I may have mentioned that I used to have vague aspirations of being a writer of fiction when I grew up. Now most fiction writers, at least the successful ones, have a history of being able to make up stories long before they ever start writing commercially. I did not. Not even close. For example, … Continue reading The Invisible School
Richland
Yes, No Means No
When we were kids, I’d often spend time with Reed, my mother’s brother, who was merely three years older than I was, so he seemed more like a cousin than an uncle to me. Or even at times like an older brother. Often when we were in a group playing war games or kick the … Continue reading Yes, No Means No
Philip
As I’ve mentioned previously, when I was growing up in Richland, Randy was one of my oldest friends. As it happened, he had a lot of cousins in that town. A lot of cousins. One of whom was Philip. Philip was three years older than we were, and he was what you might call an … Continue reading Philip
Teen Forum Jan 25, 1963
Here’s a Teen Forum from our first year at the newly built Elco school. In fact that’s the subject of the question: Now that the students have had four and a half months in the new facilities what do they appreciate about them? Only one of the kids is from Richland, Eric Smith, whom I … Continue reading Teen Forum Jan 25, 1963
Children Will Listen
Children may not obeyBut children will listenChildren will look to youFor which way to turnTo learn what to beCareful before you say"Listen to me”Children will listen —“Children Will Listen” by Stephen Sondheim The first dentist I remember was, I believe, Dr. Noll, whose office was across the street from Kruger’s grocery store in Richland. All … Continue reading Children Will Listen
How to Access Census Records Plus Another Surprise
I had been taking the long way around to get to the census records by going through the family search site. But there’s an easier way: go directly to the census site itself at https://www.archives.gov/research/census From there you can access gobs of information or go directly to particular census records such as the 1950 census. … Continue reading How to Access Census Records Plus Another Surprise
Surprises from the 1950 Census
Delving into some more records from the 1950 census, I began to explore Richland. The first surprise was the total population: 514 That couldn’t be right. That would mean that Richland more than doubled in population size between 1950 and 1960. My guess is that this is due to people not being at home when … Continue reading Surprises from the 1950 Census
The Rest of THAT Weekend
The Richland Alumni Association had long been planning to put on a play to raise funds for their annual banquet. I remember the months of preparation for that play. My mother, a hairdresser, and our neighbor, Sally Ann Geiss, were going to do the hair and makeup. Sally Ann had lots of experience with a … Continue reading The Rest of THAT Weekend
Hart Beaver
It was a big deal when Hart Beaver moved to town with his wife and children sometime in the early 60s. He was an Assistant District Attorney in Lebanon County, so he automatically became one of Richland’s most prominent citizens, and he moved into a long-abandoned farm house near the edge of town and proceeded … Continue reading Hart Beaver
The Spitting Image
“He’s the spitting image of Jimmy!” cried my uncle Allen. The “Jimmy” he was referring to was me, “Jimmy” being what everyone in my family called me. Still do. What’s left of them, that is. At least those that are still talking to me. The “he” was Dennis Heberling, a fellow Richland inhabitant, three years … Continue reading The Spitting Image