Peace is Every Step

Caption
Peace is Every Step
Sara Thomsen poses by a banner which was part of the “Art of Peace.” Members of the public painted and cut-out outlines of feet, then glued them to the banner.

METH: Not Even Once

Cartoon Commentary by Chris Nichols

Visit: www.notevenonce.org

What’s Happening at East Hillside Youth Theatre?

By Kathy Bogen
Grant Community School Collaborative

Lots!! Now in its ninth year, the East Hillside Youth Theatre Program offers the fun, excitement, creativity, and learning that are part of putting on an original musical while exploring the arts, service learning, and even the Lake Superior ecosystem. Sponsored by the Grant Community School Collaborative, East Hillside Youth Theatre has grown with the support of the community and the initiative of creative, dedicated staff members.

Enrollment is open to East Hillside and Grant Language & Arts Magnet School Youth ages 8-15. Students may choose to act in the play, be a part of the tech crew, or both. There is no charge to attend the program. Hear what “Theatre Campers” have to say about the upcoming season:
“The summer of 2007 will be a great opportunity for all kids at East Hillside Youth Theatre. This year’s play, “Ruffio and Juliet” is based on “Romeo and Juliet” except with fish! Native and exotic species learn to get along in Lake Superior.”

“Campers will learn about different cultures and plays and famous writers such as Shakespeare”

“It’ll be a really cool play once we are all done practicing and ready to perform—also, there are some awesome dances.
Hope you can make it to the play. I also hope kids who didn’t go to Theatre Camp last year will have a chance to go this year. We don’t only have to work on the play. We also have a camp-out coming up!”

East Hillside Youth Theatre meets at Grant Language & Arts Magnet School Monday-Thursday from 9-noon, June 19th-July 26th. Teen Tech and Improv meets Tuesday-Thursday from 1-3 p.m., June 19th-July 26th. Enrollment deadline is Friday, May 4th.

Enrollment materials are available at Grant Language and Arts Magnet School, 1027 N. 8th Ave. E. If you would like an enrollment brochure mailed to you or more information, call Kathy Bogen at 733-2016. All performances will be in the Mitchell Auditorium on the campus of St. Scholastica.

“Ruffio and Juliette” Performance Schedule:
Thursday, July 26th at 1 p.m., Friday, July 27th at 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 28th at 1 p.m.
The Teen Improv play will be performed on Saturday, July 28th at 7 p.m.

Earth Day Parade and Festival celebrates our connection to the Earth

Caption: Wendy Williamson stands on a bridge overlooking the Lakewalk while she waits for her family to pass by. Even though it rained, many people turned out to celebrate Earth Day.

By Britt Carlson

Earth Day has been celebrated on April 22nd every year since 1970. Earth Day celebrates and raises awareness about the connection between humans and the Earth. Hillside residents had many opportunities to participate in Earth Day activities this year, including a parade on the Lakewalk and a festival at Leif Erickson Park.

The human-powered Earth Day Parade marched, pushed, and pulled floats down the Duluth Lakewalk toward Leif Erickson Park on Saturday, April 21st. The parade was open to all and drew a diverse crowd of families, school groups, and community organizations. Spectators also had a great time observing the multi-colored costumes and props that passed by.
Each parade entry was evaluated by a panel of judges on creativity, enthusiasm, use of an environmental theme, use of recycled materials, and overall presentation. A group from Marshall School earned the first place trophy by using old billboard vinyl for their signs.

University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) students, in a course called Large Event Management, planned the parade. Course instructor Guy Merolle believes “that the success of the event was due to the students’ motivation and energy. They put a lot in to planning this event. [Students in Large Event Management] conceived the idea, solicited participants, learned about safety and liability, crowd management, and marketing techniques. They used all their classroom learning in this real-life project.”

Along with the parade, an Earth Day Festival took place at Leif Erickson Park. A student organization called Earth Club, also from UMD, put on the festival. One of the Earth Club members, Henry Pollan, described the goal of the festival as “bringing together people to network, celebrate and have a good time.” The goal of the festival and parade were so similar that they decided to work together to put on a larger event.

Their message for Earth Day was summed up in a short play performed on the Leif Erickson Park amphitheater stage. The play was a student written and directed “sequel” to the book, The Lorax, by Dr. Suess. The conclusion of the play left the narrator on stage to sum up the message. With Dr. Suess-style poetry he said to the crowd—and all Hillside residents— “You speak for the trees and we’ll do the same / speak for the birds and the fish and clean rain / speak for those who can’t call on the phone / and speak with your actions, not just your tone.”

Got Questions? Who you gonna call? 2-1-1

Caption:

Shown here are the Greater Duluth 2-1-1 staff, from left to right : Rory Strange, Information Specialist, Jeannie Ward, Coordinator and Dan Kitzberger, Marketing and Outreach Volunteer. The quilt in the background was made by Susan Knauss.By phoning 2-1-1 the public can find information on a variety of topics in the Greater Duluth Area. United Way 2-1-1 has now added Meth Helpline. The staff of 2-1-1 are available to answer your questions from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. After regular hours the line is transferred to a referral service in the Twin Cities. Meth HelpLine is now a Service of United Way 2-1-1.


By Dan Kitzberger
United Way of Greater Duluth

In a time of question or crisis, not knowing where to turn can be overwhelming. United Way 2-1-1 Information & Referral is here to connect you with those who can help. When calling 2-1-1 you will speak with an Information & Referral Specialist who will listen to your concerns and can connect you with the most appropriate resources for your needs. Sprint and Qwest cell phone customers may dial 2-1-1 and Cellular One customers must dial 800-543-7709.

Meth Helpline now added

Now, thanks in part to a grant from St. Louis County and the efforts of County Commissioners Bill Kron and Steve O’Neil, United Way 2-1-1 is also providing the Meth HelpLine. We are actively creating a network to include information on Meth treatment programs for those directly affected by Meth, as well as resources for friends and family of those affected.

As you may already know, 2-1-1 is a service of the United Way of Greater Duluth. Our experienced Information & Referral Specialists are here to help you connect with the most appropriate resources for your specific situation. Once an Information & Referral Specialist has had the opportunity to discuss your concerns with you, that Specialist can then research our database of over 700 regional health, human and community resources, gathering as much information available and then connect you to the resource that best meets your needs. Our network of resources is constantly expanding and updating, allowing us to provide you with accurate and current information.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or simply seeking information, call United Way 2-1-1 to begin finding answers.

Free Democracy Summit includes music, discussion

Caption:Upper Left - a special T-shirt made for the Indian Electric Band which played with "Redbone's" Pat Vegas
Right - Fond du Lac Women’s Hand Drum Group

Music, food and good discussion highlighted the Free Democracy Summit on Friday, April 13 through Sunday, April 15.
The College of St. Scholastica Indigenous Student Alliance kicked-off the event in the afternoon at Mitchell Auditorium with performances by the Anishinabe Youth Chorus and the Fond du Lac Ojibwe School Drum Group. Evening performances included a Native American feast and pipe ceremony followed by the Fond du Lac Women’s Hand Drum Group and a performance by Pat Vegas from “Redbone” and the Indian Electric Band. The last event of the day was John Trudell and Quiltman.
During the encore Vegas played his hit “Come and Get Your Love,” which caused the audience to spring from their seats and dance in front of the stage.
Vern “Wiggi” Zacher of Fond du Lac was one of the members of the audience to dance. Zacher said dancing live to Vegas’ hit was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Referring to his youth as the “days of vinyl,” he said, “We danced to him many moons back.”
the visor. He said he has worn the cap at every performance since 1975. Vegas is of Yaqui and Shoshone ancestry and works as a music producer. He currently lives in North Hollywood, CA.
Panel discussions and artwork
Panel discussions and artwork took place on Saturday and Sunday at the Harbor City International School. Titles of discussions included: Global Warming Solutions, Exporting Capitalism: Trickle Down Economics and the Race to the Bottom, Housing, Healthcare, A Living Wage and Moving Your Way Out of Poverty. Events on Sunday included a worship service, more workshops and panel discussion and a presentation by former Minnesota Senator Becky Lourey. Music from locals bands like “Trampled by Turtles” performed at area clubs.
Art of Peace events took place in conjunction with the Free Democracy Summit and included public participation in making a banner and contributing to a Labyrinth.

Conference at Gloria Dei discusses GLBT issues on April 27-28

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and Peace United Church of Christ will Co-host the 7th Annual “Open Our Doors, Open Our Hearts” conference April 27-28. The theme of this year’s conference is “Love One Another.”

“The conference is one way in which Gloria Dei can open its doors to all people in the neighborhood” said Pastor David Carlson.

People of all sexual orientations and gender identities, their allies, and faith communities are encouraged to attend. The main goal of the conference is to assist communities of faith in accepting and welcoming lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) persons and their families.

This year’s keynote speaker is Kelly Fryer. Fryer is a well-known writer and leader in Lutheran circles. She has taught at Luther Seminary and is ordained in the Lutheran ministry. Readers have found her book “Reclaiming the L-Word: Renewing the Church from Its Lutheran Core” insightful, thought-provoking and witty.

Musical group Bread for the Journey present their unique blend of international music Friday 8 p.m. Hailing from Minneapolis, Bread for the Journey offer a spirited repertoire with styles spanning Latin American, African, Asian, Caribbean, and European.

Events such as this focus on full acceptance. They challenge the effort to define who does (or does not) qualify for God’s love at a time when honoring LGBT people, same sex couples, and their families is not a common practice among Christians. “This is what Jesus is calling us to do. We need to reach out to the poor and the outcast; reach out to our neighbors” said Carlson.

In 1998, Gloria Dei became officially recognized as a Reconciling in Christ Church. Reconciling in Christ is a program started by Lutherans Concerned North America and acknowledges Lutheran congregations that welcome lesbian and gay believers. Gloria Dei is the only Lutheran Church in the Northeastern Minnesota synod to have obtained this title.

Everyone is welcome at Gloria Dei. “I feel fortunate to have a welcoming and affirming congregation that sees people as human beings, not just labels” said Carlson.

The event begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. The costs are as follows: Friday night and Saturday $20 (includes lunch), Saturday only $15 (includes lunch), Friday night only $10 (includes refreshments), Students both days $5. Gloria Dei is located at 219 N. 6th Ave. East in Duluth. For more information call 218-722-3381 or visit www.gloriadeiduluth.com

Will future generations have easy access to Lake Superior?

Caption: Hartley E. Conrad, Duluth, and Bruce F. Elving (holding stick), Esko, enjoy a stroll on frozen Lake Superior, February 2007. (Photo submitted)

By Bruce Elving


Like a bunch of other people in the Northland, I tried out a new sport, ice-walking. The days in mid-to-late February were conducive to this type of activity, occurring after a period of relentless below zero (F) temperatures.

  My friend Hartley and I first ventured forth when ice conditions were ideal. It was before the blizzards deposited snow that would obscure the view through the pristine ice, although some of that snow instantly blew off. I’ve subsequently seen folks out on the ice, some with flimsy ice-fishing shelters. However, a more enjoyable walk on the ice awaits another year.

The first visit we took was from Twenty-First Avenue East and the waterfront. It’s a breathtaking place, buzzing with the activity of building houses and condominiums. Driving around the new construction and viewing the frozen expanse of Lake Superior was exhilarating enough, but coming back, parking the car, and walking on the lake was more fun. Later, Hart and I went to Brighton Beach, just east of Lester River, and I walked the ice, following other people who had found the best spots for negotiating the pressure ridges that defined different areas of the ice or non-ice.

Ski poles greatly facilitated walking on the sheer ice. I offered a ski pole to another person to help him get across a fissure in the ice, but he declined. Getting onto the ice at Brighton Beach was more difficult than at Twenty-First Avenue East. There was a slope to the ice making it especially difficult to return. The large group of people frolicking on the lake obviously enjoyed the unique experience. Invariably, as people returned, they had to take measures to successfully negotiate the downward slant of the ice closest to shore, which presented a challenge to people’s sense of balance.

At Twenty-First, a lady asked me if I am from the area, and I said, “Yes.” Remember my article in December’s Hillsider about sledding down Duluth’s hills? That establishes me as a resident of this area since childhood. Anyway, I told her that I had never seen ice like this where you could walk on it and see clear through, even to the extent that persons saw a wreck submerged in shallow water off Park Point. I told the lady that my father, who would have been 111, told of people skating from Two Harbors to Duluth. Until this winter I would not have thought that possible. Previously, when looking at the lake in winter you would see white, the color of snow.

Hart and I talked to a young fellow on Twenty-First Avenue East. He sat on a rock which had no snow on it, took off his boots, put on his skates and flung his boots over his shoulder. He said he was going to skate to work in Canal Park, something he had never done. Obviously he was a very good skater, as he zoomed away on the clear and smooth ice.

Will this joy repeat itself? Ice conditions like in 2007 might well occur again, and as locals, we’ll be conditioned to want to visit the lake again in winter. We might even go out when conditions might not be as good, with the more adventurous of us taking unnecessary chances.

 Much as the fun of walking on water in 2007 will fill our memory banks for years to come, I fear for the worst. Not from a nature standpoint, but from the standpoint of what we as humans can do to devastate the environment.

I fear for the future at Twenty-First Avenue East, and for other locations where ordinary citizens can view and play in or on the lake. With condominium development proceeding at a brisk pace, I envision 2007 as the last year the public will enjoy access to that spot, except for a narrow trail called the Lakewalk. Watch for “No Parking” signs to be erected along the entire roadway that used to be called Water Street. Signs might also mention “Lake Access Reserved For Residents Only.” Or signs might say, “Residents Parking Only.” And the informal trails that lead to the water’s edge would be posted “No Trespassing.”

This fear of being cut off from that which makes Duluth unique both to the locals and the tourists could come true in other regional places. Those areas could, and partially do right now, include all of Minnesota Point, the mouths of creeks and rivers flowing into Lake Superior and the North Shore, including the marina being constructed on McQuade Road. “Safe Harbor” will translate into “All But those Living in the Immediate Area Stay Out.”

As an aside, I recall my father, who lost an arm in an accident on the Northern Pacific rail yard on Rice’s Point, near the former Goldfine’s store, and who did not let that handicap stop him from being a real do-it-yourselfer. He was working on a project with concrete for our house on the East Hillside (where I used to sled, and which house I still own). We drove down Twenty-First Avenue East to Water Street, parked the car and walked to the lake side of the street. We proceeded to fill a bucket with gravel for making cement. I am sure the gravel is still there next to the big lake, but is access to it by ordinary citizens still possible? It might make for an excuse to visit that part of the Lakewalk just to find out.

  That gravel might be as unusable by the local citizenry as Park Point sand. I recall, as a kid, my dad filling a trailer attached to our 1937 Ford so I could have a sandbox. That was at the place on Park Point where Lake Avenue takes a sharp turn to the right. Now it’s posted with a warning not to harvest the sand. I suppose if everybody helped themselves to sand, somehow Park Point would be excavated, or Lake Superior might disappear into a giant sinkhole.

In writing this, I do not intend it to be a blueprint for others to follow, or for it to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. As businesses and government work to promote this area as a world-class destination to the detriment of the local populace, there can be disaster. It’s like global warming, but much closer in proximity, and more immediate in its outcome. This devastation to the environment is on par with what I observed at the western end of Lake Ontario, at Grimsby Beach. I enjoyed getting off the Queen Elizabeth Expressway (QEW) and just looking east along the lake on my drives to Syracuse, NY in the 1960s. I was a graduate student at Syracuse University, from which I received my Ph.D. after many commutes. Stopping along the shore there reminded me of Park Point in Duluth. Since then, in the 1990s, my wife, Carol, and I noticed massive houses, a boat landing and what appeared to be a marina. An e-mail acquaintance lives in Grimsby, and he described how the land is now in private hands, and the views of this great lake are now denied outsiders like us.

It is and was great to be able to walk on water on Lake Superior, and to observe the lake in all its placid winter beauty. Even more important, there was a camaraderie with other souls on the lake, who with me and my companion, were blithely oblivious to the dangers of being on ice that only partially covered this large body of water.

 The greatest threat is not that ice conditions may take several years to re-form in a way that allows skating, ice-boating, ice-fishing or mere walking, but that our enjoyment of this resource will disappear as the result of corporate greed, abetted by municipal and other government entities that could destroy the public’s use of a lake which is otherwise available for all to enjoy.

Photos of a "Beautiful" Spring in Duluth

A Place for Every Volunteer, a Volunteer for Every Need

For more information on the following volunteer opportunities or others, log onto www.truenorthvolunteercenter.org or call 2-1-1, the United Way of Greater Duluth's Get Help/Give Help line betweeen 8:00am-4:30pm, Mon. through Fri.

ESL Literacy Tutor: Help adult immigrants make a home in our community. Work one-on-one or in a small group with them at the Adult Learning Center to develop their basic reading skills in English.

Gift Shop Attendant: Help visitors take the fun home with them. Provide customer service to visitors in the Duluth Children's Museum Gift Shop. Attendant will also help track inventory, straighten up, and answer the phone.

The Commons: Get together with your neighbors at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, April 16th at Starbuck's Downtown. True North Volunteer Center invites you to share what you know, brainstorm ideas, and network with other community-minded folks to find innovative solutions to what you see going on (or not going on, for that matter) in our community.

Gabriel Project Office Assistant: CHUM needs a volunteer to help with miscellaneous office work, including scanning and organizing a large collection of news clippings about the Gabriel Project's work. Help the Gabriel Project accomplish its goals as the organizing and advocacy arm of Churches United Ministry with a special focus on economic and social justice for low-income community members.

Pediatric Nurses: Work with children and occasionally teens/adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders at the only nonprofit treatment facility in northern Minnesota, the Autism Treatment and Resource Center. Scheduling appointments, reviewing medical histories and diets with clients and families, assisting MD and providing information and support services to clients. Training provided.

Tutor: Meet with a student once a week at Grant Elementary School to assist academic needs and create a supportive relationship through the Five Points Program.

Youth Activities Volunteer: Share your interests and hobbies such as sports, cooking or music with youth ages 6-18 at Neighborhood Youth Services.

Host Home During Grandma's Marathon: Rent out rooms in your homes (or rent your entire home) to out-of-town guests during the weekend of Grandma's Marathon, June 15th & 16th, 2007 and donate the proceeds to Northern Communities Land Trust.

Advocate: Answer calls to PAVSA from recent or past victims of sexual violence, or hospitals and police involved with victims Provide crisis-intervention, information and referral as appropriate. Met with and support sexual assault victims in the hospital.

Roadies: Have you always wanted to be in on the action at a show? Sacred Heart Music Center needs 2-4 people able to help with unloading the sound equipment the night before a performance and then to help tear-down and load the equipment back onto the van after the performance. Various concert dates throughout year. Stay and enjoy the concert for FREE!!

Childhood Memories of the Central Hillside

It’s odd that memories can be retained without being in the forefront of one’s brain. The article in the December issue of Hillside by my friend, Bruce Elving, triggered some long forgotten memories of growing up in the good old central hillside back in the ‘30s and ‘40s.

There were a group of us fellows that used to play around together in the neighborhood of Seventh Avenue East and Eighth Street, where I grew up. We would play baseball in the alleys between Seventh and Eighth streets and also in the alley between Eighth Street and Ninth Street. On the pavement of one of the alleys we had painted lines denoting the base lines, and used garage structures as bases. Many times a person would hit a ball over a garage and the outfield would have to go and chase it. I don’t know why we didn’t walk a few blocks and use the playground at Grant School, but I suppose it was too far to walk, as most of the gamers were of the “pick-up” type: if there were enough guys around, we played ball.

Back in the ‘40’s, the noisy old wooden electric street cars ran on Seventh Avenue from Seventh Street to Ninth Street, right in front of our house. Sometimes, for fun, we would put pennies on the steel tracks just to see how flat they would become after a street car passed over them. Later on, during the mid’40s, propane powered buses replaced the street cars, but followed the same east Eighth Street route, which eventually terminated next to Woodland Avenue.

There were numerous grocery stores in the area back then before the supermarkets evolved. For example, grocery stores were located on corners of east Seventh Street and Eighth Avenue East; Sixth Avenue East and Seventh Street; Sixth Avenue east and Ninth Street; Ninth Street and Eight Avenue East; on Seventh Avenue east just above the alley between Seventh and Eighth Street; and on the corner of Seventh Avenue east and Eighth Street, right across the street from our house. This store was run by Pete Nossum and another fellow named Wick. The store was under than name, Nossum & Wick, for years, finally being renamed Persgard for a number of years. It eventually became Whole Foods Co-op, which is now located on east Fourth Street. All the stores were mom & pop operations, but a few had butcher shops. I recall watching meat being wrapped, using string from a cone of string attached to the ceiling and brown wrapping paper taken from large rolls situated at the end of the counter. As kids, we used to play ‘iron tag’ in front of the Nossum & Wick store, as there were a lot of iron grates and sewer covers in front of the store. One person would be ‘it’, and the others would try to run from one iron pieces to the other without being tagged. We also played a game called ‘eenie-eenie eye over’, which consisted of having people on each side of a building, out of sight of the other side, and hollering the ‘eenie-eenie eye over’ slogan as we threw the ball over the building and the other side would try to catch the ball as it came over. If caught, that person could run around the building and tag someone with the ball who then would be on their side to better catch the next ball.

Back in the days before instant messaging and ipods, if we wanted a playmate, we would go over to their house and stand outside and just yell their name. Most of the time, they heard you calling, but, occasionally, we would have to ring the door bell. Many Saturday mornings we spent with friends either playing Monopoly or some other game, or perhaps listening to the radio. Some Saturdays we would go to a movie theater downtown to catch the latest movie serial, along with the regular feature. The cost was 10 cents for a long time, but it ev3eventually went up, as I recall, to the 12 cent level. I think the war had something to do with the price increase.

During the winter, after a snowstorm, I would take a snow shovel and go around the neighborhood and ask if I could shovel homeowners’ sidewalks. The going rate, depending on the size of the sidewalk, was between 10 to 25 cents. I also had to shovel our own sidewalk, which was rather long as we lived on a corner lot. Snow also brought out the desire among some of us to build a small ski jump in a vacant lot situated on Ninth Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues East. It wasn’t much, but it taught me that I was not a jumper, and haven’t jumped since, although my wife and I do cross-country skiing up north. She is also an accomplished downhill skier, another thing I do not attempt.

Winter also prompted my family to take a toboggan and go up to Chester Bowl, where they had several toboggan runs starting near Kenwood Avenue. The runs were usually icy, and the rides would always be pretty fast. There were snow banks on the sides, so you couldn’t run wild and go off the track. I would also go ice skating at the Grant School rink, which was located on Eleventh Street and east of Grant School. There was also a warming house where you would change into your skates. As children, we never did sled in the streets, but would often go to the Grant School grounds and slide on the small hill north of the school just below Eleventh Street.

As a child, I used to walk to Grant School through grade six, then to a long-gone Franklin Junior High, which was located on Sixth Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues East, for my seventh grade. The school was very old when I attended it, and I can recall the floors being slanted and being somewhat chilly during the winter. I then went to Washington Junior High for the eighth and ninth grades, winding up at deer old Central High for my high school grades. I always, except for very inclement weather, walked to all the schools. Many a time I walked along east Fourth Street, remembering some of the stores along the street. Bridgemans, Schrader Drug, several food markets, a jewelry store, which had a Western Union clock that I always checked my watch against, Larsons’ barber shop, a hamburger joint, a radio repair store (Mast Radio Repair?), a few bars, and many others whose names I can no longer recall. One name, however, is still on Fourth Street at the same address: Daugherty’s.

There is a small creek running down the hillside between Seventh and Eighth Avenues east. As kids, we quite often would climb down into the ravine and play around, maybe exploring the culverts under the various streets that the creek would pass through. I recall one time I fell on a rock and got a deep gash in my right kwee, and, to this day, I still have the scar as a remembrance.

As a child, I had the usual amount of childhood diseases, such as chicken pox, measles, mumps, and so on. In those days, the Health Department would come around and tack a sign near your front door denoting the disease inside the household. I still recall the chicken pos sign with red lettering.

There was a fire hall for engine number 7 located at Seventh Avenue East and Ninth Street. We would often hear the siren on the fire truck as it traveled down the hill responding to a fire alarm. At that time, it was also a polling place to cast votes. I recall walking up with my parents to vote using a big lever-operated machine with a heavy curtain that was pulled around to insure privacy during voting.

There was a Hartman Bakery located in the west end. One of their drivers, named Ray, used to deliver fresh break to the neighborhood stores mentioned earlier. Somehow, he and I struck up a moderate friendship over time which led to me riding in his truck from time to time, a 1939 Chevy panel, while he was delivering and I would help him on his route. I would tell my Mother that I was going, so she wouldn’t worry. I still can recall the wonderful odor of all the fresh bread being carried in the truck!

Another pass time we had as kids was to sit on sidewalk steps over on Sixth Avenue East and try to name all the cars that passed by. Back then, it was rather easy to name the makes of cars, as they were a lot more distinctive than they are today. It was a game to see who could correctly name the most cars in a given time period.

This ends my recollections of growing up on Central Hillside during the 1930s and 1940s. I moved away from Duluth in the fall of 1952 to Minneapolis to attend electronic school (now Dunwoody) after spending two years at the old campus of UMD. I was trained in electronics, did some TV repair, spent two years in Chicago with Motorola, but moved back to Bloomington in 1966 due to the distance involved with our parents and their grandchildren. I spent 21 years with Control Data and was a project engineer for one of their clients in England. I have been retired since 1988 and spend considerable time in the summer at our cabin near Alborn. WE celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary while in Australia this past November.

John Ebeling (wife: Ira)

9209 Vincent Avenue South

Bloomington, MN 55431-2157

952-888-0816

ijebeling@aol.com