Grandma’s Stories

Aug 24th Denny … the Teenager…

Denny… now enrolled at the DeAndries  High School and planning on going to work after school. 

When you think back…the good times that were available to all of the residents in and around the “Sportsman’s Park” – Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street – North Saint Louis –  – the Browns and the Cardinals Ball teams  – playing  and everybody going to see who will win and be the “Champ” –   – – Well… there was a good job – just waiting for you  – if  you were willing…  as they…  needed hard workers –   young  and energetic men who move fast and wanted to make money! DENNY was one of the best workers, that they ever had – he could work fast and hard – he would  do more than his share of work – they always had work for him!

You have to be ready for work on the days  – that there were no “GAMES” being played in Saint Louis… so Denny had another part-time job working at an ice cream  parlor – I think it was called McGrath’s. If there was work  to be done … Denny was there for the job – and he always  did a very good job – at everything. 

While taking pictures – – may as well take a few…just for FUN – and am I ever glad to have these old photos – – as a photo is the best source for the old memories to get registered into the brain – as one does tend to forget  – – especially if there is no physical reminder!

This is ME – –  with my younger brother,  DENNY.   WOW – this dress style  – the skirts were sure long enough – – I know they went up and down several times since the above photo was taken!  When I first started into the High School program – it was at “Rosati-Kain” – and you will find me in my school uniform – somewhere in an old posting.  Also… when it came to working after school – – there were plenty of places for me to work –  –  one place on North Grand Avenue  – – the Tower Dime Store –  – I remember so well – – – there was a customer asking me for a specific “game” – and after looking all over for it and I could not find it… I went back to the customer and said,  “Sorry we do not have that “GAME’ available!”

The owner  – could not get to me fast enough – and said, “YOU never ever tell a CUSTOMER – – that we do not have something – YOU will say that we will order it … and take their name and address!”  – – That is “ONE” lesson that I had to learn –  – and  – since my feelings  were hurt – –  I quit! 

Sure glad that I did not feel too sorry for myself – I went and got a better job at the “Woolworth Co., on Grand Boulevard and Olive Street”  the biggest  “Five and Ten Cent Store” in the Saint Louis area.Working there was great  – – rode the “Trolley Cars” back and forth to work  – and the area was loaded with the best of everything – – back then  – that was the area just filled with people coming and going in all directions – the “MAIN HUB”-  – – the “FOX Theater” was down the Street  and still  there  – a couple of other important businesses,  of which –  I can no longer remember their names… and Restaurants for everyone and anyone.

When you think of it… everybody was having lots of FUN – so busy working – coming and going –  – and I am Grateful and Thankful – that –  I still  can remember  – – so many good times – – that we all had,  back then!

Aug 23rd “Sunday… and here “WE” are…”

“WOW!” – – WE…three Angels… at least on this day… in 1946!

That is little “MARY ELLEN” and just a little taller than “DENNY” and he is just a little taller than  “TOMMY” – and this photo is after the “First Communion Ceremony” – – in front of the “Lady of Lourdes” grotto. It would have been nice … if when we were being staged for this photo  – – to have been able to get the  figure of Saint Bernadette…also in on this photo.  After having seen the movie, “The Song of Bernadette” …I decided to take the name of  “Bernadette” – – for my Confirmation Name!

Now… Today… if  “WE” –  three… were to stand like  “WE” are on the above photo – – “WE” would be facing the opposite direction… as TOM is the tallest – he got up to  six foot… in the eight grade and still grew more  – that is  – – getting to be … the  tallest of us, three – –  that is…after getting out of the eight grade. DENNY is a six footer, always slim and trim –  and ME…well –  I was almost five foot seven…but –  due to surgery on the back …am now only five foot, four – and I sure do miss being taller.

Well…How does this photo look? These are the only photos – – that I have – if there were others – sure would like to see – – how we look on them?? This photo…we look like “WE” are tired – – as this is also a “Visiting Sunday” and  there are only so many “hours in a day” – – that is to really get to spend any time at all with our parents, and of course… because this would be a day that Aunt Irene  – – would for sure  – – make it her business… to come out –  and to  also make  sure that we were all doing everything correctly  – and according to her ways – that is how these pictures were  finagled …  she missed us  and was always  glad  to see – all of  us –  too!

Aunt Irene did not come out to see us… that is –  as often as we would have like to see her  –  guess her husband had other things planned for SUNDAYS in the “RILEY” household? In AMERICA… way back and when these photos were taken – –  Sundays  were consider a “HOLY  DAY”  – for everyone –  – You would go to CHURCH – have CHURCH  “Social”   things to do with the whole FAMILY! There were no “STORES” like there are today… You had to have  “Ration Coupons”  for so many items – especially  to buy fuel for the automobile – during the WAR Years –  I just can not remember much of  any commercial activity  – –  which would involve anybody doing too much on a SUNDAY – – the only emergency type of police and hospitals at  least  nothing like  it is  today.

Would we ever…  be able to go back… to having  at least one  “DAY” a week for just … the FAMILY??? 

Aug 22nd “Graduation Day… 1952 & 1953…”

This is 1952… and …GRADUATION DAY – for Mary Ellen…

The above photo is MARY ELLEN and younger brother DENNY – – this day sure took long enough for me. Thought that I would collect some telephone numbers  – – of some of the GRADUATES – – just so we could check …with each other  – – after we left here – –  and several said …”No way – – this is one place that I will completely forget – and do not try to look me up!”

Some of the girls that I was interested in keeping a contact – just left me know – that there was no way – that anyone on the outside of the ORPHAN HOME – would ever get to know that they were  a “half-way Orphan”  – – as in all the years that I was there – – there was only one (1)  child that had no parents at all???

This is   1953… and  GRADUATION   DAY for  DENNY H.  McClarren Jr.!

The above photo is of  DENNY and his younger sister,   Eve Karen  – we are  in line… to get on the “Ferris Wheel Ride” – – this is one of the larger “RIDES” that the ORPHAN HOME has set up – – on the front lawns of the Orphanage – in front of the new “Gymnasium” building that you can see in the back ground of the above photo.  I am taking this photo – and where our younger brother, TOMMY is – just have no idea???  BUT…next year TOMMY will be Graduating!

Graduation Day was  always on a Sunday…  and the second Sunday of the month of JUNE. We would start the day with Mass  at six  o’clock in the morning and as I had previously told –  how the day would be… – but –  for us, GRADUATES …all  the old ways for us… were over… what – we had on our mind… was getting ourselves dressed for the ceremony to be at ten o’clock in the morning. All the parents and relatives with friends were now coming in – parking their cars on the fields in the back  “baseball” fields and any other place handy… and of course there were lots of families – that did not own cars –  and had to take  at least three (3) different buses as their transportation – with the last bus – the “RAMONA” at least a half-hour wait – which made it a very long and taxing operation to do – for a very good number of people.

The day was long…everybody  having  a long  and lasting –  “FUN” day – the “PICNIC” atmosphere – music playing – all kinds of “RIDES” – and lots of booths set up for any and all kinds of games of  chance – “PONY  RIDES”  –  and “Chuck-a-Luck” – and do not for get today was also a money making day for the ORPHANAGE –  CHICKEN DINNERS – and lots of cold beer and soda! You just had to have “FUN” – everything there if you had the money!

When evening time was near – we needed to call a “TAXI-CAB” – in order to take all of our personal belongings  – as to transfer from bus to bus would have been just too much – to have to do… for  the ending of  an otherwise “TERRIFIC DAY!”