“This is…That Extra Special Prize Photo”
Sure was a good thing to have a “Visiting Sunday” once a month, as you can see… that the McClarren children were so very HAPPY!
You can tell … just by looking at the faces on these wonderful children… that “one” that is rated as “Top Dog” and “Leader of the Band”… as he has his chest out, and that “Irish Smile” will get “Doors” to open wide … just for him!
In case you were wondering who that is!
That is our “A #1 smartest one of the gang… he can win friends and or anyone, just by looking as he does here.
Just thought … as I think about it… so many of our Photos that we are all together in… Tommy is smiling, no matter what we are doing. I do not think that he ever had a sour face and or sour attitude about anything in LIFE.
Now that I give this a second thought… Tommy was the youngest, and it was our duty to make Tommy happy as everything was new and exciting to him, as we once had that same amount of attention… extra special attention was given when “YOU” were that youngest baby… but now that we are those that are older and had that FUN then… guess it just seems to be old stuff to us… that are just a year or two older!
After all of the years that have just sailed by… for all of us, can not really tell just exactly how we felt in those young years… as they are but mere memories… of which have been very good to remember and as some other’s just plain forgotten forever!
Just have to give credit to my Aunt Irene Brady Riley… She did make a lot of the clothes that I wore.
That blouse that I have on, she made, and the skirt that I have on, she did buy… as it is a “Poodle Skirt” which was a fad for a time, back then.
I may have worn that skirt and blouse on two different Visiting Sundays… and then never ever saw it again.
So many of our clothes were sent to Germany, as I understood that they had NUNS there that were in need of things for the HOMES and programs that they also served there.
How do you like those “Knickerbockers” that my brothers are wearing?
They must have been donated to the HOME… as I remember the boys wearing these for several years. They are “new” today and in some later years, you will see my brothers and some of the other boys wearing these… new and also in the well worn ages of these… when a large donation of something comes in, and they are free… someone has to wear them!
The two girls on the swing… in the right side of this photo… are as some of the children in this HOME, that never ever have a “VISIT” from Family or relatives in the their family.
In all the years that I was there… there were no real “Orphans”… as everyone did have a relation of some kind that could Visit … write and or send something to that child… so then… they will sit around and just watch the friendly get together of other kids with their family… and wish that if only someone in their family, would show up for a visit … and me with them.
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“Bless US, within OUR very First Year
“Making our First Communion”
Just looking at this PHOTO taken in maybe 1946… makes me think that for once in my LIFE… my brothers and I were just the best looking little Angels to be here on Earth!
Being in the Orphanage was not something that we liked and we were always waiting for that day, that we would receive the good NEWS … that we could go back home… to be with our parents.
In this photo is ME, and brothers Denny Jr., and Tommy.
Looking at this photo of us and all dressed in white, and at the grotto of “Our Lady of Lourdes”… It just seems to me, that… we three were as close to being little Angels, as ever in our Life… we could be!
One thing about being in this Orphanage is, that our day started at 5:30 a.m., each and every day.
Everybody up and out of your bed… and as you are making your bed, you are saying the same daily prayers … all together.
Each dressing yourself and making your BED as taught, then making your trip from the third floor , via the outside steps to the “Play Ground” outside toilets… and you very quickly run to the basement “PLAYROOM” and making a quick stop to the “WARSH ROOM”… to brush your teeth and wash your face.
Your face cloth and towel hanging from a hook, each with your individual number, and your number above your items.
All around the room were these numbered hooks.
To this day… I still remember who was No. 10 and No. 29 and No.90 and No. 91 and No.92.
As we were called by our numbers, and if you were ever in trouble… usually the NUN in charge would write your number on the small sheet of paper that she would have pinned to the front of her vest.
Keeping track of each child by their number was the way that the NUNS kept track of your offenses, to determine who would get to go to the Normandy Theatre on Friday evening.
On Friday evening the “BOYS” would go to the “Normandy Theatre” which was within walking distance from the “HOME”… and then the next week would be the “GIRLS” chance to go.
But… if you received “three ” 3 marks within that period time… you did not get to go. So the NUNS would keep track of who was good and not so good and this was their way of getting your attention, by holding you back from getting out of the Orphanage… for any and all other “outside of the HOME” activities!
The above was just, that I soon did learn… after awhile of living in the HOME… as you were getting older and seeing some of the things that took place…it was hard for you to continue to be a very good ANGEL for ever.
After you are up and got yourself ready… we all march up the stairs to the Chapel… and file into the row and sit at your assigned place. We are then ready for MASS to begin at Six o’clock… Mass is then over at six-thirty.
We return to the PLAYROOM… Change from our School uniform to our play clothes… immediately we go the the assigned work places … then to the Dining rooms (as assigned)… breakfast at 8:00 and then done in a half hour.
Those that work in the Dinning rooms will do their job and everyone will then change to their School uniform and be in their assigned Class Room by 9:00 am.
One must hurry, even though the School rooms are in the same building… you would be surprised how many are late and get into trouble for being late… and that is no picnic… that’s a whole other type of trouble … you could find yourself in!
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“I’m Looking at YOU, TODAY and Forever
I’m looking at you… as a little kid that would like to tell you all kinds of stories, about me and the family and everything that we did way back and into the 1940’s… even some of the stuff we kids did as a group and or with our own brothers and family to help “AMERICA” with the WWII effort.
On the way home from school, (Perpetual Help School) this man had his camera and equipment all set up on the front lawn with a nice back drop of plants for the back ground of the photos, he would be taking.
When I see something different, than the usual on my way to and from school… I have to ask questions and as others from school were with me, I did figure it to be safe for me.
So when this man told me … that if someone would sit at the spot he had mark, he would take their picture and bring it their house in a couple of days.
If he said anything about money… I did not hear that, so I sat down, and when he said he had the pictures to be developed he would bring to my house.
So nothing to do but to tell my MOM when I got home.
Sometimes I guess… that I know what I am doing.
Back in the early 1940’s we did not have “TV”… everyone had their radio on for information and in the evenings… if you would walk down the block… you knew what everybody was listening too… as most families listened to the same radio stations.
Back then and as being the oldest, I must have been told about doing dumb things, but with most of the school kids watching what was going on, I did feel safe… but then, having to give out my address… I was beginning to think about that PICTURE TAKING … when I told my MOM about a someone will be calling or coming by with my picture.
When the man called and or came by, to our house… I must have been at School … as I never heard about it.
The above PHOTO is the one that I had posed for, and I do not know if there were others as this one is the only one, that has lasted for all of these years.
As I am looking at this old, old photo… and I am looking straight out at myself, NOW… and wondering what my MOTHER was thinking when this man had brought this PHOTO to our house for her to see .
If ever you would want to let your child know a thing or two about having photos taken by just… an any old body… along the street and then also give them your address and phone number… beware…
Today and even back to years long ago… things have always been happening to small children, and there is no way as being a parent today… can you warn your children of all the possibilities of bad things that could have happened … then or NOW … and taken place, some time later on.
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“The First Few Months at St. Vincent”
“Well here we are… just a little older, and on a “Visiting Sunday”… and we are hanging on to the fencing on the “Boys’ side Pavilion”… where we will be sitting at one of the tables and benches, as you can see.”
Sunday… only on the fourth Sunday of the month… our parents would be here to see us… as close to “one o’clock” and stay for the full allotted time in the afternoon, to five o’clock.
We were happy when they arrived, and it would seem like to be in HEAVEN, while we were hugging and hanging onto to them.
When you know that it is “Visiting Sunday” and you know that your parents will soon be here to see you… and, always my MOTHER would bring bags of goodies that she had made… and then, for just those couple of hours …our family was in a heavenly realm.
Something new to us… everything was numbered, as each child has a number and everything that you receive is numbered… should it be sent to you through the mail or when someone would come to the Orphan Home with gifts , as they did not allowed family visits just any ole time.
So to continue with the story…My Aunt Irene Riley was the one finding out about this “Orphan Home” that would take both boys and girls… all the children in the family, but… from the age three and up.
So… nothing to do … but for us to go to the St. Vincent’s Home and see if we would like it, for a place to stay, for maybe six to nine months, since my Mother was now expecting Twins!
When we arrived to the “HOME” for our visit, and almost as soon as we enter… you could smell some of the very best of smells.
Evidently this was one of those days when the “NUN” in the “Bakery” would be baking and as we walked through those halls and the different floors of the building… it was like we were walking around in Heaven!
We saw the Church as it is the first place immediately visible for people to see and visit, then to the classrooms and then to the dormitories… and the “PLAYROOMS” for the girls and for the boys… and also the dining rooms.
We also went out to the Playgrounds, where the Swings and Pavilions were, and even the out of doors Water fountains… as the kids could get a drink anytime… when outside playing.
Everything that we saw … was just terrific and for one thing compared to some other places … everything looked so clean and the kids were all so nice looking… taking part in all of the things… that they had and were doing.
So the decision was made, that we would be going to St. Vincent’s.
This was now SEPTEMBER 1945 and I was already attending Perpetual Help School in North Saint Louis… just starting the Second Grade and my younger brother Denny was starting the First Grade… and we would be walking a couple of blocks to School and home again and just having fun…as we skipped and ran all the way.
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“Eighty Years have LONG since Passed AWAY”
This is that picture…
As of today… little Tommy in the NAVY Uniform …
and ME… holding Mom’s purse…
are alive today!
Today is April 19th, 2022 and this photo was taken in April or May 1946.
“How do I know? you may be asking?…”
When it was determined that my Mother was going to have another child, and that she already has three children…what do you … NOW need to do?
1945…WWII is over and everyone in America is happy and thinking about all the good things that they put off doing…until better times would soon be here!
I’m guessing that everyone in the whole wide world was HAPPY and celebrating as much as they could now, since we were scrimping and doing with out so much… all for the WAR effort, but now, we could be happy as all of the SERVICE Men and WOMEN were NOW, coming home… and at long last “PEACE” was the good word!
Well… my Mother was a small “five foot” person, and she was the thirteenth child in her family.
Something that does not run in lots of families is the having of “TWINS”… and how many families can say that there MOTHER had “THREE” sets of twins?
What a lovely surprise for my MOTHER… she was now going to have a set of twins, too!
So… NOW what to do?
There would have to be some place for us three children to stay, temporarily? But where? We were sent to different “HOMES” for children… to check out?
There was an all girls home in South Saint Louis that we all took a tour of, would I like it?
And so… then we went to an all BOYS’s Home … a place that maybe my brothers would go to?
It did not seem that we would be HAPPY … being separated and not getting to see each other… as we were so young , and what kind of life would that be… for all of us being here and there, and when would there be a visiting day, if ever … that we could see each other and not forget our own family members?
Daddy holding our new baby sister “Eve Karen” and the three of us… Denny Jr., ME, and Tommy
“Eve Karen” was born on February 16th and my Mother was in the hospital for two or three weeks… and the “HOME” for us only had one Visiting Sunny a month.
So these photos were taken late April 1946 or in May… as you can see the trees are starting to grow.
As all good stories that you …”The READER”…take up to read… this story has so much more to be added, as so much TIME has just slipped away, and so many people are no longer alive, with which to add their “two cents”… as sometimes some things are seem in a very different slant… depending on just who was back there and exactly what was really remembered correctly… if at all or if there was anything worthwhile completely forgotten?
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“All Creatures Small and Great, LOVE ME”
My Favorite Backyard Friends!
Nothing like having all of your “favorite” friends just “fly” in.
And … the best part is to stay and visit a-while.
In our backyard… there is the “KING” of the “Cardinals” … who just likes to come very early and sit on our porch rail … and he will sit and sit… as he must be the “police-man … checking to see if all is “OKAY” for his family.
He comes and will get first pickings of the bird-seed… as some birds are from the “high rent district” and they prefer the best and freshest of seeds.
I’m always glad to see our “Mr. Sunshine” and it looks like he likes to give to “me” a big friendly “wink” and … of course … that just makes the day for ME!
I was looking for our regular or any friendly “humming bird” … but I don’t see the very busy favorite of all of our family???
Looks like we will have to get some of their favorite red bottles filled and put out … just where they will be looking for them… or sometime we’ll get some of those red flowers … that they would prefer.
I know that if… we plant for them, that which they truly enjoy, they will visit…
I do see our “Sunset Park” cat, and she is looking and lurking around to see if any … old “blue-jay” is letting the rest of the birds know… that she is also looking for something “good” to eat?
I did have to add a “Cardinal” to the above “yard” … as we have a tree with several family members living… just giving us a visit on their daily routine … and all rent free.
There is also a “purple martin” house … in our backyard and who knows “who” lives there???
Someday I would like to clean that house out, and redo everything just to be sure everyone is okay… maybe give it a more friendly paint-job and maybe … if done at the right time of the year… the “Purple Martins” will move in and not some of the other “first-come… first move in” birds.
“WHO” – make the best of what they can get – free??
With the “SUN” shinning so nice and bright… right – NOW –
I know that all is well with all of the animals, all of those whom the Almighty sends here for us to enjoy!
Just watching all those that will come for a visit with a “tweet or two and a chirp- chirp” and enjoy a free bite or two… to visit us while they eat and where they can also feel so nice and safe.
It is just like Heaven, since they have so much fun “talking” to each other and especially even that “one” that will talk back to me!
“That is the “ONE” … I really like the most-Est!!
“My favorite and forever:” – – “FRIEND!”
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