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Remembering New Year’s past

I don't decorate much for Christmas anymore. This year, I haven't decorated at all. After all, it's my 81st New Year, I'm no longer married, and my children and grandchildren are in California and China.That's not to say I don't appreciate Christmas decorations. My neighbors and friends have spent much time, money and creativity putting up some very beautiful Christmas displays. Although I really enjoy them, I haven't lost sight of why those decorations are done in the first place.Of course, the big problem that all those decorations present is that a sometimes-dreaded day - usually New ...

Remembering Christmas 1944

It was December 1944, and World War II was winding down (we hoped). My mom and dad picked me up after my friend Drew's birthday party to get a Christmas tree. We dropped it off at the bus garage, because Dad had made arrangements for one of his employees to spray paint it in bus white enamel. We finally brought the white tree home and decorated it with pre-war tinsel and icicles. We had enough colored light bulbs that we had been husbanding since1941 to make the tree look pretty. It sat in our bay window.A Tribune photographer came out to our house to photograph it from outside. The ...

Recalling a wonderful high school trip to Cuba

It was right after Thanksgiving 1951. Our family was celebrating Christmas early for me because I was going on a high school student trip to Florida and Cuba over the Christmas and New Year vacation for Warren City Schools.Two trips were scheduled. Raymond Crawford, a zoology teacher, and Harold C. Hume, a botany teacher, were the leaders. Crawford's trip just went to Florida while Hume's trip continued on to Cuba. Hume selected me, a junior, and four other guys (three juniors and one sophomore). None of Hume's group was a botany student. Another student, who was with the Crawford group, ...

1942 train collision revisited

It was early in the morning of Saturday, November 14, 1942. Mike, a friend of the family's, had been having his usual early morning coffee at the Colonial on South St. At exactly 5:35 a.m., he heard a heavy, rumbling, bumping sound on the railroad tracks running right down the middle of South Street right out in front of the cafe. It was the sound of two freight trains slowly colliding head on.It was still dark. He ran outside to see what aid he could render. Since the wreck was within shouting distance of both the police and the fire stations, there was precious little he could do that ...

Whatever happened to happiness?

It's not been too long ago that the song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin was a hit. Who could find any problem with this message seeing that everyone wants to be "happy;" and who among us doesn't want to conquer "worry?" The issue is, how is this achieved? Who's found the remedy? Just singing the song evidently hasn't solved the problem.A recent study finds that the so-called "'Happiness advantage' over age 30 is vanishing." That means that when those over 30 were asked whether they were really "happy," they were less likely to answer "yes" in light of that experienced by their ...

‘Bites and Bits of History’ set

STORIES OF UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: The Mahoning Valley Historical Society will present a program on the Underground Railroad ''Bites and Bits of History'' noon Thursday at the Tyler Mahoning Valley History Center, 325 W. Federal St., Youngstown. Traci Manning, curator of education for MVHS, will discuss the Mahoning Valley's role in helping people find freedom. The program is being presented in partnership with Mahoning Valley Lifelong Learning Institute at Park Vista. For information, call 330-743-2589.ASSOCIATION TO MEET: The Southeast Side Community Association will meet 6 p.m. ...