12-21-2008
( Reply#: 2507 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by Paddy
My grandkids love to watch Shep's "Christmas Story," and I enjoy watching it with them. They enjoy the film's funny moments while I engage in a bit of nostalgia.
I swear that the animated window displays in the film came from Goldblatts. Did a store in Gary have similar displays? If so, I will yield to historical accuracy.
All I can say is this. When I hit the point in the film that shows the department store window displays, I become a kid standing on Hohman Avenue, awed by the Goldblatts animated displays.
I'm with ya, Paddy. Downtown Hammond was such a wonderland during the Christmas season, and the centerpiece, of course, was Goldblatt's, with its animated display.
All of Downtown was really something in the weeks just before Christmas. I loved the place and have fond memories of walking the streets and visiting the stores to find just the right gift for my mom and for my dad. I did most of my shopping at Minas's, since I got a 15% discount there because of Dad's working for them.
Tom
A 1967 Graduate of Hammond High who cherishes his memories of growing up in the Hammond of the 1950's and 1960's. Bring back those days!
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/tsjay/Tom%20and%20Georgeann/img014.jpg[/IMG] |
12-21-2008
( Reply#: 2510 ) |
Tom J |
Paddy, this may have been your intention anyway, but your post has inspired me to start a new thread where people share their memories of Christmases from their childhoods in the Region.
Tom
A 1967 Graduate of Hammond High who cherishes his memories of growing up in the Hammond of the 1950's and 1960's. Bring back those days!
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y145/tsjay/Tom%20and%20Georgeann/img014.jpg[/IMG] |
12-25-2008
( Reply#: 2535 ) |
svea3 |
Anyone have a a connection with the Kennedy park Christmas Tree?[8)]
Linda |
12-26-2008
( Reply#: 2539 ) |
wvcogs |
Each year -- I'm not sure when the tradition began and when it ended -- Santa Claus would arrive at the parking lot on Kennedy Avenue between the Pin Bowl and the old A&P Building. One time in the late 1950s he even made it there in a helicopter.
This picture was just printed in the November-December issue of Flashback, the newsletter of the Hammond Historical Society. The photo came from the Hammond Public Library Times negative collection of November 1958. The two buildings across Kennedy Avenue are the Hessville Department Store on the left and Vierk's Furniture. My guess is that the person in the foreground with his back to the camera is another photographer who was also a teacher at MHS. (It sure looks like that old overcoat he wore everywhere.) He always stood that way when he was focusing that old press camera.
Ken...
[img]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g268/wvcogs72/Santa1958.jpg[/img] |
12-27-2008
( Reply#: 2540 ) |
seejay2 |
The lion's share of my old Christmas stuff is on old 8mm, but here is a pic of my friend, Lynn, and her sister on Christmas morning in Hessville. It reflects the kind of things we saw back then in the late 50's - early 60's era.
Show a typewriter today to a 9 year old kid and watch their face. Did you gals get 'nun dolls' as a gift? How about the red wagon? We all had one of those. Can anybody make out the gift in the wagon? Maybe someone will recognize it through the paper.
[IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/seejay2_photos/Cmas2.jpg[/IMG]
Cj |
12-30-2008
( Reply#: 2544 ) |
Pro2am |
CJ & All,
Boy, I sure remember those late-'50s/early-'60s Christmases. They were the best!
Here's shot of myself and my sister Nancy on Christmas morning of 1957; that's me with my new Remco Pom-Pom gun (at least I think it was Remco). At the time I we lived at 6912 Magoun Ave. in Woodmar. I was 8 and Larry was 4. [;)]
I'm not yet sure how to post photos here; I hope this worked!
Mike Rapchak Jr.
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Pictures\'57 Christmas_Pom-PomGun.JPG
------------------------------------------------------------
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
The lion's share of my old Christmas stuff is on old 8mm, but here is a pic of my friend, Lynn, and her sister on Christmas morning in Hessville. It reflects the kind of things we saw back then in the late 50's - early 60's era.
Show a typewriter today to a 9 year old kid and watch their face. Did you gals get 'nun dolls' as a gift? How about the red wagon? We all had one of those. Can anybody make out the gift in the wagon? Maybe someone will recognize it through the paper.
[IMG]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/seejay2_photos/Cmas2.jpg[/IMG]
Cj
|
12-30-2008
( Reply#: 2546 ) |
seejay2 |
Hi Mike,
You can't post pix directly to the Shep board without some 3rd party help. You first must upload them into a website like "Photobucket"(my choice) and then either link them or load the image right onto the page. Photobucket is free to use. You just register and create a password. Check it out.
Secondly, I was going thru some of the old Shep posts from 'days gone by' and I found a spot where you were asking me about where I had gone to school before and such. I must have overlooked it then, so I will answer now:
Yes, I did go to OLPH with you and we were in Miss Brinzo's class in the 3rd grade. I remember the dinosaur drawings you would make then. You did have quite a flair for that.
After that I transfered to St. Catherine of Sienna.
Also,
Yes, I did go to Bishop Noll for one year in '63. I remember you from there. I was part of that incorrigible freshman 5 class. In fact, I was probably one of the worse ones in there, which prompted my move to O. P. Morton.
By the way, Lynn remembers getting one of those "bake sets" in a box like the one in the wagon....Cj |
12-30-2008
( Reply#: 2547 ) |
Pro2am |
Chris,
Well, I'll be... So it really is you, eh? What a small world! Yes, I recall Miss Brinzo - but I don't remember you being in my class. Then again, what did I know back then? [:p]
So you remember my dinosaur drawings? Wow, that's good recall! My brother Larry & I were nuts aboout dinosaurs back then as a result of me stumbling across book on them in the Jefferson School library (I went to Jefferson for 2nd grade); before that we never even knew dinosaurs had existed.
One more trivia question to see if you're really the Crazy Chris I remember from Noll: Do you recall me loaning you that fabulous LP recording of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture"?
Thanks for the photo-uploading info! Hopefully I'll be able to figure it out. [:)]
Mike Rapchak Jr.
-------------------------------------------------------
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
Hi Mike,
You can't post pix directly to the Shep board without some 3rd party help. You first must upload them into a website like "Photobucket"(my choice) and then either link them or load the image right onto the page. Photobucket is free to use. You just register and create a password. Check it out.
Secondly, I was going thru some of the old Shep posts from 'days gone by' and I found a spot where you were asking me about where I had gone to school before and such. I must have overlooked it then, so I will answer now:
Yes, I did go to OLPH with you and we were in Miss Brinzo's class in the 3rd grade. I remember the dinosaur drawings you would make then. You did have quite a flair for that.
After that I transfered to St. Catherine of Sienna.
Also,
Yes, I did go to Bishop Noll for one year in '63. I remember you from there. I was part of that incorrigible freshman 5 class. In fact, I was probably one of the worse ones in there, which prompted my move to O. P. Morton.
By the way, Lynn remembers getting one of those "bake sets" in a box like the one in the wagon....Cj
|
12-31-2008
( Reply#: 2551 ) |
seejay2 |
I remember "1812" coming from somewhere, but I always thought it was Bill Michalak (another freshman 5'er)who brought that around. From what I remember, Bill's dad had some kind of stereo system that the Lord himself envied. I never got to see or hear it because it was "Off Limits" to everyone, especially kids. Bill said his dad would crank up 1812 on it and the cannons and bells would shake the house. After he said that, I was compelled to hear that music.
My folks had a 'hi-fi' setup(Webcor comes to mind)in the basement that was great for mom's Dean Martin and whatever kind of twanger crap it was that dad would listen to.
We brought that 1812 LP to my house, laid it in the Hi-Fi and put the 'pipe wrench' to the volume control. It gave me the incentive to someday listen that piece on something decent.
Wow, that came from you!?!?
Are you going to tell me now that you never got the album back? Bill has it!! HA!
If you want to, email that photo to me and I will put it up on Shep until you figure out Photobucket. It's really not that difficult. A little experimenting around and you will get it. When you get the photo uploaded to P-bucket, hover over the thumbnail and there is a little menu that will say "IMG code". Right-click on the info to the right of IMG Code and copy it. Paste that info into Shep and that will produce the image. If you do the same with "Direct Link", that will put a link address into Shep that must be clicked on to view the image.
I just remembered this one, this is 3rd grade again:
Do you remember pencil drawing a giant squid that wrapped itself around the Golden Gate bridge and tried to pull(I assume)itself out of the water? Maybe he was trying to pull the bridge down. I think it was from some monster movie that was playing in the Ace at the time. That picture went around the classroom and I tried for years to draw that picture with the same finesse that you did .....Cj |
12-31-2008
( Reply#: 2552 ) |
Pro2am |
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
I remember "1812" coming from somewhere, but I always thought it was Bill Michalak (another freshman 5'er)who brought that around. From what I remember, Bill's dad had some kind of stereo system that the Lord himself envied. I never got to see or hear it because it was "Off Limits" to everyone, especially kids. Bill said his dad would crank up 1812 on it and the cannons and bells would shake the house. After he said that, I was compelled to hear that music.
My folks had a 'hi-fi' setup(Webcor comes to mind)in the basement that was great for mom's Dean Martin and whatever kind of twanger crap it was that dad would listen to.
We brought that 1812 LP to my house, laid it in the Hi-Fi and put the 'pipe wrench' to the volume control. It gave me the incentive to someday listen that piece on something decent.
Wow, that came from you!?!?
Are you going to tell me now that you never got the album back? Bill has it!! HA!
If you want to, email that photo to me and I will put it up on Shep until you figure out Photobucket. It's really not that difficult. A little experimenting around and you will get it. When you get the photo uploaded to P-bucket, hover over the thumbnail and there is a little menu that will say "IMG code". Right-click on the info to the right of IMG Code and copy it. Paste that info into Shep and that will produce the image. If you do the same with "Direct Link", that will put a link address into Shep that must be clicked on to view the image.
I just remembered this one, this is 3rd grade again:
Do you remember pencil drawing a giant squid that wrapped itself around the Golden Gate bridge and tried to pull(I assume)itself out of the water? Maybe he was trying to pull the bridge down. I think it was from some monster movie that was playing in the Ace at the time. That picture went around the classroom and I tried for years to draw that picture with the same finesse that you did .....Cj
|
12-31-2008
( Reply#: 2553 ) |
Pro2am |
Message Preview
Chris,
Wow again! I remember Bill - another outspoken comedian from our class!
I'm not saying that you never got an 1812 recording from him, but I know you borrowed that one from me. I think it was in early 1964 Spring.
The main reason I remember it is because of the reaction to it you expressed at school the following morning. Three or four of us were standing in a group in the hallway near the bookstore and cafeteria and you were emoting on the aural impact of the recording, "...all those d*mned cannons!", etc. Right at that point our tough-guy phys ed instructor Mr. Wilson walked past. The expression on your face was priceless! You were waiting for the axe to fall big-time; fortunately it didn't. I wasn't in the mood to have to follow his typical order of "Drop and give me 50 (pushups)!" right there in the hallway in front on 100 schoolmates.
Not to worry, you gave the album back to me (I still have it, or at least a more recent copy since the original got pretty trashed over the years). Just for the heck of it, if you'd ever be interested in hearing that particular recording again and assuming it's still available somewhere (Amazon, eBay, or whatever), it was a 1961 London "Phase 4" series LP with Robert Sharples and the London Festival Orchestra. Don't know if you recall the Mercury "Living Presence" recordings of the '50s; they had two separate releases of the 1812 - a mono recording in 1954 and a later stereo version around 1958. In both they spent a lot of time detailing the cannon and bells they used and the recording processes of each, to the extent of including a 15-minute spoken narrative on each record. Unfortunately the performances are just so-so, more read-throughs than anything. So the "spectacular" effects didn't save them. OTOH, the Phase 4/Sharples recording is in a class by itself, with those magnificent cannons that roll and reverberate, and also what sounds like 500 chuch bells ringing. And not on word in the liner notes about how all this was accomplished. I give them credit for that - though I'd still like to know how they did it!
Holy cow! You remember that giant squid picture?? I don't even remember it! I know what film inspired it, though: "It Came from Beneath the Sea", featuring special effects by Ray Harryhausen. I always liked to draw, and found myself greatly inspired by all those monsters, dinosaurs, etc.
Mike Rapchak Jr.
================================================
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by seejay2
I remember "1812" coming from somewhere, but I always thought it was Bill Michalak (another freshman 5'er)who brought that around. From what I remember, Bill's dad had some kind of stereo system that the Lord himself envied. I never got to see or hear it because it was "Off Limits" to everyone, especially kids. Bill said his dad would crank up 1812 on it and the cannons and bells would shake the house. After he said that, I was compelled to hear that music.
My folks had a 'hi-fi' setup(Webcor comes to mind)in the basement that was great for mom's Dean Martin and whatever kind of twanger crap it was that dad would listen to.
We brought that 1812 LP to my house, laid it in the Hi-Fi and put the 'pipe wrench' to the volume control. It gave me the incentive to someday listen that piece on something decent.
Wow, that came from you!?!?
Are you going to tell me now that you never got the album back? Bill has it!! HA!
If you want to, email that photo to me and I will put it up on Shep until you figure out Photobucket. It's really not that difficult. A little experimenting around and you will get it. When you get the photo uploaded to P-bucket, hover over the thumbnail and there is a little menu that will say "IMG code". Right-click on the info to the right of IMG Code and copy it. Paste that info into Shep and that will produce the image. If you do the same with "Direct Link", that will put a link address into Shep that must be clicked on to view the image.
I just remembered this one, this is 3rd grade again:
Do you remember pencil drawing a giant squid that wrapped itself around the Golden Gate bridge and tried to pull(I assume)itself out of the water? Maybe he was trying to pull the bridge down. I think it was from some monster movie that was playing in the Ace at the time. That picture went around the classroom and I tried for years to draw that picture with the same finesse that you did .....Cj
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Close Window
quote:
Originally posted by Pro2am
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
I remember "1812" coming from somewhere, but I always thought it was Bill Michalak (another freshman 5'er)who brought that around. From what I remember, Bill's dad had some kind of stereo system that the Lord himself envied. I never got to see or hear it because it was "Off Limits" to everyone, especially kids. Bill said his dad would crank up 1812 on it and the cannons and bells would shake the house. After he said that, I was compelled to hear that music.
My folks had a 'hi-fi' setup(Webcor comes to mind)in the basement that was great for mom's Dean Martin and whatever kind of twanger crap it was that dad would listen to.
We brought that 1812 LP to my house, laid it in the Hi-Fi and put the 'pipe wrench' to the volume control. It gave me the incentive to someday listen that piece on something decent.
Wow, that came from you!?!?
Are you going to tell me now that you never got the album back? Bill has it!! HA!
If you want to, email that photo to me and I will put it up on Shep until you figure out Photobucket. It's really not that difficult. A little experimenting around and you will get it. When you get the photo uploaded to P-bucket, hover over the thumbnail and there is a little menu that will say "IMG code". Right-click on the info to the right of IMG Code and copy it. Paste that info into Shep and that will produce the image. If you do the same with "Direct Link", that will put a link address into Shep that must be clicked on to view the image.
I just remembered this one, this is 3rd grade again:
Do you remember pencil drawing a giant squid that wrapped itself around the Golden Gate bridge and tried to pull(I assume)itself out of the water? Maybe he was trying to pull the bridge down. I think it was from some monster movie that was playing in the Ace at the time. That picture went around the classroom and I tried for years to draw that picture with the same finesse that you did .....Cj
|
12-31-2008
( Reply#: 2554 ) |
Pro2am |
Chris,
I think I finally got the Photobucket thing figured out. If so, here's that photo of me and my sister Nancy on Christmas morning of 1957.
Mike Rapchak Jr.
[IMG]http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp266/pro2am/5720Pom-PomGun0001.jpg[/IMG]
----------------------------------------------------
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
Hi Mike,
You can't post pix directly to the Shep board without some 3rd party help. You first must upload them into a website like "Photobucket"(my choice) and then either link them or load the image right onto the page. Photobucket is free to use. You just register and create a password. Check it out.
Secondly, I was going thru some of the old Shep posts from 'days gone by' and I found a spot where you were asking me about where I had gone to school before and such. I must have overlooked it then, so I will answer now:
Yes, I did go to OLPH with you and we were in Miss Brinzo's class in the 3rd grade. I remember the dinosaur drawings you would make then. You did have quite a flair for that.
After that I transfered to St. Catherine of Sienna.
Also,
Yes, I did go to Bishop Noll for one year in '63. I remember you from there. I was part of that incorrigible freshman 5 class. In fact, I was probably one of the worse ones in there, which prompted my move to O. P. Morton.
By the way, Lynn remembers getting one of those "bake sets" in a box like the one in the wagon....Cj
|
12-31-2008
( Reply#: 2555 ) |
Pro2am |
Chris,
Speaking of dinosuars, here's something that paid off nicely for dino-nuts me and younger brother Larry: a front page feature article in the Hammond Times' Local section publihed on Sunday, October 20, 1957. Our Mom had set ths up without our knowledge, so what a surprise it was when the HT reporter showed up. The article is titled "At 6 and 8, They're Memory Wizards!" It described our detailed knowledge of prehistoric animals, includling correct spellings of names, eras during which each lived, the individual size and weight of each, etc. There's also a paragraph mentioning our 3 1/2-year-old sister Nancy who could pronounce most of the animals' names as good as we could!
The photo shows us in the living room with our collection of Miller wax dinosaurs and book collection - a couple of them borrowed from the Jefferson School library. [:)]
Mike Rapchak Jr.
[IMG]http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp266/pro2am/MeLarry-MillerDinos-1957.jpg[/IMG]
-----------------------------------
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
Hi Mike,
You can't post pix directly to the Shep board without some 3rd party help. You first must upload them into a website like "Photobucket"(my choice) and then either link them or load the image right onto the page. Photobucket is free to use. You just register and create a password. Check it out.
Secondly, I was going thru some of the old Shep posts from 'days gone by' and I found a spot where you were asking me about where I had gone to school before and such. I must have overlooked it then, so I will answer now:
Yes, I did go to OLPH with you and we were in Miss Brinzo's class in the 3rd grade. I remember the dinosaur drawings you would make then. You did have quite a flair for that.
After that I transfered to St. Catherine of Sienna.
Also,
Yes, I did go to Bishop Noll for one year in '63. I remember you from there. I was part of that incorrigible freshman 5 class. In fact, I was probably one of the worse ones in there, which prompted my move to O. P. Morton.
By the way, Lynn remembers getting one of those "bake sets" in a box like the one in the wagon....Cj
|
12-31-2008
( Reply#: 2556 ) |
Alan Vandever |
I saw the first post here talking about Goldblatts window displays. My cousin, Don Ringstrom was the window dresser for Goldblatts. He traveled around to all the Goldblatt stores so I'm sure they all had a similar look to them. |
12-31-2008
( Reply#: 2557 ) |
Pro2am |
Alan,
That's fantastic. Now we know who was behind those unforgettable displays. Is Don still around?
Mike Rapchak Jr.
--------------------------------
quote:
Originally posted by Alan Vandever
I saw the first post here talking about Goldblatts window displays. My cousin, Don Ringstrom was the window dresser for Goldblatts. He traveled around to all the Goldblatt stores so I'm sure they all had a similar look to them.
|
01-01-2009
( Reply#: 2566 ) |
seejay2 |
Hey Mike,
I just thought of this. Bishop Noll had 40 year reunion a while back. I don't know if you attended this or not, but a website was created for it. I blundered into it earlier this year looking for something else. They did a pretty good job doing up this site. Lotsa pictures. Check it out there are a lot of faces that I haven't seen in over 35 years; people I used to run around with--Michalak, Meeker, Mitchell and others. You will be more familiar with these people as I only went there for one year in '63.
http://bni1967class.com/reunion.htm
CJ |
01-01-2009
( Reply#: 2567 ) |
Pro2am |
Chris,
Omigosh - this is fantastic! No, I didn't know about the reunion. many thanks for sharing this! [:D]
Mike
--------------------------------------
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
Hey Mike,
I just thought of this. Bishop Noll had 40 year reunion a while back. I don't know if you attended this or not, but a website was created for it. I blundered into it earlier this year looking for something else. They did a pretty good job doing up this site. Lotsa pictures. Check it out there are a lot of faces that I haven't seen in over 35 years; people I used to run around with--Michalak, Meeker, Mitchell and others. You will be more familiar with these people as I only went there for one year in '63.
http://bni1967class.com/reunion.htm
CJ
|
01-01-2009
( Reply#: 2569 ) |
seejay2 |
Mike,
Just do one thing for me:
Tell me who is this Ray Laska and how does he fit into this. I don't recall him at all.....Cj |
01-01-2009
( Reply#: 2577 ) |
Pro2am |
Chris,
Ya got me! I don't even remember him. [:0]
Wow, I even saw a pic or two of my high school sweetheart Jeanette Kerekes! Neat!
Mike
------------------------------------------
quote:
Originally posted by seejay2
Mike,
Just do one thing for me:
Tell me who is this Ray Laska and how does he fit into this. I don't recall him at all.....Cj
|
|
