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The Center of our Lives – Brooklyn was the World

Below you will see what it was like to grow up in Brooklyn in the 1950’s.

However, it was not all “Camelot “

Father Henry Churchill, our pastor was very authentarian.

Remember because of my birth at seven month’s I was extremely thin and was very self-conscious of the fact to the extent that I did not want to appear in prayer public especially at a beach.

In the fourth grade, I was appointed as an altar boy. Incidentally one of the senior altar boys was Vincent Breen, who many years later, would have a major effect on my life.

One Sunday, when I was serving the 11 AM Mass with Father Churchill, out of nowhere, he told me to get off of the altar. I went into a state of shock.

I was later told that the reason for his action was that I did not handle the cruet in the proper way (I did not hold it by the handle and therefore obstructed his view as to how much water and wine was left in the cruet.)

Having the huge inferiority complex that I had because of my weight, this shattered my self-confidence and it took many years to regain it.

This Segment of “The Rest of the Story Spans the period of time Sept 1945 to June 1953 with the Center of my family’s life OLHC.

I will try to convey what it was like growing up in a Catholic Family, in a Catholic Parish, in a magical place called BROOKLYN also known as CAMELOT.

I will relate my tale, using the seasons of the year and the days of the week as my guideposts.

It all began on a Monday morning in September of 1945, a few days before or after the surrender of the Japanese Empire on the Battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

Lo, it was a dreaded day for me, The first day of School at OLHC.  Being terrified, I got on a line outside of the church for an opening mass and God only knows what would happen after that.

Thanks be to God, I had this wonderful nun, Sister Rita Margaret, a member of the Sisters of Charity of Halifax, as my first-grade teacher.

She was very gentle and kind and I got through my first day.

After that things began to fall into a routine based on the day of the week.

My Aunt Virginia Fisher (Two years older than I) and I would walk the block to School.

We would come home for lunch where my mother would have a hot lunch for us. On Monday it was usually the leftovers from our Sunday meal.

Kate Smith was on the Radio.

Thursday’s was my favorite day for lunch as we would get Hot Dogs.

After school was playtime where I started to bond with my classmates, some of whom would become lifetime friends.

Our main games depended on the season. In September we would be playing slap ball, two hand touch football, stickball etc.

We would climb over the fence of PS 193 for the stickball games. I remember Charlie Ingulli being a great home run hitter.

Incidentally, his home was the first place that I ever smelled Italian food.

In the early 50’s, I would have my first pizza at Luigi’s on Flatbush Ave.

The movie Theaters that we went to were mainly the Nostrand, The Marine, the Brook and the College as we got older our radius would move out to the Avalon, Kingsway, Elm etc.

We had a Movie Guide in the Kitchen with ratings we had to check it before going to the movies.

Monday night’s we attended The miraculous medal novena.

I loved the smell of the candles and incense in the Church.

On Wednesday afternoons we would go to Benediction in the church.

Friday nights would be fish night at our house.

Almost always we would have baked Macaroni and fish cakes.

Saturday afternoons was confession time.

Most of us tried to avoid the pastor, Father Churchill, who could be tough at times.

Sunday, I would go to the 9am mass, the children’s mass. Almost everyone walked to church.

We would have our main meal about 1pm on Sunday and sandwiches at night.

The whole family ate in the kitchen with Virginia and I having a little table in a corner of the kitchen.

The adults would do the dishes.

Almost everyone slept with someone else due to Space considerations.

This being September my parents would buy grapes and we would can them.

September was also Notre Dane football time and I would always listen to them on the radio.

The last radio program that I would listen to on Sunday night was The Lux Radio Theater.

During the week it was the Lone Ranger, Tom MiX, captain Midnight etc.

In October we would listen to the World Series on radio, then on small TV’s.

The nuns would put the games on the loudspeaker at school and we would run home to listen to the rest of the game.

October was also time to take down the screens, and put up the storm windows, roll up the draw carpets and put down the regular carpets for the winter.

Halloween was a time for trick or treat.

One year a neighbor gave me X Lax and I thought it was candy I found out the hard way.

Thanksgiving was always a great time with all of the aunts and uncles coming over for dinner.

After dinner, we would listen to the 78 RPM records.

One year my father took my aunt Virginia and I to the parade in Manhattan and We visited the H and H Automatic for the first time.

This time of the year we would play street hockey and basketball in my back yard and my next door neighbors back yard (George Eder) who was in my class.

I liked playing in his yard because the rim was lower and I could dunk the basketball.

Regarding the street hockey I remember someone accidentally knocking Ed Morresy’s front tooth out.

Getting ready for Christmas was an adventure.

My mother would take us to A & S in downtown.

Brooklyn. Just like in the movie “A Christmas Story, “they had a Toyland where we would see Santa and receive a present.

Also, I liked to go downtown because my mother would buy me a hot dog and orange drink at Nedick’s.

My grandfather would take us to buy a Christmas tree at Rendars on Ave L and Nostrand Ave. They would always argue over the price.

Incidentally, Louie’s candy store was also there.

I think that he and his wife had concentration camp Tattoo ‘s on their arm.

I still remember getting cold soda’s out of the ice bin.

He also had a legion of Decency Sign in his door and he would never put out objectionable magazines.

He would close about 2pm on Sunday.

There was also a deli at that location.

I still remember asking for 25 cents worth of ham etc.

Getting back to Christmas, my parents and grandfather would not decorate the tree or put out the presents until we went to bed, which made Christmas morning even more exciting.

I believed in Santa Claus and did not see them decorate until I attended my first midnight mass in the Choir at OLHC.

During the winter month’s we always prayed for snow and would listen to John Gambling on the radio for the school closings.

Early spring brought Lent.

I remember the statues being covered, receiving mite boxes etc.

Holy Week was always special.

Mass Thurs evening

Good Friday Three Hour Devotion

End of Lent at noon Saturday

Easter Sunday

One-year Virginia and I received live chickens.

My father built a chicken coop in the back yard.

Eventually neighbors complained and George Elders Father had to slaughter them.

Virginia and I saw him doing it through the cellar window.

We almost died when we had to eat them.

Now, it is May. I always loved the May processions.

When June started, we could not wait for the last day of school.

I remember cleaning the Blackboards etc. at school.

Summer also brought the chance to go to Ebbitt’s Field.  We would bring sandwiches for lunch.

Those were the days when BROOKLYN WAS THE WORLD.