nancs
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Post by nancs on May 17, 2006 8:35:29 GMT -5
Hi, and I wonder if this would be the same, Helen Smith, that taught 3rd grade at Garfield, in the mid-forties. If so, the only thing that I recall about her and being in her class-----seems to me that her classroom was located in a 'middle room' between the other grades, upstairs. One assignment was that groups of students were assigned to draw a mural, representing various countries. As to looks---from a child's viewpoint, was rather tall, with dark hair, not heavyset, perhaps just 'robust.' Inserting another flash thought: For some reason, I 'attach' the thought that perhaps this lady had a couple of children, older than me, a girl and a boy. Anyone else have similar recollections? Nanc
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RER
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Post by RER on Jun 19, 2006 12:06:49 GMT -5
"Ice Skating In The 1940s"
Many town folks ice skated on the two ponds North of the Columbus Drive Inn Theater about a mile or so North of the Drive Inn (same side of drive inn off US 31 A). I have pictures of the towns people driving their vehicles next to the ponds and skating on the ice. The date and year was February 1947. I am not sure what that area looks like today, but it may be developed with buildings etc.
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nancs
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Post by nancs on Jul 4, 2006 18:02:45 GMT -5
Back on page 7 in this folder, reference is made in several posts regarding the Caldwell Manison on 25th St. In going through some of my mom's 'saved treasures' came across an ad, I would say, from Feb. 23, 1963, while showing a previously posted photo of the 'mansion,' thought that the printed matter was interesting, in that it is what perhaps raised the original questions about 'from whence the mansion came.' And why some of us thought the building was moved to that location. Nanc
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RER
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Post by RER on Aug 8, 2006 13:34:08 GMT -5
Columbus and World War II Camp Atterbury 1942 through 1945The following is a time-line of events at Camp Atterbury that affected Columbus Indiana by date: 1942April 16, 1942- Town of Kansas disappears within the Camp Atterbury land (including the farms and school). June 10, 1942- Camp Atterbury helps push local retail sales. Half-million dollars weekly felt in Columbus trade. July 7, 1942- Atterbury Post Office to be a branch of Columbus Indiana. July 22, 1942- Military Police (MPs) make appearances on Columbus Indiana Streets. July 29, 1942- Many skilled men from Columbus Indiana take Civil Service jobs at camp. July 30, 1942- Military Police (MPs) with loaded Tommy Guns guard Columbus bank transfer of cash to the camp to pay the soldiers. Sept 15, 1942- Colored (black) soldiers U.S.O. is authorized for Columbus Indiana. 1943July 1, 1943- Columbus Indiana's "Fuzzy" Sewell troupe to entertain the troops at Camp Atterbury. Oct 7, 1943- A B-26 (bomber) aircraft from Atterbury Air Field crashed near Columbus Indiana. All safe. 1944July 3, 1944- C-47 (cargo type)aircraft pilots face court-martial for buzzing Columbus Indiana. Sept 28, 1944- Atterbury Freeman Army Air Force (AAF) - based aircraft B-25 (bomber) crashes near Columbus Indiana. Crew Safe. 1945Jan 27, 1945- Atterbury Freeman AAF Station placed on inactive status. A B-26 (bomber) aircraft crashed near Columbus Indiana again. None hurt. July 10, 1945- Columbus Indiana resident Frank Huber, assistant manager of Post Exchange (PX) number 13 is still amazed at the quantity of food returnees "put away." Reference source: Camp Atterbury Time-line reports for 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945. Timeline has two web site locations for this and additional information: 1. www.indianamilitary.org/ 2. www.indianamilitary.org/Timelines/index.htmBob
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RER
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Post by RER on Aug 9, 2006 11:51:01 GMT -5
Many 'Big Named Military Generals' and "Hollywood Stars" Visited Camp Atterbury and Units Thereof, From 1942 through 1952_________________________________________________ Dec 2, 1942- Bob Hope pays surprise visit at Service Club after performing two shows. Jerry Colonna, Francis Langford, Vera Vogue and Skinny Ennis came with him to entertain the troops. (broadcasted on NBC radio nationwide) Dec 24,1942- Composer of 'Jersey Bounce' played in band at Camp Atterbury. Jan 6, 1943- Basketball greats, "The Harlem Globetrotters" played the camp varsity team and won 34 to 29. July 1, 1943- Columbus Indiana's "Fuzzy Sewell" and troupe performs at camp. July 14, 1943- Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy entertains with 5 shows. NOTE: He performed 5 more shows on same date in 1944. April 14, 1944- Louis (Lewie) Prima and band performs at camp. Feb 24,1945- Mickey Rooney (Hollywood Film Star) performs 2 shows at Camp Atterbury. March 3, 1945- General (5 Stars) Omar Bradley visits Camp Atterbury's 83rd Division. Aug 4, 1945- General (4 Stars) George Patton says: "The 83rd review was the best he has ever seen." (Camp Atterbury's 83rd) Note: This was said in the European Theater. Nov 19, 1952- General (5 Stars) Dwight D. Eisenhower was elected the President of the United States. Reference sources: Camp Atterbury Time-line information for the years sited. The source of the above information and additional information about Atterbury and Bakalar Air Base can be viewed at the following Web Sites: (1) www.indianamilitary.org/Timelines/index.htm (2) www.indianamilitary.org/Bob
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RER
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Post by RER on Aug 19, 2006 10:07:19 GMT -5
"The 5th Street Race Gang In The Forties" Car Body In the forties we lived at 502 Union, which was on the very corner of the end of 5th before you ran into Cummins Engine Company main office. That whole area is now a Cummins parking lot. This brief story includes 4th Street end that went into Cummins disposal dump area (so to speak) before Cummins expanded buildings and enlarge their parking lot. The lot I am speaking of includes from State Street and parallels to Central, with Hawcreek on you right if driving today. Around 1947 or1948 my brother, Joe Bierlein, Larry Able and myself built crude race cars you could sit in and ride. These were either pushed with poles or gravity driven down steep slopes and hills. They were constructed with wood (2X4s), nails, wagon axles, wagon and baby buggy wheels and a rope system for steering. The front was normally an old disposed of wooden nail keg, with one bottom left. Our legs fit into the nail keg area. The crude cars took a distinct look similar to a race car, but in young kid's minds they were the top of the line. The gang would gather up alley disposed girls old buggy wheels, broken wagons, axles and wood no longer needed I suppose at the disposal area in the back alleys along Union and California. Anyway, they were erected with hammers and nails and a large bolt with washers for the front end, so the front could be steered by rope. It has been said during those days that the little girls around the neighborhood would hid and protect the toy baby buggies, because those axles and wheels were the fastest and best. No, you know we wouldn't do that!? No, not really.........I suppose. After coming out of the construction site (our yards) we would take the crude race cars down to the 4th Street hill that went into Cummins disposal yards (now buildings and parking lot). The 4th Street hill was very steep (sharp slope) and ended in a safe flat run away from objects and equipment. Well, there must have been maybe 3 race cars complete in those days and many times double cars would race down 4th Street to see who would win out. Many times it was singles down the hill. One major problem at times was the axle and nails separating from the wooden frame and causing a nice accident. The accidents always caused cuts and bruises but we didn't care in those days. The cars seemed to always require a pit stop for repairs and maintenance. The wheels would fall off at times or the axle would break or bend. Sometimes the rope would detach and steering would be tougher using the feet. Anyway, there wasn't any warranty on these hummers, just spare parts for a pit stop. After, building race cars for a couple years our family moved from the 5th and Union corner to 15th Street during 1950. The "5th Street Race Gang" retired from racing the crudes, and progressed to bikes. Margo McCailp, was one of the young ladies at that time whom probably thought all those boys are nuts to be racing down that 4th Street hill. The "5th Street Race Gang" was as fun as the television Little Rascal crew. The Little Rascal's had nothing over on our gang at 5th Street during those years. Even, with the bumps, cuts, bruises and scratches, the challenge of the hill always came first.
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Babs
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Post by Babs on Aug 19, 2006 17:37:02 GMT -5
Bob, Regarding the girls needing to hide their baby buggies, I'm sure they needed to. My brother had a paper route and by the time he scavenged parts off my bicycle (tires, to handle grips, spokes, you name it) I had only a frame left. He needed the parts to keep "his business" going so my folks never said a word to him. I did eventually get another bike but I used to get a little peeved when suddenly I had missing parts to my bike. :-(
I'm sure the neighborhood boys would've swiped a few wheels off those buggies if given the chance.
You all must've had loads of fun racing down the street in your homemade racers. :-) Weren't those the days???
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RER
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Post by RER on Aug 19, 2006 19:14:27 GMT -5
"Outhouses Were Not Houses (Half-Moons)" Well, Babs those were the good ole days but I was very young in single digits age, during our life at 502 Union Street. My brother and I have talked many times and we sure did a lot of adventurous things in and around the neighborhood from 502. In the 1940s most homes didn't have flush toilets in their homes, but did have the "Old Half Moon" outhouses. Dad was able to have an indoor system put in 502 Union in 1948. Our house was heated with a coal stove in the family gathering room, with a stand up radio. There was no television in our 502, only radio shows in the evening. I remember many of the old programs on the radio, including "Ted Mack Amateur Hour", Red Skelton, The Screeching Door, The Shadow, Fibber McGee & Molly, and Lone Ranger and that Indian guy Tonto and silver the horse. On Saturday nights it was family night and we would all assemble in the radio family room and read and listen to radio programming. I remember my Dad buying coal from the Service Ice & Coal Company on Lafayette and also from the Black Cat Coal Storage Yard near the same road by 3rd Street. Those coal stove pipes would get red hot sometimes in the winter. It is a wonder the house didn't burn down. At 502 Union Dad always celebrated Independence Day (4 July) because that was his birthday also. To continue, he always took 16 gauge shot gun shells and removed all the BBs or lead and resealed the ends of the shells. At the stroke of midnight Dad would shoot his double barrel 16 gauge shot gun up in the air to pay respect to our independence. He wasn't the only one doing the same. Many others around the streets would do the same or shoot fireworks if they had them. Bob
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2006 19:50:02 GMT -5
Bob,
I also raced my soap box car down that hill, pulling my car from 12th and Lafayette Ave to the hill with my bike. At the time it seem like the engine test block was in that area and the train tracks were at the top of the hill. If I remember correctly 4th St. turned to the north at the bottom of the hill and ran into maybe Maple St. at 6th St., any how I had a friend that lived on that street by the name of David Norris who also had a car that raced on the hill. David went on to become a professional race car driver as did one or both of his sons. A little more to add to that area of town, in 1945 my paper route began mid block on the east side of Union St. between 5th and 6th St., I remember it being a brick house. Also Shorty had just returned from the war and opened his restaurant at 6th and Wilson and lived in the house next to the restaurant where the present restaurant is located today.
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RER
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Post by RER on Aug 19, 2006 19:57:23 GMT -5
"Baseball Behind Westermeirer's Store"
If you lived around Union, 3rd, 4th, and 5th streets; then if you wanted to play baseball you went to the small grassed area behind Westermeirer's off of 3rd Street before the Hawcreek bridge.
Kids from our area went there to play ball on a make shift field of grass only. From the store level down a very, very steep hill was a field for kids. No, this hill was not used by the "5th Street Race Car Gang" because that hill would have put you in the hospital or six feet under.
It wasn't an actual field with bases or a diamond. It was just an open small grassed area.
Bob
Bob
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RER
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Post by RER on Aug 19, 2006 20:16:55 GMT -5
George, I didn't know others brought their race cars to the hill, but I wasn't there all the time. I was very young then and my brother and others were 4 -6 years older than myself. It took me a little biting of the tongue to ride down that hill the first time. You bringing your car from 12th street was somewhat of a distance, but that was the best hill around at the time.
I can't recall how the Cummins yard went but I know the 4th Street hill went into the large yard.
I didn't know Shorty at that time, but "Bird Welmer" and his mother and father lived right next door to us on Union. Bird and his son Steve of course are in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Bird was a great baseball and basketball player in his young days. He played in our alley down a few houses that had a ball goal. Bird is several years older than my older brother.
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Babs
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Post by Babs on Aug 20, 2006 12:10:35 GMT -5
RER, Wherever we lived "in town" we always had indoor plumbing, maybe not hot running water but at least a "john". However, when the war ended, and we moved out to Rocky Ford Farm area, we did have an outhouse, so I guess that was around 1946 (I was 10 at the time). Those were not the "best of times" as I recall late night trips in the dead of Winter were just a tad on the cold side.
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nancs
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Post by nancs on Sept 16, 2006 9:11:44 GMT -5
Do you think that kids of today would even believe stories about growing up in the 40s, or would they truly comprehend the word, 'chores,' as we knew the 'definition?' As the mornings are getting cooler, the topic of discussion around here today was 'heating.' Before we had an oil furnace (no natural gas line came as far as my house on 7th) our home was heated via a coal furnace. The 'coal man' made his delivery of coal, using a chute to 'slide' it down into the basement. It was a regular chore of the household to keep the furnace going and the house warm. Today, daily showers are so commonplace, that our kids would shake their heads in disgust at the mere thought of a 'weekly bath' and only washing one's hair once a week. Surely such was the case in my household growing up!!!! During the week, hot water to do the dishes was boiled on the kitchen electric stove. Come Saturday night-----it was a BIG DEAL. In addition to the regular furnace, there was a much smaller 'stove' that was fired up to heat the water for that Saturday night bath. Yep, kids, that was the way it was! AND it is no wonder that I find myself shaking my head when I see more than one shower a day being taken by any one person in this household!!!!! I'm old, I guess, and have to admit that. AND does the word 'spit bath' ring any bells with other oldsters? ;D While I am on my soapbox here, the 'chores in 2006' are really so easy, in comparison, my, my how times do change. Nanc
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nancs
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Post by nancs on Sept 18, 2006 9:38:52 GMT -5
In the 1970s thread, Richard posted an ad that included a 'viewmaster.' I know that I had a 'viewmaster' back in the 40s. I had 'discs' of scenes from Yosemite National Park, for sure. I am sure that my viewmaster did NOT have batteries, as you had to point it toward a light source to get a bright picture. Somewhere in an unknown box, tucked away and deeply buried on some shelf, I do still have my original viewmaster. Add to that, when W. D. Richards retired as principal of Garfield he left behind a 'stereoptican' and many, many cards with photos of places all over the world. Quite a collection, as I recall. Check out this site for a look-see of these old time cards. www.eclecta.com/catalog4.0.htmlThis is the only site I could come up with that shows the 'equipment' to show the card photos, similar to what Mr. Richards had. On eBay. cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Stereoscope-Stereoptican-Lot-of-6-Parts_W0QQitemZ150033101018QQcmdZViewItemThe 'viewmaster' as I understand it, was just a 'more modern' version of the stereoptican. With two identical images that you viewed, and thus making the picture look 3-D. Remember that it was quite a thrill to have all your work done in 6th grade, and have the opportunity to view these old pictures. I remember coming home and being excited about this, and my folks telling me that they had used that same 'equipment' when they went to school at Garfield. W. D. was principal at Garfield for many, many years, and taught more than one generation of kids. Any other Garfield folks remember this? Nanc
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Babs
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Post by Babs on Sept 18, 2006 13:35:04 GMT -5
I know I have looked through one of these "steroscopes or steropticians" at some time. Do not remember if it was at Garfield or just where. I believe at one time my family had one. I always thought they were great and I suppose seeing it in 3-D or whatever was really something different. Later on we had a viewmaster or something like it that you could view slides you took with the camera. Interesting to read what all that person said about it on the EBay site.
I suppose it is possible I did see this at Garfield and just can't recall it. I also saw one of these up at the 76Antique stores not too long ago.
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RER
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Post by RER on Sept 19, 2006 18:30:21 GMT -5
The Ole Hand Operated Water Pump I remember in the 1940s and 50s that throughout Columbus there were various hand operated water pumps (some with a small hole in top) to allow citizens to drink water from the well it supported. I recall hand pumps in Donner Park and also behind many houses throughout the city of Columbus and county areas. Some had collection dipper drinking cups made of metal. Many wells had primer water buckets to use if the pump lost prime. Most grave yards including Garland Brook had hand pump wells for flower watering. I guess you could drink that water but I never did in that location. Most hand water pumps have been removed from grave yards today, because plastic flowers don't require water. Today, some farm locations probably still have them in operation. They seemed to have started disappearing in the middle 1950s and forward, because of the city water line installation throughout all of Columbus. I further remember that we had one behind our house at 502 Union and 5th Streets during most of the 1940s, because city water wasn't available. The water was always very cool and refreshing from the wells and had no chemicals added of course. Bob
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RER
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Post by RER on Sept 22, 2006 11:15:13 GMT -5
Cummins Side View and Corner of 5th and Union It is now a Cummins parking lot on the left where the house shows and the fenced yard area. The address was 502 Union and this picture is probably around 1947 or so. The tree line was 5th Street and Margo lived across the street from the tree line. Our old wagon is shown and behind the wagon was the in ground pump type water pump. Also, inside the house's kitchen was a hand type water pump in the sink. The wagon wheels probably became wheels on the last 5th street gang race cars that were built that I talked about in other posts. The Cummins building portion is still there today. The Cummins main office at that time was directly across the street from the front of the house stated. Away here is the picture: Bob
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RER
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Post by RER on Sept 23, 2006 15:34:49 GMT -5
Push Lawn Mowers of the 1940s and 1950sPush mowers were invented in the early 1800s and manufactured in large quantities in the late 1800s. There use was big in the 1940 and 1950s as I was growing up in Columbus. Oh yes it was tough mowing grass with the push mower and it took a lot of a person's energy to finish an average yard. You would sweat a lot and push and push and say to yourself, "I'll be glad when this is finished." Here is a Sears 1927 sale of the mowers that were later replaced mostly by electric and gasoline: Note: You can still buy a push mower today if you are energetic enough to push them instead of riding in style on a gas mower. Bob
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RER
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Post by RER on Sept 23, 2006 16:09:33 GMT -5
Ole Grass & Weed Hand Sickle 1940s and 1950s The old grass and weed sickles were used in the 1800s and through to the early 1970s before the electric weed eaters and now gas driven weed eaters. I have a college degree in using these hummers and many hours of operation. The maintenance to maintain these babies wasn't much, just sharpen the blade on a foot wheel or electric grinding machine. These were hard to use around flowers and house foundations. Caution:You better use gloves and switch hands for medical reason because they cause blisters in palms of hands. Bob
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RER
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Post by RER on Sept 23, 2006 16:24:53 GMT -5
The Scythes Are Still Used Today On Farms and Fields At TimesScythes are two-handed clearing tools predominantly used for cutting away grass and weeds. A scythe can also be used to harvest grain crops. The cutting motion of a scythe is a rotating, sweeping motion. If you don't want to use these go buy a John Deere with attachments. LOL Bob
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