Oct 13th “MOM’s Visits with YOU are the BEST”

Some Things Not Allowed?

As a “first child” in the “FAMILY” … I could usually get whatever I  would ask  for.

When my brothers and I were in the Orphanage – we were so lucky to have parents that would come out to visit every 2^nd and 4^th Sunday – as those were the allowed Sundays for a visit and those hours were from 1:00pm to 5:00pm – which was a very short time for me.

So, to keep in touch with my parents – I would write letters and also had “PENNY POST CARDS” to use and sometimes would write nice and small and put so much information –as my Mother would do the same with lots of information to and for me.

The Orphanage had a side road along the side of the building for delivery and the workers who were coming there to do whatever they needed to do  – they would  usually come in that way… to report in at the Kitchen,  for their deliveries – so that – that  Nun could check off  exactly what they were to do, and or  tell them… where to bring whatever,  they were delivering…  then they were  there also for some pickups of deliveries to other places?

So, as long as this road along the girl’s side of the building was where I was – I just told my parents that whenever they want –  they can come out to visit me – as I will always be on the look-out for them?

This was just a terrific idea – as my Mother was working in an area not too far the Orphanage – so she would get a bus transfer and after her day’s work would come out to see me.

One such afternoon – I was on the swings – just swinging away and for all the joy of  just having fun – and some of the girls that were playing near this side entrance road – started to call me, “Hey Mickey…Your Mom is coming down the road!”

I was not about to stop swinging –  till I knew for sure – so continued and just howler back –

“Just as soon as I see her I’ll be right there!”

Someone, that must have “EAGLE- EYES” yelled back –

“Your Mom is carrying a big bag – she must  have a lot of stuff – for you!”

Well, with that I just jumped off the swing and ran as fast as I could – thought that  – that was too long a walk for my Mother to be carrying a heavy bag –

So…  I just ran on out and down the road – to meet my MOM!

I think my MOM was absolutely the “BEST” she was always bringing us kids something – and I knew she didn’t have the money for everything…  that we kids wanted –

But that was my “MOM”  she enjoyed seeing us kids being  happy – regardless of what it cost her,  or what she would have to do without?

These little extra visits that my Mother would make – were the “BEST of BEST” visits – as my Mom would always have something… that I would be able to share with my friends  – and this time was even better than most.

This time my  Mother  had bought some white and round balls of candy and if I remember – they had something in the center… some kind of crushed nuts and chocolate –I don’t know – but as I remember… that she would buy her candies at the Famous Barr Store downtown, as they had such very good stuff…   it seems  to ne that they were much larger in size –  than  a moth ball – but were they ever so good!

The kids and I knew that it was wrong to ask my Mom to visit between visiting days – but these “VISITS” were so much more enjoyed by me and my friends –

As… My Mother would always have the very “BEST stories to tell us –

“A VISIT  from My Mother was worth a Million!’

Oct 12th Every BOY wants his “Soap Box” to WIN”

Just a reminder  and or a remembrance  of some of the  things that were done in the past… and just hoping, that these kinds of activities are still being offer to all young children in our area  and also throughout and even in all States.

Today as  never before … we have lots of children,  with creative minds and also they would just  love…  to have this opportunity to design  a “Soap Box” … as this is a great  learning activity that  will inspire young boys to be  even better builders … and in todays’ world even more creative!

“Orphans enter “SOAP Box” Derby!”

This newspaper article gives all the information about the boys and their work to enter the   “Soap Box”  Derby!

It sure is good that a real interest was taken in the boys – at  “German St. Vincent’s Orphan Home” !

I know that  my brothers were included  in this activity   –   really gave them a  “hands-on”   –   as to what you can do in  “LIFE”  when you receive inspiration from men in the Community.

These are terrific  men who are  able and interested in young boys getting a very good chance to learn a few new  skills   and hopefully … make something of themselves.

Once again –  my Thanks for all the boys who benefited from this happy activity while at   St. Vincent’s   – and found that all the help received   was something to remember for all  of their life.

also  – a very special Thanks to all the participating  “Chevrolet Companies,”  who so generously gave financial and personal support and all those men who “volunteered ” and  had a  real hands-on with the boys…  in the actual building of their  “SOAP-BOX”.

I just feel that this was…  a terrific  and most wonderful venture  for all!

Does St. Louis still have a Soap Box Derby race every year? Here’s a photo of my Soap Box Derby in 1951 when I was 13 years old in St. Louis.

Oct 9th “A Professional Driving Instructor, is the BEST”

Another Memory!

Sometimes in LIFE we want things… that we do not know how to operate… such as a New Vehicle!

Not always is the BUYER an experience driver… and really back in that long past day… most women had no idea of how to   operate  a vehicle… nor the coordination,  with which  they are to be  driven.

When you pay for new cars, you would think that the buyer would also be a knowledgeable  “DRIVER”, but not so… in the case with my mother. She was paying for everything my father just had to have!

So, before we moved my father was going to teach my mother how to drive.

Living on Myron Avenue was at the foot of the hilliest terrain of a subdivision, and the absolute worst of all places to learn how to drive!  

I do not believe there are any straight and level streets in that neighborhood. The only good thing, in those early 1940’s… there just was neither traffic jams, nor many cars like we have today constantly in and out and on all the roads… causing all kinds of congestion.

The area we lived in was mostly quiet, you might  even say really country  peaceful.

NOW…would you take your three small children and put them in the back seat of the car… that is to be used for a first day of “Driver Instruction” and also remember, in those days, there were no “safety seat-belts” and of course no individual child care seats?

But in our case… the kids were along for the ride and what a ride this was.

I am the oldest and I also… am supposing to be sure that not a “peep” comes out of the mouths of my brothers.

This was a “first of first and the very last”  let me make this real  clear, right now!

This was almost like one of those movies that they make today… to scare the “H” out of the audience, and we were truly scared!

My mother was told how and what to do and when to do, and she was trying to synchronize everything into getting the shifting of gears to synchronized in a way to get up that hill… and  then everything came to a halt  – right there.

Nothing moving and we are not going anywhere?

We were  just slowly rolling backwards,  just some… till the car leveled out. Again and again, more attempts were made, only now with lots of screaming, and every -bodies’ nerves, shot!

“Put your foot to the floor, all the way!”

“More gas and hurry UP!” and my mother is trying to obey those orders and trying to get that vehicle, to go up a steep hill and it just is not… going up any further.

We are rolling back down and at a pretty fast clip, and we, three kids are screaming as we are looking out the rear window… to see the car  was now moving backwards.

If this situation took place today, we would have been in a major accident, and all out fault!

When the car stopped… we all got out, and my mother took us home.

Where my father went… no one knows, but my mother never… ever  tried to learn how… to drive a car!

Oct 8th “What happens when CHILD sets a FIRE”

Match + Pencil Box = “FIRE”

When you are a “FIRST-GRADER” there  will always come a day, when you grow up in a hurry!

For a little  “KID” I generally was the happiest of kids!

Being the first, in our family…  I usually knew what was going on and what was about to happen, as it always helped me to keep my ears – on the  “listening mode?”

I do  believe…  that I had heard someone say,  “Are you paying any  attention at all… to what I am saying?”

That phrase is  as boring as  it sounds … and makes no real sense for me,  to hear, once it has been said?

So NOW… I  always have myself listening to everything … good and or  bad,  and at all times… always ready with an answer… for that which  I hear while  in the ” listening mode!”

What an explosion, when I opened the door, coming home from school, and I was  in such a good mood?

One million questions bang, bang, bang … and what did you, and where did those matches come from?

If ever a  good “KID” needed a terrific  lawyer, it sure was then!

I’m hardly in side the  house… cannot figure what is going on or what happened, but I do see “SNEAKY TOMMY” – on that old  wooden red stool, trying to look all innocent… and… as if,  I had done something terrible?

I am ushered into the room where  our  “SNEAKY TOMMY” had taken the matches out of my pencil box and started lighting them.

And since they were such short and little matches, I guess he could not hold on to them, dropping them instead, and near the window where the curtains caught on “FIRE!”

I heard  for … at least a hundred  or more times… of all the damage that could have been done, as well as they also… could have died!

“LUCKY”  for us… that my father has “eagle ears and nose” to see and hear what  “SNEAKY KIDS” might do,  and  he would be able to immediately “POUNCE DOWN” on that emergent situation!

Did I say… I was “LUCKY” too, – if there had been any real damage done to the room or house, if no adults were in the house, and as dumb as “TOMMY” was to just go and sit in another room, waiting for a fire to come out where he was and burn him and the whole house down?

How dumb can a kid get and or be?

But, like I said, no damage – I escaped any and all punishment, since “Tommy”  stole the matches and did something he should not have done.

In some of the pictures that I have posted you can see that room where the fire took place and you can view others that I have and you will see no “FIRE” damage to the room and no damage to the furniture.

The dresser with the marble insert was right where you see it in the picture in the 1940’s and then in the 1950’s was sold to an antique dealer for top dollar.

“NO DAMAGE” and no fire department, no police, and no orphanage for the children, as there were no reasons to be sent there by a “social” worker!

As the  many years and time have gone by… I have heard what our  little Tommy has to say about this episode in  his life… he forgets… that I know  exactly what he said… and as I am the older person in the family…

I do  remember some other things that he had done… but, he has a way of exaggerating…  so much so… just to get attention…  and his tale today is… 

…. is that the Police  had so many cars sent to our house and then the fire department with all of their equipment there to put out a major fire… and because…  we kids deserved to be punished… were then sent to an orphanage!

Oct 7th “How ONE Little KID… Starts a Fire”

First Grade

What could be more exciting than to be a big “KID”  now…and getting to go to school with all the kids you know in the neighborhood and be old enough to stay with your class mates all day?

Also, and now… being the oldest and first  in the family of three children  to start  going to school.

With a list of school supplies… that I would need – was of real importance to me!

Naturally, we all went to the nearby stores on Florissant Avenue, and Bryan Hill School was several blocks down from where we would be shopping.  Seems like a great area with everything you need,  and all so very close to our home too.

Everything was in walking distant, and I was a very fast walker… I was just flying low and fast to School and then back home!

The one thing, that I just had to have… was this special pencil box. It may have been twelve inches long by… about three inches wide and maybe two inches in height. The top had a snap type opening in the front, with the top lifting up and back, revealing a drawer that you could pull out for extra pencils and even something…  that you just might want to hide.

At the age that I was, and having two younger brothers, I felt that I needed a secret place that only I knew about? And, that is exactly what I did.

I had a small box of stick matches, which no one knew that I had, and I put them in the pencil box drawer. Did I hide the matches? NO!

My youngest brother “TOMMY” – was nosy and must have watch me with my pencil box and knew what I had… and  that it was something we should not have?

So, the next day, after I had left for school, and our parents were still in bed, “TOMMY” took the matches from my pencil box and decided to have fun…  all by himself?

Tommy starting to light a match and watch the flame, and so short  was each stick… as a match would burn so fast, he started dropping them, and being so close to a window, the curtains caught on “FIRE!”

Tommy was now scared and left our room with the “FIRE” catching on fire a paper bag of Tommy’s blocks.

Tommy is now sitting in the kitchen on a wooden red stool, not making a sound and not letting anyone know what he had done?

He is as quiet as a “MOUSE!” But, the falling blocks are making a noise and that “fire-smoke” has my father’s attention.

Daddy  runs to the room and with a wet towel, knocks everything burning down and has the fire out.

Any other time Tommy has a lot to say, but now he is not talking at all!

I’m guessing he would like to say… that, I had done this, but I’m at school – I would have loved to hear and see what was said and done, but it all was put on “HOLD” till I came home from school!