 
Jiminnm
Member
Username: Jiminnm
Post Number: 1755
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 1:26 am: |    |
I read your post about old procedures in schools, and see that you went to A.L. Holmes. I also went there and also graduated from high school (Cass) in 1965. So, I wouldn't be surprised of we were at Holmes at the same time, if not the same grade.
BTW, I didn't appreciate Mr. Kenyon as a great teacher until years later. He was tough, but gave me good advice I should have heeded sooner. I regret never telling him so. |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 2813
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 9:06 am: | |
Hey Jiminnm! Where did you live when you attended Holmes?
I lived on Ruth Street, between Marcus and Marion and Fisher and Erwin. Ruth is only one block long.
Did you have Mr. Thomas for Science? Hummm...and the Principal, wasn't her name Mrs. Fox? I've often thought about what her name was. Did you have the pretty red headed art teacher? I can't recall her name. Oh! And what about learning how to square dance in gym class!
Look forward to hearing from you again!  |
Jiminnm
Member
Username: Jiminnm
Post Number: 1756
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008 - 12:37 pm: | |
Erie, my grandparents lived on Woodlawn between Erwin and McClellan. Since both my parents worked, they dropped me at my grandparents in the a.m., and I walked to Holmes (cutting through yards to make a straight line, not something I'd try today).
Aside from Mr. Kenyon, the only teachers who immediately come to mind are Mr. Laughlin (gym, no P.E. in those days) and Mrs. Eckman (English?). I remember Mr. Laughlin because I always thought he was going to kill me if I didn't climb that rope. I lost my fear when I learned that his first name was Rollo and I didn't think anyone named Rollo should scare you. I remember Mrs. Eckman because she taught my father 20+ years earlier and she called me by his name half the time.
I'll think on this a bit and see if others come to mind. |
Jiminnm
Member
Username: Jiminnm
Post Number: 1758
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 9:16 pm: | |
Well Erie, you sent me to that place one should seldom go - the large dusty box in the back of the garage that has has sat, largely undisturbed, for 9 years since being moved 1,600 miles. Inside that box is a smaller dusty box containing relics from my childhood (after nearly 50 years, they must be considered relics).
I found a number of interesting items -- my band certificate signed by Ed Head (which does not attest to my lousy trumpet playing); my safety boy certificate signed by Rollo Laughlin; assorted items of school work; and, the "graduation" from 6th grade autograph book (remember those?). That book brought back a flood of memories, so here's a few.
Many teachers autographed my book: Mr. Kennon (not Kenyon, my bad); Mrs. Fox (principal); Miss Martellock (auditorium); Mrs. Tvrdik (music); Mrs. Covent (art); Mrs. Wood (library); and others for whom I don't know the class - Mr. Bequette, Mr. Thomas, Mrs. Weichbrodt, Miss Wright, Mrs. Cress, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson (married?), and more. And, it was Miss Eckman, not Mrs. I'll always remember telling my dad that I had her for a teacher and he said that she was old when he had her 20+ years before. It also contains many of my fellow classmates signatures and messages. Anyone come to mind that you might want to know about?
Finally, here's a picture, likely taken 1953-55. I don't know the teacher.
This was me (and may still be):
I'll be away for a week, but can post more if you're interested when we get back (or enlarge a portion if the photo if you think you're in there). |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 2823
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 9:26 pm: | |
Yeah, Mr. Laughlin in gym. I hated trying to climb that rope. Funny you mention that though. I was telling my 7 year old grandson about that just the other day. I asked him if his school had that kind of rope. They don't.
Mrs. Eckman - I remember her too for English. I think it was her class I was in the day I announced that I had a new baby brother. She must have asked "what's new" or something like that for me to announce the arrival of my brother. Either that or I just had to brag! LOL
Mr. Thomas for science - I hated that class. He made us sit there with our composition books and write on the top of the page - "Today I learned That" - then on each line we had to write something we learned by reading our science book, quietly. Every day we had to hand the book in and he would grade it overnight and hand it back the next class. I soon learned that I could write anything on those pages - he didn't read them. I would write a couple of words that were in the book, but then surround it with other words that didn't make sense. I always got graded with an A! That's how I knew he didn't read a word. We never did anything in that class but read about science. He just sat at his desk reading some book and watched us. It was not till recent years (while helping the grand kids with school work) that I've taken an interest in it. I found that I really do like it and here all these years I thought I hated it. Says volumes about having an interactive teacher.
Woodlawn was a long street. I think one of my school friends lived there. Do you recall a girl named Barbara Justice. She had a couple of brothers, but I don't remember their names. I would be allowed to go to her house every now and again and she could come to mine. Then there was Kenny Zalewski - he was few years older than me. He was our newspaper boy. I'm pretty sure he lived on Woodlawn. |
Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 2824
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 9:41 pm: | |
OMG! We were writing almost at the same times! LOL
Was your class walking to the Mark Twain Branch Library on Gratiot? I remember we did that several times. I just may be in that picture! From your picture I don't recognize you, but we probably do know one another.
I do remember the autograph books - don't know what happened to mine. I've often thought of them. I have my report cards - all packed away in some box in the garage.
What streets were you a safety for? My friend Paul was a safety too.
Oh! Do you remember the clothing drives and newspaper drives? If you brought in so many pounds of whatever they were collecting you got to watch Three Stooges film festivals in the auditorium. And at Christmas time they always showed us the old, old Scrooge film.
WOW check out those cars parked on the street! |
Jiminnm
Member
Username: Jiminnm
Post Number: 1764
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 01, 2008 - 11:15 pm: | |
Sorry for the delayed response. We were away for awhile. We spent an enjoyable afternoon at the New Mexico Wine Festival today, so my synapses may be a bit sluggish.
I only recall being a safety boy (as we were called) along Georgia across from the school - probably at Crane or Rohns. My certificate states 3 semesters. Like you, I somehow still have most of my report cards and even found that I have 2 of those little red notebooks from 3rd grade.
I don't remember the two kids you mentioned on Woodlawn. It was quite the melting pot. My grandparents were Polish immigrants. The neighbors were, as my grandmother referred to them, the German lady and the Italian lady. Across the alley on Knodell was the Scottish lady and across the street was the Russian lady. I'm sure there was more but I don't remember the names.
I too had a friend named Paul, Paul Baka. He had a younger brother named Chris and lived closer to you than to Woodlawn, but I'm fuzzy on where. I spent a bit of time at his house one summer. His mother must of been very tolerant.
I went to Pulaski, near our house, for 7th & 8th grades, so I lost track of nearly everyone I knew at Holmes. I did run into some later at Cass, and even at Wayne.
I still don't know how the stuff from that long ago survived my various moves and moods. But, there it is.
Do you remember who A.L. Holmes was? I must have known at some point but can't find anything about him now. |
Dianeinaustin
Member
Username: Dianeinaustin
Post Number: 106
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 5:19 pm: | |
What a great picture. I went and did a google map stroll on Woodlawn. Half the houses are gone now, too bad. Ruth street doesn's show up on the street view. |
Jiminnm
Member
Username: Jiminnm
Post Number: 1765
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 7:38 pm: | |
Diane, Ookpik (a DetroitYes poster) was kind enough to go to Woodlawn last year and take a picture of my grandparents house. I was surprised it was still there, but here she is at age 87 or 88.
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Eriedearie
Member
Username: Eriedearie
Post Number: 2929
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 - 10:28 pm: | |
Good to hear from you Jiminnm. I don't remember Paul Baka. As for the name of the school, I'm sure I heard about the person it was named after too, but I don't remember that either. Maybe some searching on google will turn something up??
The names of the people on our block were just the same as on your grandparents' block! We had the Finnish lady (mom still refers to her as that), I used to mow her grass. We had the Polish people across the street that lived next door to the Filipino guy and his Swedish wife - they drove a Triumph convertible that was soooo cool. Everyone had their own victory gardens and had beautiful flower gardens as well. All the yards had clothes lines and the women would hang clothes out even in the winter. I think my mom was one of the first on our block to get a dryer.
I know I've got my report cards packed away in some box. I'm sure my mom has held onto to some more of my stuff. Some day when I go visit out there I'll have to take a look. Remember those "slang books" we had? I recall that we kept those composition books and had a numbered sign in page in the front and each page had a question on it. You picked a number and signed your name, then proceeded to answer the questions, page by page. You didn't have to resign your name, just put your signature's number underneath your response. There would be questions like "Do you like Elvis? Have you seen the movie "Love Me Tender" yet? Do you like Lucy Scott from down the street?" Those sorts of questions. All very important matters to us at those ages, but seems silly now. I wonder if kids do that sort of stuff anymore. I ask my grand children and they look at me like I'm from Mars! So I'm gonna imagine that they do...only they "text" it now!
Dianeinaustin - as for the google map stroll, I tried that too. You can stroll down Erwin, but it won't let you on Ruth Street. There's nothing there now but 2 homes left. When we went over to see Cub's Georgia Street Community Garden, my husband and I drove down Ruth Street. It used to be such a nice street. Lined with those elm trees that were on just about every residential street back in the 50s and 60s. |
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