WWII aircraft transfixing to 6-year-old in Warren

September 5, 2017

It was early 1942 — a few months after the beginning of World War II for the U.S. I was 6 years old and had a family friend named Bill who was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy (the U.S. Army equivalent was captain). He had joined the Royal Canadian Air Force prior to Pearl Harbor — as had 8,800 U.S. citizens — in order to get flight training and a commission because he wanted to get into the war that was raging in Europe. Canada had declared war — along with Great Britain — on Hitler’s Germany in 1939. The option to join in that war would not have been open to Bill if he had ...

What’s the modern equivalent of the old game kick the can?

August 22, 2017

It was usually close to dusk on a hot and humid late summertime evening when our games would start at the standpipe on Genesee Avenue NE. Carly, Ronnie, Sonny, Bonnie, Bill, Bob, Bob (there were two Bobs), Jackie, Bev, Stanley, Dale, my sister and I would gather around the base of that gargantuan water tower to play one of our favorite games — kick the can. Ages ranged from 7 (mine) to about 14. There was a large concrete slab — level with the surrounding ground — that served as the roof for the underground pumps that brought the water uphill from the waterworks at the corner of ...

Agricultural degrees aren’t just for farmers

August 16, 2017

It’s school time. Maybe you are like me and have a child headed off to college this week. As parents, we try to help our kids decide their career paths. As a farmer’s daughter and someone whose career is dependent on agriculture, I’ve encouraged my daughters to pursue agriculture-related careers. I remember being in a college scholarship interview almost 30 years ago. One of the questions I was asked was with all the background I had with the dairy cattle industry, why didn’t I pursue a degree in dairy science? My response was that I believed although I would probably become a ...

No visit for Asian relatives

July 25, 2017

As some of you dear readers know, I’ve begun my ninth decade as a native of good old Warren with little interruption. (I’m 81.) When I was of working age, good employment was available to me here, and I spent much of my career at Packard Electric. My two sons grew up here, and after their college educations were complete, they quickly realized that finding employment with a promising future in the Warren area was difficult. My younger son moved to northern California where he is a real estate developer. My older son went all the way to China to be an administrator and teach English ...

Cool Warren, Ohio, teen boy fads

June 27, 2017

It was the summer of 1951. We had just finished 10th grade. I really thought we were quite stylish when two other classmates and I went for a stroll looking for girls on the boardwalk of an upscale East coast resort town called Rehoboth Beach. However, the way we were dressed resulted in catcalls and snickers as we walked along. We were almost oblivious to all this attention. Our mission was to meet girls. Our Warren, Ohio-style teen boys’ outfits consisted of blue jeans tightly pegged and rolled at the ankles, white socks, blue suede shoes and a white T-shirt with the sleeves ...

Holiday stirs fond memories of dad

June 13, 2017

Father’s Day will be this Sunday. Here are some of my earliest memories of my dad. Maybe this little note will stir up some fond early memories you may have of your dad. Who was this man called Dad? He wasn’t a bit like Mom. Mom was there all the time. It was 1938, and I was 3 years old. I would be sitting on my knees at the breakfast table on York Avenue eating my oatmeal when Dad would come charging down the stairs. He was usually dressed in a dark blue suit and was always in a hurry in the morning. Pulling his watch from his vest pocket, he would check the time. He would quickly ...