The five year period between 1954 and 1959 was a very busy one and produced profound changes in our lives. David appeared in 1955 and Amy Gail came in 1958. She was such a beauty that she became known as the “ugly child.” The store prospered and the volume of business grew. This was a neighborhood business. Customers did not drive to shop, but walked. They could come to the store a half dozen times a day. They would come in the early morning to buy food for breakfast. We would break a 19 cent loaf of bread in half and sell each half for 10 cents. Many stores would sell one egg or one cigarette. Donuts would be delivered fresh each morning and customers would buy one or two donuts. Milk was sold by the quart; not by the gallon or half gallon. Many people did not have refrigeration or if they did, it was not efficient. There was no such thing as frozen foods. The first frozen food was frozen orange juice and Minute Maid sold grocers a freezer for $100.00. I borrowed the money from Uncle George Poloway. Groceries were purchased for the next meal; a customer who came in on Saturday and purchased a $15.00 order was a customer to be treasured. Meats were cut to order. When a customer wanted ground beef, out came the chuck and out came the meat grinder. A half pound of beef was cut off the piece and ground right there and then. When a customer wanted something and we did not stock, we got it and stocked it! Whatever they wanted, we got! At Christmas toys were hung from the ceiling and orders taken. We sold Christmas lights, tinsel, wrapping paper and ribbons. We took orders for Thanksgiving turkeys. They were delivered Tuesday and we stayed up all night cleaning them to be picked up by customers on Wednesday. Turkeys came with the head and feet on and the entrails inside. We sold billions of Easter eggs and jelly beans, baskets and green paper grass to put in the baskets. We sold socks, sheets and pillow cases. I suppose we were a convenience store…Plus!
We needed more room desperately but Mrs. Waters lived in the room behind the store. She is not to be confused with Mrs. Wilhelm who lived in the second floor rear room. Mrs. Waters saved newspapers. Her room was literally crammed with newspapers. During this period, Mrs. Waters died and we did not rent the room. W broke through the back wall and extended the store to the rear of the building. Additional shelving was purchased and we became a miniature supermarket. We hired a neighborhood youth to work afternoons after school. We led full lives.
Misfortune struck with the fire at 1512 McHenry Street in 1957. Fire damage was confined to the second floor front room but the whole house reeked of smoke. Mama took Risa, Marc, Phyllis and David and went to live with her parents on Park Heights Terrace. I took Larry and Arnold and went to my parents on Ingleside Avenue. Time was compressed because of the commute. By the time Amy was born in March, 1958 the renovation was not complete but we all moved back into McHenry Street. Renovations were finally completed but before the end of the year, Momma and I decided that our children needed to be raised in a Jewish environment and this could not be found at Stricker and Mchenry Streets. Momma began to look.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Regrets
At this point I would like to relate two incidents which, although occurring at two separate times many years apart, taught me the same valuable lesson. I never learned anything about my Father’s life prior to his arriving into the United States in 1914. I know that he came from the Ukraine in Russia and that is about all I know. I do not even know the city or town or village where he was born and lived. I know very little about his family. Did he have aunts and uncles and cousins? What did they do? What kind of people were they? I did not press him for that information and I probably did not ask very much. Today I deeply REGRET this.
Marc decided to move to Reno from Washington D.C. where he had been employed as the locksmith at George Washington University. Momma and I were helping him pack his belongings in a U-Haul trailer when I asked, “Would you like me to drive with you?” It would turn out to be one of the best questions that I ever asked. The experience was a great one for both of us. And surprisingly, I do not remember much about the trip. I remember that the trailer tipped over on the Capitol Beltway minutes after we started the trip. I remember running out of gas at night in Wyoming.(Marc blamed me although he was driving.) I remember checking the trailer hitch on the shores of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. And I remember wrestling that ungodly heavy sofa up the stairs to his second floor apartment in Reno. We left on a Friday night and arrived in Reno on Tuesday afternoon. Those four days had a deep effect on our relationship ever since and for the better. I have no REGRETS about accompanying Marc on his migration to Reno.
If there is something that you want to do or should do and can do, do it! Give it serious consideration (or conserious sideration as Risa used to say) and if the answer is “yes”, do it! There will come a time when you will not be able to do it. Don’t put yourself in the position where you must say, “ I wish I had……” For that time will surely come and you will have REGRETS.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Kenmar Food Market moves to 301
The lease on 238 South Stricker Street ran out in 1954. There was no intention to renew the lease. We had purchased the building at 301 South Stricker Street and had prepared for a move. The store was painted and a tile floor laid. A freezer, a refrigerated vegetable case and a refrigerated reach-in box were added. Completely new shelving was in place. A window air conditioner was installed over the entrance door. All that was left to do was move the meat display case and the inventory. This was accomplished in one day and we were open for business. And remember, I was 29, Momma was 27 and we had five children all five years old or less.
Meanwhile, the children were getting older (as is usually the case) and Risa was ready to start school. The public schools in the area were bad, very bad and we needed a good school for our children. She was enrolled in the Louisa May Alcott Elementary School at Reisterstown and Keyworth Avenues. We gave our home address as the home address of Momma’s parents on Park Heights Terrace. Momma’s paternal grandmother, whom we know as Super Bubbe, lived across Keyworth Avenue from the school. I would drive Risa to school each morning and pick her up most afternoons. There were times when Momma’s mother, Grandma Esther Hoffman would pick her up and we would retrieve Risa after the store was closed. When it was time for Larry and Arnold to go to school, we chose the Talmudical Academy on Cottage Avenue. I would drop off the three of them in the morning and the School Bus would deliver the boys in the afternoon.
The boys began to work in the store in the afternoon. They would wait on the children who came in to buy penny candy. There were probably 30 kinds of penny candy like those little half balls of hard candy pasted on a strip of paper, sweet liquid juice in tiny wax bottles and giant licorice sticks; all a penny each. There were no throwaway soda bottles but there was a two cent deposit on the bottles. The children redeemed the bottles for penny candy. The boys probably ate as much candy as we sold but it kept them busy. Buzzy Berg would stop in with Richard and guess where Richard immediately went. That’s right, the candy case. Life was good; the store prospered and produced enough income for the seven of us to live a middle class life.
Problems arose but nothing serious and nothing out of the ordinary. Then two disastrous incidents struck. Larry ran out into McHenry Street and was struck by a vehicle. A visor over a headlight caught Larry in the mouth and tore open his upper lip and knocked out his two front teeth. At first we thought that his entire lip had been torn off, but it was only split. A good plastic surgeon made repairs but left a scar. This is probably one of the reasons that Larry has always had a mustache. Arnold was different. His philosophy was, “You go along with the program.”
Several years later, when Marc and Phyllis were about three years old, Phyllis found some matches and gave them to Marc. He crawled under our bed and lit one. As the smoke billowed out of our second floor bedroom windows, neighbors called the Fire Department and ran to tell us at the store. I ran to the house. It was only a half block away. It has been said that my first action was to call the insurance company. That is not true! My first action was to see that Marc and Phyllis and anyone else were out of the house and safe. My SECOND call was to the insurance company. The room was completely gutted but the insurance covered the costs of refurbishing the room.
Vehicles were important in our lives. Our first vehicle was a 1939 Plymouth which we purchased from Momma’s Uncle Lou Music. That’s the one that we pushed more than we drove. In 1950, we bought a 1948 Dodge from a salesman, Bob Hoenes who worked with my father at the Independent Lock Company. Our next vehicle was a used 1950 Chrysler nine passenger station wagon. We needed the size because everyone wanted to sit near a window. Our first new vehicle was a 1952 Plymouth station wagon, then a new 1955 Plymouth station wagon. When we moved to Merville Avenue in 1959 we needed a second vehicle because Momma learned to drive. We spent $20.00 on a two door 1952 Plymouth from Sam Berg’s junk yard. We called it the “tired monster” because the shocks in the front were bad and the vehicle tilted low in the front. But it ran and ran and ran. And guess who drove it; and it wasn’t Momma. We had a 1959 Rambler and then another Rambler. We had a 1968 Dodge Dart and a 1973 Dodge Dart. We had a 1977 Pontiac which was a total disaster. Our next vehicle was a 1978 Volvo which became known as Mom Marcie’s little red bus. David worked at Michaelson Motors where there was a Mazda franchise. We thereafter bought Mazdas.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
1512 McHenry Street
1512 McHenry Street was built in 1834 according to a map in Baltimore’s Peale Museum. It was the last of a group of row houses which ran from behind the store at 238 South Stricker Street to Parrish Alley. It was originally a three story house with two rooms on each floor. Subsequent owners built a large kitchen on the first floor, two bedrooms, a bath and a back porch on the second floor and partitioned one of the bedrooms on the third floor to form a bedroom, kitchen and bath. There was an outhouse in the back yard. In the kitchen, there was a large fireplace which we converted into a pantry. There were no improvements to the property in many years so Momma and I got to work. We would close the store at seven o’clock, have dinner and get the five children into bed. Then we would get to work. We laid asphalt tile in the kitchen, dining room and up the stairs into the second floor hall. Asphalt tile is not flexible but is hard. It is cut by scoring it and snapping each end, hoping that is breaks at the scored line. A black adhesive is spread on the floor and the tiles are placed on the adhesive. The adhesive is not water soluble and must be cleaned up with paint thinner or turpentine. It can make a real mess. It is not difficult to lay the tiles. You measure to the exact center of the room and make a cross. You put one tile in each part of the cross and go from there. When you get to the edge of the room, the tiles must be cut to fit. The kitchen was tin; the walls and the ceiling were tin. It was not a smooth surface and had small bubbles all over it. It was very time consuming to paint. There were no rollers then; only paint brushes. We hung paper in the living room and laid wall to wall carpet. We converted the back bedroom on the second floor to a laundry room and installed a washer and a dryer. The drain line ran down the outside of the house. One winter the drain line froze and the water backed up and overflowed. It ran through the floor into the kitchen and into all the cabinets. What a mess!
We enclosed the back yard with a cinder block fence and the children played there. It was here that our only broken bone happened. Larry was walking on top of the fence and fell off, breaking his arm. Prior to that, Larry decided to test our admonition about running into the street. He was struck by a vehicle and had his upper lip torn open and his two front teeth knocked out. But Molli married him anyway! During the summer we would turn on the hose and the neighborhood children had a grand time playing in Parrish Alley. Vehicular traffic was practically non-existent in Parrish Alley. There was a row of houses which ran down Parrish Alley inhabited by blacks. Old Lady Sadie lived behind our house and was always hollering at the children playing in the alley.
We had help in the house from the time Larry and Arnold were born until we moved to Merville Avenue. Mitch was with us for two weeks from the birth of the first set of twins. Then came a succession until we found Delores. She worked five days per week and was paid $20.00 per week. She lived on Carey Street and I would frequently pick her up and take her home. We lived on McHenry Street until 1959 when we moved to 5601 Merville Avenue.
We enclosed the back yard with a cinder block fence and the children played there. It was here that our only broken bone happened. Larry was walking on top of the fence and fell off, breaking his arm. Prior to that, Larry decided to test our admonition about running into the street. He was struck by a vehicle and had his upper lip torn open and his two front teeth knocked out. But Molli married him anyway! During the summer we would turn on the hose and the neighborhood children had a grand time playing in Parrish Alley. Vehicular traffic was practically non-existent in Parrish Alley. There was a row of houses which ran down Parrish Alley inhabited by blacks. Old Lady Sadie lived behind our house and was always hollering at the children playing in the alley.
We had help in the house from the time Larry and Arnold were born until we moved to Merville Avenue. Mitch was with us for two weeks from the birth of the first set of twins. Then came a succession until we found Delores. She worked five days per week and was paid $20.00 per week. She lived on Carey Street and I would frequently pick her up and take her home. We lived on McHenry Street until 1959 when we moved to 5601 Merville Avenue.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Continuing Saga
1949 came to an end and we had a great New Year’s Eve. Laurence and Arnold appeared on the scene September 30, 1950, nine months later. Two cribs made their appearance in the tiny apartment above the store. Eight days later the Bris occurred in the apartment. It was traumatic for the boys; they did not walk for a year! Sales slowly increased as our customers got used to us and we provided many services in addition to selling them groceries. We sold postage stamps and money orders. Our customers did not have bank accounts so we cashed their pay checks and sold them money orders (checks) when they needed to send a check to pay a bill. If someone came in and asked for an item which we did not carry, we added it to the inventory. Our fathers, Willie Golberg and Sam Hoffman visited the store daily. They were very helpful. Remember we were 24 and 22 years old. Sam Hoffman had a cake route. He sold cake, cookies, potato chips, candy and other snack items to groceries like ours. He sold cakes from the Kunkel and Haverstick Bakery Willie Golberg left work at five o’clock and swung by the store on the way home.
Daily deliveries of bread and milk were made. Transactions were cash on delivery. You had to check everybody. The soda delivery men had a favorite trick. Sodas came in wooden boxes with 24 compartments and one soda fit in one compartment. They would bring in a stack of five cases. From the center of the bottom four cases they would remove four bottles, leaving 20 bottles in each case and charging for 24. It could not be seen until the top case was removed. That stopped after the first inspection caught it.
One evening Willie Golberg came in and found two insurance salesmen trying to sell me life insurance. He chased them out and said, “If you want to buy life insurance, I will send you someone.” So, one evening after I closed the store, J. Max Abramowitz came along with his son, Irving J. I was to be Irving’s client. I came in from the store, took off my bloody, dirty apron and washed my hands. We all sat down at the kitchen table. Irving was a stiff, serious young man. He continuously toyed with a ring on his finger. When I asked what that was, he replied, ”This is my school ring. I graduated from the Johns Hopkins University.” I said,” I have one like that.” I reached into the cutlery drawer in the kitchen table. “Mine has 1948 on it.” We became very close friends and remain so to this day. He would stop at the store during the day when he had some free time between appointments, sometimes for lunch. He would eat in our home because we kept Kosher. He married Grace Zerewitz who Momma knew since they were eight years old. Grace’s mother was Annie Pariser, daughter of Joseph Pariser who bought Morganstern’s Bakery on Christian Street where Esther Poloway lived and above where Abraham Poloway rented a room to sew pants. Small world, isn’t it?
Irving had a friend, Norbert Grunwald, a stockbroker, who began an investment club. Irving brought me into the club. We invested $10.00 per month and bought stocks with it. We met once each month for breakfast and discussion. I met many other young men my age, among them, one Buzzy Berg who later married Elayne Plimack and sired one Richard Stuart Berg. Small world, isn’t it?
We had a five year lease which would expire in 1954. The landlord was reluctant to maintain the property and problems arose. The property known as 301 South Stricker Street, caddy corner from the store, came up for sale. Willie Golberg managed to secure financing and we bought the property as joint tenants. The first floor was rented as a warehouse and the upper two floors were rented as apartments. The rents paid the mortgage and expenses.
On April 19, 1953 Marc AND Phyllis Sue arrived. Surprise, surprise!! We expected only one. Five children within 47 months. The apartment above the store became much too small. A three store house at 1512 McHenry Street became available and we became homeowners with a mortgage. We put down $2,500.00 and borrowed $3,000.00. We were almost the typical American family; children, a used car and a mortgage. All that was missing was a dog.
Daily deliveries of bread and milk were made. Transactions were cash on delivery. You had to check everybody. The soda delivery men had a favorite trick. Sodas came in wooden boxes with 24 compartments and one soda fit in one compartment. They would bring in a stack of five cases. From the center of the bottom four cases they would remove four bottles, leaving 20 bottles in each case and charging for 24. It could not be seen until the top case was removed. That stopped after the first inspection caught it.
One evening Willie Golberg came in and found two insurance salesmen trying to sell me life insurance. He chased them out and said, “If you want to buy life insurance, I will send you someone.” So, one evening after I closed the store, J. Max Abramowitz came along with his son, Irving J. I was to be Irving’s client. I came in from the store, took off my bloody, dirty apron and washed my hands. We all sat down at the kitchen table. Irving was a stiff, serious young man. He continuously toyed with a ring on his finger. When I asked what that was, he replied, ”This is my school ring. I graduated from the Johns Hopkins University.” I said,” I have one like that.” I reached into the cutlery drawer in the kitchen table. “Mine has 1948 on it.” We became very close friends and remain so to this day. He would stop at the store during the day when he had some free time between appointments, sometimes for lunch. He would eat in our home because we kept Kosher. He married Grace Zerewitz who Momma knew since they were eight years old. Grace’s mother was Annie Pariser, daughter of Joseph Pariser who bought Morganstern’s Bakery on Christian Street where Esther Poloway lived and above where Abraham Poloway rented a room to sew pants. Small world, isn’t it?
Irving had a friend, Norbert Grunwald, a stockbroker, who began an investment club. Irving brought me into the club. We invested $10.00 per month and bought stocks with it. We met once each month for breakfast and discussion. I met many other young men my age, among them, one Buzzy Berg who later married Elayne Plimack and sired one Richard Stuart Berg. Small world, isn’t it?
We had a five year lease which would expire in 1954. The landlord was reluctant to maintain the property and problems arose. The property known as 301 South Stricker Street, caddy corner from the store, came up for sale. Willie Golberg managed to secure financing and we bought the property as joint tenants. The first floor was rented as a warehouse and the upper two floors were rented as apartments. The rents paid the mortgage and expenses.
On April 19, 1953 Marc AND Phyllis Sue arrived. Surprise, surprise!! We expected only one. Five children within 47 months. The apartment above the store became much too small. A three store house at 1512 McHenry Street became available and we became homeowners with a mortgage. We put down $2,500.00 and borrowed $3,000.00. We were almost the typical American family; children, a used car and a mortgage. All that was missing was a dog.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
More Early Years
We bought the store in August, 1949 and moved to the apartment in September, 1949. When Rosh Hashana rolled around we went to my parent’s to spend the two day holiday. We came home the night of the second day (we would not drive on the holiday) and I took Risa’s bottles into the store to put in the refrigerated case (remember. We had no refrigerator in the kitchen). The case was warm; no refrigeration. To get to the basement, you went through two heavy steel doors set into the sidewalk along side the store. I opened the doors, took one step down, and hit water. Disaster had struck! While we were gone, a pipe burst and water filled the basement to a depth of five feet. The tenant on the third floor noticed a drop in water pressure but did not report it to the landlord. The water gushed for two days.The motors and compressors which operated the refrigeration in the store were ruined; beyond salvage. All the perishables in the refrigerated cases were garbage. The fire department was called and pumped the water out of the basement. It was a tremendous financial blow. We had been open for a month with a $5,000.00 debt and no capital. But we managed to replace the motors and compressors and were back in business the next day.
Several months later, the second shoe dropped. The building was heated by a coal furnace. I knew almost nothing about the operation of a coal furnace. I knew that coal was deposited in a coal box and a fire was lit. The coal burned and heated the air around the coal box. The poisonous fumes produced by the burning escaped through the chimney. The heated air rose through ducts into the rooms above the store which were heated by the hot air. This system of heating the building was not efficient and the building was always cold, especially the first floor where the store and our kitchen were located. I did not know how to bank the furnace at night so that the coal would continue to be burning until the morning. When the coal stopped burning during the night, I went outside through the heavy steel doors and into the basement to start the fire again. One night, we awoke coughing and choking. We ran to the windows and opened them to be able to breathe. There was a crack in the coal box and the poisonous coal fumes mixed with the heated air and rose into our apartment. We were taken to the hospital and fortunately, we suffered no permanent damage. The next day we made a deal with the landlord to pay half of the cost of tha installation of an oil burner.
The store hours were 6 A.M. to 9 P.M., Monday through Saturday and 9A.M. to noon on Sunday, a total of 93 hours per week. On Sunday I opened the store and Momma got Risa ready and packed a picnic basket I would close the store at noon, wash up, change clothes and we would get into our 1939 Plymouth (which we pushed as often as we drove) and we were off to somewhere. I can recall warming Risa’s bottle on the motor of the car. One Sunday afternoon week each month I worked in the store doing things that could not be done while the store was open. I soon discovered that there were very few sales during the first hour of the day or during the last two hours of the day. The hours were reduced to 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. and three hours on Sunday, a total of 75 hours. I was like being on vacation. We did not have funds to hire help in the store or in the house so we did it all. We worked hard and we were very happy. I suppose that we didn’t know any better.
The Early Years II
Along with many other ex-G.I.s I began college in September, 1945. And, along with many other ex-G.I.s, I was anxious to complete college and get on with my life. I took as many courses as possible and amassed enough credits to earn a Bachelors degree by February, 1948. A recession had taken hold and the market was flooded with recent college graduates. I managed to land a job with the United States Department of Agriculture. The ANNUAL salary was $1,050.00. That equates to $20.19 per week. I was based in Washington, D.C. and field trips were included in the job. When based in Washington, I got up at six o’clock in the morning, took a street car to Camden Station, a train to Washington and a bus to work and got there 8:30. I didn’t get home until 6:30 P.M. Momma and I became engaged in March, 1948 and she was not happy with the arrangement. Field trips consisted working in various cities for a two week period. We wrote to each other daily while I was away. The Department paid for transportation and gave us $6.00 per diem. The $6.00 paid for food, lodging, laundry and anything else we needed. I traveled with a partner and we could not make it on $6.00 per day each. The hotel room at the Times Square Hotel in New York was $12.00 per day. There went the six bucks. Between the travel expenses and the commuting expenses, nothing was left of my salary and I started digging into my savings. I was fortunate to live at home. By August, 1948 I was ready to leave the job. But with the recession, not much was available. Momma and I talked about it and because I had another year of college eligibility under the G.I. bill, we decided that I should go back for a year of graduate work. The wedding was scheduled for September 12, 1948 and we would live with Momma’s parents Samuel Zelig and Esther Hoffman in a three bedroom row house on Park Heights Terrace. There was room in that there was only Momma’s 18 year old brother, Bernard (Buddy) living there. I began college when we got back from the honeymoon. We received a stipend of $105.00 per month, $80.00 of which went for room and board. We made do and when Momma needed a winter coat, she worked for a credit company and we bought a good winter coat.
I finished the year of college in May, 1949 and Risa was born in June, 1949. Jobs were scarce and I took a job with Wearever Pots and Pans selling door-to-door. It did not work out. We looked and looked, talked and talked. We finally came up with the idea of a grocery store. I knew how to cut meat from working in supermarkets before I went into the Army and had a degree in business. We enlisted the four parents and finally found a suitable store for sale at 238 South Stricker Street with living quarters behind and above the store. My parents loaned us $5,000.00 and by late August, we were budding grocery magnates and Kenmar Food Market was born. We moved on September 12, 1949. We took Risa’s carriage, her necessities and blankets for us. The first night, we slept on the blankets on the floor. The next day, I went out and bought a spring and mattress. To store clothes and other possessions, we used orange crates. Momma was 22 years old, I was 24. We had a kitchen behind the store and four rooms on the second floor. The front room was a cavernous room which we used to hang clothes to dry. There were no Pampers so we washed Risa’s diapers and hung them to dry in the second floor front room. The first thing we bought was a front loading Bendix washer. It had a round glass door and we parked Risa in front. She watched the clothes go round and round and was fascinated. We had no refrigerator so we kept the perishables in the refrigerated display cases in the store. In May, 1950, we received a life insurance dividend check, enough to buy an Admiral refrigerator to use in the kitchen. Eureka, what luxury!! My parents contributed the unused, hideous green kitchen set from their basement. We began our family life.
I finished the year of college in May, 1949 and Risa was born in June, 1949. Jobs were scarce and I took a job with Wearever Pots and Pans selling door-to-door. It did not work out. We looked and looked, talked and talked. We finally came up with the idea of a grocery store. I knew how to cut meat from working in supermarkets before I went into the Army and had a degree in business. We enlisted the four parents and finally found a suitable store for sale at 238 South Stricker Street with living quarters behind and above the store. My parents loaned us $5,000.00 and by late August, we were budding grocery magnates and Kenmar Food Market was born. We moved on September 12, 1949. We took Risa’s carriage, her necessities and blankets for us. The first night, we slept on the blankets on the floor. The next day, I went out and bought a spring and mattress. To store clothes and other possessions, we used orange crates. Momma was 22 years old, I was 24. We had a kitchen behind the store and four rooms on the second floor. The front room was a cavernous room which we used to hang clothes to dry. There were no Pampers so we washed Risa’s diapers and hung them to dry in the second floor front room. The first thing we bought was a front loading Bendix washer. It had a round glass door and we parked Risa in front. She watched the clothes go round and round and was fascinated. We had no refrigerator so we kept the perishables in the refrigerated display cases in the store. In May, 1950, we received a life insurance dividend check, enough to buy an Admiral refrigerator to use in the kitchen. Eureka, what luxury!! My parents contributed the unused, hideous green kitchen set from their basement. We began our family life.
Education
Jews are known as “People of the Book,” loosely translated as favoring study and education. And William Golberg was fully a Jew in this respect. Although his formal education consisted of night school to learn to read, write and speak English upon his arrival in the United States in 1914, he was determined to insure that his children were educated. This meant a college education for the boys and a high school education for the girls as was the custom in those days.
The language spoken at home was Yiddish; Russian among the adults when they did not want the children to know what was being said. When Kenneth was enrolled in kindergarten in 1930 at Arlington Elementary School #234 at Rogers and Magnolia Avenue, he could not speak English, only Yiddish. By the time he reached the first grade in 1931, he was fluent in English. He was a bright child and during his enrollment in elementary school, was advanced a half grade. He completed elementary school in February, 1937. He was sent to Junior High School #49 where the seventh, eighth and ninth grades were completed in two years. School #49 was located in a row building on Cathedral Street across from what is now the Meyerholl. It was probably and individual home. It consisted of a building of classrooms and an administrative office, a large cemented courtyard behind the school and a small gymnasium at the rear, fronting on Maryland Avenue. Other that the accelerated pace, Kenneth can remember that Latin was taught. He had no problem; learning came easy to him.
Kenneth wanted to go to City College where all the Jewish boys went. William insisted that he attend Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly) and William was correct. Poly’s reputation was such that graduates of Poly’s A course were admitted to the second year of college. Kenneth was admitted to the B course because it was required that a student begin the A course in the ninth grade and Kenneth began Poly in the tenth grade having completed the ninth grade at School #49. Poly was located on North Avenue at Calvert Street. Kenneth was not quite fourteen years old when he began Poly in February, 1939, immature and small for a high school student. That and being Jewish, a very small group at Poly, made social action with other students non-existent. Kenneth graduated in February, 1942, not quite seventeen years old. As usual, everything came easily to him; there was no problem getting excellent grades. Poly was basically a school which prepared students for an engineering degree offering such subjects and steam, electricity, chemistry and calculus. William had made a good choice.
However, William’s choice of college was not a good one. William believed that a profession was the best choice for a career; medicine, dentistry, law or pharmacy. Pharmacy was the only one which did not require an advanced degree; so pharmacy was it!
Kenneth spent the period between February, 1942 and September, 1942 working full time as a meat cutter in a supermarket and saved enough to pay all expenses at the University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy located at Calvert and Greene Streets. He hated it! It was boring. He had studied all the required courses at Poly except Zoology. He was required to take Algebra, having taken, Geometry, Solid Geometry and Calculus at Poly. He joined a Jewish Pharmaceutical fraternity, Phi Alpha.
World War II was raging and Kenneth received notice that he was to be inducted in the Armed Forces shortly after he completed the first year of Pharmacy School in May, 1943. In July, 1943 he was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for basic training. After basic training. He was assigned to the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and sent to the University of Maine in December, 1943. (The ASTP was held in disdain by those enrolled in it. We sang, “Your son wants to fight for his country but first he must get his degree. So take down that service flag, mother, your son’s in the ASTP.”) Plans were being made for invasion of Europe and infantry soldiers were needed. The ASTP was disbanded and everyone was sent to Fort Jackson to be trained for the invasion in February, 1944. While on maneuvers in Tennessee shortly thereafter, Kenneth was injured severely enough to be given a medical discharge in August, 1945.
Among the benefits offered honorably discharged veterans by the G.I. Bill was a four year expense paid college education with a $90.00 per month stipend. William wanted Kenneth to return to Pharmacy school but with maturity and financial independence due to the G.I. Bill, Kenneth rebelled and enrolled at the Johns Hopkins University in September, 1945 majoring in Economics. A student was permitted to take as many credits as he wished; Kenneth graduated in February, 1948 with a Bachelors degree in Business. He could not join a fraternity at Johns Hopkins because the belonged to a fraternity at Pharmacy School and his fraternity did not have a chapter at Johns Hopkins. But he was welcome at the fraternity houses of Alpha Epsilon Phi and Phi Delta, the two Jewish fraternities at Johns Hopkins. It was at the AEPi house that he met his bashert, Marcie Hoffman.
Kenneth worked with the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. The hours were long because he commuted to work, by street car, train and bus. This was unsatisfactory in that he and Marcie became engaged in March, 1948. He had terminated this employment when they were married September 12, 1948. He had one additional year left under the G.I. Bill and when a suitable employment opportunity did not arise he went back to Johns Hopkins for a Masters degree in Marketing. The monthly government stipend was $105.00 monthly for married couples and Kenneth and Marcie managed.
At this point, Kenneth’s education was interrupted by the obligations imposed by a growing family. In 1965, Risa, the oldest child was sixteen and Amy, the youngest, was seven. Kenmar Food Market was well established and prospered. Kenneth took a job with the State of Maryland, Department of Labor and Industry. In November, 1965. By January, 1969 he was Chief, Employment Standards Service with a staff of thirty-five. Among his duties was the interpretation of the laws administered by the Service. His knowledge of law was non-existent. Marcie suggested that he enroll in law school and take a few courses to acquaint himself with enough law to adequately perform is duties. He enrolled at the University of Baltimore, School of Law in September, 1969 and took several courses at night. One course led to another and by 1975, he had amassed eighty credits, enough to graduate. In 1976, he took the Bar Exam and was sworn in as a member of the Maryland State Bar that year. His formal education was complete.
Subsequently, Kenneth continued his education at the School of Hard Knocks, whose colors are, not surprisingly, black and blue.
The language spoken at home was Yiddish; Russian among the adults when they did not want the children to know what was being said. When Kenneth was enrolled in kindergarten in 1930 at Arlington Elementary School #234 at Rogers and Magnolia Avenue, he could not speak English, only Yiddish. By the time he reached the first grade in 1931, he was fluent in English. He was a bright child and during his enrollment in elementary school, was advanced a half grade. He completed elementary school in February, 1937. He was sent to Junior High School #49 where the seventh, eighth and ninth grades were completed in two years. School #49 was located in a row building on Cathedral Street across from what is now the Meyerholl. It was probably and individual home. It consisted of a building of classrooms and an administrative office, a large cemented courtyard behind the school and a small gymnasium at the rear, fronting on Maryland Avenue. Other that the accelerated pace, Kenneth can remember that Latin was taught. He had no problem; learning came easy to him.
Kenneth wanted to go to City College where all the Jewish boys went. William insisted that he attend Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (Poly) and William was correct. Poly’s reputation was such that graduates of Poly’s A course were admitted to the second year of college. Kenneth was admitted to the B course because it was required that a student begin the A course in the ninth grade and Kenneth began Poly in the tenth grade having completed the ninth grade at School #49. Poly was located on North Avenue at Calvert Street. Kenneth was not quite fourteen years old when he began Poly in February, 1939, immature and small for a high school student. That and being Jewish, a very small group at Poly, made social action with other students non-existent. Kenneth graduated in February, 1942, not quite seventeen years old. As usual, everything came easily to him; there was no problem getting excellent grades. Poly was basically a school which prepared students for an engineering degree offering such subjects and steam, electricity, chemistry and calculus. William had made a good choice.
However, William’s choice of college was not a good one. William believed that a profession was the best choice for a career; medicine, dentistry, law or pharmacy. Pharmacy was the only one which did not require an advanced degree; so pharmacy was it!
Kenneth spent the period between February, 1942 and September, 1942 working full time as a meat cutter in a supermarket and saved enough to pay all expenses at the University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy located at Calvert and Greene Streets. He hated it! It was boring. He had studied all the required courses at Poly except Zoology. He was required to take Algebra, having taken, Geometry, Solid Geometry and Calculus at Poly. He joined a Jewish Pharmaceutical fraternity, Phi Alpha.
World War II was raging and Kenneth received notice that he was to be inducted in the Armed Forces shortly after he completed the first year of Pharmacy School in May, 1943. In July, 1943 he was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for basic training. After basic training. He was assigned to the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and sent to the University of Maine in December, 1943. (The ASTP was held in disdain by those enrolled in it. We sang, “Your son wants to fight for his country but first he must get his degree. So take down that service flag, mother, your son’s in the ASTP.”) Plans were being made for invasion of Europe and infantry soldiers were needed. The ASTP was disbanded and everyone was sent to Fort Jackson to be trained for the invasion in February, 1944. While on maneuvers in Tennessee shortly thereafter, Kenneth was injured severely enough to be given a medical discharge in August, 1945.
Among the benefits offered honorably discharged veterans by the G.I. Bill was a four year expense paid college education with a $90.00 per month stipend. William wanted Kenneth to return to Pharmacy school but with maturity and financial independence due to the G.I. Bill, Kenneth rebelled and enrolled at the Johns Hopkins University in September, 1945 majoring in Economics. A student was permitted to take as many credits as he wished; Kenneth graduated in February, 1948 with a Bachelors degree in Business. He could not join a fraternity at Johns Hopkins because the belonged to a fraternity at Pharmacy School and his fraternity did not have a chapter at Johns Hopkins. But he was welcome at the fraternity houses of Alpha Epsilon Phi and Phi Delta, the two Jewish fraternities at Johns Hopkins. It was at the AEPi house that he met his bashert, Marcie Hoffman.
Kenneth worked with the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. The hours were long because he commuted to work, by street car, train and bus. This was unsatisfactory in that he and Marcie became engaged in March, 1948. He had terminated this employment when they were married September 12, 1948. He had one additional year left under the G.I. Bill and when a suitable employment opportunity did not arise he went back to Johns Hopkins for a Masters degree in Marketing. The monthly government stipend was $105.00 monthly for married couples and Kenneth and Marcie managed.
At this point, Kenneth’s education was interrupted by the obligations imposed by a growing family. In 1965, Risa, the oldest child was sixteen and Amy, the youngest, was seven. Kenmar Food Market was well established and prospered. Kenneth took a job with the State of Maryland, Department of Labor and Industry. In November, 1965. By January, 1969 he was Chief, Employment Standards Service with a staff of thirty-five. Among his duties was the interpretation of the laws administered by the Service. His knowledge of law was non-existent. Marcie suggested that he enroll in law school and take a few courses to acquaint himself with enough law to adequately perform is duties. He enrolled at the University of Baltimore, School of Law in September, 1969 and took several courses at night. One course led to another and by 1975, he had amassed eighty credits, enough to graduate. In 1976, he took the Bar Exam and was sworn in as a member of the Maryland State Bar that year. His formal education was complete.
Subsequently, Kenneth continued his education at the School of Hard Knocks, whose colors are, not surprisingly, black and blue.
The Early Years
My parents were born in 1898 within weeks of one another but thousands of miles apart. Esther Poloway was born on August 29th in Baltimore, Maryland. William Golberg was born on Shabbos Tsheuvah, the Shabbos between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in the Ukraine, then a part of Russia. Time was measured by his people by Hebrew Holydays. They were married on February 12, 1924 and moved into a newly built three bedroom, one bath cottage at 3326 Ingleside Avenue. Along with them moved in Dora, William’s mother and Sophie, Goldie and David, William’s siblings. The three women slept in the back bedroom, David in the middle bedroom and the newlyweds in the front bedroom. When Kenneth arrived March 21, 1925, he slept in a crib in his parent’s bedroom.
Dora was a strong willed woman. Her two daughters were unmarried and remained so throughout their lives because that is how Dora wanted it. Sophie was beautiful and Goldie was attractive, both with numerous suitors. But Dora rejected each and every suitor for reasons true and/or fanciful. She had lost a husband near the turn of the century and she simply did not want to let her daughters go. And that is how the system worked in those days.
Kenneth was the first grandchild and did not lack for attention. In fact, he was no doubt, inundated by affection. In those days children were basically raised by their mothers and Kenneth was raised primarily by four mothers and secondarily by two fathers. William had a full time job. Although he did not attend religious services frequently because he worked on Saturday, he was very active in the operation of his synagogue, the Petach Tikvoh Congregation, located in a cottage on Denmore Avenue between Belvedere and Spaulding Avenues. William was “handy” and maintained the house and property. He built a room in the basement and partitioned the large kitchen into a food preparation area and an eating area. To earn extra money, he repaired and adjusted key cutting machines and refurbished automatic door closers at a work bench in the basement. William’s days were full. He did not get involved in the growing strife between his wife and his mother.
Dora and Sophie assisted in the cooking and cleaning. Goldie worked out of the home as often as she could find work. Dora was strong willed and Esther was not. Esther did not complain. Two women cannot operate in the same kitchen, especially a wife and a strong willed mother-in-law.
David married and moved out. Harry Janoff, the grandson of Dora’s sister, Chana Liebe, who attended Johns Hopkins University, moved into the middle bedroom. I can remember being admonished to be quiet because Cousin Harry needed quiet to study. Harry moved out and Ruth arrived in 1929. Kenneth and Ruth slept in the middle bedroom. When Marvin Bennett arrived in 1931 he went in to the parents’ bedroom.
The house was not built on the corner of Ingleside and Hamlin Avenuess. There was an overgrown ten foot strip of land between the house and Hamlin Avenue. Poisin Ivy grew wild on the land nad guess who frequently caught poison ivy and who frequently was slathered with calamine lotion. . William finally purchased and cleared the strip, planted grass and four maple trees and a cherry tree and a pear tree. He also built a garage at the back end of the strip. Behind the house was a peach tree which bore an enormous amount of fruit. Late each summer, everyone worked in rhe basement, peeling and cutting the peaches to make peach preserves; enough to last the entire year until the next harvest. We sat at an old kitchen set, painted a bilious green, which found new life in the kitchen behind the Kenmar Food Market at 238 South Stricker Street some two decades later.
By 1938, Kenneth was 13 years old and Ruth was 9 years old and they shared the middle bedroom. This was not appropriate and Esther had finally had it with her mother=in law and sisters-in-law. Esther issued an ultimatum to William; they had to go! William chose and an apartment was found for the three on Queensbury Avenue just south of Belvedere Avenue. Dora and the two siblings left; Dora hurling curses at Esther, in Russian, of course. They would subsequently move into the first floor apartment of a house on Wylie Avenue, purchased jointly by William and David and then to an apartment on Glen Avenue where they lived until they died. They are buried on the Hebrew Othodox Memoerial Society Cemetary located at 6800 German Hill Road. William and David were the primary support of their mother and sisters, in life and in death.
Kenneth and Marvin Bennett moved in to the back bedroom and Ruth into the middle bedroom. Life became more conventional on Ingleside Avenue.. .
Dora was a strong willed woman. Her two daughters were unmarried and remained so throughout their lives because that is how Dora wanted it. Sophie was beautiful and Goldie was attractive, both with numerous suitors. But Dora rejected each and every suitor for reasons true and/or fanciful. She had lost a husband near the turn of the century and she simply did not want to let her daughters go. And that is how the system worked in those days.
Kenneth was the first grandchild and did not lack for attention. In fact, he was no doubt, inundated by affection. In those days children were basically raised by their mothers and Kenneth was raised primarily by four mothers and secondarily by two fathers. William had a full time job. Although he did not attend religious services frequently because he worked on Saturday, he was very active in the operation of his synagogue, the Petach Tikvoh Congregation, located in a cottage on Denmore Avenue between Belvedere and Spaulding Avenues. William was “handy” and maintained the house and property. He built a room in the basement and partitioned the large kitchen into a food preparation area and an eating area. To earn extra money, he repaired and adjusted key cutting machines and refurbished automatic door closers at a work bench in the basement. William’s days were full. He did not get involved in the growing strife between his wife and his mother.
Dora and Sophie assisted in the cooking and cleaning. Goldie worked out of the home as often as she could find work. Dora was strong willed and Esther was not. Esther did not complain. Two women cannot operate in the same kitchen, especially a wife and a strong willed mother-in-law.
David married and moved out. Harry Janoff, the grandson of Dora’s sister, Chana Liebe, who attended Johns Hopkins University, moved into the middle bedroom. I can remember being admonished to be quiet because Cousin Harry needed quiet to study. Harry moved out and Ruth arrived in 1929. Kenneth and Ruth slept in the middle bedroom. When Marvin Bennett arrived in 1931 he went in to the parents’ bedroom.
The house was not built on the corner of Ingleside and Hamlin Avenuess. There was an overgrown ten foot strip of land between the house and Hamlin Avenue. Poisin Ivy grew wild on the land nad guess who frequently caught poison ivy and who frequently was slathered with calamine lotion. . William finally purchased and cleared the strip, planted grass and four maple trees and a cherry tree and a pear tree. He also built a garage at the back end of the strip. Behind the house was a peach tree which bore an enormous amount of fruit. Late each summer, everyone worked in rhe basement, peeling and cutting the peaches to make peach preserves; enough to last the entire year until the next harvest. We sat at an old kitchen set, painted a bilious green, which found new life in the kitchen behind the Kenmar Food Market at 238 South Stricker Street some two decades later.
By 1938, Kenneth was 13 years old and Ruth was 9 years old and they shared the middle bedroom. This was not appropriate and Esther had finally had it with her mother=in law and sisters-in-law. Esther issued an ultimatum to William; they had to go! William chose and an apartment was found for the three on Queensbury Avenue just south of Belvedere Avenue. Dora and the two siblings left; Dora hurling curses at Esther, in Russian, of course. They would subsequently move into the first floor apartment of a house on Wylie Avenue, purchased jointly by William and David and then to an apartment on Glen Avenue where they lived until they died. They are buried on the Hebrew Othodox Memoerial Society Cemetary located at 6800 German Hill Road. William and David were the primary support of their mother and sisters, in life and in death.
Kenneth and Marvin Bennett moved in to the back bedroom and Ruth into the middle bedroom. Life became more conventional on Ingleside Avenue.. .
Hebrew School
In the mid 1930s Hebrew School did not exist as we know it now. Hebrew customs, observances and history were leaned in the home because they were practiced in ordinary everyday living. As the holidays were observed, one learned about the holidays. When we ate or prepared food, we learned what was permissible to eat and what was not. When we read the Torah, we learned Hebrew history. If the Father was so inclined, he taught the son to read Hebrew; not to understand it but only to read it. This was necessary in order to go to services and pray. My Father was not so inclined so I was sent to a Rebbe, Mr Rudnitzky, to learn to read Hebrew. He lived just south of Garrison Boulevard. I went to the Rebbe’s home and sat at the dining room table with a half dozen other nine and ten year old boys and read prayers. The Rebbe was also a Shochet, a ritual slaughter of chickens. As we read, a housewife would appear with a live chicken. The Rebbe would don a rubber apron and admonish us to continue reading. He would then disappear with the housewife and the live chicken. A screech later, he would reappear with blood and feathers covering his apron. I am reminded of a Yiddish song, sang frequently by my Father, which went, translated of course, “On the hearth burns a fire and the house is hot. And the Rebbe teaches small children, the aleph beth.”
When the time approached for Bar Mitzvah, I was sent to a Rabbi to learn the Haftorah. He lived on Classen Avenus west of the 4600 block of Park Heights Avenue. I was taught the musical notes, not taught my particular Haftorah, so that I could read any Haftorah. This was in 1937 and a momentous change occurred in my life. I discovered the Baltimore Orioles. I walked to my Haftorah lessons and passed an auto repair shop at Hayward and Park Heights Avenue. Outside sat a very old man (he must have been at least 60 years old) reading the Baltimore Sun. He introduced me to the International League Baltimore Orioles. I met George Puchinelli, Ab Wright and Abernathy patrolling the outfield. I met Les Powers and Smoky Joe Martin at the corners and the battery of Bucky Crouse and Hy Vandenberg. I learned to hate the Newark Bears, top farm team of the New York Yankees. IT WAS GLORIOUS! Baseball was already known to me. We played softball incessantly on the vacant lot on Ingleside Avenue. My Father loved baseball and every Sunday we went to see the Pimlico All Stars (Semi-pro, a hat was passed around the spectators to cover expenses) play where Northwester High School grounds are now.
I have never lost my love for the O’s.
Girls were different. There was no Bat Mitzvah, girls did not learn Hebrew. They learned to cook and prepare for and celebrate the Jewish holidays. They did not play team sports; they jumped rope, played hide and seek and tag. It was not until Word war II and the early Forties that things began to change.
When the time approached for Bar Mitzvah, I was sent to a Rabbi to learn the Haftorah. He lived on Classen Avenus west of the 4600 block of Park Heights Avenue. I was taught the musical notes, not taught my particular Haftorah, so that I could read any Haftorah. This was in 1937 and a momentous change occurred in my life. I discovered the Baltimore Orioles. I walked to my Haftorah lessons and passed an auto repair shop at Hayward and Park Heights Avenue. Outside sat a very old man (he must have been at least 60 years old) reading the Baltimore Sun. He introduced me to the International League Baltimore Orioles. I met George Puchinelli, Ab Wright and Abernathy patrolling the outfield. I met Les Powers and Smoky Joe Martin at the corners and the battery of Bucky Crouse and Hy Vandenberg. I learned to hate the Newark Bears, top farm team of the New York Yankees. IT WAS GLORIOUS! Baseball was already known to me. We played softball incessantly on the vacant lot on Ingleside Avenue. My Father loved baseball and every Sunday we went to see the Pimlico All Stars (Semi-pro, a hat was passed around the spectators to cover expenses) play where Northwester High School grounds are now.
I have never lost my love for the O’s.
Girls were different. There was no Bat Mitzvah, girls did not learn Hebrew. They learned to cook and prepare for and celebrate the Jewish holidays. They did not play team sports; they jumped rope, played hide and seek and tag. It was not until Word war II and the early Forties that things began to change.
Maternal Grandparents
I know nothing of my maternal grandparents, Abraham and Rose Poloway, before thay immigrated to the United States. They arrived prior to 1898 because my mother, Esther, was born in the United States in 1898. They lived in Southwest Baltimore in a small row house on Christian Street. Abraham earned a living by travelling downtown to the many pants manufacturers, picking up cloth which had been cut for pants, bringing it home to sew together. He was paid a certain amount for each pair he sewed together. This was called “piecework.” He rented a room across the street from his home on the second floor of Morganstern’s Bakery (later purchased by one Joseph Pariser, Grace Abramowitz’s maternal grandfather), installed a sewing machine and sewed all night. He took the finished pants back the next day and picked up more pieces. They were religious, kept Kosher and belonged to the Moses Montefiore Congregation on Smallwood Street. I was told that Abraham was President for 17 years. Abraham and Rose had six children; William (married Betty), Jake, (married Sara), Esther (married William Golberg), Celia (married Albert Stein), Gearge,(never married) and Lillian (married William Sussman). My mother did not speak much of her life prior to marriage but she did tell me that, as a child, she was given a nickel and a tin container and told to go to the corner saloon. There, she knocked on the side door, handed the man the nickel and the container, received a container full of beer, and brought it back to her father. The family moved to Frederick Avenue and Willard Street where Abraham owned and operated a small grocery at 4652 Frederick Avenue. They lived behind and above the store. We would visit every Sunday, making the long trip from Pimlico.
Celia and Albert and George lived with the parents; the rest of the children moved out as they married.
William/ Betty had Robert and Bernice. Jake/Sarah had Faye, Morton, Irving and Rhona Lee. Esther/William had Kenneth, Ruth and Marvin Bennett. Celia/Albert had Doris. Lillian/William had Iris Ann and Ronald. William Poloway was a schoolteacher and owned and operated a small neighborhood building and loan association. Jake sewed pants. Albert was a liquor salesman until Prohibition and became a clerk for Bethlehem Steel. William Sussman was a photographer for the Baltimore Sun. George worked for the B&O Railroad. Rose died before 1949 and Risa is named after her. Abraham died in 1949 and Arnold is named after him. After Rose died Abraham, Celia and Albert Stein moved to a small row house on Smallwood Street several blocks below Pratt Street. The Poloways are buried in the cemetery at Washington Boulevard and the Beltway (I-695). Many of the deceased children are buried there also.
Of the cousins, we have kept in touch only with those of Jake and Sarah; primarily because Faye and her husband, Sidney Himmelstein live close by in Florida.
The Great Depression
We are now officially in a recession and if things get worse, we will be in a depression. I was born in 1925 and the Great Depression came in 1929. I was four years old. Aunt Ruthie also came in 1929,(she was NOT the cause of the Depression) Uncle Marvin in 1931. Unemployment was in excess of 30% and there was no unemployment insurance. People stood in lines at soup kitchens to get something to eat.My parents (your great-grandparents) married in 1924 and moved into a house at 3326 Ingleside Avenue which my father had built. It had three bedrooms and one bath. My grandmother, two aunts and Uncle Dave lived with us. My father owned a hardware store with a partner. He owned an automobile, a Whippet. We were well-to-do! The Depression brought along the loss of the hardware store. But my father was lucky; he got a job with the Independent Lock Company (ILCO) and kept it for 35 years. There was no minimum wage and 25 cents per hour was a good wage. (In 1941 my first job paid 32 cents per hour. Grandma worked down the street from me. She made the minimum wage, 25 cents per hour.).A workingman’s lunch consisted of a tin of sardines, an 8 ounce box of Uneeda Biscuits (a thick cracker) and a 6 ounce Coke, all five cents each. And if he felt wealthy, he added a Tastykake, also five cents. I can recall eating rice and milk with a piece of bread for dinner.(We called it supper). The butcher always threw in a piece of liver with every order. Everything was homemade. We had two peach trees and late each summer, we made peach preserves which lasted until the next summer. I can recall my grandmother making noodles and grating horseradish on the back porch. The noodles were hung on a line on the back porch to dry. Toys were homemade. Small matchboxes were glued together with a paste made of flour and water. A button was sewed on the front of each box and voila!; a chest in which to hide our valuables. An orange crate, a roller skate and some discarded lumber became a scooter. A string was pulled through a large button and when pulled a certain way, the button spun. We scraped together a quarter to buy a softball and, with a piece of lumber, we played ball on a vacant lot for hours.
Please do not consider this as a complaint. I had a wonderful childhood. I had loving, caring parents and a grandmother, two aunts and an uncle who doted on me. Can you imagine anything more pleasant to a nine year old than lying under a shade tree.on newly mowed grass (by me with a hand lawn mower) with a pitcher of ice water reading “Tom Swift and His Flying Machine”? And I do not mean to intimate that you should not use and enjoy the things now available to you. I do! I could not live without air conditioning or th TV remote. It’s a different world. I just thought that you would like to know how it used to be.
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