I wonder how many kids actually walk to school these days? With the consolidation of elementary and middle schools into one main campus that many cities find practical and economical, I'm guessing not too many these days.
I still feel very lucky that I grew up when I did, being able to walk to both Masson Elementary and Masson Junior High. It was good exercise, plus a way to become familiar with the neighborhood, and learn where your classmates lived. (I walked to Admiral King High School the first few years, until my older brother began driving.)
It's still strange in 2023 to drive down Skyline Drive and remember who lived in almost every house, especially if kids lived there. It's almost the same with Marshall Avenue, Palm Springs and many of the West Side numbered streets.
Anyway, as usual it's the list of sponsors in the 1963 ad that is interesting. As expected, there doesn't seem to be many survivors, except for McDonald's, Lorain Monument Works and the successor companies to banks and public utilities.
And as for the ad graphics, I like the gloved policeman (who looks slightly intimidating) and the slate chalkboard (which today's kids wouldn't be able to identify).
Dan, your point hit home on driving down the street you grew up on and knowing who lived in almost every house. We knew who didn't like it when the ball went in their yard and the best spot to play kickball in the street.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up on Stanford Ave off W40th street, about 5 of us in the neighborhood walked to Meister Rd School for elementary and then to Masson for Jr High. We had Mom's available to drive us but walking was just what you did back then.
I remember Hugh McKinnis, who was a running back with the Browns in the 70's, lived on our walk to Meister Rd School. We took Cambridge Ave to Skyline that led to the back of the school. Thought it was cool a Brown lived in Lorain, may have been the only one ever.
I wasn't raised around here, but I too walked to elementary school and high school, every day. I still remember the heavy yellow rubberized slicker I wore when it rained and how hot it was.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying it's wrong but people today hover over their children in a way that I would have found suffocating. When I played youth baseball I took my bike to the field and we took the field unaccompanied by few if any adults except the fellow who managed the team. I would have thought it bizarre for my parents to have been there correcting my technique and yelling at the umpire.
NOW the old people stories are really gonna appear...
ReplyDeleteI lived way too far from skool in Pennsyltucky to walk. But the bus stop was a half-mile away and it was, honest to Deity, uphill both ways because there was a valley between it and my house. Back then, the hills were so steep and so poorly cleared that the skool bus couldn't navigate them in the winter.
I used to tell my kids that we used to put freshly baked potatoes in our shoes each morning to keep our feet from freezing and then ate the potatoes for lunch.
No wonder they never believed me on other things.
I hated my yellow raincoat and my mom would never buy us cool rubber boots with zippers. I'm still traumatized by buckle-boots!
Buster, my niece just got her driver's license and my sister-in-law has an app that tracks everywhere she is, how fast she is going, etc.. That would have been bad news when we were in high school.
ReplyDelete"How come you were in the back of masson school for so long?" Ummmm......we were doing donuts in the snow. "What did you buy at that convenient store on Leavitt?" Ummmm.....my friend Tim just bought a 12 pack because they don't card him there"! Ugh.........
Don,
ReplyDeleteI thought the rubber boots with buckles were jaunty looking when left unbuckled. They jangled.
Mike,
Ah yes, tracking devices. (Good grief.) My folks seldom knew where I was except when I was in school. They trusted me, usually to good effect, although I won't claim that I never drank beer.
I just returned from a class reunion in Lorain..AKHS Class of 78. Drove around town to the neighborhoods I remembered riding my bike to in the late 60's to 1978. It kind of made me sad. One thing that was fun is when I drove over to AKHS. The Marching Band was practicing outside.
ReplyDeleteI parked the car and walked over to where they were. I was in the AKHS band from 74-78. I could hear the echos of Mr Spruill talked into his bull horn. I wanted to go grab a sousaphone and join them. I got to talk to the Band Directors....and when I told them when I was a band member...they nodded and said..." Ah Yes..Mr. Spruill. It was a nice surprise!!
Jeff Rash Sousaphone Section AKHS Band 1974-78
Anon:
ReplyDeleteGreat story.