 On The Line -- Issue 645 -- July 27, 2007  Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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On The Line -- Issue 645 -- July 27, 2007 Online News and Views of Life in San Benito County with Herman Wrede Published by HollisterOnline.com -- Copyright 1995-2008 HollisterOnline.com
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Among the activities in which older people excel is in reminiscing. With more years to look back upon, and not nearly as many current projects to keep them busy as younger people have, recalling the past is a snap.
Take summer, for instance. Summers in Toledo are -- or at least, were -- far different from those of the Central Coast of today. Even considering the strides in technology and social attitudes over the last 60 years or so, the difference is amazing. The main reason is that one was 60 years younger, and if that does not give one an advantage, nothing can. Byron's oft-quoted line, "The days of our youth are the days of our glory," is never fully appreciated until the days of our youth are but glorious memories. Sixty years ago in Toledo television was still only an interesting development, which had not yet fastened its talons upon all of society. Most families did not even own a set so, although we were always happy to see a program, it was not so dominant that we scheduled our lives around it. Air-conditioning was more common than television but for the most part was limited to movie theaters and department stores. It was not unusual to see an old person, since known as a senior citizen, leave an air-conditioned theater to suddenly drop over after walking into a wall of 90-degree plus heat. Summer heat in Toledo could be and often was fierce. Even in the low 80s it was something always with one because of the attendant humidity. But even then, youth had the advantage over older people. Most boys wore a light shirt or T-shirt and usually dungarees, although some of the youngest wore short pants. Shoes were an option; the hot pavement could be punishing to bare feet unless one waked rapidly or on the grass. This attired, boys could roam their neighborhoods or farther afield. The Maumee River runs through downtown Toledo and into Lake Erie. The YMCA and Toledo Boys' Club had large swimming pools, and a number of public swimming pools dotted the city. There were also places like Hecky's Pond, named after the Hecklnger family who owned it. In addition to swimming, it offered fishing and rafting, and all for free. It did not have any lifeguards as most of the other swimming facilities did so there was a sense of adventure that made it even more inviting. Walbridge Park was always a draw. It was a large amusement park, directly across from the Toledo Zoo, and led through acres of playgrounds with swings and other diversions down to the waterfront where boats could be rented and rowed right up to the Yacht Club. The zoo figured a bit larger a year or so later when the free summer concerts there made it an inexpensive date for budding young swains trying to impress girls with their sense of culture. Toledo had been built on large expanses of marshland in the 1830s and some remnants of it remained. A section of it began four blocks from our neighborhood, and it was a popular place for boys playing soldiers (this during World War II) or more often for catching frogs and garter snakes, which we later released. One section of the marsh we called "Zombie Land" because of the growth of reeds that often measured 10 feet high. Several times during any summer, somebody set it afire. There were no buildings on it so the blaze destroyed only the heat-dried reeds. It always presented a danger but boys became used to that. Once, however, two of my younger brothers and I found ourselves in the middle of ring of fire and had to hot-foot it through the ashes and cinders for about 20 yards. Later we jumped into a pond to erase the telltale marks of smoke lest our parents question us. Camping was also a big summer activity. The first time, we found a good spot and dumped our tent, food and clothing on the ground and rushed down to the river to go fishing. A sudden storm drenched everything and it was a miserable night but we learned from it. Later camping trips saw us erect the tent first of all, dig a small moat around it with an open end to allow drainage, secure food, equipment and clothing inside, then dig a pit nearby for dumping refuse before we did anything else. Summer storms were frequent in Toledo and sometimes appeared out of a clear sky. It was not uncommon to start to a destination two blocks away, then to see clouds appear and open up, drenching everything. At least several nights each summer, a thunderstorm would boom for hours like the cannonading of a city under siege with almost continuous lightning arches resembling a cannon's blast. Porch-sitting was also a popular summer activity. After dinner with the sun going down and cooling breezes arising, all or most of the family would retire to the front porch to enjoy the evening after the hot day. Sometimes a radio would be turned on, for instance if a heavyweight boxing championship bout was scheduled, but most of the time it was left inside. We talked about everything and nothing. Neighbors strolling by were hailed, and they stopped for a few minutes or so to exchange news about the family, the job, the weather, almost anything before proceeding. A popular neighbor might take a half-jour to walk a block if other neighbors greeted and detained him. Lightning bugs -- girls called them fireflies -- dotted the night with their soft lights going on and off again in lovesick signals to prospective mates, and the family might spend an hour or more together on the porch of an evening. Today's youngsters will someday bore their grandchildren with the glory of their youth and what they did on their summer vacations but no one will understand the sheer pleasure of life back then the way the teller does. Summer, winter or any season, no matter where we were born or raised, youth is our true hometown. |
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