Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

Also, the war clouds were growing in Europe. The country's connection was somewhat split. It didn't concern us.

Hitler was grabbing more and more area. And pushing non-Germans out of Germany and his hatred of Jews.

As things progressed, however, the leadership thought that we should prepare just in case and instituted the draft.

At the time, I was working at the Boy's Club and I registered for the draft there.

At the time we were considered a third class power by the experts and they gave an example that we could be the Czechoslovakian army but would have a hard time doing it.

Charlie who had studied at Columbia took courses which concerned national security and he was called

He also told me that I would not be moved up to Director. The Board wanted an older individual but I would be given a deferment a raised and still be assistant director. Doris would be an advisor.

The latter didn't bother me but I was also to train the director who knew nothing about Boy's Club etc. He was a volunteer who helped a lot and was well known in the community.

I decided I would give my notice and take my chances. So I returned home.

I went looking for work and found a job at Manning, Maxwell, and Moore. I spent about 6 months there and then received my notice that it was delivered to an older man also with the name Todisco on our floor and he came to us crying wanting to know why the government wanted to induct him into the army. I looked over the notice and noted that it was for me and I told him not to worry. He was an old man and looked it.

So I went to Waltham as required and wen in for my preliminary and physical exam which I passed.

[ed: According to U. S. World War II Army enlistment records. Dad was enlisted into the army on 6. March 1942. His civil occupation was listed as Stock Clerk. This is the end of the second notebook.]

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

After my 21st birthday, I began seeing more of the girl who at some point I would propose and be your future mother.

She also insisted that I ask her father if I could take his daughter out on dates.

He gave permission but made sure that I understood his rules of returning at 11:00 PM and "no monkey business."

Mary's Family

He was somewhat reluctant to allow his daughter to go out with me because he and my father did not get along. They never would.

Before this time, if I went out with Mary to the movies, I had to have her sister come with us. It was not to my liking. I did not go for a chaperone. It lasted a good while.

Eventually, this stopped and it was my feeling that Concordia [ed: Mary's mother] pushed him in this direction. Because when I went to pick Mary up is expression at times indicated that he wasn't happy with the idea. Concordia would say, "Did you forget your youth?"

Our relationship was wonderful and I would on those days that I was off which was on a Monday I would pick her up at work.

And I was also invited to her company's picnic. [ed: Mary worked as a stitcher for The Carver Dress Company on Kneeland St. in Boston.]  As she told her employer what I did for wor. And I was asked to run some games and events. Which I did.

Everyone had a good time and I began fitting in with her boss. He saw me waiting for Mary and he said go wait upstairs. Don't wait down the street anymore.

The first time that I waited outside the employee entrance, your mother to be was surprised. She informed me that he never let anyone wait upstairs. He would even come out and talk with me at times.

Our relationship continued to grow. At the same time, she began taking me to visit her friends and also her mother's uncle and cousin. [ed: Dad, what were their first and last names?!]

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

By this time, I began to pay attention to a young lady who seemed interested. Her name was Mary Riccio.

She invited me to her 21st. birthday. We knew one another.

When I was at the East Boston Center,  would tell her to stick around and walk her home. And during the Summer stop for an ice cream cone. And walk along chatting. Nothing serious, but it would eventually become so.

I told Doris that I was going out with a girl, gave her name and also told her that Mary had attended a Valentine's Party at the Arnold house in East Boston.  She could not place her.

As my 21st birthday was approaching, Doris suggested that I should bring her over on what would be my 21st. birthday on a Sunday evening. She invited Mary through me.

I did bring her and we had dinner. There was a little to do. Bobby Arnold said something about his mother baking a cake and he got shut down and was told to go to bed. And he went off saying he hated Mary.
a little after that company began coming into the house. The secretary and other girls and young men who worked at the Club. And at that point, I found out that it was my birthday being celebrated. It was a nice evening and quite late. Mary and I left as I would have Monday off.

Of course, this Mary would become your mother in the future.

Mary and I got closer and serious. Things would change. Pearl Harbor would change a lot of plans.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

About a month after this incident, Betty showed up at the Boys Club as I was closing up. I heard the cellar door rattle and I went to check and there she was when I opened the door. She explained what had happened and we began again. Only this time it was not in the open. We had to meet at different places and she was helped by her friends. And on one occasion it was a ride in a car. Another at their home.

Of course I told the Arnolds what had happened. And she came over to Brigham Rd. and we had a nice time. Doris left us alone in the parlor and then I walked her close to her home just beyond the car barn and left her as she continued to walk home.

This continued until some time in the Winter. Betty worked for New England Telephone and Telegram. She was an operator and would call me on duty which was a no-no.

It must have been in Feb. heavy with snow on the ground she called me. Normally she came to the Club. And I waited for her but she did not show. I got stood up. Although I later figured out that her parents had either caught on with what was going on and put a stop to this or her parents picked her up. I did not hear from her again.

I continued with my part-time courses for credit and also had some of the girls interested in me at least I would catch them signaling to one another.

Had I been a full-time student. I might have returned the attention. But being part-time did not make me one of the class or student body I would attend and go to my next class if there was one or if only one course leave. While the rest of the class went to the next class or off to prior plans.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

At that time, the Arnolds lived in a two family house, a short distance from the bus barn and next door lived a family that owned their house and they had two daughters and a son. The younger of the daughters was my age and we began to get friendly. She was a nice blue-eyed blonde. They were Irish and her name was Elizabeth. "Betty". At the time, she worked at New England Telephone and Telegraph.

On some nights that I was off, I would ask Doris to go to the movies with me while Charlie baby sat. Sometimes I would babysit.

Eventually, I asked Betty if she would go to dinner and the movies with me. She accepted.

I told Doris about my date and she said "wonderful" and also said to get her a little corsage, not expensive and to make sure that I held doors for her and not to let the restaurant waiter seat her. She said make sure you do this.

So when the hour came I went next door to pick up my date and it was a nice evening.

And other nights, I would play ball with her brother.

Betty and I began dating more often and we began to become a two-some.

In the Fall, I began taking college courses, which was the start of my getting credits for graduation in the future. Anyway, it put me on the route to become a social worker. Which made Charlie happy, that I would follow in his footsteps. He was also becoming more and more my mentor.

In the meantime, Betty and I began dating more often and this would cause some fears for her parents. That our relationship would lead to a situation where they felt that it would take time for me to complete my studies and while she and I did not consider any future plans. Her parents were not happy that she was not dating other young men.

Our relationship continued and it looked like more of a courtship.

Anyway, unbeknown to me at the time, her parents talked to Charlie as to my prospects and how much time would it take for me to complete my education. Of course, at m y rate it would take more than 4 years. [ed: Dad was enrolled in Portia College and taking classes at night]

The talk with Charlie occurred in December of my second year. We were still minors at the time. [ed: under the age of 21]

At that time, Charlie had moved much earlier that year, after some difficulty with his landlord and most of the year was spent at Brigham Road in Waltham. A much better place as it was a single family house.

I had bought some presents for her and gave them to her. Not long after Christmas of that year, I went home. When I got back to the Arnold's, I went directly to my room and saw on my bed, the gifts that I had given Betty and wondered what the hell the problem was.

I went downstairs and Doris was distressed. She told me that I had gone up too fast and she didn't have time to be able to talk with me. And she explained. But that crushed me. I wondered why for weeks. And that was when Charlie explained the confrontation with Betty's parents. But he did leave it with them. That if we disregarded the decree of her parents. Who were concerned that it would take too long a time for me to finish my college with a daughter that would also be older who was ready for marriage at that time. And in the interim would I still be there for their daughter as I would find someone else at school.

The situation shattered me and Charlie said I should not hold anything against Betty as she probably felt the same way. Big deal it didn't help me.

[ed: Dad had told me this story before, but had mentioned something else that concerned Betty's parents. He didn't put this in the Notebook. The main reason Betty's parents wanted to break up the young couple was that Dad was Italian. There was a lot of prejudice against Italians at this time. The sensational trial of Sacco and Vanzetti was probably still fresh in people's minds.]

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

He [ed: Charlie] walked me through my duties and that he had an overnight camping trek that week and that he would come the first few times and then we would alternate weeks. Also the day after the overnight we would bring the boys back to the Club and dismiss the boy and go home to clean up and come back to the Club in the afternoon.

Also on the first week I was there Doris would be coming home with the children. And things would get better until then we catch as catch can for eating.

Our first day of overnight camping was ok during the day. We hiked from the Club.

during the daylight everything went well. At night it turned into a disaster. The mosquitos kept us awake. The kids began to get kind of rough. So Charlie decided that we better gather our things and hike back to the Club. And he cautioned the boys that we all hike and keep quiet because people were asleep and we didn't want to wake them up. Actually, have someone call the police which would not only be embarrassing but also raise eyebrows as to how something like that happened.

We made it back to the Center and without any problems and slept on the floor of the main room. It took a few hours to settle down. And it was hard to keep the kids quiet.

While the building was turned into a boy's club, in the upper floors there were apartments We got through ok and in the morning.

The rest of the Summer our camping overnight was more successful. We began our alternating and we would drag ourselves to the Club and then home in the morning for a shave, shower, and breakfast and then off to work to get there by noon and on night duty we ate out.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
East Boston

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

We kept in touch and he [ed: Charlie Arnold] and he told me that he would have a job for me. I told him that Ruth Rainey had asked me to do work that summer at the play school as I was still active at the Center. He told me that he would talk to her and ask her to let me out of the agreement, verbal contract. She agreed and that was one step closer for me to start a permanent work career.

Also around 1932 at the Central Square Center, I met the young girl that I knew at a function. This was the first time she attended and I asked her who she was with and she said she came with a girl friend and I said if she wanted I would walk home with her since we lived close by. She agreed. And whenever she came I walked her home and stopped for an ice cream cone.

During this time things were moving close to graduation and the school scholarship committee was in session. At some time in May, my accounting teacher, Sullivan, asked me if he got me a scholarship to college would I accept it.

I told him that I had been promised a job and would start the day after the Fourth of July. So that gave me a little time between graduation and July about a week and a half vacation.

I was also pegged in the first 10% of the graduates.

On July 5th, I arrived at Charlie's home in Waltham. Doris or Mrs. Arnold as I called her was at the farm with the children.

He explained what my duties were that in the morning I would do the janitorial work and in the afternoon I would be on the floor to teach games.

Also in the winter, I would shovel coal to heat the building which included the offices at the front of the building and the apartments above the office.

He also said that he would do one thing. That when I went home to visit which would start my weekend on Saturday night when the Club closed which would give me Sundand and Monday and return on Monday night. What my father did about whether or not I attended church that was his business]

However, he [ed: Charlie] were strangers in Waltham and we would be watched because the residents felt that they should have the jobs we had. This was during the Depression. And since he was a Protestant he and his wife did not have to attend services every Sunday, etc. Since I was a Catholic, I had to attend on Sunday and days of obligation. He wanted to make sure I went to Mass. That if I did not go the community would look upon him as an evangelist and that would not be good for him. Also since he and Doris liked fish Fridays and holy days of obligation, they would also have fish on these days.

He also doubled up his boys who each had his own room and I would have a room of my own.

So I got my start and began earning money. The salary was $15.00 per week which was the average national salary.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

My fourth year was like my Junior year. I was on the honor roll. Charlie got fired and for a while, things looked bad for him, but he landed a job to establish the Boys Club of Waltham. (Before Halloween)

One of the first things he did during the beginning of his term, he learned that Halloween was just a night in which clotheslines were cut, store windows smashed, street lights shot out with BB guns, etc. He suggested to the business association that they hold an event, that they supply the chalk and pay $25.00 to the artist who chalked the best work and down to $5.00. Halloween came and went and it was a success. No windows were broken. The first time in years. He got good publicity and the business sector was happy.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

Being on the honor roll was a nice bonus in my Junior year as I had the luxury to have four days on which I could be excused from two study classes on two different days. In the Spring, The Boys Club of America Board held their annual meeting in Boston. Charlie Arnold asked if I could help by putting material on the chairs of each representative since he knew I could come early.

I did leave [ed: school] and went to the hotel. I met Charlie and he told me to put one of each sheet on the chair and when I finished to get the bundles and put them on the chairs. There were others helping as well. When I finished I went to the mens room I was the only one there. This big guy came in holding the door, he poked his head out and another man came in. I watched him come in and he stood next to me. He looked familiar but I could not place him. He asked me, "Shouldn't you be in school." I explained I got out early to help.

On Sunday, the organization had a father and son day and I attended as Charlie's guest. We went through the meal and then came the speakers. I saw the same man I had seen on Friday at the center of the head table. Still wondering where I had seen him before. He was introduced by the toastmaster and I started to tell Charlie I saw him. Charlies said, "Shhh." The man held high office and was still introduced by his title, President Herbert Hoover.

So I felt I was either the only one of one of a few of the teenagers who had to explain to a former President why I wasn't in school.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

I know that when I was at the Center the first year at the play school the 2nd year there I visited some of the girls that were there the first year returned. I was friendly with the dietician and she had an assistant. Julie was her name. [ed: something I can't decipher. looks like: the last ???] She was a lovely college girl also in dietician courses. I did fall for her and evidently, she may have for me.  One little girl came in the room crying. Her shoelace had untied and she thought it was the end of the world. A cute little thing with an older sister about 2 years of so older. A beautiful pair. I calmed her down and sat down on the floor and tied her shoelace. When I got through, I got up and I turned around as I was getting up and saw the assistant looking at me with eyes that seemed to say I love you and I just stood there and just looked at her wondering why she looked at me that way.

A day or two later I was talking with Kay (Katherin Campana) and point blank she asked me if I was in love with Julie.

I was taken aback and she asked again. Something was going on but I didn't know why or what. I said I can speak for myself. I was interested in her she was older. Lived in Newton and her father was an engineer. I had nothing to give her at that time. So I didn' not what was from Kay's asking me something between the two over me. As I write this I still wonder what would have resulted.

Of course, there was another one I was interested in and I called her Princess. Much older. And a girl my age that was my first love. Her name was Helen. I even got her to volunteer at the Center. It was ok for a summer into a spring and that was the end. She went to another boy. He had a car and I guess that's what she wanted. She could go riding, and he could take her to the movies, etc. And he also as it was said knocker her up and he did marry her. So much for that.

Charlie Arnold got fired the last year of my high school. By Sept. or Oct. he got a job establishing the Waltham Boys Club. And as he was getting things going he told me that he would give a job and would be able to do this as I graduated. I worked hard and made the honor roll again.

At one point I was stopped by my French teacher, Mr. Clarke, as we were changing classes. He asked me about marks. He asked me if you were taking a test and wanted to get a score of 75 could you do it? And how about an 80? I could do that. A 90? Yes. 100? Yes. At that point, he left. He appeared disgusted and I thought it was rather wonderful that I could get whatever mark I wanted. It took me some time to figure out that his attitude was that I was not hitting and working with all my cylinders.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebook

Phyllis and Mario 1940

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

And in between my brother, Mario, was called incorrigible and my father had him put in a state institution in Holyoke. [ed: My mother told me Mario had been sent to the Lyman School for Boys in Westboro] I went with my mother to visit him. Everyone asked how he [ed: his father] could do this? Since Mario did not commit any crimes, etc. Even in the institution, the people in charge could not understand why he was there. They kept him for six months and then sent him home. School was not for him, but he became a hard worker. He got a job with an oil man assisting him with deliveries. He was Mario and he was a good brother and good-hearted. My cousin Raymond, Zia Angelina's son, called him a diamond in the rough.

At this point, I would say that my sister and brothers and in-laws were very good to me and loved me.

Mario did not spend much time in school. He married young and Phyllis was a good find for him. But for a while, it looked like it would not last. He came home one night and brought a wedding gift he had received with him and his clothes. The marriage was off.

Father stepped in and he told him you take your things with you and you return to your wife. There's not going to be any break-up. He did as he was told.  [ed: Mario and his wife were married for 56 years when Mario passed away in 1996]

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

image from
https://www.mspmlc.org/history/msp-history-1900-1949

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

It still was no picnic [ed: working at the Center under Nelson] I know that I was able to make enough money to be able to buy my books, ring which I eventually gave to The Brother. And I also had a small amount to be able to take in a movie. I did not sit for a picture for the class book. All I did was submit something and let that go.

While things were going ok at home, my father was still struggling and my mother had her hands full. And he also had during this period he began drinking still feeling bad about his alleged friends.

If he enjoyed anything it was listening to the operas on the radio. Other than that he was somewhat [ed: sentence not finished]

Uncle Vincent was instrumental in getting him a job as a tailor with the state police. He repaired the uniforms or tailored them and it required that he work at the Framingham barracks and he would come home on weekends. At night he would either go out with the police in their cruiser or with either or both of his brothers. [ed: His brother, Joe, a barber had his own barbershop and lived in Framingham. His brother Alfred, a cobbler, had his own shop and lived in nearby Wellesley]

He also during the time before he got the job began making friends with your mother's people. And he did not have anything to do with his own again. Since some were related he would at least acknowledge but he would not visit them or have them over to the house. He changed personality and mother did not sing anymore either.

She went out to work and her life got better. She began to be herself again. And it wasn't hard for her to make friends. Her attitude was wonderful and with all her troubles, she was still able to encourage people. Tomorrow would be a better day

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

Dad, center, referees a group of boys

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

By this time, Charlie Arnold was my mentor and so wasn't Doris also beginning to do the same.

During this period, we did a lot of things around the outdoors. We built a stone wall a the sidewalk as the lawn was below grade. We did a good job and it looked like it would last. Also in my Junior year, he and Doris went to visit her parents in Rhode Island, and they would be gone for a couple of weeks. He had me paint all of the windows outside with a black paint and instructed me that if I ran out of paint to go to the hardware store and get more paint, making sure that I got the same kind and to charge his account. He had spoken to the hardware store owner who knew I worked for him.

They left on Friday and Saturday I went to the house. He gave me a set of keys and began to start. I opened the can and dipped the brush in the can and boy that paint was thick. I had a hard time trying to have the paint flow. I put some in another pail and began adding turpentine. I got it right, not too thin and not too thick and painted all the windows over their vacation period. The windows looked good.

On the Monday of the third week, I went to the house. They were there and one of the first things Charlie asked me was how much paint did I buy. My answer was none. I explained what I did and "Oh, no!" Doris came by and she asked what was the matter. He said, "He painted the windows with turpentine." Then he said well it's done so we probably have to do them again.

We went along. And in my last year at high school, I also was on the Honor Roll. I finished well up the top and my accounting teacher, Mr. Sullivan, no relation to my 9th grade teacher, asked if I was interested in going to college as he would get me a scholarship. I said that I would be working at the time.

Charlie's buying of the house put him in bad with the Director who had to live in one of the settlement houses that was owned by the Center. Of course, when Charlie announced that he had bought the house, those he told it to said it was a bad move because he had better than his boss who also had employees living next door to him. And I think that it was sort of a community living. They may have had dinner together, etc.

And the other thing was that Max Nelson had hired Charlie at the New York Center that he worked at with the understanding that he would make Charlie, Executive Director. In any event, either the first, or that Charlie asked him about the promotions and that may have caused him to be fired.

Anyway it put the Arnold's in a bad situation he was without a job and he lived up to his salary. So things got tough. Anyway he hung in there and in 1937 he landed a job. Director of the Waltham Boys Club.

He also spoke to Nelson about me and suggested that he assign me to a part-time after school job. I don't think that Nelsom as very much in favor, but one of the things that the regular employees we committed to was the training of the locals to take over the operation of the Center..

So Nelson said he wanted to talk with me and to call him. I called a couple of times and got him on the third call. He told me that he wanted me to be in charge of the Saturday night dances. And he wold talk with his secretary who would pay me once a month. That was all. He did not sit down and explain what was expected or what my working part-time would get me.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

Of course, Charlie Arnold still was showing interest in me and he decided that he would pick me as the trainee volunteer headed to become a social worker down the road.

I passed into the 3rd year class and during the Summer, I got a job from him. But not at the Center. He had bought a house in East Boston and he had a lot of things to do with the grounds, etc. Of course, I think that after my first year at the playschool, he wanted to make sure that I wouldn't spend the Summer pestering the teachers. He paid me much more than I got from the Center. And the projects were fun. He showed me how to mix cement and he let me pour it in a square area that would direct water from the roof into this basin and down the hill.

Also, I did think that Doris [ed: Charlie's wife] might need some help with. She also saw that I had breaks and made lunch for us. And on some weekends, they would take me with them to Lynn where I was introduced to Chinese foods as he had bought himself a used car, Oldsmobile, and we had fun. On one Saturday night, we were ging to Lynn and got in a short downpour. And at one spot the car dropped a little and hit a good size amount of water that hit the hood and windshield. I was sitting in the front seat with him and Doris was in the back seat.

As he came out of the waterfall, I aid would this car acted more like a battleship. He laughed and said just about. Maybe we should go back and do it again. That's when Doris who was quiet all this time. She said one word. Charles. And he replied I guess we won't go back. And as quick as the rain came, it let up. And we did have a nice time.

Charlie inspected my concrete finish and he was amazed. He said, "Considering your episodes, etc. you can when you want, really do a good job. I'm impressed." And after that, I got more interesting things to do around the house and yard. The house was on a hill and the yard behind it went down a pretty good grade. And got the idea that we could terrace the rear yard.

Also from the location of his house, one could also look from the back of the house and see the [ed: horse] races at Suffolk Downs. Although it was a good distance from the house, we could hear the roar of the crowd but in a soft way.

And as the Summer ended, I would go on Saturdays during my Junior year [ed: high school]. Amazingly, I buckled down at school. And began raising my grades. Thursdays and Fridays I had two study periods at the end of both days. And if I got on the Honor Roll, I could get out from school early and if the second to the last teacher signed off. I could get out after lunch. So my second month's marks put me on the Honor Roll, all A's and high B's and I maintained that the rest of the year.

Also every Saturday, Charlie invited some volunteers and people that worked at the Center and I was included. We had a lot of fun playing Monopoly and other games and also cocoa, cookies, etc. I also got home late from these affairs. And as long as I was going to the Arnold's my parents allowed the late hours.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

from 864 Humorous Cust from the Twenties and Thirties
selected and arranged by Carol Belanger Grafton
Dover Publications

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

I kept going to the Center evenings. One night, Charlie Arnold saw me. He approached me and said that after July 4th, he would be running a program for young children and wanted to know if I would help out.

The children would be doing class work and would also have lunch there. And I and another boy would be needed to help in the kitchen after lunch washing and drying dishes. We would also have lunch. At the end of the Summer, I would get a stipend of $10.00 as a thank you. He said it wasn't much but that was all the Center could afford.

That got me out of the house and I would be out of the way. Although neither my father or mother pushed me to find a job, they did express their desire that I should consider going back to school. And there was no pushing on this issue. It was dropped. Years later I discovered that I had been had.

On July 5, I showed up at the Center and things began "play school". The children had been signed up well before the opening. Things worked out well the children were assigned to their teachers which were college Sophomore or higher level. They were hired by the Center Director and he certainly knew how to pick them. All girls and nice lookers.

I was called Lefty as I was a lefthander player and the other boy was called Righty. Other than washing and drying dishes we had a lot of time and we helped the girls out. Or to be more correct, I went nuts and couldn't make up my mind which one I wanted. They were all lovely and because I went from one to the other they said I was fickle. But I was having fun.

About the end of July, Charlie began approaching the subject that I should consider going back to school. He said consider it. And asked if I would think about it. I said I would. He also said that during the regular Center season, I could help after school with the games, dances, etc. And he also mentioned that while I was a big help at the playschool, there were a lot better jobs out there if one had at least a high school diploma. And of course even better if like the teachers a the playschool as they would be able to get good jobs because they were all going to be [ed: college ] Juniors or Seniors when they went back in September. Some would graduate in the following Spring. They had resumes and some also had experience at other places.

After playschool, we went swimming or on a picnic, voyages down the harbor on one of those water trips as the ship was docking I was at the forefront and who was getting ready to dock, my cousin, Alfred, Angelina's youngest child.

The after hours were fun.Naturally, Charlie kept after me and I finally told him that I would go back to school.

That September, I did return, I was directed to a teacher who was interviewing dropouts like me. Evidently, they were ready for anyone who returned. He went through a list of report cards and he said "your marks are good. Wait here while I go talk with the supervisor and see if he will let you go into the third year class instead of the second".

He came back after awhile and said the supervisor said no. If you are serious, you will do your second-year class over. I said I would and I wound up with more study periods as I was given credit for some of the courses.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

In fact, when I was 14 years old I was singing the aria from Pagliacci and Uncle Vincent came to visit and he heard me as he was coming down the hallway. Mama opened the door and he came right in with that's a voice! Then and there he offered me a scholarship at the Conservatory in Boston. He said he wanted three things from me. No smoking, no drinking, no women.

Uncle was a singer in his own right, like Grandmother T. [ed: Dad's mother], and his brother, Louie (Louis). He was a lawyer at the time and doing well. And the reason for his three things I had to steer away was due to the fact this his brother-in-law was a Director with the New York Opera Company. He was in charge of the music, sets, costumes, and hiring extras, of course, he had workers under him. And whenever the company came to Boston once a year they would go on the road so called. His name was Ernesto and he would come to visit, and my father, Uncle Michael, and Uncle Vincent were in their glory. My father loved operas he knew all the arias, all the plots and where things would happen. He and Uncle Mike would watch backstage. Uncle Vincent would be on stage as an extra. My cousin, Ned, called him, The Spear Bearer.

At Ernesto's visit the talk wold be about the operas and the divas and the men singers and who was sleeping with whose wife when the husband was on the road and vice versa and also who was ruining his career with partying and ruining his voice with drinking, smoking, and women. Hence this condition for my scholarship. I would have liked to do this. But this meant Uncle would pay for the lessons, but my parents had to come up with the books, transportation and any other things I needed. This was how things were done. So I said no go.

I was not going to go through the same things I was at school. It would only make things worse.

In a way it did. Because I began to hate the life I was living. There was very little I could do. The money for extras was not there and I just went to school and stood aloof as usual. I began to hate school at sixteen I began to think of dropping out.

In 1935, with 26 days to go to the end of school. I was fed up and I dropped out. Of course, this upset Father and Mother.

While I was sitting on the curb in front of my house, the truant officer came across the street to me and said I should be in school. (The school sent him). I told him that I didn't have to be in school. He asked me what made me think I didn't have to be in school. I told him that I checked the statute and it read that at 16 years one could leave school. I was 16 on March 17. He made a note in his book and left.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

As we progressed forward the end of the year it was examination time. The tests were made up by the school board, they were citywide. Lavonia kept me after school one day for some breach which I can't remember and she said that I would with my marks in French I was failing and I probably wold do the same on the French test and make her look like a bad teacher.

So I spoke up and said I'll do this if I pass the French test will you give me an A in French. She said yes. That it was a safe thing for her as she was sure I would fail it.

All students took all the test and there was still time to wait before they came back with the marks. Because our next step was high school. And those marks would be important as it would determine in part to what high school you asked to go and would be accepted. My father said I would not be allowed to go to East Boston High School. I had to go to Boston English High for boys. One of the oldest high schools in the nation. With Boston Latin its foe.

Of course, when I made my choice for Boston English, the teachers' eyebrows moved up.

The marks came back and Miss Lavonia said that she was surprised that I had gotten a C+ in French. She went on to say that evidently, I was able to absorb enough French for the little time I spent in her class.

I did well in my other subjects and was accepted at Boston English.

This made my father happy. I would be in an all boys school and would not be distracted. I was happy at the fact that I would be going to Boston English. But as the year progressed I sort of lost interest. I was 15 years old when I started at English High [ed: 1934] and 16 years old when I got after March. [ed: When Dad turned 16 years old in March, he dropped out of high school.] I was out of my economic class. My mother found it hard to see that I got my carfare back and forth. Lunch was another problem. There was nothing else for me. I could not participate in extra after school activities.

I wanted to try out for baseball which I loved but it meant travelling by streetcar to get to the field. And this would mean more money that my father would have to shell out, we were just getting by.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

Anyway, things during the Depression kept going down for everyone. My life just was bleak except for the escapades.

School was so so for me until I arrived in the 7th grade. Of course, the students were older and the subjects began to be a little interesting. I liked the science classes.

Also, we had to have monitors to help the teachers during change of classes. This resulted in each class voting for a boy and a girl. One of the girls in my homeroom took a liking to me.  I refused every overture she made as I thought her dumb. When the teacher asked her a question she always got the wrong answer. But she was popular with the other girls in the room. She had one of the girls nominate me. There were other candidates. When the teacher called out for those who voted for me, most of the girls and some boys voted for me. And I got the vote for the boy monitor.

The girl who won for the girl monitor was a looker and a lot of the boys voted for her. When the teacher saw practically all the girls voting for me, she smelled problems and she appointed the girl to be the monitor. She was surprised when she saw what happened in her classroom. I guess she did what she did, that she figured there would be trouble when and if I was the monitor. She saw the girls reaction toward me in the room and sure she figured that there would be comments which would disturb the quiet process of changing rooms.

The school [ed: Donald McKay Jr. High School] was close to our homes and we went home for lunch. The same when I went to Samuel Adams Elementary School.

I was looking forward to trying out for soccer ball at the junior high, but things were such that the city cut this out to save money. It was city wide as well as other events.

I did enough work to be able to get in the high 70s.

And at the 9th grade, there was a litte bit of a teacher, Miss Lavonia. She looked more like one of the girls students than a teacher. She was cute and we may have caused her problems. The other teachers loved her and they acted more like mothers. Very protective and if they spotted any boy giving her a hard time they would be punished with the rattan before the class. Miss Lavonia taught Italian and French.

I had Italian in the 8th grade so I picked French. I was always into some mischief and she would send me out of the room. I spent more time in the corridors than in the classroom. One day I as observed by my homeroom teacher, Miss Sullivan, assistant principal. She asked me what I was doing in the corridor and I told her Miss Lavonia sent me out of the room because I was disruptive.

Naturally she was upset. And so she marched me back into that classroom, which happened to be my homeroom and also her classroom. She shared this with Miss Lavonia. And as I've stated, Sullivan acted more like a mother and really watched out for her.

And she was going to give it to me. She was one of thes brawny type women, probably 5' 10" and broad. Much later she became superintendant of the Boston schools.

Well she was going to give me a rattan and Miss Lavonia had to witness this. It was also Spring time and for some weeks prior to this episode, I was playing baseball and catch [ed: without a glove] Both my hands were hardened. I'm sure that she had made her mind up that I would go to my seat crying.

She was wrong. I made up my mind no crying, no crying, no nothing, no blinking or any indicator that I was being hurt. Straight face.

Boy, did she get angry, she tried hard, but I just kept my hand out and did the same when I was ordered to change hands.

Believe it or not, I was becoming a celebrity, but for all the wrong rerasons.

Another time I was late and this upset Miss Sullivan, as the school had a program of no late students and inspection for dress, cleanliness, posture, etc. and each teacher strove to have the best class for the month.

Miss Sullivan asked for my reason and I thought fast and told her that I saw another boy who was hurt. He had a bad fall and broke an arm. So I took him to the Relief Station.

It proved to be a good white lie. I was quite familiar with the Relief Station for first aid care and took the chance as I had seen many a kid walk in or carried in or helped in for treatment.

I was a regular there.

Sullivan said well if I had spoiled the class standing for that it would be worthwhile. But she was going to check on this with the statement that if I had lied as she had suspected I would be bounced out of school.

She left to get to the principal's office for the outside phone. It took awhile. She came back said well you are lucky. There was a boy at the Relief Station with a broken arm that another boy had accompanied and left before they could get his name. She let me go to my seat. For me it was a good bet. I knew my community very well.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

Ma's father, without a hat. Dad's father, tall gentleman
in the back.

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

At this time The Depression was in and things began to get tough.

My father's factory shut down and he had to hustle and seek work, but the people who kept him busy did not buy custom made clothes on a regular basis as they were hit hard as well.

There were no more Saturday afternoons of card playing. His friends were lucky and kept working in other trades. In any event, he was hurt. They played at my Uncle Mike's house. He was married to my mother's sister.

Once my mother told him to forget the so called friends. He told her that what bothered him was that he just wanted them to invite him once. He would not accept because he couldn't afford to ante up to play. At least he would know that they cared about him. He then got chummy with the Arianese [ed: area in Italy], your mother's  people. Who had a reputation of being thick-headed.

In Europe at the time, they held to class. Royal, rich, middle class, and poor. Your grandparents were on the lower side of the Italian boot. Farm country. And not as well educated.

Italy is occupied by 22-23 different peoples. They were brought together by Garibaldi whose idea was to bring them under on person, The King.

They were able to come together and work together under a king. Yet, each national group maintained their own culture. And they seemed to have done well in their efforts, economic, industrial and performing arts. With an attitude of what you can do, I can do better. And they succeeded.

Throwback Thursday - The Notebooks

To clear up some confusion, the Notebook passages posted on Throwback Thursday were written by my father and found by me after he passed away. They were his attempt to tell the family history. He was in his late 80s or early 90s when he wrote them. Today's chapter:

Also, my sister, Olga, at this time was assigned to take Bobby outdoors. I would take the carriage down 3 flights of stairs and she would take him down. And in due course, she would bring him upstairs, and I would take the carriage upstairs.

Bobby was growing and putting on weight and one day she dropped him on the stairs. This upset mother. And I took over, I must have been 12 years old at the time. [ed: Bobby would have been 2 years old]. So I would take the carriage downstairs, put a milk bottle in my back pocket and take him down.

In Winter when it snowed, we would pile the snow against a fence and make a big mountain and then in the freeze we would create a door and clean the snow out and we would have an igloo so to speak. And it was well built some of the boys would go on the top which was flat and jump up and down to make the roof fall on those inside. It never happened in my year that we built this igloo.

In the Spring, we would play baseball. One Spring, I went to the play spot with the boys. I saw a ring and two boys were boxing with boxing gloves. Two brothers were encouraging their younger brother and when I got there he had already beaten 4 or 5 boys. I watched and he did the same two moves. The little I watched I saw the loser just throwing punches but they weren't trying to fend off the blows. No one else wanted to box this champ.

I was asked to fight. I didn't want to. But I was being teased about being a sissy and that did it. The older boys put the gloves on me. Gave me advice and told me to block, duck, etc. to avoid getting hit.

We touched gloves and stepped back. Now my opponent would get a surprise. In sports, I'm left-handed. He had been boxing right-handed boys. He was puzzled when I made my stance with my right on his left. He threw the first punch and I blocked it and him good with my right. Up to this time he had done well. I kept hitting him and his brothers coached him from the sideline to fall down. And as the count climbed up, would tell him to get up. This kid was the bully on that end of the street and all the boys were for me. I was beating him good. But then this was my first. He had been meeting all challenges and was tired, I think. He wasn't fast and he seemed slow.

Anyway, this first fight gave me a reputation. And I got into a number of fights, I didn't want to but I did not walk away from one.

One of the older boys was 20 years old and I was about 12 years old. Wanted to spar with his peers but they refused. He asked me to box with him and he said he wouldn't hit me.

I accepted and we boxed in his cellar. He would give me points and I was learning how to box. I learned a lot but he didn't learn anything from me as I had nothing to teach him.

And as I went along I also became quite a boxer. I got into a lot of to-dos. And the thing that got me going was when I got to take care of Bobby. Calling me sissy or mama's boy brought my fist in action and that put a stop to that.

There were other escapades and that was not what my mother and father expected. It seemed I was always getting into some trouble.

I spent a good part of an afternoon trying to beat up my best friend. He was taller than I was. At the time he was studying music, violin, and he was told that if he wanted a career not to injure his hands as violin required all fingers to be played. His reach was longer to so what he did was to put his palm on my forehead and keep me swinging in the air. He also had a protruding chest bone and hitting him there did him no harm. His name was Leonard (Leo) Rossitti.