Visitors Nostalgia & Memories

(Archive #79: October 1, 2010 to October 31, 2010)


Date: 10/31/2010, 5:14 pm, EST
Name: Danny S.
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd: David W. Harlan, PS DuPont
Employers:
Message: That farm where we got the horse corn for Halloween was at the intersection of what is now Rockland and Miller Roads. At that time Rockland Rd. went up a hill at that location and crossed the railroad tracks there (I-95 did not yet exist); the farm was on the left side of Rockland Rd. as you went up the hill.


Date: 10/31/2010, 4:35 pm, EST
Name: Danny S.
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd: David W. Harlan, PS DuPont
Employers:
Message: My 93 year-old father, who graduated from Wilm. High School in 1934 or '35, asked me if I could find out if anyone knows anything about Margaret Bacon who was his music teacher there. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help.

Date: 10/31/2010, 2:18 am, EST
Name: Danny S.
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd: David W. Harlan, PS DuPont
Employers:
Message: The 30th was always "Mischief Night." It was a night when we'd run around the neighborhood with bar soap and soap windows and screens wherever we dared to approach a darkened house. We'd get some horse corn from a farm (I can still see it in my mind but can't tell you where it was) a day or two before Halloween and shuck it and then on the 30th throw it at people's doors and against the windows of the houses that we "soaped." Happy Halloween, everybody; here's a toast to the Halloween parade that we had every year at Harlan School when they'd close the streets and everyone would walk in the street around the whole school wearing the costume that we'd brought to school that day. A sweet memory from years past.

Date: 10/27/2010, 1:14 pm, EST
Name: Maureen
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: Sacred Heart
Employers:
Message: Halloween was so much fun growing up in the city. We were out for hours with our paper grocery bags, and when all filled up we would take them home to dump in boxes and go back out for another refill! We made our own Halloween outfits, not buy those plastic ones that came in a box from Woolworth five and dime, remember how junky they were? I made my children's outfits, just like my mom did, now helping my son make the grandchildren's. My development has it on the Sat. before Halloween, you can count on only the kids that live in the neighborhood to come because of the surrounding areas are not safe. It is sad that we have to do this, but that is the way it is now a days. I am looking forward to giving candy and checking out all the kid's cool outfits, I love it!!!

Date: 10/27/2010, 12:44 pm, EST
Name: chuck wilson
Location: bear
Old Neighborhood(s): hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St Pauls WHS
Employers: retiredJoan
Message: Joan H, post #53 , your words are so true.

Date: 10/27/2010, 10:42 am, EST
Name: Joan H
Location: N. Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): 4th & Rodney
Schools Att'd: St. Pauls & WHS
Employers:
Message: With Halloween fast approaching, I am remembering all the fun we had as kids in the City. Mischief Night, soaping car windows, sticking pins in doorbells, toilet paper on bushes and trees, etc. Halloween night, starting in our own neighborhood, as a group going from house to house, then branching out to other neighborhoods. Our parents did not have to go through all our goodies and we did not have to worry about being attacked by anyone.

So sad now, the City is no longer safe and I imagine that some of the suburban areas are not either. Today's children will never know the innocent fun that we had!


Date: 10/19/2010, 3:22 pm, EST
Name: liz
Location: hartly, de
Old Neighborhood(s): 4th and adams
Schools Att'd: mci, bayard, whs (l953)
Employers:
Message: David Deakyne is in smyrna and is still a prominent entist,

Date: 10/19/2010, 3:20 pm, EST
Name: liz
Location: hartly, de
Old Neighborhood(s): 46h and adams
Schools Att'd: mci, bayard, whs
Employers:
Message: I fully remember Mrs Warner at the Madison st park. what a blast it was to go there, and always felt protected, unlike in todays parks

Date: 10/18/2010, 6:27 am, EST
Name: webmaster
Location: Wilmington/Perryvillew
Old Neighborhood(s): Wood'n Flats, Willow Rn, Oak Hill, Rich'n Park, Longview Farms
Schools Att'd: Lore, Oak Grove, Conrad
Employers: WDG, DuPont
Message: Everyone knows I do not supply E-mails without permission... :-)

Date: 10/16/2010, 2:02 am, EST
Name: Bill Fisher
Location: Westminster, CA
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward, Edgemoor Terrace
Schools Att'd: #30, P.S. (Jr High), Mt. Pleasant
Employers:
Message: I think Miss Deakyne was a "circuit rider" teacher, who traveled around to several different schools- kind of a Pied Piper in her own way.
There was a physical education "evaluator" by the name of Walter Kadel who did much the same thing, traveling to various schools and testing the kids on their athletic abilities: 50 yard dash, pull-ups, broad jump, etc.

Date: 10/15/2010, 5:43 pm, EST
Name: Orv
Location: Sussex County
Old Neighborhood(s): Montgomery St.
Schools Att'd: St. Peters, Rosehill, Wm Penn
Employers:
Message: Who remembers the "teacher" at the playground at 2nd and Madison Sts. Her name was Mrs. Warner and all the kids gave her a lot of respect. She taught how to make bracelets and other stuff with "gimp" and supervised games and all other activities there. I remember this from back in the late 40's.

Date: 10/15/2010, 7:33 am, EST
Name: DAVE CAUFFMAN
Location: HOCKESSIN
Old Neighborhood(s): 25TH & MADISON ST
Schools Att'd: HARLAND WARNER BROWN
Employers:
Message: I HAD MISS DEAKYNE WHEN I WENT TO HARLAND BACK IN THE 40'S

Date: 10/15/2010, 1:48 am, EST
Name: Butch Schillig
Location: Aiken, SC
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Hundred, Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: Alfred I, Silverside, Mt. Pleasant
Employers: DuPont, Snow White Ice Cream
Message: Bill, I went to Camp Arrowhead with David Deakyne who I think was from Smyrna and became a dentist. This was in the late 40s/early 50s before the Episcopal Diocese took it over. Also my mother went to #30 and later was Class of '26 at WHS.

Date: 10/14/2010, 9:52 pm, EST
Name: Bill Fisher
Location: Westminster, CA
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward, Edgemoor Terrace
Schools Att'd: #30, P.S. (Jr High), Mt. Pleasant
Employers:
Message: Re: music teachers- I remember one we had at #30 back when the minuet was popular; her name was Miss Deakyne. Ring any bells?

Date: 10/14/2010, 9:09 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Location: Killington De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: WHS
Employers: City of Killington and DuPont
Message: Yea, well I'll probably be a lot older than you when I get back from Myrtle with those Brothers of yours.

Date: 10/14/2010, 9:07 pm, EST
Name: Pat LeVan
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd: St. Pat's, Ursuline, Goldey-Beacom
Employers: duPont
Message: Made a mistake on that last post. The boys who rained down on the mailmen were the Dixon boys not the Greys. I am sure that I wrote about this before. Sadly, this comes with age.

Date: 10/14/2010, 7:33 pm, EST
Name: Pat LeVan
Location: Port St. Lucie
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd: St. Pats, Ursuline, Goldey-Beacom
Employers: duPont
Message: Norman, I remember the "teacher" at the playground at 24th and Tatnall - Mrs. Grey. She opened the gates and closed them. This was during the 40's. At the end of the summer, she took us on a picnic down the Brandywine. She had a daughter, Pat, and several boys who were very ornery. The mailman was terrified of them. The boys would climb the trees along his route and when he stopped would drop out on him. Poor soul almost had a stroke. Fun times.

Date: 10/14/2010, 2:46 pm, EST
Name: Norman
Location: Wilm. Suburb
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th. Ward
Schools Att'd: #30,Warner, Brown Voc.
Employers: Self
Message: Shirley
Miss Gibbs was a music teacher at Warner also, but I think your are talking about Miss Kosinski.
she was a wonderful person, she was also the person who opened the gates at the Tatnall St. playground in the summer. and guided us all to a better way.Remember when playgrounds were closed at dark and locked up, now thet have lights and no gates.

Date: 10/14/2010, 11:07 am, EST
Name: Wayne
Location: New Castle
Old Neighborhood(s): West Side
Schools Att'd: MCIW, Warner, Brown
Employers: Bancroft, Du Pont, CitiBank
Message: Shirley, Thanks for straightening that out for me. It's nice to have it resolved once and for all. While in school we all believed they were siblings. Like I said, it was a great school, and some of the finest teachers I ever knew were there. That goes for Brown as well. There were a couple there that seemed to have chosen the wrong profession but, for the vast majority (who could have made much more money working in their field of expertise) I never saw a more dedicated group of people in my life before or since. They were not only DEDICATED but OUTSTANDING People as well, whom I will never forget. Most importantly, I learned quite a lot while there because of them.

Date: 10/14/2010, 10:34 am, EST
Name: Shirley Hudson Jester
Location: Newark DE
Old Neighborhood(s): Price's Run Area
Schools Att'd: Geo Gray, Warner, PS duP '51
Employers:
Message: The Kozinski's were brother and sister. The younger one was the brother's son. His name was David, I'm not sure if he was a junior or not. I forget Amelia's borther's name. Miss Kozinski never married. I forget a lot of stuff, but then I am older than Ray Jubb!!! Shirley

Date: 10/14/2010, 6:56 am, EST
Name: DAVE CAUFFMAN
Location: HOCKESSIN
Old Neighborhood(s): 25TH & MADISON ST
Schools Att'd: BROWN
Employers:
Message: THE OTHER KOZINSKI WAS NAMED DAVID I THOUGHT THEY BROTHER AND SISTER NEVER KNEW THEY WERE MARRIED.

Date: 10/13/2010, 7:18 pm, EST
Name: jim rambo
Location: mexico
Old Neighborhood(s): 3rd and Connell
Schools Att'd: Bayard/ Conrad H.S.
Employers:
Message: Wayne, I remember that the music teachers at Bayard were Mrs. Cann and Mr. Watson but I cannot remember the woman's name who snatched me out of my seat at Williams.... I guess I'm able to set aside the negative? Cann's husband ran the printing shop out on Pa. Ave. and they used to print the programs at Delaware Park in the summer. I wrote a story about Watson in my book titled "Music and Being on Time". He was a great guy, as most of those teachers were in those years. I don't have a single complaint about my schooling in Wilmington. It was a fun time for the most part.

Date: 10/13/2010, 3:59 pm, EST
Name: Wayne
Location: New Castle
Old Neighborhood(s): West Side
Schools Att'd: MCI Williams, Warner, Brown
Employers: Bancroft, Du Pont, CitiBank
Message: Shirley, No it wasnt' her. At the time we went there she was still a younger woman. The other music teacher was also named Kosinski. At that time it was thought they were brother and sister. Later in life, I had heard they were husband and wife. This came from a younger male coming on the scene who was musically inclined and supposedly their son. All I know is they were quite an influence on many a kid who had never been exposed to classical music before. They were quite amusing to watch in their way but, an experience I've never regretted to this day. Warner somewhat made up for the loss of an influential person very early in my life by exposing me to the finer things that she would have if she had lived. It was an outstanding environment for any kid in those akward years (teens) to be a part of. It's too bad we don't have schools and teachers like that today. I'm not saying they aren't out there, but the dedication seen there and then would be hard to find on that scale in today's world. I don't think I had an instructor there who ever regretted their decision to become a teacher.

Date: 10/13/2010, 10:51 am, EST
Name: Shirley Hudson Jester
Location: Newark DE
Old Neighborhood(s): Price's Run Area
Schools Att'd: Geo Gray, Warner, PS duP '51
Employers:
Message: Wayne, there was a music teacher at Warner named Amelia Kozinski. Would that be the teacher you were thinking of? Shirley

Date: 10/11/2010, 5:16 pm, EST
Name: Wayne
Location: New Castle
Old Neighborhood(s): West Side
Schools Att'd: Warner, Brown
Employers: Bancrodt, Du Pont, CitiBank
Message: Rambo. I'm sure glad you responded albeit a little on the slow side. I've heard everything down there inMexico is slower though. I thought the Federalies had captured you or something. Anyway to get to the poit, Ever since your post I've been trying to think of that music teachers name, I called my cousin Harvey Fuller but he didn't remember. I can picture her ,tall skinny with long gray hair but going nuts trying to remember her name. By the way, did wheels move down there with or near you? Take care, Wayne

Date: 10/11/2010, 1:32 am, EST
Name: jim rambo
Location: Mexico
Old Neighborhood(s): 3rd and Connell
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Wayne, it's not the tequila talkin', man. Unlike yourself, I actually WENT to Bayard. I saw people beaten with chains out on the street at lunchtime. I saw one of our basketball players (Charlie)punch the window out of a visiting team's school bus, trying to get at the other team. I saw Frank Krokenberger, taught English, punch Harry Spence in the face because Harry had a metal chicken wire basket (our assignment in-box) up in front of his face. Left multiple little squares on Harry's face. There were fights all the time...not in front of staff but out on the field or on the street. I went to Conrad from Bayard and it was like a transfer to tranquility. I am a "little messed up with age" and plead guilty. However, I vividly remember incidents of violence during those years. You done good choosing Warner.

Date: 10/10/2010, 11:31 pm, EST
Name: Harvey Sandal
Location: Austin, Texas
Old Neighborhood(s): 7th & Woodlawn; Colonial Heights
Schools Att'd: Lore; Bayard; WHS '55 grad
Employers:
Message: School memories: When a teacher would leave the room, we would remove the door hinge keys. One pull and down it came. Also, sailing ceiling tiles out from a 3rd floor window to see how far they would fly. Also, dropping mild sulfuric acid out of 3rd floor windows onto Delaware Ave during Chem classes.

Date: 10/9/2010, 8:49 am, EST
Name: Bob Wilson Jr.
Location: Beaufort SC
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Madison
Schools Att'd: P S duPont HS
Employers:
Message: Wilmington school memories for me began in the 10th grade, at a time when my Dad had been transferred by duPont from upstate New York to corporate HQ a month before school opened for the 1949-1950 year. I knew only two people of my age in town at that time, one who lived over on Bancroft Parkway who went briefly to WHS before his family were sent off to Europe by the Company, and a young lady from snooty Westover Hills who was a boarding school kid and whose father was an associate of my Dad's at duPont.
Fortunately for me, my parents rented a home on West 23rd Street just off Madison, and that neighborhood was a perfect place for a young middleclass teenager to thrive while entering the 10th Grade at Pierre S. duPont High School. Within a week or two after somewhat timidly going through the front door of the school for the first time, I had formed connections to three separate groups of boys and girls...that have
continued with some of them in one way or another for the next 55-plus years. I still treasure
the memories of those times and those people.
Turned out that I was one lucky guy to have started a new life in Wilmington.

Date: 10/8/2010, 7:46 pm, EST
Name: Wayne
Location: New Castle
Old Neighborhood(s): West Side
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: I too went to MCI Williams (at the same time with Jim.) Afterward, living in an optional district, I choose to go to Warner, and even though I moved to 2nd and Franklin (about a block from Jim) in the 8 th grade, they let me stay in Warner. Although ALL my friends and neighbors went to Bayard I had never once heard of it referred to as The Blackboard Jungle. I didn't know any people of that caliber who attended the school at the time, or even in the next few years I remained in the neighborhood either. Perhaps Jim's time frames are getting a little messed up with age, because I'm sure that like many of our fine city schools it went to Hell in a hand basket later on. In the time frame that Jim speaks of, Bayard (53 - 56) any kids pulling the Blackboard Jungle routine in any of Wilmington's Middle Schools would have been tossed out on their ear as Jim well knows from the music teacher incident in grade school not long before. I can well imagine the student body turning into a rough crowd later, but like apples and oranges I think Jim may be getting his days as Attorney General and a student confused, but then again, I DO remember Jim from MCI Williams as well.

Date: 10/7/2010, 2:34 pm, EST
Name: jim rambo
Location: mexico
Old Neighborhood(s): 3rd and Connell
Schools Att'd:
Employers: Attorney General
Message: I went to MCI Williams in grades 1 thr 6. Was thrown out once when music teacher pulled me out of my seat and started shaking me in front of the class. I kicked her and ran out the door. Attended Bayard Jr. High in grades 7 thru 9 (blackboard jungle) Sam Pratt, the gym teacher, would give "swats" with a size 14 sneaker to those who were acting up. Teachers were generally good but the crowd, a/k/a the student body, was "rough", for sure.

Date: 10/5/2010, 1:38 pm, EST
Name: Maureen
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson
Schools Att'd: St. Paul and Sacred Heart
Employers:
Message: My family moved from 2nd & Franklin from St. Paul's to 9th & Jackson St. to Sacred Heart from 4th to 8th grade, great memories there. The school was old but not dingy, we had big windows and lots of sun came in. The school put on lots of shows and a great St. Pat's day party in the church hall. My mother and father in-law met there in the 1930's at Sunday a night dance and married in the church. I met my husband years later and there was a wedding picture of his parents and I recognized the church altar, it is a small world. His mother went to Sacred Heart school and grew up across the street from Memorial hospital on Van Buren St. John her uncle, owned Delamore dairy, we had milk delivered from the dairy to our home on 9th & Jackson St. I walked past the Desmond's home on the way to Brandywine park many times, never imagined I would someday meet her son and marry him. I love my memories of Wilmington.

Date: 10/5/2010, 1:06 pm, EST
Name: Maureen
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson
Schools Att'd: Sacred Heart
Employers:
Message: The last post was Sept.27, I think we need to post MORE memories, here goes one my many of growing up in Wilmington. My family moved here in 1956, we lived at 2nd. & Franklin and I went to St. Paul's 1st. grade. I was scared to death to go downstairs to the school hall and bathrooms, it was so dark & dingy. The next year the new school was completed and what a difference, it sunny & bright and I still remember the new smell, it was co clean! W