SCHOOL WAS ALWAYS A BIG PART OF MY LIFE. MY FATHER ALWAYS ENCOURAGED US AND HELPED US WITH OUR HOMEWORK. HE HELPED DOROTHY WITH ALGEBRA AND GEOMETRY. WE WERE TOLD NOT TO READ TRASH LIKE THE HOLLYWOOD MAGAZINES. BUT FILL OUR HEADS WITH GOOD READING. WE ALWAYS HAD A DAILY NEWSPAPER. IN 1940 WHEN “LIFE” MAGAZINE--HE SUBCRIBED TO THAT AND I ALWAYS READ ABOUT THE ART WORLD.

WHEN BROWNIE WAS IN THE FIRST GRADE, I SPOTTED THREE TEACHERS STANDING OVER HIM IN THE HALL. THEY WERE GIVING HIM A PADDLING. I RAN TO RESCUE BROWNIE AND THEY TOLD ME TO STAY AWAY! HAD NERVE ENOUGH TO ASK THEM “HOW WOULD YOU LIKE SOMEONE TO HIT YOUR LITTLE BROTHER?” THAT WAS THE END OF THAT. MISS METZ WAS HIS TEACHER AND NOT WELL- LIKED AT ALL. I AM ALWAYS GLAD THAT I STOOD UP FOR MY DEAR LITTLE BROTHER WHO WENT OFF TO THE NAVY AND FOUGHT FOR HIS COUNTRY.

NOW I HAVE COME TO MY STORY OF THE THIRD GRADE WITH MISS HOUCK. WE ALSO HAD A MUSIC TEACHER WHO WOULD COME ONCE A WEEK TO TEACH US TO READ THE SCALES AND TAP OUT THE TIME WITH OUR FINGERS. I CAN STILL MY LITTLE FOREFINGER TAPPING OUT THE TEMPO. I STILL HAVE ONE OF THOSE OLD MUSIC BOOKS. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO TOUCH THAT PIANO OUT IN THE HALL JUST TO SEE WHAT THE WHITE KEY FELT LIKE BUT I KNEW THERE WOULD BE HELL TO PAY IF I GOT CAUGHT. THIS WAS THE YEAR I FOUND OUT ABOUT “MINUET IN G”.

I PASSED TO THE FOURTH GRADE UPSTAIRS WITH MISS MURPHY. SHE WAS JERRY DILLON’S NIECE AND WE KNEW THEM AS NEIGHBORS. THE IRISH WERE FROWNED UPON BY MEMBERS OF KKK. SHE ALSO HAD A SISTER JULIA MURPHY HOHMAN WHO TAUGHT. TWO IRISH TEACHERS, IMAGINE THAT.

IN THE FIFTH GRADE I HAD A MEEK LITTLE TEACHER NEMED MISS SIBLE, WHO HAD US READ THE BIBLE EVERY DAY AND TO PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE. MANY TIMES IT TURNED OUT TO BE MY DAY TO READ A PASSAGE. I GUESS I KNEW THE WORDS. SHE ALSO BELIEVED IN HAVING THE CLASS STAND UP TO DO SOME EXERCISES AND ROLL OUR HEADS, NOT A BAD IDEA.

WHEN TOIIET PAPER WAS SCARCE MY MOM CUT ORANGE WRAPPERS HALF AND LAID THEM IN THE BATHROOM FOR US. BUT IRENE ZAIJDONIS BROUGHT HER DAILY ALLOWANCE HOME FROM SCHOOL HIDDEN IN HER BOOKS. THEY ALSO BORROWED OUR DAILY NEWSPAPER FOR CURRENT EVENTS.

AT AGE 12, I MAKE A SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY

WHEN I WAS IN THE 8th GRADE I WAS AT STREENAS. BECAUSE I OFTEN STOPPED THERE, SHE SHOWED ME SOME STRANGE WORMS FROM HER GARDEN. WE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THEM. I PACKED THEM UP AND SENT TILE BOTTLE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND THE ANSWER CAME BACK. THEY WERE HAIR WORMS. THEY ARE ONLY FOUND IN A PARTICULARLY WET SEASON. THAT WAS AN IMPRESSIVE THING FOR A 12 YR. OLD TO DO. LATELY I HEARD OF HAIR WORMS FOUND IN THE HUDSON RIVER.

ONE SUMMER NIGHT A BAT FLEW INTO OUR ROOM AND DOROTHY AND I WERE SCARED SO WE CALLED MY FATHER. HE CAME WITH A BIG TOWEL HE COAXED THAT BAT OUT INTO THE NIGHT AND SHUT THE WINDOW.


IN 7TH GRADE, I MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT


I BELIEVE THAT I WAS IN THE 7th GRADE WHEN THE ART ASSIGNMENT WAS TO MAKE A POSTER FOR THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY. MY POSTER WASD A MALLARD DUCK AND THE WORDS: IF YOU HELP THE LAME DUCK IN CONGRESS THEN HELP THE LAME DUCK IN NATURE”. FOR THIS I RECEIVED AN HONORABLE MENTION. I THINK NOW THAT THE COMITTE MAY NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS MY OWN IDEA. BUT REMEMBER THAT WE ALWAYS HAD A NEWSPAPER IN OU HOUSE AND THE RADIO.

I GOT PAST THE LONG DIVISION AND STATEMENT PROBLEMS AND MOVED ON INTO THE 7th GRADE. THIS IS WHERE A CLASSMATE STOLE A NICE STAMP COLLECTION I HAD. SHOW-AND-TELL CAN BE DANGEROUS.

THE SUMMER AFTER SIXTH GRADE, DOROTHY AND I WENT TO DETROIT ON THE GREYHOUND BUS WITH UNCLE NICK. MY UNCLES WORKED FOR FORD MOTOR CO. AS MACHINISTS. AUNT MILDRED WAS JUST 14 YEARS OLDER THAN DOROTHY. SHE TOOK US TO HUDSON’S DEPARTMENT STOREDAND BOUGHT MATERIAL TO SEW US EACH A NEW DRESS. SHE STUDIED SEWING AND TAILORING AT ELSIE SLESINGER SCHOOL IN PITTSBURGH.

IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT AT HAMTROT WE SAW THE FIRST ELECTRIC CAR. IT WAS BATTERY OPERATED AND THE YEAR WAS 1932. MEL WAS JUST TWO. IT WAS THE YEAR THAT THE LINDBERG BABY WAS KIDNAPPED AND THE OHIO STATE TROOPERS STOPPED OUR CAR BECAUSE WE HAD THIS BLOND 2 YEAR, OLD BOY IN OUR MODEL A.

WE WENT TO LAKE ST. CLAIR TO SWIM AND FIND CLAMS. I GUESS WE BORROWED A NEIGHBOR’S CAR. THEY CAME ALONG. I BROUGHT HOME SOME SMELLY CLAMS IN A BUCKET. MY AUNT MILDRED AND GRANDMOTHER MOVED TO DETROIT NEAR 13 MILE RD. ON ANGLIN AVENUE. BOTH OF MY UNCLES GOT JOBS WITH FORD. DOROTHY AND I STAYED FOR TWO MONTHS.

ONE AFTERNOON ON THE SIDE WALK OUT IN FRONT, DOROTHY AND I HAD A DISAGREEMENT OVER SOME ROLLERSKATES. AUNT MILDRED INTERVENED BX TAKING THE ELECTRIC IRONING CORD OFF THE HOOK ON THE DOOR AND BEATING ME WITH IT. THE NEXT DAY WHEN MY PARENTS CAME IN FROM PA. AND MY MOTHER SAW THE WELTS ON MY BODY SHE CONFRONTED AUNT MILDRED WITH HER BEHAVIOR. MY MOTHER LET HER KNOW THAT SHE DID NOT LIKE WHAT SHE DID. IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN EVEN WHEN WE MET AGAIN IN CALIFORNIA. I WAS FRIENDS WITH HER AND MAY HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE WHO WROTE TO HER BEFORE SHE DIED OF BONE CANCER. AUNT MILDRED DID A LOT OF THINGS FOR US. I THINK SHE HAD DEPRESSION.

AUNT MILDRED MADE THE BEDROOM CURTAINS FROM UNBLEACHED MUSLIN FOR OUR BEDROOMS. FOR ME SHE MADE THE PROM GOWNS FOR MY JUNIOR AND SENIOR PROMS. THERE IS A SHOT OF ME AS A SENIOR IN THE WHITE DOTTED SWISS GOWN SHE MADE.

SOURCES OF INSPIRATION: A FATHER AND A TEACHER

ON SUMMER NIGHTS WE SAT ON THE BIG FRONT PORCH AND SAW THE MOON COME UP. MY FATHER POINTED OUT MARS TO US. IT WAS THE RED PLANET, HE TOLD US. EMILY JONES WAS MY HOME ROOM TEACHER WHEN I WAS IN 7TH GRADE. I NAMED MY EMILY AFTER HER. SHE ENCOURAGED MY ART WORK. I WAS ON THE STAFF OP THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER WHEN I DID A PROFILE OF LINCOLN FOR THE FEBRUARY ISSUE. WHEN SUMMER CAME SHE TOLD ME TO GET SOME ART MATERIALS OUT OF HER CUPBOARD SO THAT I COULD DRAW ON VACATION.


SINGING: “ONE OF MY DEAREST MEMORIES”

DOROTHY AND I BOTH SANG IN THE CHORUS IN HI SCHOOL. WE BROUGHT THAT MUSIC HOME AND SANG TOGETHER FOR MOM. SHE SAID SHE ALWAYS KNEW WHEN WE WERE AT HOME BECAUSE SHE COULD HEAR US SINGING. WHEN DOROTHY WAS IN THE THIRD GRADE SHE CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL AND SANG “MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE” TO US. MOM WAS SO PROUD OF HER. IT IS ONE OF MY DEAREST MEMORIES.

WE BOTH STUDIED HOME ECONOMICS WITH MISS LIPPENCOTT. WE LEARNED TO MAKE NUT BREAD AND WHITE SAUCE AND MUFFINS. MOM WAS ALWAYS PLEASED TO GET A BAKING POWDER CAKE BECAUSE SHE BAKED ONLY YEAST BREADS. DOROTHY WAS FAMOUS FOR HER FEATHER CAKE. SHE WAS A REALLY NICE COOK. MOM USED TO SLAUGHTER HER CHICKEN AND DRESS THE MEAT. SHE HAD LITTLE APPETITIE FOR THAT MEAL BUT WE ALL ENJOYED THE MEAL. SHE MADE HER OWN NOODLES. ANOTHER THING THAT SHE MADE WAS WHAT THE JEWISH PEOPLE CALL SOUCE. WE ALL CALLED IT LUDETNA...JELLED PIG’S FEET. I liked it.

IN THE DEPRESSION AFTER MEL WAS BORN MY FATHER RENTED OUR HOUSE TO A FAMILY NAMED McKAY. CLARA McKAY WAS IN MY CLASS AT SCHOOL. THAT LASTED ONLY A SHORT TIME. IT WAS HARD TO FIND WORK. MY FATHER ALWAYS SAID THAT IF THERE WAS NO WORK IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY THERE WAS NO WORK ANYWHERE. LIKE THE SILICON VALLEY TODAY.

ANDREW CARNEGIE SOLD HIS PITTSBURGH MILL TO J. P. MORGAN AND THEN IT BECAME US STEEL. PITTSBURGH FURNISHED STEEL FOR THE CIVIL WAR, THE PANAMA CANAL AND THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AND THE BAY BRIDGE IN 1937.

I REMEMBER MY FATHER TALKING ABOUT SENATOR BORAR AND SENATOR KNOWLAND FROM OAKLAND. HIS BUILDING STILL STANDS IN THE EAST BAY. BOTH MOM AND MY FATHER LISTENED TO THE FIRESIDE CHATS. ROOSEVELT GAVE US ALL HOPE FOR COMING THRU THE GREAT DEPRESSION. I VOTED FOR THE FIRST TIME AS ROOSEVELT RAN FOR HIS THIRD TERM.

DOROTHY MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE 9TH GRADE AND I JUST BEHIND HER IN 8TH GRADE. MISS DRUM ASKED HER WHAT THE MATTER WAS AND DOROTHY WAS SAD AND TOLD HER TEACHER THAT HER LITTLE SISTER WAS SICK AND MAYBE EVEN DYING. I ALSO ANNOUNCED IT TO MY CLASS.

"THOSE DRAPES REMIND ME OF A WHOREHOUSE!”

MY UNCLES DUSHAN AND NICK WERE NOT MUCH HELP TO MY MOM, FROM WHAT I CAN REMEMBER. NICK CAME TO THIS COUNTRY WITH MY MOTHER WHO WAS ONLY 14 AT THE TIME. SHE ALWAYS SAID THAT SHE CAME WITH A TAG AROUND HER NECK ON A $25.OO FARE. BOTH OF MY UNCLES WERE MACHINISTS. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY LEARNED THEIR TRADE. ON ONE OF THEIR VISITS, ONE OF THEM TOLD MY MOTHER THAT THE DRAPES IN THE LIVING ROOM. REMINDED HIM OF A WHORE HOUSE. THEY WERE GOLD AND ROSE SATIN DAMASK AND LIGHT BLUE JAQUARD ON THE FRENCH DOORS. WHITE AUSTRIAN BLINDS HUNG ABOVE THE BOOKCASES. I KNOW MY FATHER ORDERED THESE, ALL VERY BEAUTIFUL. SHE SHOULD HAVE ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN HOW HE KNEW WHAT COULD BE SEEN IN A WHORE HOUSE. THESE DRAPES WERE GONE AND I NEVER SAW THEM AGAIN.

MY UNCLES GO TO RUSSIA, AND I GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL

THESE UNCLES WERE RECRUITED BY WALTER RUETHER OF THE UAW TO GO TO RUSSIA TO SET UP A TRACTOR FACTORY ON THE VOLGA RIVER. NO DOUBT THEY MADE TANKS ALSO. HENRY FORD SYMPATHIZED WITH THE REDS. NICK CAME BACK TO VISIT HIS MOTHER ONCE WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR IN HI SCHOOL. HE ASKED ME TO STAY IN TURTLE CREEK TO TAKE CARE OF MY GRANDMOTHER BUT THOSE PLANS FELL APART. ALL FOR THE GOOD. I FINISHED HI SCHOOL IN 1938 WITH MY CLASS.

WHEN I WAS 15, I HAD A TERRIBLE STREP THROAT AND WAS VERY ILL. WHEN MY FATHER CAME TO SIT BY ME, I TOLD HIM I WAS GOING TO DIE. THAT SUMMER I WENT IN TO THE McKEESPORT HOSPITAL AND HAD MY TONSILS TAKEN OUT. IN THE 1937 SUMMER I WENT TO THE TRI HI Y CAMP WITH MY CLUB FOR A WEEK AT RECTOR, PA. NEAR LIGONIER. THE FOLLOWING YEAR MY FATHER RENTED A STATE COTTAGE AT LYNNE RUN. HELEN, MEL, SWANSON AND I STAYED TOGETHER. I HAD MY PAINTS WITH ME, AND THERE IS A PHOTO OF ME AT MY EASEL.

THESE YEARS I SENT TO SEARS FOR A UKELELE AND BOOKS AND THEY ARE STILL IN OUR HOME. A CLASSMATE STEPPED ON THE INSTRUMENT & CRACKED IT. WE WERE AT A PICNIC.

I GRADUATED 11TH IN MY CLASS OF 63. THAT SUMMER DOROTHY AND I TOOK THE GREYHOUND BUS TO WISCONSIN TO BE WITH THE MALESOVICH FAMILY WHO WERE RELATED TO MY GRANDMOTHER. IN CHICAGO WE HAD TO CHANGE BUSES. ON STATE STREET IN CHICAGO WE WENT INTO THE STATE THEATRE AND GOT SEATED BUT AS WE LOOKED AROUND DOROTHY SAID WE SHOULD GET OUT OF THERE. IT WAS A BURLESQUE THEATRE. WE GOT TO MAYVILLE IN WISCONSIN AND SPENT THE SUMMER WITH ZODDIE MALESOVICH AND HER COLLEGE FRIENDS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD EVER SEEN KIDS DRINKING BEER EVERY NIGHT. YEARS LATER I DID THINK ABOUT THE JUNIOR COLEGE IN THAT SMALL TOWN BUT THE WINTERS WERE TOO COLD.