I’m delighted to welcome two new guest bloggers – my mother (Bonnie Landsbury Burrows, Wellston High ‘57) and my aunt (Louise Landsbury Overbey, Wellston High ‘65). They offer some tantalizing memories of their growing-up days in Wellston. Readers: Post your own memory as a comment and be entered in a drawing for a free copy of the wonderful book, Streets and Streetcars of St. Louis. Post your comment by Saturday, April 30; the winner will be announced Monday, May 2 – and all the entries will be posted on May 2 as an updated “Do You Remember?” list.
Do You Remember . . . ?
by Bonnie Landsbury Burrows and Louise Landsbury Overbey
Do you remember . . .
Vess Grape Soda?
Hand-dipped ice cream cones and delicious penny candy at Floyds Confectionary (located at Chatham and Delaware)? Fudge at Floyds (chocolate and vanilla) and Mrs. Floyd breaking the pieces apart?
The sound of the White Bakery truck and its whistle and the lemon and cherry rolls?
The statue of George Washington in front of the confectionery on Ogden?
Pumpkin seeds at The Nut House at the Loop?
Busy Bee Department Store?
The March of Dimes collection – putting dimes on a wooden tray and the exhibit of an iron lung?
Walking through Central Hardware before we headed home on a hot summer’s day? It was the “coolest” place around, first place we knew of that had air conditioning. Also, the smell in Central Hardware?
The atmosphere on the first day of school? Also the atmosphere on school-picnic day?
The way the librarian hand-stamped our books? We loved it.
Waxed paper wrapping a ham sandwich? Ham bought for Dad’s lunch was the best!
Charging groceries and treats to Dad’s bill at Licavoli’s Grocery Store?
The smell as you walked by Bungey’s Dry Cleaners on the way to Licavoli’s store? Also the back-door entrance at Licavoli’s and the mixing of smells from the tavern and Sam’s butcher shop?
The “sound of music” coming from the open windows of Lindy Hall while we walked home from church?
Saffren’s Department Store with wide wooden floors going to the second floor? The first-floor canister that fit into a tube where people could pay their bills?
Sure, I remember Vess Grape Soda — had to be in the glass bottle, though, right? and lots of these things from other neighborhoods besides Wellston. White’s bakery truck.
Going back–55-60 years! I lived/grew up at 6136 Wagner Ave., one block south of Page Ave. My Waldron relatives lived at 6145 Gambleton Place, three blocks south of Page Ave. My Aunt Merle Waldron, my Mother’s eldest sister, never married. She, and my Uncle Lowell (who didn’t marry till he was 57!), lived at the home on Gambleton.
Merle fell in love as a young woman, but because my Grandfather did not approve of the man, they didn’t marry.
In MY mind, I believe Merle lived vicariously through the lives of movie stars, and their movies!
Aunt Merle spent her weekdays working at Century Electric (rode the streetcar downtown), but on Saturday nights, she went to the Wellston or Victory Theatre. Since she had no children, I sort of became her “little buddy”–a companion, so to speak!
On Saturday afternoons I would walk the two blocks to the Gambleton house. We would “catch” the streetcar by the pencil factory, and ride it to Wellston!
Sometimes we would get something to eat and/or drink (at one of the “dimestores”)prior to going to the theatre. I was young enough that I remember trying to get her to buy me some accessory for my doll(s), ie., rubber pants or bottle!
Now–to the main part of my story! When the movie was over, we would walk to the loop and wait outside Marre’s Tavern for the streetcar to ride back to the Gambleton house, where I would spend the night.
My memories outside Marre’s are very vivid, probably because there were times I thought I might freeze from the cold air blowing through there in the winter! I remember standing between soda machines outside the tavern, trying to get warm, or at least block the cold wind! I remember on an occasion (or more) I actually stood in the doorway (which was at an angle) going into Marre’s! One MIGHT glean a slight bit of warmth from the tavern if someone opened the door to go in or come out!
When the streetcar, going TOWARD the turnaround went by, we had renewed hope that warmth was nigh! HOWEVER–it seemed like it took FOREVER for it to turn around and come back to get us!!
On Sunday morning we would walk to church (West End Church of Christ) at 6152 Wagner, which was up the street from my house. This routine continued for several years. As I got older, I would get off the streetcar at Wagner Ave., and walk past the few houses to my own. I’m sure my Mother was intently waiting for the sound of the streetcar coming, so she could watch for me disembarking, and walking up the street! (NO CELL PHONES!!).
HOWEVER–things really seemed to be so much safer back then!!!
Does anyone dread doing their laundry?
For most people back when, Monday was laundry day, and was quite an operation! My Mother had a wringer washer in the basement, which was filled with the hose. Whites/lights were washed first, darks last. Along with the washer were two rinse tubs(joined). I believe the washer was filled with warm water, and the rinse tubs, cold.
When my Mother determined the first load had washed long enough, a “stick” was used to assist her in lifting the laundry one piece at a time, and running it/them through the wringer into rinse tub #1. The wringer was then moved again, and the items run through the wringer into rinse tub #2. The wringer was moved one more time over the waiting laundry basket. If all went well, nothing would fall on that nasty basement floor!! This ritual continued for however many loads of laundry there were. BUT–there was some hanging going on after that first load! In the Winter or in inclement weather, the laundry was hung on lines in the basement. When possible, the laundry was hung on lines in the back yard, stretched from tree to post, or whatever! The laundry was kept from dragging on the ground by “clothes props” which held the clotheslines higher.
When all the laundry was washed, the hose on the side of the washer was unhooked and “let down” so the water could drain out. There were things under the rinse tubs, I guess you could call spigots, you could open and drain the rinse tubs. This all went into a drain in the basement floor. The hose was once again used to rinse the washer and rinse tubs out. By the way, that “stick” was used to swish the laundry around in the rinse tubs to remove as much soap as possible.
Accessories were clothespins and clothespin bag, which hooked on the line and was moved along the line as the laundry was hung to dry.
There were some other things that “happened” in the laundry process. Something called “bluing” was used on whites, I believe to make them look whiter! Then there was “starch” (Argo?). Some laundry items were starched so they would look nicer when ironed!
If you washed your curtains, they were hung on something called “curtain stretchers”. It was made from pieces of wood, and had little pinlike things on it to hold the curtains taut while they dried.
Many, if not most things that were laundered, were also ironed, including my Father’s handkerchiefs and the pillow cases. To facilitate neat ironing, the things were first “sprinkled” with water, rolled up, and left to sit for a time. If the items were left too long after sprinkling, they would mildew. To keep this from happening, you could put them in the refrigerator till they could be ironed!
I’m sure there were fancy sprinkling bottles, but you could also buy just a “top” with holes, held in with cork, and put it on the top of a soda bottle. Guess which WE had!!
Then, there was ironing on Tuesday!! That’s another story!!!
Hope you all aren’t tired of me yet!! One more!! CLOTHING STYLES!!
“Who wears short shorts”? I remember when they “came out with “Jamaica”, then “Bermuda” shorts. Both lengths came somewhere between short shorts and your knee!! I think the Bermuda’s were slightly longer than Jamaica’s.
Then there were “pedal pushers”, coming just below the knee. These have been revised over the years, using such names as “clam diggers”, and have legs that varied from loose to tight.
Best I remember, most dresses from the 50’s were pretty form-fitting. Skirts, either straight with a “kick pleat”, or full, worn with can can slips!
I’s say about the mid-50’s things began to evolve! There was the drop waist dresses and skirts, with full bottom. There were straight skirts with pleats all the way around the bottom. I’d guess they were about 10 inches long.
Then there was the “Chemise” dress (remember “No chamise, please”?) Also, the “Sack” dress. Remember “You can’t do the bop in a sack, Take that crazy gown back”?
There was the “Ivy League” look–little tiny belts with buckles. You might see them on the back of girl’s skirts, or the back of shoes.
“Boy coats”!! These had two rows of buttons on the front, a belt accross the back (waist), and had large buttons that I believe were made from mussel shells. Most were navy blue–mine was charcoal gray! We wore head scarves on our head, and neck scarves on our necks!!
Wow – Janice, you must have been peeking in our basement on wash day. This is exactly the way my mom did our laundry, right down to the stick. The “stick stuck” with me so much I use one to push my laundry down in my automatic washer. Excellent description of the laundry chore.
I also remember how cold it felt walking home from Wellston on a winter day or waiting for a bus.
Bonnie Burrows
I’m back! I forgot that one little step conducted while the first load of clothes was washing. A VERY important step. The wet cloth used by my Mother to clean dirt and bird doo off the lines before hanging the clothes!! Of course, there were times those silly birds just couldn’t resist doing their thing on the hanging to dry clean clothes!!
I was hoping more people would post their “Remember When” memories, but I’ll add some more since they haven’t!
This one–about mercury/mercury fillings!
At a very young age I was taken to a dentist whose office was above Kresge’s by the streetcar track. I believe his name was Dr. Connor, and thinking NOT O’Connor. Of course, he found cavities, and did the necessary drilling. YUK!! I recall him rolling the mercury, mixed with I know not what, in his BARE hands, to fill the hole he made in my tooth!! Once the evil deed was done, I was “rewarded” with a pretty, shiny little ball of mercury to take home with me to play with! What fun! He must have put it in some container, as I usually made it home with it! If you have ever played with mercury, you know it can splatter into a jillion little balls, then go back together into the bigger one! I don’t know what happened to it once I tired of playing with it, but I’m sure it received NO special handling in getting rid of it. It may have just fallen and shattered into more pieces than could be put back together. It’s a wonder we survived!!!
One more “survival” story!
There was a shoe store we frequented between F.W. Woolworth and Hodiamont Ave. It may have been “John Albert’s Shoe Store”.
Anyway, they sold Buster Brown Shoes. I was remotely fascinated by that boy and his dog that “lived” in shoes!!
In this store was a sort of wooden box looking thing, I’d say roughly 24″ wide, by 36″ tall, by 14′ depth. (That is–remembering it in the perspective of a child!). After trying on the (new) shoes, you would step up on this platform type thing, and put your feet under what was some sort of x-ray gadget. No guessing whether or not the shoes fit; Mommy could look down into this thing and see where your toes were in relation to the toe of the shoe. The shoeman could as well! I’m sure there was some sort of radiation involved here–maybe even more than today’s x-rays, as it wasn’t a brief exposure–you stood there with your feet under the thing till everyone had a look and a determination was made!! Somewhere along the line they must have decided this process could be harmful to one’s health, as they were done away with!!
Remember when sales tax was LESS than a penny? Remember those things called mills? Mills were made of red or green plastic. Ten green mills=one cent. Two red mills=one cent. That is, as I remember. Imagine–sales tax a fraction of a penny!
My family and I moved to 6136 Wagner Ave. when I was ten months old. For most of the time we lived there we had a coal furnace. The coal burned in OUR furnace was big chunks, not the neat little uniform size coal burned in stokers.
There was a “coal yard”, I believe on the corner of Bertha and Cockrill Avenues. When we were almost out of coal, they delivered some to our house, putting it through one of the basement windows into our “coal bin”. I am ASSUMING they may have had some type of conveyor belt to achieve this task, but really DON’T remember that part!
I think my Father dealing with the furnace, etc., was maybe the equivalent of my Mother’s laundry! He had to shovel the coal into an open door, which most likely had a fire going. After the coal burned as much as it was going to, it left some residual chunks they called “klinkers”. These klinkers had to be removed from the furnace. Daddy would remove them by shovel, (they may have fallen into a lower section of the furnace), put into a metal can with a handle, and hauled them out to the curb in front of the house. I know they were picked up by someone, but I’m not sure if it was regular garbage collection, or some other. Many years later, they had an oil furnace put in to replace the coal furnace. I feel certain we all breathed a little better, as coal could get pretty smoky at times!!
Once upon a time, we had no (electric) refrigerator. Instead, we had something called an “ice box”, the name still used by some today! There were ice businesses where they made large chunks of ice, and a route where they delivered the ice.
We had signs to put in a window, to let the ice man know how much we needed on a particular day when they were delivering. (Whole, half, whatever). They were brought in with ice tongs. Remember those?
My parents still had our old ice box in their basement when they sold the Wagner house in 1962. Sure wish I had it today!!
I “remember when” I was a little girl the winter wear consisted of matching hat, coat and leggins’ (leggings?). The leggins’ came with zippers at the bottom, and ran roughly half way up to the knee. The legs were a little tight, I imagine for warmth, so the zipper facilitated getting into them! They also had a piece of elastic on the bottom (to go under the shoe) so they wouldn’t “ride up”, and some sort of suspenders to hold them up. Way back then (lol) we also did NOT wear pants to school–we wore dresses. We probably wore dresses MOST places!
In the winter, when I/we had to wear all that garb, (I lived about five blocks away from Central Elementary), the leggins. were required wearing!! SO–my little freshly ironed dress was stuffed into my leggins’, however it could be stuffed! With all this on, as well as gloves, and maybe even boots, off I walked to school! If I didn’t want to wear leggins’ all day, they would have to be taken off when I arrived at school.
I remember a large closet (about the size of some small rooms) that had hooks on the wall for hanging up those items mentioned! I can’t remember if they called it “the coat room”, or “the cloak room”–one or the other!
When the school day ended, there was that huge task of getting the leggins’, stuffing the dress, etc. I’m sure more than one teacher had to help more than one little girl do all that “stuffing”!! Things REALLY were different “back then”!!
Nowadays we hear so much about “green”, recycling, etc. When I was a child, THAT was a way of life; NOT the exception!
In Wellston, on Hodiamont Ave., was a shoe repair shop, roughly accross the street from Diebel’s Record Shop (which was on the corner of Wells and Hodiamont Avenues.) I would say most shoes back then were made of leather. When they had some wear, so to speak, you took them to have them repaired. You could get them half soled, whole soled,–even a new heel if needed!
An old saying is, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. (My Mother had SOO many sayings, but that’s another story!!). Getting back to THIS story–if you wanted to slow the shoe wear, you could take your NEW shoes and have “taps” put on them–heels and/or toes!(an ounce of prevention!)Taps came in assorted sizes. If you didn’t have the taps put on the new shoes, as they were starting to wear, you could take them to the repair shop, where the man (cobbler??!) would apply the taps in those places where they were showing wear. This was to also slow the wearing down. After all, they had to last for awhile!
Another thing people did more of in those days was polishing and shining their shoes. I’m sure that was also part of the preservation process. Even washed shoe laces!! Or replaced, if needed.
I read someone’s post where they mentioned “smells”! Isn’t it something that we remember things like that? I sure do remember the smell of leather in that shoe repair shop, and probably different polishes and other things! Good old days!!
I read on someone’s post about Saffren’s, and I just want to add to it.
Saffren’s (the building) was very unique. You could enter on Hodiamont Ave., and come out on Easton Ave., and vice versa. I don’t mean like Kresge’s. I’m talking about each entrance being some stores away from the corner! At some point you would go down some steps, then back up on others. I’m guessing that low part may have been under another store, or even parking lot. I don’t think I’ve ever seen another structure built in just that particular way! It must have made an impression on ME!!
Even though we all grew up in the small town of Wellston, each of us lived in even a smaller world called a “neighborhood”. The one I lived in more or less included not only Wagner Ave., but Page Ave., Plymouth Ave., and Morton and Hodiamont Avenues. It seems like many, if not most neighborhoods had at least one grocrey store, pharmacy and maybe a hardware store. Ours was no exception!
On Page Ave. was Rainbow Glass Co., Velvet Freeze Ice Cream Store, a hardware (Drennen’s?), a pharmacy, Mattson’s Restaurant, and farther up the block at Page and Morton Avenues was Gold’s Liquor Store. The man who owned it was Jewell Gold, a friendly man–always happy and smiling. He was also our neighbor! Accross Morton, still on Page and Morton Avenues, was Ed’s Barber Shop, attached to a (variety) store operated by Ed’s wife. (I believe their daughter Frances worked as a secretary in the office at WHS). Anyway, some of the things I remember buying, or them having there to sell, were a variety of small household appliances. Also, Lucky Strike cigarettes (and others) for my Father, size 50 or 60 sewing machine thread for my Mother, embroider thread, gum, candy, and comic books for me!!
We lived in a small world–we had a routine! Next came Venezia’s Grocery Store, owned by brothers Nick and Jasper
Yet farther down that block (6200) of Page, at Page and Delaware, was an automobile dealer.
Going back down to the 6100 block, and accross the street on Page Ave., was a poultry store. I mean they got in LIVE chickens!
They did whatever people do to live chickens, to get them to the point of being presentable to buy so you could get one and take home to cook! (dressed, undressed, or whatever!). I’m wanting to say the name of the poultry place was “Hensley’s”, but it may just be the power of suggestion (HEN–sley’s) that makes me think that!! I believe it was run by “brothers” as well.
One more comment about the neighborhood–we knew everyone! If there was a death in a family, or some other event, one or two neighbor ladies would go door to door to collect money to send flowers, or whatever. I miss that closeness.
Assorted “do you remember”:
EAGLE STAMPS?
PLAID STAMPS?
CAN CAN SLIPS?
HOOPS?–not the hula kind, the ones that went under our skirt or dress. The kind that flew up when you sat down! Fad didn’t last very long–too much trouble!
BOBBY SOCKS?–held up with rubber bands?
MUSTARD SEED JEWELRY?–the small mustard seed encased in a clear round ball–worn on a chain.
CROSS NECKLACES?–the ones with a small circle containing The Lord’s Prayer. Held up to light to read.
POP BEADS?–round plastic pearly pastel colored beads. (That’s a mouthful!!). Could be taken apart and put (popped) back together. Could be worn at whatever length was needed.
REMOVABLE (DETACHED) COLLARS?–could be worn with collarless blouse, or sweater–usually a sweater. Made of cloth, or beaded.
A SINGLE BUCKLE, ACCOMPANIED BY SEVERAL MULTI-COLORED BELTS?–you could just remove one belt and attach (to a hook) whichever color was needed to match your outfit.
WAX LIPS AND TEETH?–we eventually chewed like gum?!!
CANDY CIGARETTES?–white with red tip.
PARTY (TELEPHONE) LINES?–with sometimes FOUR parties!
17 CENT PER GALLON GAS?
NO ZIP CODES?–but we DID have “zones”!
NO AREA CODES?
RETURNABLE (REUSABLE) SODA BOTTLES?–deposit two cents each.
CHALK CUPIE DOLLS?–and other, won at carnivals.
SINGING SONGS ABOUT BABY JESUS?–Christmas time–public school.
GRACE LUTHERAN LADIES MAKING APPLE BUTTER?–outside behind the school, in big kettles.
PAPER BOYS?
MILKMEN?
INSURANCE MAN?–he came monthly to collect the insurance premium.
SONIC BOOMS?
BABY CORD FABRIC?–came in different colors–pastel blue, yellow, pink, and grays and browns.
SASSAFRAS TEA?
When I was in elementary school (Central), I believe it was on Mondays or Tuesdays, a table was sat up between the elementary part and the junior high part. We were encouraged to bring our quarters so we could buy a stamp. The stamps were put in a little booklet. When the booklet was full, it was worth a $25.00 U.S. Savings Bond. I was one of those forgetful kids who never did get my booklet filled!!
Do you remember your first television?
I don’t remember for sure what year it was when we got our first, but FAIRLY early on. We didn’t have an automobile, so my uncle took us down on Delmar somewhere to buy OUR first. It was about a 12″ round screen Zenith. It had a metal cabinet, covered with some type of beige plastic. It was sort of rounded on top, with rounded off top corners. (It wasn’t flat!)
It operated by tubes, which could/would burn out. It had an assortment of knobs to try to “fix” whatever might be going wrong with the picture. The two I remember most were vertical hold and horizontal hold. That was when the picture was going crazy–left to right, or up and down! Sometimes those knobs worked, but fairly often, drastic measures were required. That was–hitting the top of the T.V. with a fist!! It actually helped about as much as turning the knobs did!
If all else failed, you had to call the T.V. repairman, who would usually make house calls.
Best I remember, early months of T.V., maybe years, shows didn’t start till about mid-afternoon. I saw WAY too much of Ma & Pa Kettle!! I heard WAY too much of a song called “Jeepers Creepers”!! I saw WAY too much of the test pattern!!
Finally we got some DECENT viewing–Howdy Doody! Side note: my only sibling was a sister 8 1/2 years older than me. She lovingly referred to me as Howdy Doody’s twin sister!!! Having red hair and freckles, the resemblance was obvious!! Back to Howdy! I SO loved him–and Buffalo Bob–and Clarabelle–and the Bluster Brothers–and Dilly Dally–and best of all–Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring!!
Finally we had pretty much full time shows, but NOT 24 hours. (Except for that test pattern!). My Saturday mornings were spent watching Tom Corbitt: Space Cadet–and Sky King–and Zorro–and Roy Rogers–and Lone Ranger, etc.
I believe I was in junior high school when Mickey Mouse Club was on. That was also pretty cool!
Then one day, I grew up–gone–but NOT forgotten!!
A few more–do you remember:
INDIAN MOCCASINS?–a fad, for girls.
WELCH’S CHARACTER JELLY GLASSES?–I STILL have a couple Howdy Doody ones!
THOSE LITTLE WAX “SODA BOTTLES”?–they had some sort of sweet colored liquid in them to simulate soda.
RUNNING BOARDS ON CARS?
MEN’S CUFF LINKS AND TIE CLASPS?–wondering if those are still used?
LITTLE DUTCH BOY/DUTCH GIRL/WINDMILL DECALS?–my Mother had them in our kitchen.
WHEN HARDWOOD WAS CHEAPER THAN CARPET?
HOLLYWOOD HEADBOARDS?
TREADLE SEWING MACHINES?
WOODEN SLEDS WITH METAL RUNNERS?
KODAK BROWNIE CAMERAS?–looked like a box!!
FLASHBULBS/FLASHCUBES?
HIGH TOP SHOES FOR TODDLERS?–to strengthen little ankles learning to walk. Now they say going barefoot is better!
THE WEEKLY READER?–in elementary school.
TINSEL THAT BROKE WHEN YOU TRIED TO PUT IT ON THE CHRISTMAS TREE?–made of something rather heavy–wondering if it was LEAD!!
WOODEN IRONING BOARDS?
WHEN THE CYCLONE TOOK PART OF THE ROOF OFF CENTRAL ELEMENTARY?–I’m thinking tornado, but they called it cyclone back then. That was around 1952.
I don’t know if anyone remembers any of these home remedies used by my parents, but I DO!
MERTHIOLATE (that one burned)& MERCURICHROME (didn’t burn). Okay–I wouldn’t swear the spelling is correct on those, but I bet you know what I’m talking about! Used on sores and small cuts. I’m thinking they actually contained mercury, and aren’t so much in use now, if at all.
MERTHIOLATE–used by my Mother on a swab to put on my throat when it was sore.
PARAGORIC–for diarrhea, or rubbed on the gums of teething babies to relieve pain. Tincture of opium!! At one time could be bought over the counter, then you could still buy it but had to sign for it. Then, I believe it was prescription only. I haven’t heard of it in years–wondering if it’s still used at all. On a personal note, my Mother did NOT use this, and she wasn’t happy when my children’s doctor recommended it!
MUD–bee stings.
GIN & GARLIC–asthma.
LEMON JUICE & HONEY–cough and/or congestion.
PUFF OF CIGARETTE SMOKE–(warm) blown into the ear for earache.
WARMED SWEET OIL–dropped in the ear, followed by a bit of cotton, for earache.
MELTED VICK’S SALVE–rubbed on chest and back and covered with flannel, or wool (itchy!),to help relieve cold symptoms.
PRID SALVE–had a “drawing” effect. Used for things like boils–which you don’t hear much about today. BTW, you can still buy it.
Do you remember some of the things women have done over the years in the name of beauty? I dare say you do!
I will mention a couple. The first is HOSE–the ones worn on feet and legs!
In the earlier years, I believe they were most likely made from cotton. Then someone invented nylon, and they became more sheer, and I dare say, feminine! (One thing about nylon is that it had this little problem called “running”. If you were “lucky”, the run would be UNDER something, like your dress, and could be slowed down with a dab or two of clear fingernail polish). Something called GARTERS were used to hold the hose up. They were also good at cutting off circulation! Then came garter belts. Also girdles, but I won’t go there. Garter belts were better, but if you had the shape of a snake, as I did, it was a tug-of-war even then–the hose pulling your garter belt down, and you trying to pull it/keep it up!
Ahhh–then someone put panties on the hose!! This really WAS in improvement, but even then there was the problem of them trying to fall down! And STILL is!!
Going back again, I assume all hose had that seam up the back, which could pose the problem of trying to keep it straight. Heaven forbid that you would have a “crooked seam”!! Then we know that somewhere along the line, someone “invented” seamless. (Probably the same person who added the panties!!).
I don’t know how acceptable the next topic/item will be, but–I DEFINITELY REMEMBER!!
That item would be “the BRA”! It is amazing how IT has evolved over the years as well. Things look so more “natural” now!!
I guess every little girl can’t wait to get her FIRST. However, there was a small issue with the ones from “back then”–IF they were the padded kind! First of all, they were exceptionally pointed! (The only thing I’ve seen that resembled their shape was on Madonna a few years ago!!) If you did not “fill it out”, it could always be “stuffed” with tissue. NOT that one would do that to enhance size; it was a “protective” measure. I’ll explain–IF you didn’t fill out said garment–and IF it wasn’t stuffed, you’d better not get too close to anything, or anybody! If you did, you were risking one or both those “cups” poking in–staying in!! They didn’t just POP back out! Embarrassing!!
One other thing about them, they MUST have been padded with rubber. Even though we didn’t have dryers, after a few washings, that rubber smell came shining through!!
Now–there may be some who didn’t suffer from any of these issues, but I did. All for the sake of “beauty”, which didn’t work anyway!!
I just want to recall some different fabrics from my youth.
Silk has probably been around since man has. I’m not sure about satin–or tafeta. Cotton is one that’s been around awhile, and wool. Then there was velvet. I assume corduroy and baby cord was make from some type of cotton. I’m sure there must be others I can’t recall. BUT–I DO remember first starting to hear about dacron, nylon and orlon when I was in junior high, which was roughly mid-fifties. I had orlon sweaters, and a nylon blouse (worn with a camisole). They may have been around before that, but that is when I first remember hearing of them. I believe these were referred to as synthetic fabrics. Dacron, then dacron polyester. Now it seems things have reverted back somewhat to cotton. The main issue with cotton, as far as I’m concerned is/was wrinkling. I don’t believe the synthetics wrinkled as bad, but I think they were hotter to wear. Wonder what’s next??
From Wayne Brasler (posted on “Hodiamont Tracks in the News”):
I grew up at Roosevelt and Hamilton in the 1940s, when to the west and north were open pastures. We lived in a four flat and the Rothman family downstairs, from which came a Missouri lieutenant governor and a famous sculptress and a famous nurse, had a born with horses next to it! The Wabash railroad ran on the north in a ditch, the City Limits streetcar line on a ridge on the west. My father was a streetcar motorman, so Public Service was his employer, our extended family, and our medical caretaker via its clinic at 39th and Park. My dad had one day off a week and he’d take me riding to Ferguson, Maplewood, Kirkwood. By the age of 4 I knew those lines by heart and today can still trace them and have in fact written extensively on them. We moved to the Normandy area in 1954 and I went to Harris College two years before leaving for Mizzou, so I rode the Hodiamont line all my St. Louis life. One thing I noticed is how the right-of-way would go below street grade and then above street grade and seldom at street grade. That was a legacy of the West End Narrow Gauge construction. I went to Soldan High one semester before we moved to Normandy; the Hodiamont line wound around a bit east of Union Avenue because then it was constructed there was large apple orchard there and the Narrow Gauge had to wind around it! The most beautiful part of the Hodiamont line was located behind magnificent “Meet Me in St. Louis” homes on Cabanne Place and the Hodiamont line really did pass behind the Smith family home on Kensington to the line in the movie about “down by the trolley” was correct. The Hodiamont ran mostly on right-of-way inherited from the Narrow Gauge line and that line’s barn was located on what became the site of a beautiful public elementary school. I will never forget waiting for City Limits cars to arrive at Suburban Garden, the former amusement park site at Kennerly and Hodiamont. The right-of-way was reached by a monumental cement double staircase. All you could see from streetlevel was the trolleys sliding along the wire. The Hodiamont cars were PCCs, the City Limits cars Peter Witts; at 4 I thought the Hodiamonts were girl streetcars and Peter Witts boys. My firm belief is that upon death I will find myself back on that right-of-way in the 1940s, the sound of birds and the Leschen Rope factory mixing with the wind on the plains, along will come a City Limits streetcar and driving it will be my father and on it will be all my family and friends who went before me.
I just want to make a correction. After thinking things over, in #10 I talked about coal and our furnace. The correction would be about that coal yard I mentioned. I believe was actually on the corner of MINERVA and Cockrill Avenues (rather than Bertha and Cockrill). Cockrill ran parallel to the streetcar track, and ran from Page Avenue to Wells avenue. In some areas it was more of an alley, or path than an actual street.
I have remembered this story all along, but have been a little reluctant to write about it. It’s about a tragedy that happened at the Wellston Loop.
After I “outgrew” going to the theater with my Aunt Merle, I started going on Sunday afternoons after church, with a friend, or friends. The one I mostly remember going with was Beverly Jackson. I’m not sure if she was the one with me this day, or someone else.
After the movie we would go to Walgreens, have an order of “fries” and a cherry or vanilla Coke.
This, as I remember it, was an Easter Sunday; probably 1955 or 1956.
I do not know the minute details of this story, but will write what I DO know/remember.
We heard about a little girl who, for whatever reason, was out riding the streetcar, or bus, I don’t know which. I don’t know if she was alone or with a friend. She may have been out sight-seeing on this Easter Day.
There was a phone booth on the east side of the restaurant at the loop. The little girl was apparently in the booth, on the phone, talking to, maybe reporting in to her Mother.
Anyway, the story is that a bus broke loose (failed brake?) and rolled down, into the phone booth, killing the little girl. I guess I/we learned of this after the movie. I remember going over to the loop and seeing the blood on the ground and restaurant wall, which was sometime after the accident.
I realize this is a tragic story, but it happened, and IS a story of the Wellston Loop!
Janice and Wayne – I enjoyed reading your Wellston memories so much. Reading them brought that very special time back. Thanks for sharing.
Bonnie Burrows
You’re welcome, Bonnie–it was MY pleasure!
I’m not sure if this is the proper place to thank Linda (this, or by email), but I chose this way, as maybe more people will read it.
Linda–my book arrived from Amazon via UPS yesterday, and I want to give you a BIG thanks, as I absolutely LOVE it! Talk about bringing back memories…..!
I have not actually read much of it yet, but it is FULL of pictures, which tell stories by themselves!
I just want to mention a couple of things in/about the book. Living in my/our small world, I am not personally familiar with most of the streetcar “lines”, though I AM familiar with many of the pictures.
Essentially, I am only familiar with the Hodiamont Streetcar Line, and lived less than 1/2 block from it in my very early years to mid-teens.
Pointing out a couple very special pages (for me) are first, page 60. The top picture shows that door I went into, going up steps to that dentist office I mentioned in one of my posts. “Dentist” can still be seen on the window, but one of the electric lines is blocking the name, so I don’t know if my “old” dentist was still there at this time, or not. I went to Dr. Connor in the 50’s, and it says this pic was taken July 1963. In the bottom picture, same page, I can see down the side of Marre’s Tavern, where I stood (another of my posts)with my Aunt on so many cold, wintery Saturday nights, waiting for the streetcar to come get us!! This pic was also taken in 1963, many years after our waiting on the streetcar there, and I can’t tell if those soda machines (that I stood between) were still there.
Another page I’d like to mention is 81. The top picture shows busses (and streetcars) lined up at the loop sideways, and in the left foreground can be seen telephone booths outside White Mill Reataurant. It says this pic was taken July 1963. This brought to my mind the last post I made, (so far!), about the bus that broke loose and killed a little girl in a phone booth at this same location (roughly mid-fifties). It appears in this pic, that “humps” have been put on the ground, probably to prevent that same thing from happening again. I vaguely remember them doing that. A couple of the “humps” are in front of a streetcar in this pic, so I’m thinking maybe busses parked over the tracks at certain times, when streetcars were not there! I do a LOT of thinking–don’t I??
One more thing I’d like to mention, starting on page 22 it tells about the Creve Coeur Lake Streetcar Line. As of my earliest memory of Creve Coeur Lake, the streetcar had already stopped running there. My parents left Wellston in October 1962, and moved to Winfield Avenue, off of Hanley Road between Page Avenue and the “Rock Road”! They were only a block away from a portion of that “line” and it was unpaved when they moved there. It stayed that was for many years, then they paved it so Midland would be a continuous road. (I’m not sure where all they extended it at that time, but I’m talking about between Ellerton and Page.) I believe Midland essentially followed that old Creve Coeur line. Excuse me and my personal comments, but I just find so many of these things fascinating!!
Thanks again, Linda, I know I will get untold hours of pleasure reading, and looking at the pictures in this book. It’s also a nice treasure to leave behind for my descendants, so they can see some of how things were when Mom, Grandma, Great, etc., was just a girl!!
I actually lived in Normandy “Go Vikings” but used to take the bus to my grandmas house in Pagedale, transferring at the Wellston Loops. At the top of the Loop area, there was a bakery and I can not remember the name. Does anyone know? I was allowed to go in and get a cookie since the bus stop was right in front of it. I also remember purchasing my first formal in Wellston, east of the Loop on the left side of Easton, a two-story store. It was red and I loved it. Lots of good memories.
I remember going to Dibels record store and getting the records to take into one of the booths to listen to. I remember going there with my sister. We lived in Pagedale and would ride the bus into Wellston. My first job was at Woolworths dime store. I worked behind the candy counter. I remember going to Jones ice cream parlor on Page Ave just past Kingsland Church. We use to shop at Worths, Penneys. I remember Hills Brothers shoe stores. 2 pair of shoes for 5 dollars. Thank you Janice for such a great time remembering the good old days.