10-22-2011
( Reply#: 7198 ) |
BobK |
Little Stevie and HassoBenSoba (Larry) were posting pictures of some of their toys or at least pictures of them and their toys. I don't have many pictures and my Dad took a lot if slides but many, many of them were destroyed from humidity in the basement on Torrence Ave where my Dad stored them. That basement would flood at the drop of a rain drop until my parents started using a stand pipe in the floor drain and then we would still get seepage.
Anyway, I got a peddle car for my 1st birthday even though there was no way my feet could reach the peddles.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/bob4.jpg[/IMG]
I think I was 3 or 4 in this picture. As you can see, it's the same car but my Dad painted it a pinstriped it and added skirts.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/BobWithCar2.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-22-2011
( Reply#: 7201 ) |
BobK |
quote:
Originally posted by BobK
Dad also painted up a scooter to match the car.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_012.jpg[/IMG]
Dad also built a swing set for the back yard. This is me and my cousin Dave Hood. The houses in the background are on Jefferson St.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_008.jpg[/IMG]
Dad also made a real nice train set-up for my Lionel train. When we moved to Highland street the table stayed with the house. He did make another at the Highland St house and it stayed there when we moved to Torrence Ave. He even made molds to make streets for the set-up with plaster. It had a nice mountain tunnel and a waterfall off of the mountain into a lake. Unfortunately there are no pictures of either set-up.
Bob
Bob
|
10-22-2011
( Reply#: 7202 ) |
BobK |
I got my first two wheeled bike while living at the Calumet Ave house and learned to ride it on the Wallace School playground.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_013.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_007.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-22-2011
( Reply#: 7203 ) |
BobK |
It seemed that my favorite pastime was tunneling through the sand under the sidewalk in front of the vacant lot next door. My plans were to dig out a fort under the sidewalk but the further I dug under it the more it seemed unwise the get under all that concrete.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_037.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-22-2011
( Reply#: 7204 ) |
BobK |
While Dad was off fighting the war, Grandpa, Mom and I would sometimes go on picnics.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_010.jpg[/IMG]
Sometimes we would picnic with my Aunt and Uncle and my cousins and I would swim in the lagoon.
A favorite place for a picnic was Douglas park.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/BobJimDaveSwimmingDouglasPark.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-22-2011
( Reply#: 7205 ) |
Tom J |
Bob, thanks for sharing these pics. Thanks for sharing your childhood memories with us.
Like I said in the other thread, those Wallace School pics bring back some great memories.
Tomster |
10-23-2011
( Reply#: 7206 ) |
Bill Bucko |
quote:
Originally posted by BobK
It seemed that my favorite pastime was tunneling through the sand under the sidewalk in front of the vacant lot next door. My plans were to dig out a fort under the sidewalk but the further I dug under it the more it seemed unwise the get under all that concrete.
Bob
Yes, very unwise. When we kids dug in the sandy vacant lot next door, where stickers, snot flowers and milkweed thrived (the latter crawling with striped caterpillars), it was fascinating to see the edge of the sidewalk. But we contented ourselves with digging tunnels away from the sidewalk. (At least, the bigger kids did; they never let me inside.) And do you remember digging TRAPS, pits in the sand that you covered with a criss-cross network of twigs, then with leaves, then with sand, to disguise them? Fortunately I never heard of anyone getting hurt, though they could have been.
Thanks for the photos!
Bill
Warren G. Harding Class of '63 |
10-23-2011
( Reply#: 7207 ) |
seejay2 |
Those were the kind of traps that were dotted all over Viet Nam, except they had snakes and bamboo spikes covered with human feces in them. No sidewalks though...Cj |
10-23-2011
( Reply#: 7208 ) |
BobK |
Fortunately I never made Nam, I didn't even make Germany. I was supposed to go to France but just before I was to go France kicked us out and so my order were changed to Germany. When I was processing through Fort Dix to go to Germany they were looking for someone with my MOS and asked me if I'd like to stay there. Since I was engaged and used to going home once a month I stayed for the rest of my tour with United States Army Adjutant Generals Liaison Office at Fort Dix.
Back to 6234, I never did anything in that vacant lot other than tunnel under the sidewalk. When we moved to Highland St I discovered Erie Field, where Eggers school is now. I never camped there but I caught a lot of snakes, started smoking and had banana spiders crawl up my paints leg. When we moved to the northside I had lots of area for adventure north of 141st west of Calumet and north to the 41 Outdoor. A great place to camp. baked potatoes in a hole in the ground shoot a BB gun and just general boy things. That pretty much ended when they built the toll road.
Bob
|
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7209 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
BOB---
These are terrfic pics; thanks for posting them.
The Pedal car photos are both priceless; you certainly were goin' "top-of-the-line" in terms of the model and quality of the car!
The picnic picture is also very cool; the generational thing with your grandfather looking very "old world" in his fedora out there
in the woods for a picnic (how many of us guys any longer actually remember the days when most men wore fedoras year-round?)
The concrete-digging shot: is that Calumet Ave in the background? At what location? I want to get myself oriented here;
in fact, I'll take a ride past your address sometime soon; is the house still there?
Great stuff, which I'm sure everyone here appreciates.
Larry |
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7211 ) |
seejay2 |
quote:
Originally posted by BobK
Fortunately I never made Nam, I didn't even make Germany. I was supposed to go to France but just before I was to go France kicked us out and so my order were changed to Germany. When I was processing through Fort Dix to go to Germany they were looking for someone with my MOS and asked me if I'd like to stay there. Since I was engaged and used to going home once a month I stayed for the rest of my tour with United States Army Adjutant Generals Liaison Office at Fort Dix.
Bob
Just to toss this in, Nam certainly was not my goal. I had an agreement, in writing, to take my AIT at Ft. Monmouth, NJ. Electrical stuff, microwave and such. This was good go-to-Germany training. However, at the end of basic, my orders were cut for Redstone Missile Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. I made an issue of it and the orders were changed to Monmouth.
If I had left things alone, I would have either remained stateside or gone to Germany with that training. As it turns out, we were the first graduating class from Monmouth to head for Nam.
Moral to the story:
Learn when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em---then shut the * up!...Cj |
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7212 ) |
BobK |
Larry, the house is gone, they leveled the whole block when they rebuilt Wallace School. The address was 6234, right where the new building is located. Just to the north was the vacant lot, a soda shop, then an alley and Wallace School. The intersection of Conkey and Calumet was next and it was cut diagonally by the Erie RR tracks. I got a lot of cinders in my eyes waiting for the trains being pulled by steam engines to pass.
I wish I could make out the price of gas on the Johnson Gas and Oil sign. Which ever one it was it was better than todays prices.
1952
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/6234Calumet19522.jpg[/IMG]
2007
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/6234calumet2007.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7213 ) |
BobK |
CJ, I don't think Nam was anyones goal --- well, maybe a few crazies. I consider myself very fortunate for the two years. I didn't have to go to AIT since I had 2 1/2 years experience with IBM machines. I went directly to Fort McPherson, Third Army Headquarters, in Atlanta, GA. I was there for 6 months and spent most every afternoon at the pool that summer of 64. Our barracks were right along one side of the parade grounds and generals row was on the other. The parade ground was also used at that time as a landing field for helicopters carrying the brass from surrounding Third Army bases to generals row for Nam planning sessions.
Bob
|
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7214 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
BOB--
I even noticed that you had your hair neatly slicked back for the
picnic; reminds me of the respect that people showed for themselves
and others when they went out in public back then. Maybe your picnic
was on a Sunday, after church.
Do you have any more slides that are in decent viewing shape? Problem with slides
is the fact that they tend to "flare" and become overly bright when they're
transferred to another medium. But they still look great.
The action shot of you riding your bike--
was the photographer just whirling around quick to catch you, or was
he/she actually moving too, I wonder? I ask because the blurred background
(with you still in focus) makes it look like you were BOTH flying along.
Is that CALUMET AVE in the background of the concrete-digging pic?
Larry |
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7215 ) |
BobK |
I have more slides but not a whole lot up until my early teens. Some are from family vacations and other Christmas or of my brothers as they were growing up.
Dad took the picture and he was probably moving the camera with me thus making the background blurred. That would be Conkey in that background.
Yes, that's Calumet in the sidewalk photo.
Clothes . . most folks back then didn't have a lot of clothes like we do today, you had work clothes and a dress suit (Sunday go to meet'in) and leisure clothes were not heard of for the most part. Suits and hats were the uniform when not working unless your job required a suit.
Bob
|
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7216 ) |
BobK |
This is the three brothers from L to R, Tim, Roger and me. This was Chirstmas time 1956. I was 14, Tim was 7 and Roger was 6 mos.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-29-2010_006.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7217 ) |
BobK |
Here's something I miss, the family reunion. This photo must have been taken after eating and they were playing a game, might have been bingo. Uncle Ben must not have been doing well at it. Uncle Ben owned Calumet Sheet Metal Works and the Norge Village on Hoffman St. My Dad was the shop foreman for CSMW's.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/Ben.gif[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-24-2011
( Reply#: 7218 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
Yeah, Uncle Ben looks like he's thinking about doing some camera-bustin'.
LR |
10-25-2011
( Reply#: 7224 ) |
BobK |
Back in the 40's all the men wore suits and hats?
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_042.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-25-2011
( Reply#: 7225 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
Bob--
How about little zoot-suit dudes in the 50's? (Robert Hall all the way, baby!)
(Easter Sunday, 1958, with our first set of Aurora Knight
models on the TV in the background).
Larry
[IMG]http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af12/HassoBenSoba/58Easter0001.jpg[/IMG] |
10-25-2011
( Reply#: 7226 ) |
S C Jones |
My, what handsome little dudes--look at those creases in those slacks. I'll bet you
were told not to get wrinkled, don't sit until after the picture. These days, I hardly ever iron anything--of course those slacks were "pressed" rather than ironed.
Thank you guys for your sharing.
|
10-25-2011
( Reply#: 7227 ) |
BobK |
Dapper.
Bob
|
10-25-2011
( Reply#: 7229 ) |
BobK |
I don't think I was real sure ab out this.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_006.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-26-2011
( Reply#: 7230 ) |
TestPattern |
I have been catching up on reading forum posts after a few weeks.
One has to love the photos of the pedal car. Bob K., was that a "woody"? You had to be the envy of the neighborhood kids!
Tunneling - now that brings back a memory. The back yard of a friend down the street had a sandy backyard for several years before topsoil was brought in and it was seeded. It was a perfect playground for the neighborhood boys brave enough to face the dreaded sticker patch. We would spend entire summer days digging, making craters that we would fill with the hose, creating an entire series of interconnected lakes.
While playing around, we discovered that the water pressure from the hose would drill right through the sand. So as the water produced a void, we would feed more of the hose into the hole it created. Of the 50 foot hose they had, we were able to feed about 20 or 25 feet of it into the ground. The hose likely curled around under the sand, and we could not feed it further down. The once wet sand around the upper part of the hose dried, and we could not pull it back out. When my friend's father got home and discovered what we did, he tried to pull the hose from the sand to no avail, and ended cutting it off. We then were banded from further use of any of the hoses.
Men in hats! I can still remember that my grandfather always wore a fedora, whether on his way to work or to Sunday church. People always dressed well to go out of the home - it was just the accepted norm. Back in the day, men had a good suit for Sunday church, weddings and funerals, and their older suit was for other out-of-the-house occasions. Even going on a picnic, men wore the dress pants from their older suit, usually with a white shirt and tie, and a hat of course. And parent dressed their children well. Here is a photo of my brother and I, (I'm the short one,) taken on Easter Sunday 1955, complete in suits, bow ties, trench coats and of course hats.
[IMG]http://i52.tinypic.com/11a8kr5.jpg[/IMG]
Bob K., thanks for posting the old aerial photo shot. I checked out their website, looking for an old aerial map, and bingo, I found what I was looking for.
|
10-26-2011
( Reply#: 7231 ) |
BobK |
Testpattern, yes that was a woody but unfortunately there were no other neighborhood kids to play with and at my age I couldn't leave the block. The only neighbor that wasn't an adult was a girl two door away that I could go to her house and play. I don't remember anything in particular that we played but she was a few years older than me. The last I saw her was when I was 6 and we moved until I was 16 and working at Burger's on Calumet and she and her mother came in to shop one day. I haven't seen her since.
You're welcome on the link. I wish some of the areas were covered more years back.
Bob
|
10-27-2011
( Reply#: 7238 ) |
BobK |
Dinner at the log. I don't remember what the occasion was or the girls names. The other guy was my friend Bob Rowe. This was while we were attending school at Irving.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/BobBobRoweAndDates.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-27-2011
( Reply#: 7239 ) |
BobK |
I was OK with this ride. Sometimes I got to go to work with my Dad and the horse and cowboy was in front of the business. This was my Uncle Ben's business, Calumet Sheet Metal Works at it's original location on Hohman south of the South Shore station and the west side of the street, before it move to Hoffman St.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-28-2010_019.jpg[/IMG]
Same building today about 65 years later.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/csmwnow.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-27-2011
( Reply#: 7240 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
Bob--
Two more excellent pictures.
The inside of "The LOG"; Man....who would remember that place besides us older guys? I was there
once--on Sunday afternoon, May 3, 1959, the day of my first Communion. You and your friends look
like the ideal quartet of wholesome yout's (that's youths) that populated da' Region back then.
Here's an old Hammond Times ad announcing the opening of The Log--
May 11, 1955, located on Route 30 at the Ill-Indiana state line.
It was a great example of the elegant, upscale mid-50's design,
with all of that stone facing, like those cool lodges out west
and in rural vacation spots. Do you know about what year your pic was taken there?
[IMG]http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af12/HassoBenSoba/LOG0001.jpg[/IMG]
Your second photo is priceless...I mean it.
Your third photo says "report a problem" in the
lower left corner---yeah, the problem is that the old building is
now a CRAP-HOUSE, like the rest of that area in North Hammond. Too bad (I drive by it often).
My only request is that you post your pics one-at-a-time
(or two in the case of the "then-and-now" sets)
so we can really all enjoy them individually; that way,
you can stretch them out and keep the thread going longer.
Just a suggestion.
Larry |
10-27-2011
( Reply#: 7241 ) |
BobK |
I'm thinking 1957, Larry. I always liked The Log.
Bob
|
10-28-2011
( Reply#: 7253 ) |
duane |
The Log...took high school dates there many times in the early 1970's...does that qualify me as an "old guy" or not? |
10-28-2011
( Reply#: 7254 ) |
tom w |
Bob; Check out Rowes hair. Five parts and a quart of "Lan=Lay". Those were the days, huh? The girl on the left looks like Sherrie Pomerville. Might not be but shure looks like. Neat picture Bob, thanks much. Tom |
10-28-2011
( Reply#: 7256 ) |
BobK |
She was my date, Tom, but that wasn't her name.
Bob
|
10-30-2011
( Reply#: 7270 ) |
BobK |
My 16th birthday party, my only one until my 50th.
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-29-2010_007.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab70/BobK1942/Early%20days/4-29-2010_009.jpg[/IMG]
Bob
|
10-30-2011
( Reply#: 7271 ) |
Tom J |
They had Pepsi back then? [:D] |
10-30-2011
( Reply#: 7272 ) |
BobK |
The two girls on the left are twins, not identical.
Bob
|
10-30-2011
( Reply#: 7273 ) |
BobK |
Something I noticed, Tom, is that there must not have been glasses or drink cups.
Bob
|
11-01-2011
( Reply#: 7315 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
BOB--
What happened to your pics??! I wanted my wife to see them, plus
I was just about to comment on the most recent of them.
Larry |
11-01-2011
( Reply#: 7317 ) |
BobK |
OK, all fixed.
Bob
|
11-02-2011
( Reply#: 7324 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
BOB--
I'm just fascinated by the thought of a time when a guy could have a 16th birtday party at his house and invite
GIRLS (all dressed up, even)..along with his buddies, and everybody sits at a table and
has pizza and coke (oops..sorry, Steve..PEPSI). It's so civil---it all looks very cool and mature, like it's
no big deal. What did you all discuss? Was there dancing, games, etc?
When I turned 16 (late '60's) I just can't imagine anybody I knew doing anything like this; times had already changed
and things were wilder....we were goofier and never would have sat in mixed company and talked like young
adults (as you guys seem to be doing) in your own house.
ON THE OTHER HAND-- the second shot with you guys on the right reminds me of a junior-league version of one of
those boardroom meetings with Frank Nitti and his guys that you see in "The Untouchables."
larry |
11-02-2011
( Reply#: 7326 ) |
BobK |
Everyone was anticipating Mom cutting the cake. Holy crow, I have a hard enough time remembering what I came into a room for.
Those in the photos are from my left; Judy Tangerman, June Taqngerman (HOT and twin of Judy's), Jane Kaufman, Karen Kreyscher, Sonja (?), John (Butch) Nobles, Dick Lewis, Eugene DeRolf, Bob Rowe, and Mom in the second photo cutting the cake.
June and Judy were neighbors of Janes, they lived on 169th or Lawndale just east of Hohman. Jane and Eugene were sweethearts all through high school and married. They now live in North Webster.
Karen Kreyscher; her father and two siblings drowned in a canoe accident in 1952. Dick Lewis's father married Karen's mother and lived on Elm just south of Chicago. http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FreePdfViewer.aspx?img=113520002
Sonja (?) was Karen's cousin. She lived on Columbia a few doors north of Hoffman across the street from Irving Park.
John (Butch Nobles) was Dick Lewis's half brother. Butch's Dad married Dick's mother.
Dick Lewis, his was a long time friend of my mother. Dick lived with his mother in East Gary (Lake Station) and would visit his dad in Hammond. Dick and I spent a lot of time roaming downtown. I remember several excursions to Riverview with our families.
Eu(gene) DeRolf, Gene and I have been friends since we went to Wallace School in the 40's and early 50's. When my family was living on Highland his was less than a block away on Lewis. When we moved to the north side we didn't see much of each other until we both attended HHS.
Bob Rowe, Bob and I were friends and classmates at Irving. He went on to Tech while I went to HHS. I don't recall seeing him again after Irving. He lived on Oak or Ash about a half block north of 150th. Bob had a body shop and possibly a towing service in East Chicago. I stopped over there to see if he was still around last year but he had recently sold the business and they didn't know where he was.
Mom, she passed away in 08 at age 85.
Bob
|
11-02-2011
( Reply#: 7327 ) |
tom w |
Bob Sonya Henning. Tom W |
11-02-2011
( Reply#: 7328 ) |
tom w |
Bob and his little brother Jerry lived on Ash, second house south of 149th St on the west side. He had a place on Indianapolis
blvd between 149th and 150th on the East side caller Mr. Glass where he made and sold fiberglass body parts for vehicles. I lost track of them both as well. Tom W |
11-02-2011
( Reply#: 7329 ) |
BobK |
Thanks, Tom. I used to see articles in the paper about Bob vs East Chicago politics.
Bob
|
11-02-2011
( Reply#: 7332 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
BOB--
I didn't expect you to remember exactly what you discussed all those years ago; it was one of them-there rhetorical questions. I still
can't imagine me and my pals a decade later sitting and having a similar social encounter with members of the opposite sex, while under the
supervision of my parents. Times changed pretty quickly in the '60s.
ALSO-- interesting to note that PIZZA was just beginning to become widely known in the 50's as a standard food item. I remember a
conversation with a well-known musician who told me that in the mid-30's, pizza was a rarity...an exotic delicacy that he had to
search out in the Italian neighborhoods in Chicago.
By the mid-50's, it was becoming much more popular---maybe a result of many ex-serviceman who had served in Italy during the
war created a demand for it here in the states. Ralph Kramden was always suggesting that he Norton stop in and grab a "pizza pie",
still something of a novelty at the time.
I remember my mother making me sit down and eat my first pizza
in '55-56; I hated it. I rarely eat it these days, though I could live on it if I were forced to.
LR |
11-02-2011
( Reply#: 7334 ) |
BobK |
I stopped by my barber for a haircut before lunch today. He lives in Hegewisch as did his great uncle who was my barber when I was growing up in north Hammond. Anyway, I brought up that when I was a teenager Hegewisch had the best pizza parlors and he said they still do. I may have to take a trip and check it out.
Aurelio's Super 6 is our favorite currently but I think it's overpriced.
Bob
|
11-03-2011
( Reply#: 7350 ) |
tom w |
Bob; I think that I stand corrected on Sonya's last name. As I think about it I think it was Hampton.
The other one came from the skater-actress back in the 40s.
Sorry bout dat. Tom W |
11-03-2011
( Reply#: 7351 ) |
BobK |
That sounds right, Tom.
Bob
|
11-04-2011
( Reply#: 7360 ) |
BobK |
Tom, I just remembered we used to play spin the bottle in her back yard.
I also remember Chuck Steuer lived on the corner at Hoffman. His Dad owned the gas station there. Phillips 66?
Bob
|
11-04-2011
( Reply#: 7362 ) |
tom w |
The second house west on Hoffman was my cousins Judy, Janny, and Jeannie and TSOFRED lived in the block north of the station on Columbia across from the park I think. Tom W |
