1927 Hello, In 1953, we had just moved to our last Westside of Long Beach house. It was a lot larger than the old Craftsman House we originally bought closer to the Lion’s Dragstrip/Terminal Island freeway location in 1948. It was exciting as the house was different. The new location was just a few blocks away from the old house, but in a whole different feeling and area. The elementary school was a block and a half away at the end of our street. So, it was a common thing to use the whole school as a giant park and playground (pun intended) for the neighborhood kids. No street baseball games or football games. We just had to walk a block and there were giant baseball diamonds already plastered onto the school playgrounds. As for football, there were two long grass areas that held our local games and competition challenges. The large playground was divided by the actual street, but years earlier, the two sides were enclosed,. The through street was blocked permanently and now a part of the whole elementary school complex. The East side of the playground held the large grass areas and the fully paved basketball courts. The one thing our elementary school had built was a new auditorium, just for movies, awards and school assemblies. Comfy seats, raised seating so each person had a great view of the stage, and when our classes gave presentations, everyone in the audience could see without a problem. It was a new experience for all of us in the neighborhood. We had attended many school awards programs in the old cafeteria with fold out chairs. But, it was fun to be able to walk across the stage as our friends were in the audience of the new auditorium. Jnaki One year after we had moved in to our new house and I had a hard time adjusting to something. My grades fell drastically and the teacher had no clue what had happened. Actually, no one did, including my parents. But, in the 4th grade I started with a great teacher and my grades were the top in the class. The whole idea of school took on a better meaning and I was doing well. My friends noticed it and my parents were glowing. I was voted captain of our class sports teams as my skills were very good. I was on a roll. It had to have been the great teacher as she was tall and imposing, but a good communicator. She was one of those people who took the time to explain everything well. For me, awards were coming in by the tons. Even the principal knew who I was on campus. Yahoo! So, in the 2nd month of the year, I was on a roll and our classes were all gathering for a big surprise assembly that no one knew what was going on for the presentation. So, everyone was guessing, this and that. Since it was close to my birthday, I thought my teacher had nominated me for the top student in the school award for the previous month. But, when someone mentioned it was a big birthday surprise assembly, now I was active. Note: My birthday was a couple of days ahead and I thought my teacher was going to surprise me with a whole school grade level assembly and award for being the top student. No, I was not getting a fat head… but, back in my mind, a thought had crossed my mind… what if? As I was pondering walking across the stage, the announcer mentioned that this was an assembly for the USA hero, Charles Lindberg, who was born on February 4th and had accomplished one of the greatest feats in U.S. History. Wow, it was a great assembly and a little coincidental that someone famous had the same birthday as me. So, many years later, in 1967, I found out that my wife’s mom also had the same birthday as me and now, it was something NOT to forget at family gatherings... YRMV
The Jalopy Journal
