My
brother, sister and I were born in the Mercy Community Hospital in Manistee. A hospital stay in
those days was much less expensive than it is today -- in 1946, a 6 day stay in
the hospital to give birth to their first born child cost my parents a mere $57.05
Orchard Beach was always the place to play when we were kids. We lived
across the street from Lake Michigan, so every summer Mom would gather us up,
walk across the street, hike down the steep hill through the trees to take us
swimming. Mom didn't let her fear of the water keep us from having a good
time. We loved the beach, but those rocks were murder on your bare feet!
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Sunday mornings, our family attended church at Guardian Angels in Manistee. Dad was an usher at the church, and passed the collection plate at the end of mass. (The smell of the incense burning always gave me a queasy stomach!)
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My sister Helen attended Guardian Angels school for a year or two - Dad drove the school bus to help pay for tuition. Helen recalls she was always mortified when boarding the school bus because Dad always insisted that she give him a kiss. How embarrassing!
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We attended grade school at Parkdale School. It is known today as Kennedy School, pictured at left. Favorite teachers were Mrs. Close, Mrs. Kruse and Mrs. Erickson. |
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This is a historical photo of Manistee High School. |
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We attended high school in what's known today as the Manistee Middle School. |
A special treat was going to the movies at the Vogue Theater on River
Street. Cost was 30¢ for a child, 70¢ for an adult.