Happy Birthday Abe and My Brother, Ken

Today my brother Ken is......well, I probably shouldn't give that number out. He was born on February 12 at Camp Carson, Colorado where our Dad was stationed before he left for Korea. Okay, it was 1952, so you can figure out his age....lol

Following Mom's birthday on December 4, 1951, we left for Colorado to join Dad at Camp Carson. The day we drove to the train station in Pittsburgh, the snow was swirling; the drive was difficult. I can remember the train ride heading out west--my face pressed against the glass windows looking for cowboys.


Two months after we arrived, Ken was born in the base hospital. He nearly didn't make it. Dad went back to check on "our baby" soon after he was born and Ken wasn't breathing. Dad saved Ken's life on his birthday. Thank goodness Dad went back when he did and that he was a doctor.


Readers of Flipside know that Ken is a favorite traveling companion and always, yes always, indulges me in my genealogy and photography whims while on the road.....stop at a cemetery....no problem; walk around taking photos of store fronts.....a non issue; stopping in unusual places for a photo op....his pleasure.

We are a good duo.....I do the research and find the places to go and Ken puts it in motion and always adds to the excitement by pushing my idea even further. Ken's philosophy is to let the day unfold as it will. With that in mind, every excursion has one or more stops that become "special"....a bloggers dream!

We have enjoyed countless memories over the years and I look forward to many, many more.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRO


© 2010, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

The Gerard Theater--A Childhood Memory

Whenever I consider my elementary and junior high school days, the Gerard Theater, once located in West View, Pennsylvania comes to mind. I have spent some time researching this old West View landmark and have found very little. Hopefully, a reader or family member will be able to supply me with photos to enhance this blog.

The Gerard was located on Perry Highway, right smack dab in the center of West View, nestled between other businesses. It was a short ride by car from our house and I was able to walk there in the later years of elementary school.

It was my first introduction to movies on the large screen and in color. We did have a television back in the early 1950's, but it was black and white and the screen, as I remember, was pretty small.

Many Saturday's were spent down at the Gerard with my best friend and neighbor, Ruthie. A decent sized bag of popcorn was only a dime back then and, if you were lucky, there might be a small slip of colored paper down near the bottom of the bag which entitled you to a FREE bag of corn.

I think we were probably given 50 cents for the day. The ticket in was 25 cents, 10 cents for the popcorn, 10 cents for a pop and then we would pool the two nickels to make the call home for a ride. Now the trick....we would make the call, let it ring twice and hang up. That was the secret signal. Then Ruthie and I would have the two nickels to each buy a candybar for the ride back.

There were some interesting features at the Gerard. The every other seat on the ends of the center section, both left and right, were large enough for two people to sit in.....appropriately called "love seats!" And, a somewhat unusual room, located upstairs, was the "cry room." This was a sizeable room on the second floor....glass enclosed, with comfortable seats. Mom's with toddlers or crying infants could come to see the film and not bother the patrons in the main theater. Toddlers could run around the room at will. Once or twice Ruthie and I saw the film from the "cry room" just to give it a try.

My first 3-D movies were seen at the Gerard wearing those cardboard glasses with blue and red cellophane over the eye area. Terrific Japanese monster films like Rodan and scary dracula and vampire films were shown with regularity. Early cartoons, sci-fi , cowboy and beach blanket movies were favorites. And who could forget those Hitchcock thrillers. Usually there were news reels shown after the previews. Occasionally there were double feature afternoons....two movies for the price of one.

I saw movies at the Gerard from about 1952 until we moved in 1961. It was an important feature of my childhood. When my brother, who also went to Gerard, and I went back home over the holidays, we drove into West View. The theater is no longer there, but the building is and when we saw the long extension from front to back, we knew it was formerly the Gerard.

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Some Gerard Theater History

The Gerard Theater opened it's doors on January 19, 1940.¹ Soon after its opening, James H. Nash became the manager/owner a position he held until his death on May 26, 1963. Previous to owning the Gerard, James was a salesman for United Artists. An innovator, he added a nursery for preschool children and then the "cry room" in 1945.² He wanted mothers with young children to be able to attend the movies and not have to worry about a babysitter.

Six months after his death the theater was sold to Robert McConnell and it became a dance hall/roller skating rink for the local teens.³ This enterprise did not last long as in January, 1965 the building was sold to Flooring Specialists, Inc.⁴ On September 8, 1960 the West View borough offices were moved into the "old Gerard Theater building" and remained at the location until December 11, 1976.⁵

The newspapers on line do not trace the old Gerard Theater building past 1976. As you can see from the photo, there is currently a jewelry store housed there and from the sign, perhaps it has been there since 1995.

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I probably visited the Gerard for the last time during the winter and spring of 1961 as we moved from the North Hills area to McCandless Township. Malls with modern movie theaters were close by and West View was a drive. Looking back though, it is the Gerard that is part of my stored childhood memories and not mall theaters. I guess that says something!

Sources:

1. "Gerard Theater Will Open Tonight," Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 19, 1940, page 14.

2. "Mothers Can See Movies While Babies Cry," The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 31, 1945, page 38. Newspaper photo of cry room!

3. "Gerard Will Become Dance Hall/Rink," North Hills News Record, Wednesday, November 20, 1963, page 1.

4. "Gerard Theater is Sold," North Hills News Record, Wednesday, January 6, 1965.

5. North Hills News Record, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, December 11, 1976, page 1.

OBITUARY OF JAMES H. NASH

Also owner of the Wexford Starlight drive-in....well then, me thinks there will be a continuation of this blog going forward into the 1960's!

© 2009, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser

Wordless Wednesday--745 Washington Drive

Cream Cheese Bandit--Kolacky, A Hiser Cookie Tradition

There is a milk product addict who lives in my house. I am amazed at the speed that a household of three folks can consume cheese, sour cream, milk, ice cream and cream cheese. Granted I do use many of these products weekly in meals, but still I'm only talking about three people.

This lactose tolerant person loves, in particular, cream cheese. Cream cheese in any appetizer....in any dinner.....or just plain on a cracker....suits him to a "T".

At Christmas the kolacky/kolache is a MUST HAVE. He has cultivated a taste for this treat since childhood. I have learned over the years that it must be strawberry filled having tested other types of fruit fillings. No cherry, blueberry, apricot or prune.


Rolled and cut cookies are always the last on my holiday list. This past week was the day to make the kolache dough. I set out the butter and cream cheese to soften while at work.

And left a note......


My household cream cheese bandit made comment when I returned that evening that he did not open the two packages sitting on the counter...with a hardy laugh.


Last night, after work, the baking began and sure enough, the aroma of those kolacky baking was strong enough to bring him downstairs.....away from his computer and gaming....to swipe a few warm and freshly powder sugared confections.


This recipe was given to me by a good friend when the boys were in elementary school in the late 1980's. Oddly, her maiden name was also Hughes.

KOLACKY

1-3 oz package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 pound butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup flour
1 can of Solo brand pastry and dessert filling, flavor of your choice


Mix all ingredients.
Shape into a ball and chill overnight.
Roll dough out onto a floured board
Cut into small squares
Fill with desired filling (I use the Solo brand)
Overlap the filled dough and pinch opposite corners.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes

Sprinkle with powdered sugar while warm
Resprinkle with powdered sugar to serve

American Liver Foundation--Cleveland Walks 2009

I'm almost a week late in posting this photo blog, but as Flipside readers know, we have had quite a liver week!

Last Sunday, August 30, 2009, my son, Aric, his fiancée, Jeannine, Ted and I, plus our in absentia friend Paul, walked in the American Liver Foundation walk at the Cleveland Metropark Zoo under the name of "Liver Rejects." The day began dark and drizzly, but as the walk began, the sun pushed those nasty clouds away and we had a wonderful morning for the fund and fun raising effort.

The team who coordinated the Cleveland walk did an outstanding job...great music, food, raffle and fun.

Join the "Liver Rejects" on our walk for Aric and others waiting for their liver transplant. It was all happenin' at the zoo!

Registration for the walk

Support for the liver walk by The Brewery!

Ready to walk

In front of the pavillion --Aric and J-9

With ALF (American Liver Foundation) mascot

The walk begins

Pointing the way

Walkin' Happy

With Mom

With Dad

Walk completed--Aric and J-9

Looking at the raffle tickets

The winners of two tickets to Blossom

Photography by Flipside and Jeannine

St. Joseph Vacation--Saturday the Final Day

Back in the fall of 2008 and then during this winter, my brother kept reminding me....Dream It...Believe It....Live It...regarding this beach vacation in St. Joseph. I was the doubting Thomas, couldn't imagine that we would actually find the additional funds, couldn't imagine that we would actually make it. Ken was right...Dream It...Believe It...Live It.

The end to a most glorious week has come. Today our blessing for the final day was the arrival this a.m. of some of the Shirer family from outside Chicago. It is always a good day when you can spend it with family and friends.

DREAM IT.....BELIEVE IT.....LIVE IT

Treasure Chest Thursday--Hughes Button Can and Buttons

For those of you who collect buttons, this would be a windfall! Back in the early 1960's, as my paternal Grandmother Hughes (aka Grams) was getting ready to move to St. Petersburg, Florida, she gave me her old White sewing machine and an old tobacco can full of buttons.

It was Grams who actually taught me how to sew. Oddly, it was my maternal Grandmother Stark (aka Teek) who was the REAL seamstress. Teek could do it all....sew, crochet, embroider, knit, etc. etc. Her handwork was beyond compare. I still have a few of her pieces with embroidered roses and smocking....little dresses she made for me as a preschooler.

Back when I was in elementary school, on a boring summer day, I would jump on my bike and ride the four plus miles over to Bellevue and knock on Grams' front door. She would always be surprised and welcoming. I think I would do this without telling my Mom....just a whim....spur of the moment decision on my part.

Magically (my Mom was called and she would drive my things over) a little overnight bag would arrive during the day and I was a guest for several days at my grandparents. This has become a treasured memory to me.....days spent in their apartment in Bellevue during my elementary school days.

Grams and I would spend the day cooking, playing cards (she LOVED cards) and walking uptown to purchase food. These little uptown excursions always involved stopping into the local 5 & 10 and picking up a pattern, thread and a piece of material. The project was set and the sewing began.

Grams was a somewhat unconventional seamstress. She NEVER pinned the pattern pieces onto the fabric...and she would always tell me to never do it in Home Ec class ;-) She would mix up the pattern pieces to design a new look....the sleeves from one envelope, a collar from another....

She also did not always pin the fabric pieces together before she was sewing. There was also the White sewing machine. It had issues. Often the thread in the bobbin would knot up and would have to be taken apart and rethreaded. Over the years I learned the ins and outs of that machine!

I enjoyed sewing so much that I ended up beginning my college years majoring in Home Economics. I was pretty talented at making my own outfits and getting the "look" I wanted by switching out the pattern pieces....just like Grams.

I remember when Grams gave me this button can she told me that there was a high button shoe fastener in it. Not knowing what one looks like, I only guessed which odd looking item it might be. Does anyone out there know if I am right?

As to the buttons, they were cut from old clothes and saved for new sewing projects, probably from the early part of my grandparents marriage until 1960--40 years of buttons!

St. Joseph vacation--Monday

Ken and I decided to head intown for dinner. Walk with me down State Street into the quaint little town of St. Joseph, Michigan. Perhaps because it is Monday evening and not the weekend, there are not many folks about.