventful.
Another version is here
They might have been members of Sigma Alpha Lambda fraternity, which I joined in my sophomore year.
<>
One weekend (possibly extended) in summer, we left in Daley's Corvair for Chicago. I was in the back seat.
On the way, in Indiana, on a straight flat two lane road, in moderately heavy traffic, in person in the opposite direction decided to pass. He failed to complete in time. The two groups of cars went onto the right side of the road and the idiot made a third lane in the middle.
When we got to the city Daley had picked out and expensive high rise hotel, probably so he could steal monogrammed towels and glasses. I have a glass from Oxford House which might be from that trip.
Don't remember Saturday. We must have toured the city, the waterfront and a museum.
On Sunday, they got up for Mass. I did not. Their story is that they went into a church that looked Catholic and had a Catholic name. But sitting in the pew, they became nervous. One of them (probably Summe because Daley would tell him to do it), ask the usher "Is this a Catholic church?" The usher replied in the affirmative.
When the Mass began, it was in English. Again the usher was queried. "This is an English Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic church is down the street."
<>
One night I was out with D&S. No idea why. This was unusual.
We were in west Covington. I have a memory fragment that we were at a house where there was a party. A smaller fragment says Daley was looking to talk to a girl, possibly one of the Ossenbecks (Joan or Gale).
He was drunk. He had Summe doing the driving though I had drunk nothing and Summee had drunk something.
When we left we took the road back to city center closest to the river. It comes off a hill and makes a sharp left turn down hill, heading straight for the river. At the river, it makes a sharp right turn.
Summe failed to make the first turn , and the car landed in the bushes on the right. The police came.
I was thankful we were not in the river.
<>
In the early sixties, very little of the interstate highways had been built.
The second road trip was more ambitious than the first. We left of a morning and headed south towards Louisville. Our goal was New Orleans. The plan was to stay the night in Memphis as one of the new Holiday Inns. It was said there were five.
When we got to Memphis, we found out the Church of God had the place filled. So we headed south into Mississippi. On the road the Corvair threw its serpentine belt. The good news was this happened so often that there was a spare in the car. The bad news is that we did not have tools. Worse news is that we were in rural MS before there were businesses that stayed open all night.
While we were waiting for dawn, a guy comes along in an official looking car. He is the local game warden. He was out attending to a birth – I don't remember if it was human or not. He helped us change the belt. Though given the abilities of our group, he may have changed it himself.
We got to Clarksdale very late. There was one hotel – nasty. Smell of cigarettes and booze. Creatures scrrying all night. Just nasty.
The next day we got to NOLA. We parked on the street near some official building - possibly a state building. In the evening we went around the French Quarter. I had one drink, got tired and walked back to the car.
D&S stayed out most of the night. When they got back, the story was that an inebriated bar girl had been propositioning Summe when she suddenly grabbed him between the legs. It unnerved him and they left the place. Today it may be considered the high point of the trip.
I think we slept in the car. We then went east along US 90 into Florida. We stopped and dipped in the Gulf at some point.
The goal now was one of the hotels along FL's east coast. A group of our fellow students had been in Hondurus and were staying on the beach before returning to Nky. We connected with them and drank some of the booze they had brought into the country. It was called "liquid sand".
Low on money, we left for the north. We stopped at a grocery store and I had obtained vanilla wafers and apple juice.
As we drove along the two lane roads, we saw few gas stations. None had a bathroom. Somewhere in N FL we found one that had an outhouse. I evacuated very quickly.
In Knoxville TN, they found a Catholic church. It must have been Sunday. They went in. I can't remember if I did.
The trip back to N KY was long but uneventful.
Another version is here
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
College Station TX
We arrived late in 1969. I did a postdoc in the Chemistry Department at the Texas A & M Varriable Energy Cyclotron under T T Sugihara doing research for Rand Watson. I was paid through the end of 1970.
While in College Station:
Christmas 1969
<<>>
.
While in College Station:
- We lived a few blocks off the street containing Tamvec in a one story, two unit apartment building. We lived in the unit nearest the street.
- Sharyn worked as a dispatcher for the University police.
- We attended the parish, St Mary's, which functioned as the Newman Club.
- I wrote another general purpose display and analysis program for a IBM 7094 situated in the basement of Tamvec.
Christmas 1969
<<>>
.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Christmas 1969
part one of trip
At some point we entered I-55 north. Somewhere in Mississippi, Sharyn was driving and I was sleeping. We had agreed that when she passed a car, she would slow down to the speed limit.
At some point I jerked awake. She had slowed down and then began speeding up again. However I saw a cop in the windshield with a red flashlight. She pulled over. She used her East TN accent to get the officer to write a 10 over ticket even though she had been going 85 in a 70 zone.
We sped through the night and got to Cincinnati in the morning. We spent a few hours sleeping (probably at mom & dad's). We arose and went to the wedding of Cathy Winstel Cook.
They left on the honeymoon in the Poconos, where the snow was so heavy they were trapped in the hotel.
On Monday, we took the car into be repaired. The points had been destroyed by the hard driving.
We stayed in Cincinnati through Christmas.
When we left, we took I-71 to Columbus then I-70 east. We were about to enter the PA turnpike at New Stanton when we pulled off to get hot drinks. There we found out the turnpike was about to close because of the snow storm. We immediately left.
Somewhere between New Stanton and Breezewood, we were going down a slight grade with a slight curve. I thought I saw something in the road, so I braked hard. We did not have ABS so we started a skid and the car shifted to about 20-30 degrees to the right. At the end of the skid, we hit a snow bank. There was a skrunch.
Earlier a Cadillac had been abandoned on the turnpike. It became covered in snow. Three sailors in a Chevy rear-ended it. They were the "something in the road". When I skidded, they jumped into the snow bank.
They explained they were going to be AWOL at Norfolk. We put one of them and his gear into the car, somehow. We drove him to the Greyhound station in Richmond. We then drove down Mechanicsville Pike.
We turned right over a creek that had a Civil War history marker. We took the road to Cold Harbor. On the road was the house of Sharyn's mother's mother and father - the Southworth's. We stayed with them a few days.
We left for Oak Ridge where we stayed with Bob and Ruby Burrell. A few more days and we went back to College Station.
At some point we entered I-55 north. Somewhere in Mississippi, Sharyn was driving and I was sleeping. We had agreed that when she passed a car, she would slow down to the speed limit.
At some point I jerked awake. She had slowed down and then began speeding up again. However I saw a cop in the windshield with a red flashlight. She pulled over. She used her East TN accent to get the officer to write a 10 over ticket even though she had been going 85 in a 70 zone.
We sped through the night and got to Cincinnati in the morning. We spent a few hours sleeping (probably at mom & dad's). We arose and went to the wedding of Cathy Winstel Cook.
They left on the honeymoon in the Poconos, where the snow was so heavy they were trapped in the hotel.
On Monday, we took the car into be repaired. The points had been destroyed by the hard driving.
We stayed in Cincinnati through Christmas.
When we left, we took I-71 to Columbus then I-70 east. We were about to enter the PA turnpike at New Stanton when we pulled off to get hot drinks. There we found out the turnpike was about to close because of the snow storm. We immediately left.
Somewhere between New Stanton and Breezewood, we were going down a slight grade with a slight curve. I thought I saw something in the road, so I braked hard. We did not have ABS so we started a skid and the car shifted to about 20-30 degrees to the right. At the end of the skid, we hit a snow bank. There was a skrunch.
Earlier a Cadillac had been abandoned on the turnpike. It became covered in snow. Three sailors in a Chevy rear-ended it. They were the "something in the road". When I skidded, they jumped into the snow bank.
They explained they were going to be AWOL at Norfolk. We put one of them and his gear into the car, somehow. We drove him to the Greyhound station in Richmond. We then drove down Mechanicsville Pike.
We turned right over a creek that had a Civil War history marker. We took the road to Cold Harbor. On the road was the house of Sharyn's mother's mother and father - the Southworth's. We stayed with them a few days.
We left for Oak Ridge where we stayed with Bob and Ruby Burrell. A few more days and we went back to College Station.
William R Owens
In 1963Sep, my parents drove me to Western Reserve University in Cleveland OH. One of the incoming graduate students was Bill Owens.
All the incoming first year students took the same classes. So we hung out togehter. We all stayed at the Graduate House on Carnegie afair.
Bill had gone to Wesleyan University in Connecticut. His adviser was John K Major, the chairman of the physics department. His area of study was Mossbauer Effect.
Before Bill did his PhD thesis, John K Major left WRU and went to work for NSF.
Bill did his post-doc at Tulane. When he went looking for a permanent job, he could not find one in the USA. We went to work at the Catholic Pontifical University in Rio de Janeiro.
After returning to the USA, he worked for DoD in Florida, He later moved to Stone Mountain GA. He worked at GTRI in the area of infrared.
In 1995Sep, after I was laid off in Pittsburgh in 1995Aug, I came to work in Atlanta. I lived with him and his wife until 1995Nov.
<<>>
On the Friday before Christmas 1969, Sharyn and I left College Station TX in the morning. That evening we arrived in NOLA. We stayed that night in a b&b created in a beautiful old house on St Charles. We also went to a very upscale restaurant where we had the rehearsal dinner for Bill's wedding. Afterward Sharyn, Bill and his fiance went down to the French Quarter for the evening.
I slept in the next day. Late afternoon we went to a Unitarian church. The marriage was done in the upper level. I was best man. Sharyn was matron of honor.
After the short ceremony, we went downstairs and had a short reception. We then hit the road for Cincinnati.
continue with Christmas 1969
All the incoming first year students took the same classes. So we hung out togehter. We all stayed at the Graduate House on Carnegie afair.
Bill had gone to Wesleyan University in Connecticut. His adviser was John K Major, the chairman of the physics department. His area of study was Mossbauer Effect.
Before Bill did his PhD thesis, John K Major left WRU and went to work for NSF.
Bill did his post-doc at Tulane. When he went looking for a permanent job, he could not find one in the USA. We went to work at the Catholic Pontifical University in Rio de Janeiro.
After returning to the USA, he worked for DoD in Florida, He later moved to Stone Mountain GA. He worked at GTRI in the area of infrared.
In 1995Sep, after I was laid off in Pittsburgh in 1995Aug, I came to work in Atlanta. I lived with him and his wife until 1995Nov.
<<>>
On the Friday before Christmas 1969, Sharyn and I left College Station TX in the morning. That evening we arrived in NOLA. We stayed that night in a b&b created in a beautiful old house on St Charles. We also went to a very upscale restaurant where we had the rehearsal dinner for Bill's wedding. Afterward Sharyn, Bill and his fiance went down to the French Quarter for the evening.
I slept in the next day. Late afternoon we went to a Unitarian church. The marriage was done in the upper level. I was best man. Sharyn was matron of honor.
After the short ceremony, we went downstairs and had a short reception. We then hit the road for Cincinnati.
continue with Christmas 1969
Sunday, July 21, 2013
rak college road trips
I had two college "roads trips" with fraternity brothers Summe and Daly (or maybe Daley; first names lost in the fog).
Daley had a Corvair. I always got the back seat.
The first adventure I remember was local. Daley had been drinking. Summe was allegedly sober. I had not drunk any alcohol. (There may be a cameo appearance here of one of the Ossenbeck sisters here but I am not sure.)
Daley gave Summe the keys. We were in that main road from west Covington into Covington (KY8). We are coming down the hill. On a half curve to the left, Summe lost control, spun the car, and we landed in bushes. It was a good thing. The next curve was the sharp right at the river. If he had lost it there, we might have drowned or at least been injured.
<>
The second adventure was a weekend in Chicago. The freeways had not then yet been built. So it was a long hard schlogg.
On one road which was straight and two lane, someone in the other direction passed and could not make it. We had just enough shoulder that there was a one point three cars abreast.
We got there Friday night. I remember no incidents then or Saturday. Sunday morning I slept in while they looked for a church. They went out and found one. Their story is this:
The third adventure was setup as a visit to their friends returning from a mission trip in Honduras. Remember this was before freeways.
We left Cincinnati and went to Louisville and then worked our way to Memphis. They had been told there were these new things in Memphis called "Holiday Inn"s. Unfortunately, the Church of God got there first and filled them all. So through the night we went south on the Mississippi River road.
On a two lane road, straight but with no shoulders, the car came to a stop. The Covair had a ser4pentine belt that had a tendency to fail. We had a spare but no tools. Luckily a man came by with tools. He was the local game warden and had just come from delivering a baby. I never did learn of what species, but I had a strong suspicion it was human.
We got going again and came to the town of Clarksville (or was it Clarksdale?). It had a "hotel". We checked in. omg. Nasty smelling room of cigarette smoke and beer and maybe vomit. Which didn't seem to bother the four legged night visitors. It did keep at least one of my crew awake all night.
I was always amused when later in the decade there were civil rights protests about blacks not being able to stay in that hotel. Either they were misguided or maybe we got a room normally offered to blacks.
The next stop was New Orleans at a time I don't remember. We went to Bourbon Street and got drinks. I don't know if mine was alcoholic or not. I think there was a stripper. Not too long after I got tired. I got the car keys and went back to the car and went to sleep. I think we were parked on the street around a public building which had a huge lawn on all sides.
The dynamic duo stayed. One or more bar girls appeared. One of them gave Summe a real good feel. He was both embarrassed and a bit proud.
The next day, we headed down US90 along the Gulf coast to Florida, all the way to Miami Beach. The friends were in a nice high rise hotel. We hung out for a day and headed north.
I think by this time we were low on money. We stopped at a grocery store and got a bit of food. Given my natural practical bent, I got a box of vanilla wafers and a large bottle (64oz?) of apple juice and got back on the road.
Before there were freeways, there were a lot less gas stations everywhere. And there were a lot less people in northern FL. As we were not on the coast road, we did not go near any of the coastal cities (e.g. JAX). So there were cities, no rest stops, no gas stations, therefore no bathrooms. I was getting desperate. And this was not going to be a #1 stop. Eventually we did find a small station in one of the small towns. I was directed to the outhouse behind the building. I barely got my pants down when I was relieved is a single spasm.
That Saturday night we did not stop. We drove through to Knoxville. They somehow found the Catholic Church in Knoxville. I slept.
How we survived these trips with just a single driver must have been a blessing from God.
Alternate version: Daley & Summe
Daley had a Corvair. I always got the back seat.
The first adventure I remember was local. Daley had been drinking. Summe was allegedly sober. I had not drunk any alcohol. (There may be a cameo appearance here of one of the Ossenbeck sisters here but I am not sure.)
Daley gave Summe the keys. We were in that main road from west Covington into Covington (KY8). We are coming down the hill. On a half curve to the left, Summe lost control, spun the car, and we landed in bushes. It was a good thing. The next curve was the sharp right at the river. If he had lost it there, we might have drowned or at least been injured.
<>
The second adventure was a weekend in Chicago. The freeways had not then yet been built. So it was a long hard schlogg.
On one road which was straight and two lane, someone in the other direction passed and could not make it. We had just enough shoulder that there was a one point three cars abreast.
We got there Friday night. I remember no incidents then or Saturday. Sunday morning I slept in while they looked for a church. They went out and found one. Their story is this:
We went into a church and asked the usher if this was a Catholic Church. He assured us it was. The Mass began but something was not right. [E.g. the service was in English and VII had not yet happened.] So we go back and asked the usher again: Is this a Catholic Church? Looking stern and discomfited, he said: This is an English Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church is down the street. He pointed for them.<>
The third adventure was setup as a visit to their friends returning from a mission trip in Honduras. Remember this was before freeways.
We left Cincinnati and went to Louisville and then worked our way to Memphis. They had been told there were these new things in Memphis called "Holiday Inn"s. Unfortunately, the Church of God got there first and filled them all. So through the night we went south on the Mississippi River road.
On a two lane road, straight but with no shoulders, the car came to a stop. The Covair had a ser4pentine belt that had a tendency to fail. We had a spare but no tools. Luckily a man came by with tools. He was the local game warden and had just come from delivering a baby. I never did learn of what species, but I had a strong suspicion it was human.
We got going again and came to the town of Clarksville (or was it Clarksdale?). It had a "hotel". We checked in. omg. Nasty smelling room of cigarette smoke and beer and maybe vomit. Which didn't seem to bother the four legged night visitors. It did keep at least one of my crew awake all night.
I was always amused when later in the decade there were civil rights protests about blacks not being able to stay in that hotel. Either they were misguided or maybe we got a room normally offered to blacks.
The next stop was New Orleans at a time I don't remember. We went to Bourbon Street and got drinks. I don't know if mine was alcoholic or not. I think there was a stripper. Not too long after I got tired. I got the car keys and went back to the car and went to sleep. I think we were parked on the street around a public building which had a huge lawn on all sides.
The dynamic duo stayed. One or more bar girls appeared. One of them gave Summe a real good feel. He was both embarrassed and a bit proud.
The next day, we headed down US90 along the Gulf coast to Florida, all the way to Miami Beach. The friends were in a nice high rise hotel. We hung out for a day and headed north.
I think by this time we were low on money. We stopped at a grocery store and got a bit of food. Given my natural practical bent, I got a box of vanilla wafers and a large bottle (64oz?) of apple juice and got back on the road.
Before there were freeways, there were a lot less gas stations everywhere. And there were a lot less people in northern FL. As we were not on the coast road, we did not go near any of the coastal cities (e.g. JAX). So there were cities, no rest stops, no gas stations, therefore no bathrooms. I was getting desperate. And this was not going to be a #1 stop. Eventually we did find a small station in one of the small towns. I was directed to the outhouse behind the building. I barely got my pants down when I was relieved is a single spasm.
That Saturday night we did not stop. We drove through to Knoxville. They somehow found the Catholic Church in Knoxville. I slept.
How we survived these trips with just a single driver must have been a blessing from God.
Alternate version: Daley & Summe
rak pgh 1
previously
After a few weeks I rented a "house" on Tripoli. It had a stove but no other furnishings. It had three floors (two rooms per floor) and a "basement". There was a bathroom on the second floor landing.
It was the middle slice of a building w/three identical "units". The other three slices had been subdivided into one room "apartments", all sharing a single bathroom.
In the basement was my gas furnace To save energy, I shut off heat to two upper stories, including the bathroom. It was not until I left that I learned that a single vent from my furnace heated both my bathroom and three of my neighbors.
<>
My new employer was wonderful, one of the two best jobs I ever had. The only one on which I ever got a real promotion. My contract gave me some living money for the first few months living expenses, moving expenses, and three weeks vacation.
rak pgh 1 work link
<>
Four weeks after I arrived I drove on a Friday night before Thanksgiving to Cincinnati. (I-279 > I-79 > I-70 > I-75) I stayed overnight w/mother. I then drove straight through to Houston. (I-71 > road around Louisville > I-65 > I-40 > I-30 > US59 > I-10) I was desperately lonely. As bad as my marriage was, I loved my wife and missed her. I missed my children
From Cincinnati to Houston is about 19 hours of driving. I got gas in Pgh and then in a station in NKy. On later trips, gas on I-70 in OH just west of Wheeling. I got gas at a station on I-65 north of Nashville, a station in WMemphis AR, a station around the AR/TX border, and then HOU. Back then TX gas was cheap.
I did not usually eat at restaurants because I was trying to save money.
We had Thanksgiving. I remember nothing except I was home and had chores to do. The following Saturday I packed up and reversed direction. At some point I either bought or brought from home a small toaster oven. So maybe there was no stove.
I did this same process at Christmas.
rak pgh 1 choir link
to be continued
Western & Southern Life Insurance Company
Either summer or Fall of 1961, Gertrude (via Kelly Employment Services, aka Kelly Girl) got me a job at Western & Southern Life Insurance Company in downtown Cincinnati on 5th over near where the garden in front of the P&G world headquarters is now, probably Broadway. I stayed there either until I graduated from VMC or until the end of that summer.
W&SLI, on the top floor of the new building on the corner of 5th & Broadway, had what today we would call their data center. The processing was using punch cards with no other media storage. They had a brand new 1401 which they were learning how to use. Our crew of college students worked second shift.
There were 18 model 083 card sorters, one new model 101 statistical sorter, a number (more than 5 and less than 10) of model 407 printers with attached "summary" punches, a few model 557 "interpreter"s that printed information on a card from its contents. There was an old model 604 calculating punch seldom used. There was a model 650 drum memory computer in the corner used for statistical calculations for actuaries. It ran so hot that it had a large pipe (~2' diameter) above it to vent its heat out the roof.
Repetitive work included printing the books the agents carried to manually record the premiums paid by the policy holder (so called "industrial insurance".
One special job I can remember came one day when we were told we had to make a test file for the 1401. The doors of the freight elevator opened and out came a forklift holding a pallet of boxes of IBM punch cards. In the end we used 3000 boxes of 2000 cards in each box.
We went to a lower floor where there were large machines holding trays w/about 1000 cards per tray. The trays were on a device in the machine which rotated front to back so all trays could be accessed. There were ~ 10+ trays across.
We took the trays up to the top floor where we reproduced the contents and put the cards back into the same tray. We then ran a pass through the interpreter, before going to the sorters. That many cards required block sorting on policy number. Instead of the the usual low (right) column to high (left) column sort, we sorted first on the high column. Because the high column had alphabetic values (two punches per column) from policies of acquired companies, the first pass was on the "zones". The top hole is the "12" hole for A-I; then the "11" hole for J-R; then it was tricky. The "0" hole could be a numeric if only one punch or else a signal of S-Z if two punches.
The output was 3 or 4 stacks of cards placed in large metal vertical trays. The next person took a tray, say "12" punch, and sorted that numerically. The pockets 1-9 would contain letters A-I. These were placed in other tray or in boxes marked with the letter contained..
When the column was done, the next lower column could be done.
W&SLI, on the top floor of the new building on the corner of 5th & Broadway, had what today we would call their data center. The processing was using punch cards with no other media storage. They had a brand new 1401 which they were learning how to use. Our crew of college students worked second shift.
There were 18 model 083 card sorters, one new model 101 statistical sorter, a number (more than 5 and less than 10) of model 407 printers with attached "summary" punches, a few model 557 "interpreter"s that printed information on a card from its contents. There was an old model 604 calculating punch seldom used. There was a model 650 drum memory computer in the corner used for statistical calculations for actuaries. It ran so hot that it had a large pipe (~2' diameter) above it to vent its heat out the roof.
Repetitive work included printing the books the agents carried to manually record the premiums paid by the policy holder (so called "industrial insurance".
One special job I can remember came one day when we were told we had to make a test file for the 1401. The doors of the freight elevator opened and out came a forklift holding a pallet of boxes of IBM punch cards. In the end we used 3000 boxes of 2000 cards in each box.
We went to a lower floor where there were large machines holding trays w/about 1000 cards per tray. The trays were on a device in the machine which rotated front to back so all trays could be accessed. There were ~ 10+ trays across.
We took the trays up to the top floor where we reproduced the contents and put the cards back into the same tray. We then ran a pass through the interpreter, before going to the sorters. That many cards required block sorting on policy number. Instead of the the usual low (right) column to high (left) column sort, we sorted first on the high column. Because the high column had alphabetic values (two punches per column) from policies of acquired companies, the first pass was on the "zones". The top hole is the "12" hole for A-I; then the "11" hole for J-R; then it was tricky. The "0" hole could be a numeric if only one punch or else a signal of S-Z if two punches.
The output was 3 or 4 stacks of cards placed in large metal vertical trays. The next person took a tray, say "12" punch, and sorted that numerically. The pockets 1-9 would contain letters A-I. These were placed in other tray or in boxes marked with the letter contained..
When the column was done, the next lower column could be done.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Sigma Alpha Lambda fraternity
Villa Madonna College had its roots in the post-secondary education of young women to be elementary school teachers by the Benedictines of St Walburg convent in the diocese of Covington.
Later it admitted all women.
After WWII and the GI bill, it admitted men.
As group of those men formed a men's club and called it a fraternity.
I pledged in my sophomore year, not my freshman year.
It had a "house". The original one was facing Madison on the east side, part of the group of buildings at 11th. The back of the building faced Latin School across the Cathedral parking lot.
There were a group of buildings at that corner on Madison. At some point, the one on the end was condemned and torn down. But it had been holding up the one next to it. So one by one all the buildings came down.
The next one was above a medical office on 10th or 11th west of Madison but before the railroad tracks. I think it lasted one year. My senior year, it was the second floor of a building on Madison above 12th street on the east side.
The first floor of that building was a small church of the evangelical variety. I don't remember if it was ever done, but a one time there was a casual proposal to screw a speaker to the floor of a closet and attach an amp and a mike. The goal was to "talk" to the assembly below as "God".
I was part of the crew that emptied that building. It was Memorial Day. For some reason there was no new building and the detritus left over could not be just left for the garbage people as is done today. A pickup truck was loaded. One of the brothers from Campbell county (tall, heavy set, can't remember his name) said he knew we could use one of the dumps over there.
But when we arrived at the dump, it was closed. The fence was low but for some reason the stuff was not just tossed over the fence. Instead he had a new idea. We went to a one lane road with woods and no buildings on either side. We heaved the stuff over the side.
Of course this road was a short cut used by police to get back to the station. We were arrested and had our day in court.
I cannot hear the song "Alice's Restaurant" without having a flashback about this event.
<>
I don't know when the fraternity ended but it exists no more.
Requiescat in pace
<>
See also: .College Road Trips.
Later it admitted all women.
After WWII and the GI bill, it admitted men.
As group of those men formed a men's club and called it a fraternity.
I pledged in my sophomore year, not my freshman year.
It had a "house". The original one was facing Madison on the east side, part of the group of buildings at 11th. The back of the building faced Latin School across the Cathedral parking lot.
There were a group of buildings at that corner on Madison. At some point, the one on the end was condemned and torn down. But it had been holding up the one next to it. So one by one all the buildings came down.
The next one was above a medical office on 10th or 11th west of Madison but before the railroad tracks. I think it lasted one year. My senior year, it was the second floor of a building on Madison above 12th street on the east side.
The first floor of that building was a small church of the evangelical variety. I don't remember if it was ever done, but a one time there was a casual proposal to screw a speaker to the floor of a closet and attach an amp and a mike. The goal was to "talk" to the assembly below as "God".
I was part of the crew that emptied that building. It was Memorial Day. For some reason there was no new building and the detritus left over could not be just left for the garbage people as is done today. A pickup truck was loaded. One of the brothers from Campbell county (tall, heavy set, can't remember his name) said he knew we could use one of the dumps over there.
But when we arrived at the dump, it was closed. The fence was low but for some reason the stuff was not just tossed over the fence. Instead he had a new idea. We went to a one lane road with woods and no buildings on either side. We heaved the stuff over the side.
Of course this road was a short cut used by police to get back to the station. We were arrested and had our day in court.
I cannot hear the song "Alice's Restaurant" without having a flashback about this event.
<>
I don't know when the fraternity ended but it exists no more.
Requiescat in pace
<>
See also: .College Road Trips.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
rak_4
<1966>
I remember little about the day other than being called into my advisor's office on the second floor of the John Millis Science Center of Western Reserve University. Karl J Casper said he had been denied tenure and was leaving to take a position at the newly forming Cleveland State University. He would no longer be my advisor. I think I was being transferred to Berol Robinson.
He said that, if I wished, I could go to Oak Ridge TN and do thesis research at the Chemistry Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
I chose to do that. I packed up my things and put them into my VW bug. I had a carrier on the top. On it I placed a large heavy box of "stuff", probably books and left. Neither I-71 from Cleveland to Cincinnati nor I-75 south from there were finished.
<>
My social life in Oak Ridge was minimal. There were few people of post high school age in Oak Ridge, other than graduate students. In the summer, someone, possibly the local Baptist Church, had a volleyball game night on a tennis court.
<>
At some point, I went to Knoxville and found the Newman Club.
<>
This story reminds me of one outing the Newman Club made. We went to a house in LaFollette TN where we celebrated Mass in the "pool house".
<>
I remember little about the day other than being called into my advisor's office on the second floor of the John Millis Science Center of Western Reserve University. Karl J Casper said he had been denied tenure and was leaving to take a position at the newly forming Cleveland State University. He would no longer be my advisor. I think I was being transferred to Berol Robinson.
He said that, if I wished, I could go to Oak Ridge TN and do thesis research at the Chemistry Division of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
I chose to do that. I packed up my things and put them into my VW bug. I had a carrier on the top. On it I placed a large heavy box of "stuff", probably books and left. Neither I-71 from Cleveland to Cincinnati nor I-75 south from there were finished.
<>
My social life in Oak Ridge was minimal. There were few people of post high school age in Oak Ridge, other than graduate students. In the summer, someone, possibly the local Baptist Church, had a volleyball game night on a tennis court.
<>
At some point, I went to Knoxville and found the Newman Club.
<>
This story reminds me of one outing the Newman Club made. We went to a house in LaFollette TN where we celebrated Mass in the "pool house".
<>
Sunday, May 19, 2013
rak_2
previously
In the fall of 1959, I entered Villa Madonna College in Covington KY. The buildings were several old buildings from 12th St to 11th St and from Madison two streets east to Greenup, where on the corner was the old St Joseph Church used as an auditorium. An old Benedictine convent next door on 12th had administration on the lower levels and the library on the fourth floor. At 12th and Scott was the old St Joseph's Elementary School used as classrooms.
Down on 6th was the old Mother of God Elementary School, which had on the first floor the physics department.
The tuition of the first two years was covered by a scholarship I received from the school related to the fact that I had graduated from a Catholic high school. Of the other 4 semesters, I paid for 3 with my earnings and my parents paid for the fourth.
<1959>
Freshman and Sophomore years I had: "honors History" with Sr Mary Philip Trauth SND; "honors English" with Sr Lorotto Marie Driscoll CDP.
Freshman year I had: Chemistry - lecture and lab; Math; Religion. Note somewhere along the line I started taking the religion classes in the summer in the mornings, two "semesters" per summer.
At Christmas time, I got a job @ Shillito's downtown Cincinnati selling toys. I remember I (and possibly a parent) had to go downtown Cincinnati to the Board of Education to get some form so I could work @ age 16. I don't remember if Gertrude found me the job, or just pointed it out.
<>
Either January 1960 or 1961, Gertrude got me a job as a stock clerk in "Linens & towels" at McAlpin's downtown Cincinnati. I worked the January white sale. My stockroom was on an upper floor. One of my tasks was inventory.
All items had a machine-attached tag attached by a pin. At the time of a sale, the sales clerk tore off the end and placed it in a jar. I had to manually sort and count by what is now called SKU. A manual, "real-time" sales analysis.
I worked there again the following summer, including the August white sale.
The white sales were quite busy. The department manager cut the prices on all items more than usual and included items not usually on sale,such as "odd size" sheets such as Queen and King. Apparently the prices were good, because owners of small motels would come in and buy unopened boxes of sheets. (As many as 12 to a box, depending of the physical size of the folded and packaged sheet.) At the peak, I would bring a large cart of merchandise to the floor and people would take items from the cart.
I remember it being said that some of the specialty sizes sold 2 to 5 times the expected volume. We had to do emergency reorders.
One of the towel brands was Martex. I think the "in house" sheet brand was First Lady.
<1960>
Sophomore year I had: Physics - lecture and lab; Math; Religion; Logic (taught by the Philosphy department Fr Rooks?); Philosophy of Man
<1961>
Junior and senior years physics - lecture and labs, some math (one of them extra beyond requirements to raise my grade point average), religion, philosophy, a speech class.
<>
Western & Southern Life Insurance Company and me
<>
My social life in college was minimal, partly because I was two years younger than other students at my grade level, and partly because of "shyness".
In my sophomore year, I pledged Sigma Alpha Lambda fraternity.
Road trips in college.
<>
<>
In the fall of 1959, I entered Villa Madonna College in Covington KY. The buildings were several old buildings from 12th St to 11th St and from Madison two streets east to Greenup, where on the corner was the old St Joseph Church used as an auditorium. An old Benedictine convent next door on 12th had administration on the lower levels and the library on the fourth floor. At 12th and Scott was the old St Joseph's Elementary School used as classrooms.
Down on 6th was the old Mother of God Elementary School, which had on the first floor the physics department.
The tuition of the first two years was covered by a scholarship I received from the school related to the fact that I had graduated from a Catholic high school. Of the other 4 semesters, I paid for 3 with my earnings and my parents paid for the fourth.
<1959>
Freshman and Sophomore years I had: "honors History" with Sr Mary Philip Trauth SND; "honors English" with Sr Lorotto Marie Driscoll CDP.
Freshman year I had: Chemistry - lecture and lab; Math; Religion. Note somewhere along the line I started taking the religion classes in the summer in the mornings, two "semesters" per summer.
At Christmas time, I got a job @ Shillito's downtown Cincinnati selling toys. I remember I (and possibly a parent) had to go downtown Cincinnati to the Board of Education to get some form so I could work @ age 16. I don't remember if Gertrude found me the job, or just pointed it out.
<>
Either January 1960 or 1961, Gertrude got me a job as a stock clerk in "Linens & towels" at McAlpin's downtown Cincinnati. I worked the January white sale. My stockroom was on an upper floor. One of my tasks was inventory.
All items had a machine-attached tag attached by a pin. At the time of a sale, the sales clerk tore off the end and placed it in a jar. I had to manually sort and count by what is now called SKU. A manual, "real-time" sales analysis.
I worked there again the following summer, including the August white sale.
The white sales were quite busy. The department manager cut the prices on all items more than usual and included items not usually on sale,such as "odd size" sheets such as Queen and King. Apparently the prices were good, because owners of small motels would come in and buy unopened boxes of sheets. (As many as 12 to a box, depending of the physical size of the folded and packaged sheet.) At the peak, I would bring a large cart of merchandise to the floor and people would take items from the cart.
I remember it being said that some of the specialty sizes sold 2 to 5 times the expected volume. We had to do emergency reorders.
One of the towel brands was Martex. I think the "in house" sheet brand was First Lady.
<1960>
Sophomore year I had: Physics - lecture and lab; Math; Religion; Logic (taught by the Philosphy department Fr Rooks?); Philosophy of Man
<1961>
Junior and senior years physics - lecture and labs, some math (one of them extra beyond requirements to raise my grade point average), religion, philosophy, a speech class.
<>
Western & Southern Life Insurance Company and me
<>
My social life in college was minimal, partly because I was two years younger than other students at my grade level, and partly because of "shyness".
In my sophomore year, I pledged Sigma Alpha Lambda fraternity.
Road trips in college.
<>
<
Monday, May 13, 2013
VMC class of 1963 reunion 2013
First a thank you to those who organized it, both college team members and celebrating alumni.
Second a sadness that at least 29 of our 132 members are deceased.
Third a sadness that so few showed up. There was talk as the last attendees left that there needed to be a "post mortem". I suggest a "post partum". One of the lessons to be learned might be that organization of the events was not started soon enough. By several decades. A graduating class exists as a community up to the point of graduation. After that, it takes work to maintain any community.
Fourth joy at seeing those who showed. My personal sincere thanks for that.
Fifth the class of 2013 baccalaureate Mass or should I say Mess. The point where the liturgical incense set off the smoke detectors, may have been prophetic, or merely a point made by the Spirit that form is less important than substance.
requiescant in pacem to those who have gone before
ad multos annos to those who remain
See: Villa Madonna College
Second a sadness that at least 29 of our 132 members are deceased.
Third a sadness that so few showed up. There was talk as the last attendees left that there needed to be a "post mortem". I suggest a "post partum". One of the lessons to be learned might be that organization of the events was not started soon enough. By several decades. A graduating class exists as a community up to the point of graduation. After that, it takes work to maintain any community.
Fourth joy at seeing those who showed. My personal sincere thanks for that.
Fifth the class of 2013 baccalaureate Mass or should I say Mess. The point where the liturgical incense set off the smoke detectors, may have been prophetic, or merely a point made by the Spirit that form is less important than substance.
requiescant in pacem to those who have gone before
ad multos annos to those who remain
See: Villa Madonna College
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
rak_1
previously
Covington Latin School (good history at link including group picture in 1929 contining our father) today would be called a prep school. My father, a maternal uncle, both brothers, a paternal first cousin and at least one maternal cousin (Lubbers) graduated from the school.
The curriculum was heavy on the classics lead by Latin (prima forma - the first year - 7 of 30 weekly class periods were Latin; then 6 5 5 and culminating in an oral test before the bishop). When Bishop Malloy started a seminary, he sent high school students to CLS.
At the time I attended (1955-9), all faculty were local diocesan priests, except for Sr Evangelista OSB who taught 5 of 6 math classes, Omer Westendorf who taught chant and led the Bishop's Choir staffed by students, and a drill sergeant who had a drill class for prima forma to make up for our having no athletic facility.
The curriculum also included Greek. Initially it was one period a week. After the first year, it expanded to three periods a week.
<>
I graduated and received the Schwegman science award. I also received a two year scholarship to Villa Madonna College.
<>
Somewhere around this time, or perhaps earlier, I had a few customers cutting their lawns, besides cutting our lawn. One was the SFM city Hall. Once or twice I cut the lawn of the lady next door on Dixie Hwy.
I also cut Gertrude Trimpe's lawn at 115 Highland. She had bought a top of the line lawn mower. Instead of being stamped metal, it was cast. It was very heavy. It was "self-propelled" by a friction drive on the back wheels - a rotating metal rod w/grooves in the ends.
To get the machine to the back yard was quite a task. I couldn't lift it, so I had to take it down concrete stairs.
One time, when the grass was quite high in the back, I had tilted the rotor so I could get through the grass. Unfortunately, the back yard had metal posts in the ground, into which, at one time, clothes line posts were placed. I succeeded in breaking the shaft on the lawn mower. As I remember, I continued to cut the grass for free.
<>
Another adventure occurred when Dad came home and said the windows at City Hall needed cleaning. It was apparent they had not been cleaned for time (years?). Since most people smoked at that time, the dirt was partially smoke deposits. I had never cleaned windows and didn't know what I was doing. First I used newspaper and plain water to cut through the mess. Don't remember what I used for final cleaning nor what I was paid.
continued here
Covington Latin School (good history at link including group picture in 1929 contining our father) today would be called a prep school. My father, a maternal uncle, both brothers, a paternal first cousin and at least one maternal cousin (Lubbers) graduated from the school.
The curriculum was heavy on the classics lead by Latin (prima forma - the first year - 7 of 30 weekly class periods were Latin; then 6 5 5 and culminating in an oral test before the bishop). When Bishop Malloy started a seminary, he sent high school students to CLS.
At the time I attended (1955-9), all faculty were local diocesan priests, except for Sr Evangelista OSB who taught 5 of 6 math classes, Omer Westendorf who taught chant and led the Bishop's Choir staffed by students, and a drill sergeant who had a drill class for prima forma to make up for our having no athletic facility.
The curriculum also included Greek. Initially it was one period a week. After the first year, it expanded to three periods a week.
<>
I graduated and received the Schwegman science award. I also received a two year scholarship to Villa Madonna College.
<>
Somewhere around this time, or perhaps earlier, I had a few customers cutting their lawns, besides cutting our lawn. One was the SFM city Hall. Once or twice I cut the lawn of the lady next door on Dixie Hwy.
I also cut Gertrude Trimpe's lawn at 115 Highland. She had bought a top of the line lawn mower. Instead of being stamped metal, it was cast. It was very heavy. It was "self-propelled" by a friction drive on the back wheels - a rotating metal rod w/grooves in the ends.
To get the machine to the back yard was quite a task. I couldn't lift it, so I had to take it down concrete stairs.
One time, when the grass was quite high in the back, I had tilted the rotor so I could get through the grass. Unfortunately, the back yard had metal posts in the ground, into which, at one time, clothes line posts were placed. I succeeded in breaking the shaft on the lawn mower. As I remember, I continued to cut the grass for free.
<>
Another adventure occurred when Dad came home and said the windows at City Hall needed cleaning. It was apparent they had not been cleaned for time (years?). Since most people smoked at that time, the dirt was partially smoke deposits. I had never cleaned windows and didn't know what I was doing. First I used newspaper and plain water to cut through the mess. Don't remember what I used for final cleaning nor what I was paid.
continued here
rak_0
I was born in Covington KY at William Booth Memorial Hospital at the mouth of the Licking River. The obstetrician was a woman. I was baptized in Covington, with Bill Trimpe and Emma Kuebbing as sponsors.
<>
Mother was living on Holman street, which had a streetcar. I remember nothing about the place except a vague memory of it being on the second floor. As you went down the street, it was on the left side.
<>
Her father- and mother-in-law lived on Pike Street with their daughter Emma in a three room house w/indoor bathroom & basement. The Pike Street front yard was tiny. The house sat on the property line on the left side (when facing the house). It had a paved right side yard which gave access to the door to the kitchen, which was the main entrance.
The front room was the bedroom. It was narrower than other rooms because of a covered external porch on the right side. The porch gave access to a door to the middle room.
In the back yard grandpa had previously grown and bred roses and peonies. The yard sides had fences, probably wrought iron. The back of the yard was a wall with a fence on top of it. The yard behind was several feet higher than my grandparents' yard. In the far right corner was a compost pile. I think my attraction to green issues and to composting comes from my paternal grandfather Joseph.
The house was still standing 2013May when I went to my 50th college reunion
<>
For the first several years of my life, my father was in the Army in the South Pacific. I think he did gun repair.
<>
My mother found me an inquisitive child. To keep me quiet, she bought or was given puzzles. She claimed I quickly grew to solve 1000 piece puzzles. I attribute my ability to do analysis to this training.
<>
While living on Holman street, there was an episode where I went with other children to a place where there was standing water. I took off my shoes and walked around. I got a piece of glass in my foot. It is somewhere in my baby book.
<>
We moved to South Fort Mitchell before I started kindergarten.
I went to kindergarten at Beechwood School on Beechwood Rd in SFtMitchell. It was what in TX would be called an independent school district. All schools were on one site. The school was highly rated because most elementary and many high school students went to Catholic schools. In addition, its catchment area was above average income. The tax base was strong and the children came from middle class families.
At the time, Blessed Sacrament School in SFM did not have a kindergarten. The church was one of the wealthiest in the Covington diocese. There was a story that Fr Streck (sp?) asked the bishop for permission to start one. He even offered to support a kindergarten at ever school in the diocese. He was turned down.
Mother said she walked me to kindergarten every day since we had to cross the Dixie Highway. I have only the fragment of one memory about going to Beechwood and it is not clear.
<>
The first six elementary grades I spent at Blessed Sacrament School. It was staffed by Benedictine nuns, who had a spacious convent next to the church. During my time there it went from one room per grade to two. While I never experienced it, there was one room that was split between two grades. I think just before I entered the school, a large three story addition was made on the back. The lowest level of the addition was the cafeteria.
The BSS cafeteria was run by one paid employee (Nellie Willen?) who lived up Highland on the right from us just past the Ross interesection. (I might be confused with Nellie Wallace, who lived between Mrs Willen and us on Highland.) The cafeteria was staffed by the mothers of students. The meals were good and somewhat nutritious. I say somewhat because this was the time of the federal milk support program. The schools got free milk, cheese and butter. Mrs W used butter to "season" the vegetables she used. Because this was before the wide availability of frozen vegetables and before cheap fresh vegetables became available, the veggies were canned.
One of my favorites was "chili". It was soupy chili, not "Cincinnati recipe". But one mother would have a large pot of it in the middle of the lunchroom for seconds.
Because the neighbor across the street was one year ahead of me in elementary school and high school, and since both schools were Catholic, and since we went to the same high school, at the end of each school year my parents would go across Highland to the Colette's house and buy the next year's books.
I am sorry to say I don't remember any of my elementary school teachers. I remember first grade as being large -- perhaps 50-80 students -- 5 or more columns of 10 or more students. I remember no students, but a few last names like Ruh. I don't remember any of my classmates joining me at Covington Latin School.
continued here
<>
Mother was living on Holman street, which had a streetcar. I remember nothing about the place except a vague memory of it being on the second floor. As you went down the street, it was on the left side.
<>
Her father- and mother-in-law lived on Pike Street with their daughter Emma in a three room house w/indoor bathroom & basement. The Pike Street front yard was tiny. The house sat on the property line on the left side (when facing the house). It had a paved right side yard which gave access to the door to the kitchen, which was the main entrance.
The front room was the bedroom. It was narrower than other rooms because of a covered external porch on the right side. The porch gave access to a door to the middle room.
In the back yard grandpa had previously grown and bred roses and peonies. The yard sides had fences, probably wrought iron. The back of the yard was a wall with a fence on top of it. The yard behind was several feet higher than my grandparents' yard. In the far right corner was a compost pile. I think my attraction to green issues and to composting comes from my paternal grandfather Joseph.
The house was still standing 2013May when I went to my 50th college reunion
<>
For the first several years of my life, my father was in the Army in the South Pacific. I think he did gun repair.
<>
My mother found me an inquisitive child. To keep me quiet, she bought or was given puzzles. She claimed I quickly grew to solve 1000 piece puzzles. I attribute my ability to do analysis to this training.
<>
While living on Holman street, there was an episode where I went with other children to a place where there was standing water. I took off my shoes and walked around. I got a piece of glass in my foot. It is somewhere in my baby book.
<>
We moved to South Fort Mitchell before I started kindergarten.
I went to kindergarten at Beechwood School on Beechwood Rd in SFtMitchell. It was what in TX would be called an independent school district. All schools were on one site. The school was highly rated because most elementary and many high school students went to Catholic schools. In addition, its catchment area was above average income. The tax base was strong and the children came from middle class families.
At the time, Blessed Sacrament School in SFM did not have a kindergarten. The church was one of the wealthiest in the Covington diocese. There was a story that Fr Streck (sp?) asked the bishop for permission to start one. He even offered to support a kindergarten at ever school in the diocese. He was turned down.
Mother said she walked me to kindergarten every day since we had to cross the Dixie Highway. I have only the fragment of one memory about going to Beechwood and it is not clear.
<>
The first six elementary grades I spent at Blessed Sacrament School. It was staffed by Benedictine nuns, who had a spacious convent next to the church. During my time there it went from one room per grade to two. While I never experienced it, there was one room that was split between two grades. I think just before I entered the school, a large three story addition was made on the back. The lowest level of the addition was the cafeteria.
The BSS cafeteria was run by one paid employee (Nellie Willen?) who lived up Highland on the right from us just past the Ross interesection. (I might be confused with Nellie Wallace, who lived between Mrs Willen and us on Highland.) The cafeteria was staffed by the mothers of students. The meals were good and somewhat nutritious. I say somewhat because this was the time of the federal milk support program. The schools got free milk, cheese and butter. Mrs W used butter to "season" the vegetables she used. Because this was before the wide availability of frozen vegetables and before cheap fresh vegetables became available, the veggies were canned.
One of my favorites was "chili". It was soupy chili, not "Cincinnati recipe". But one mother would have a large pot of it in the middle of the lunchroom for seconds.
Because the neighbor across the street was one year ahead of me in elementary school and high school, and since both schools were Catholic, and since we went to the same high school, at the end of each school year my parents would go across Highland to the Colette's house and buy the next year's books.
I am sorry to say I don't remember any of my elementary school teachers. I remember first grade as being large -- perhaps 50-80 students -- 5 or more columns of 10 or more students. I remember no students, but a few last names like Ruh. I don't remember any of my classmates joining me at Covington Latin School.
continued here
Sunday, January 13, 2013
HB poem 2013Jan13
In the corner of the yard Where the bushes are Where the weeds grow Where the flower tree is Where the bees go That's where my dad shined my bike Where I once did my homework That's where the shed is near-HB 2013Jan13
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
New Year's Day
My son and his mother are in the kitchen at 8939 Turriff Houston TX on New Year's Day. The kitchen window looked out past the utility room door and past a large oak tree. It had twin trunks each about 18-24" in diameter.
Beyond the utility room door, on the outside wall was successively, the electric meter and the window of the bathroom for the "master bedroom" which was a converted two car garage.
There was a walkway of concrete pavers that paralleled the outside wall. Just beyond the electric meter, there was a gate to the backyard fence. The fence, six (?) foot chain link I had installed my self, was perpendicular to the outside wall.
After the gate, the fence turned toward the house at a 45 degree angle to the gate. The tree was inside the fence. Just beyond the fence on that end of the back yard, was a fig tree, a shed and another fruit tree.
The fence went to the back property line where it turned again to follow the line to the far corner of the lot. Later this part of the fence was torn down by the neighbors behind us (without my knowledge or permission) and replaced with a six foot wood fence.
It had been raining and the ground was soaked.
She is preparing black eye peas and telling our son that Southerners do this on New Year's Day for good luck in the new year. Whereupon the tree comes out by its roots. It falls away from the house. It rips down the electric line, pulling the meter partly off the wall. It damages the phone line. It damages the fig tree, the shed and the other fruit tree. It just misses taking out the neighborhood power, which lines ran along that side of the house.
Beyond the utility room door, on the outside wall was successively, the electric meter and the window of the bathroom for the "master bedroom" which was a converted two car garage.
There was a walkway of concrete pavers that paralleled the outside wall. Just beyond the electric meter, there was a gate to the backyard fence. The fence, six (?) foot chain link I had installed my self, was perpendicular to the outside wall.
After the gate, the fence turned toward the house at a 45 degree angle to the gate. The tree was inside the fence. Just beyond the fence on that end of the back yard, was a fig tree, a shed and another fruit tree.
The fence went to the back property line where it turned again to follow the line to the far corner of the lot. Later this part of the fence was torn down by the neighbors behind us (without my knowledge or permission) and replaced with a six foot wood fence.
It had been raining and the ground was soaked.
She is preparing black eye peas and telling our son that Southerners do this on New Year's Day for good luck in the new year. Whereupon the tree comes out by its roots. It falls away from the house. It rips down the electric line, pulling the meter partly off the wall. It damages the phone line. It damages the fig tree, the shed and the other fruit tree. It just misses taking out the neighborhood power, which lines ran along that side of the house.
8939 Turriff Houston TX
This house was purchased in 1971 while empty for some time for less than $30k. It was occupied late in the year (November?).
With a two car garage converted into a "master bedroom", it had more than 2400 sq.ft.
Starting in the summer of 1980 and finishing the following year, I reroofed this house myself. The roof being replaced was an asphalt roof over a rotting cedar wood shingle roof. The roof had four valleys and therefore four separate ridges.
After removing both roofs, I replaced about 25-33% of the 1x4s used to support the wood shingles. I also replaced one of the rafters.
It took about 100 sheets of plywood to replace the roof.
I moved to Pittsburgh late October 1986 to work at Duquesne Systems. The children came up January 1987 by Greyhound bus. Their mother came up in the middle of the year (May?) and we looked at houses. We purchased 3823 (?) Baytree around July. I moved the family and some household goods up August 1987.
Summer of 1987 S returned to this house and stayed beyond of the summer. She returned only after a discussion she and I had on the subject.
She returned to this house for several additional summers.
This house was sold 1992, probably at a loss.
New Year's Day
With a two car garage converted into a "master bedroom", it had more than 2400 sq.ft.
Starting in the summer of 1980 and finishing the following year, I reroofed this house myself. The roof being replaced was an asphalt roof over a rotting cedar wood shingle roof. The roof had four valleys and therefore four separate ridges.
After removing both roofs, I replaced about 25-33% of the 1x4s used to support the wood shingles. I also replaced one of the rafters.
It took about 100 sheets of plywood to replace the roof.
I moved to Pittsburgh late October 1986 to work at Duquesne Systems. The children came up January 1987 by Greyhound bus. Their mother came up in the middle of the year (May?) and we looked at houses. We purchased 3823 (?) Baytree around July. I moved the family and some household goods up August 1987.
Summer of 1987 S returned to this house and stayed beyond of the summer. She returned only after a discussion she and I had on the subject.
She returned to this house for several additional summers.
This house was sold 1992, probably at a loss.
New Year's Day
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Christmas in Ft Mitchell
When we moved to 219 Highland from Holman St in Covington, it was in the city of South Fort Mitchell. Later while dad was city clerk SFM merged with the much smaller Fort Mitchell, taking its name.
Gertrude Trimpe had previously moved to 115 Highland, where she lived with her mother, sister Emma, and uncle Hank (Henry).
Christmas began when the children were taken (by uncles?) to Gertrude's house. I seem to remember walking, but it is not a clear memory. At first dad did not have a car. He took the streetcar that ran along the Dixie Highway to Covington, and then the bus to work. He would bring bags of groceries back with him some evenings.
We ate dinner at Gertrude's. Meanwhile mother and dad would put up and decorate the tree, and place gifts around it. I don't remember them being wrapped.
One year we (or maybe me) received an American Flyer train. Since our paternal grandfather had been a conductor for the New York Central on the Covington to Cleveland run, it had a strong attraction for us. Grandpa Kuebbing had been the only male I knew until after WWII was over, and the troops came back - Dad from the South Pacific. Bill Trimpe had left for Europe upon turning 18 just after I was born.
When a call was made from our house to Gertrude's, all of us trooped down to our house and celebrated Christmas by sharing gifts. Gertrude made good money in the employment business and had a car before dad.
I started singing in the Blessed Sacrament choir in either the first or second grade. At that time, I would sing Midnight Mass each year. I can't remember who came along.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua
Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua dies
His tenure in Pgh spanned a bit more than my first yr there. I have only one memory of him. All pictures of him in the local Catholic newspaper showed him in full watered silks.
His tenure in Pgh spanned a bit more than my first yr there. I have only one memory of him. All pictures of him in the local Catholic newspaper showed him in full watered silks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)