MERRIONETTE MANOR

Manor Picnic 2007 

2008 Luella Charity Reunion 

Chappel
Clyde
Merrill
Merrion
Paxton
Luella
Brennan
Crandon
Oglesby

96th
97th
98th
99th

 

A small historical note on Merrionette Manor--it was developed by Joseph Merrion, a real estate developer from South Shore.  One of Merrion's sons was a classmate and good friend of my father's.  When they were teens, they spent time downtown at the recorder's office tracking down information onland in the south suburbs for Mr. Merrion.  Merrion eventually developed the suburbs of Hometown, Merrionette Park (115th & Kedzie area), and Country Club Hills, as well as a few other areas I know of on the south side of Chicago.  He had an office on 79th Street and would go across the street to church at Our Lady of Peace every morning.  His grandson, Ed Merrion, is a Realtor who has his own real estate office in Michigan City.  Call him if you're ever looking to buy or rent in the Long Beach, Sheridan Beach, Michigan City, Duneland, etc. (Lake Michigan shore) areas...and tell him I sent you! I was always interested by the "curvy," suburban-like layout of streets in Merrionette Manor--it was fun for bike riding.  This design is characteristic of Merrion's residential developments.  ~~~Kevin Byrnes

Chappel

 

Merrion

We lived at 9754 Merrion until about 6 months after I graduated from Bowen in 1968.  My parents then moved to a condo right down the street from Old Orchard on the Skokie/Evanston/Wilmette junction. My parents were empty nesters (my sister Leslee (Bowen '64) was already married), and my parents did not want to be bothered with lawn mowing and snow shoveling. I loved our street because it was curved.  Street football was the most popular game, and if you wanted to repeat a pass play all you had to do was to pass the ball high into the trees and call "interference."  The goal posts were from lamp post to lamp post, and the width was from sidewalk to sidewalk. Two years ago, I went back to visit my childhood home, and found it to be in great shape.  Carls hotdogs and greasy fries rounded out the trip. ~~~David Citron, III This is great!  I lived at 9727 Merrion.  I attended Luella, starting in 5th grade, just after Christmas break, 1950.  I graduated from Luella in 1953, and attended Bowen from 1953 to ’57.  I must confess I remember far more of my teachers at Bowen than at Luella.  I remember 99th street as a broken up, virtually un-driveable dirt road – at least in the early years.  I don’t remember when it got paved, but eventually it did.  I remember going to school the first day, and getting lost coming home because all of the streets and houses looked the same.  Some kind soul took me home, I think it was Lester (Butch) Simon, who lived down the street on Merrion.  Butch died at an early age, either college age or a bit later, from insulin shock.  His parents, Art and Hannah Simon, remained good friends of my step-mother, Florence Feingold, well into the late 1990’s, Mom died in 1997 at age 91.  I attended Hebrew School at CKI, and got into plenty of mischief with Steve Hamburg.  Rabbi Einhorn got so angry at me, several times over the years, that he ripped off his Yarmulke and literally chased me out of the temple and down the street.  I was scared for my life – if you piss a Rabbi off so badly that he wants to do you bodily harm, you must be pretty bad.  We even aggravated Mrs. Price, one of the Hebrew School teachers, into quitting her job. Those were the fun days.  I remember riding my bike all over Merrionette Manor throughout grammar school and high school.  Those rounded curbs were great for riding up at an angle on your bike.  They were also great for bouncing a rubber ball off of, as we played “baseball”, depending on how the ball bounced. I worked at Hillman’s as a stock boy, as soon as I reached 16 – it was just opening then – and worked there all thru college, on and off when I was in from school.  I sang in the CKI choir under Cantor Mort Pliskin, when Dale Lind was our Cantor for about a year.  I was friends with Eddie Kaufman, Al Lewin, Gerry Frank, Jay Golden.  I’m still friends with Gerry Frank.  Al Lewin lives in Florida, and I established e-mail contact with Jay Golden for a while last year. After high school I attended the U of I at Navy Pier for the first year, and then went downstate for the remainder of my college career.  I graduated from the U of I law school in 1963, and have been practicing law, in my own private practice, ever since.  I’m getting very close to retirement, and planning it with great relish.  I’ve also become a composer, and while I played piano all through school, I got serious about my composing a few years ago, and have self-produced a CD of my own music, composed and performed by me, entitled “Sharing Our Dreams”. I have more memories rattling around, but maybe some of mine will stimulate a response from others.  It sounds like everyone else writing in is a tad younger than me, but I’m used to that – most everyone is – younger, that is. ~~~Allan Feingold I  was born and grew up at 9816 S. Merrion, went to Luella and  Bowen,  graduated from Bowen in 67.  My parents moved to Skokie  in  1970, I was  overseas   at the time, and I returned to find that I no longer lived on the South Side. It was a big shock but I am getting  used to it.   I remember most every detail of life in the Manor, so if there is a need for a detail, feel free to contact me.  Now I  spend half the year in Jerusalem-South side, and run into people from the Manor,  or their kids,  all the time.   My main activity in  Jerusalem is trying to bring the sound of a Merrionette Manor Garage Band to the Holy City.  I am close to  success.   I have also managed  to become known there  for what are called Shaykin Burgers. About 45 Years ago, at the birthday party for Joel Sheykin,  who lived on east  98th street, his mother served her own style burgers, I liked them, and asked  how to make them,  and now they are well known in the mid east.  I sometimes think back to the opening day at Tastee Freeze on 100th street, every spring . It was 2 for one.   I also remember buying Camel cigarettes for 25 cents a pack at the Clark Station on 100th.  Street. In 1963.  ( in retrospect,  it was not a bargain) .  And the Duncon YoYo competitions in front of Benny’s butcher / candy shop.  Jerry Chavin was the champ.  Sadly he passed away from cancer  some years ago .  I have  managed to survive  cancer,  so far,  but suspect that there are too many cases coming out of our old neighborhood. ~~~Ron Klein   ronaldklein1 at mac dot com My family first lived at 9634 Merrion in a duplex shared by Sam and Jean Levin.  They had an improbable number of people living with them -- a daughter (Marsha?) and another daughter, her husband, and their two sons.  Up and down the street were the Jaffes, the Levines, the Ratners, Zeirings, Grobans (Lee Groban, by the way, is a cult figure on the north side -- try googling him), the Normans, and many more.  I started at Luella, and fondly remember Miss McNicholas as my kindergarten teacher.  I also recall the assistant principal -- Mrs. Leonard? -- about whom I had nightmares for years. In 1961 we moved to 9132 Euclid, right across from Rodfei Sholom.  Went to Warren, hung out at the "J", prowled 87th Street, 95th Street, took the Jeffery Express bus down to 79th for the Avalon Theatre, or 71st for the Jeffery and Hamilton Theatres.  When we were in 5th grade, we started catching the IC on 79th and going downtown to terrorize Marshall Fields and spend money at The Treasure Chest. Markons -- yes!  fries with gravy! --  Rib Hill before that.  We played softball in the church parking lot right next to the restaurant, and I am positive that Louis Rosen was the home run king two summers in a row. My father owned Red Star Pharmacy on the corner of 92nd and Commercial, in the South Chicago Savings Bank Building.  Fond memories of Gaetys Candies, the Commercial Theatre, Gassmans, Lesters, C&G Restaurant, Lincoln Grill, Eckersal Stadium. We all went to Illini Sports camp for years, out at Calumet Park.  Les Miller, who co-owned the camp, just passed away this year after a long career as baseball coach at UI Chicago.  A prince of a man! Well, I could go on and on, but I just want to thank everyone for contributing to this -- an incredible stroll down memory lane. ~~~Jeff Sands

Luella

My family lived at 9742 So. Luella, not more than 2 blocks from school as the crow flies, but we couldn't fly crows to school so the trick was to cut through Our Lady Gate of Heaven school, which usually had its fence closed at the end of Crandon.  It was scary business cutting through that school, because the nuns had a reputation for being mean and they would often chase kids who tried to cut through to get to Luella School, yelling at them.  We thought that if we were ever caught something terrible would likely happen to us, because the entire Catholic School seemed to us like a strict prison of sorts, where punishments were meted out like candy at Halloween.  We lived in our house from its construction c. 1948 (before I was born) until selling to move to Skokie in the summer of 1963, a year after i finished up at Luella.  The memories we have of the Manor are great ones, and the places (e.g., Bennies, Moishe Pipic, etc.) are fun to read about and remember on the websites that exist for people like us who grew up in the Manor.

 ~~~Cary Dictor, Luella Class of 1962

 

My family lived at 9659 South Luella Avenue, on the left hand side of a duplex (the McVeigh family lived on the right. My mom said that it was really just like living in a commune; the walls were that thin!). My mom said that it was a great match; we probably had less money than anyone else in the neighborhood, so we were all broke and happy together.

I remember my favorite Luella teachers:
    Mrs. Austin, whose elegant bearing and wry sense of humor made me an instant fan, not that I was even remotely elegant as a plump 14 year old. I adored her, and thought everything she said was eminently quotable (My parents just stared at me when I told my younger brother "You'll be the biggest thing at Pfsiser's if you don't cut that out". I did not find out that it was a Jewish funeral home until I was 22, and worked near the company head quarters on 42nd Street.

    Senorita Raman, who was, although I didn't realize it at the time, a really fabulous Spanish teacher. 40 years later, and I can still conjugate verbs, AND repeat the opening lines to some of the incredibly lame dialogs (ie,"Golbos, Globos, quien quiere globos!" " Mama, yo quiero un globo por favor." You get the idea). My mother ran into her at a teachers'conference just after I moved to new York, and she was kind enough to send me a graduation card, and say how proud she was of me. I still have the card.

    Mrs. Hoffman, the art teacher, whose room was my favorite in the whole school.

    Miss Foerner (altho when I had her, she was Mrs. Prendergast). Who was sharp, and funny, and so young and pretty. She wore mini skirts, and I though she was so glamorous.

    Does anybody else remember Mr. Paul, the principal, and his stunning resemblance to Lyndon Johnson?.

I love this site, and I can't tell you how much fun it is to visit it. I haven't lived in Chicago in for over 25 years, and it's wonderful to see this portion of my life preserved.  Please, add more stories!!!

~~~Nina Ovryn
Luella-Class of '69

     

I lived at 9651 S. Luella Ave - 1 duplex north from a previous writer - Nina Ovryn - my very first friend when we moved there in 1959.  We were on the north half of the duplex.  I remember the lady on the other side.  Her name was Mary and she used to water the sidewalk in front of her half of the duplex.  Next door to the north was an older gentleman (or at least he seemed old to me) called Skipper.  He lived with his elderly mother.  They had a dog named Ditto - the same name they gave to all their dogs.  I have fond memories of my Manor days.  Lots of good friends and good times.  We moved to Hoffman Estates in 1970 after my first year at Bowen.  My parents say I never forgave them for this and made their lives miserable during my teen years.

About Luella School, I do remember Mr. Paul - with the striking resemblance to LBJ.  I remember the French teacher Mrs. Henig - who I never had but remember the old joke - if Belle (as we pronounced it Belly) Henig married Red Buttons she's be Belly Buttons.  I remember the gym teacher - Mrs. Bogan I think her name was - and marching around the gym in time to her drum.  My favorite teacher was my 6th grade teacher Mrs. Weitzel.  That was the year I blossomed into a social being.  I remember the school programs on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I always took square dancing and industrial arts (that was because that teacher was sooooo cute).

I remember going to the JCC on Tuesday nights for "Tween Night" then going to Markon's afterwards for pickles and french fries with gravy.  I remember the JCC youth drama productions I participated in.  Bloomer Girl,  Cindy (the Jewish musical version of Cinderella) where I sang a duet with Stacey Hochstadter - "Papa Let's do it Again,"  (referring to dancing the Hora), The Little Prince a musical adapted from the book of the same name by a local high school kid.  I played the Drunk and I can still sing the song that I sang in that play.  We also performed this at the Museum of Science and Industry during the summer.  The last production I was in was Gypsy where I played a stripper!!  What fun and what memories!!!

I remember flooding our backyard in the winter and making a skating rink.  I remember the beautiful blossoms on the neighborhood crabapple and cherry trees in the spring and eating the sweet cherries right off the tree at Nina's house in the summer.  I remember running through the cloud from the trucks spraying for mosquitos.  I remember the smell of the bonfires from all the colorful leaves in the fall.

I remember so much and have very fond memories of my childhood in the Manor.

~~~Sheila Goldman-Gibbs
Luella class of 1969

     

I lived at 9627 S. Luella Avenue and was probably getting chased by the nuns with Cary Dictor as we walked to school everyday. I remember Cary and Chuck Catalano (who now lives in San Francisco refurbishing old Victorian Mansions).  Moishe Pipic's was our Friday lunch - 25 cents for a hot dog and load of french fries. The Luella socials were always great.  My fondest memories are of Mrs. Ellis and Luella graduation singing Moon River. I remember walking home for lunch everyday or going to Judy Lezak's when my mom was out shopping.  Funny, most of our moms were home for lunch and when we got home from school.  Saturdays were always great walking to Topps restaurant and stopping in Grants Department store, Pinzur's Pharmacy, and Devitos to see the guys.  I was usually with Judi, Meryl Becker, and Janet Goldman.  Both my sister Dale and brother Dave attended Luella and Bowen.  They both still live in the Chicago area. I am now in Pompano Beach, Florida and have been teaching and training teachers across the state in technology integration, website design and multimedia.  I have three children who have become financial wizards and one who tours with his rock band.  My middle son, Danny, has moved back into the city and is a true Chicagoan.

There is something so special about all of us from the manor and I miss our carefree and close knit groups.  Thanks for providing a meeting place for us all.  My email is sandy303 at comcast dot net if anyone wants to just say hi.  Warmest thoughts,

~~~Sandy Bruski Wagner (Luella, '62)

     

I grew up at 9686 S. Luella Avenue with my two sisters Wendi and Cindy.  We moved in in 1959 when Wendi was 5 I was 2/12 and my mother was pregnant with Cindy.  From the beginning I spent almost every waking minute with my across the street neighbors Lisa and Marina Bertelli.  Later on when my sister Cindy, then their little sister Amy was born they also became friends.  Our attached neighbors were the Shapiro boys.  Those four boys were part of much of our childhood,  Steve and Leon were older and our room abutted theirs.  With the paper thin walls I remember having to be quiet on Sunday mornings so they could sleep late after a Saturday night date.

 

Many of the people on the website are older but I recognize their names.  Eddie and Joanna Kaufman lived across the driveway and when Eddie brought home a beagle from college I think and his parents said he couldn’t keep it-Bagel the beagle became our first dog.  I remember Mr and Mrs. Golden and their German Shepherd Shnapsie.  My first job in 5^th grade was to walk Shnapsie after school.  Mrs. Golden gave us Eddie’s old navy uniforms-I think it is his jacket I have in my closet today.  I retrofitted his wool pants and wore them all through high school.  Joanna Kaufman was the first person I knew to go into the Peace Corps.

 

I also recognize Leni and Nina and Wendy who were all a year ahead of me.  I thought Leni Tannenbaum was the coolest.  They played the guitar at her house and sang “old Stewball was a racehorse” As the years have gone by my time in the manor seems better and better.  I really enjoyed the picture on the website of what the neighborhood looked like new.

 

We now live in a beautiful old town in New Jersey and my kids can’t really understand the close quarters we grew up in. 

~~~Lori Warsaw
   

We lived at 9643 Luella—a house I regularly bike to once a summer from my house in Lake Forest. So many memories...how much space do we have here? Wandering around on Saturdays, looking to hook up with anyone, while all the girls were looking to hook up with Harvey Lindenberg and Scooter. Shoplifting at Pick 'n Save, checking out the scene at Topp's, scrounging for slugs where new houses were going up, flattening them out and hoping they'd work at Pinzur's Coke machine. Best friend memories have to include Carol Schildkraut (she called a TV station where I was performing, but left no info), Eddie Forman the radical (now a banker in the Northwest), Billy Farr (my troublemaking mentor), my relentless crush on Lori Tanenbaum (I was no match for Bill Kwazman), and of course painting bases on the street and playing hardball all summer (sorry for all the broken windows). What a street full of colorful characters! Bud Marcus was a cameraman at WTTW, Hy Krugman painted all the store signs, Dale Weiss was the fastest human on the planet and actually beat Rags in a street fight. There was the sweet, tough Ilene Rivkin, the infamous Jon Burge (Google this guy and his cop tactics), Seymour Bovarsky who made smoking Marlboros look so appealing, the brilliant Brusky girls (thanks, Dale, for all the college tips). 

 

I became a composer (delmanmusic.com). Four kids, ranging in age from 33 down to 2 (!)

 

 

~~~Elliott Delman

    

My name is Ken Goldstein. I lived at 9750 S. Luella thru 1961.  I recognize 2 names from the blogs.  Cary Dictor, who lived one house down, and Ken Normile, who lived across  the street.  My lasting memories include playing lots of baseball on the street corner.  Whether it be whiffle, rubber, or softball.  My favorite teacher at Luella was Miss Higgins, she was pretty hot.  The cars in the nieghborhood in the late 50's, early 60's,  were pretty neat.  Especially, the colors- turquoise, candy apple red, and lime green.  I remember one day at Benny the Butcher he caught a kid stealing candy and Benny yanked his glasses off.   The kid was pretty nearsighted .  I don't recall how that situation got resolved.  We moved to California in 1961.  

~~~Ken Goldstine
kengoldstein at yahoo dot com

 

Brennan

I lived in Merrionette Manor.  Brennan Avenue was between Luella and Crandon, just north of Our Lady Gate of Heaven (which was just north of Luella School).  It ran for two blocks: from just behind Slagle's and Pinzur's (96th Street) to just behind Our Lady Gate of Heaven (98th Street). Brennan deadended at the 'Dog Doo Trail.'  Those who lived on Brennan used to cut through the "gates" of our Lady Gate of Heaven to get to Luella School.

~~~ Debbie Kaplan Low '70

My parents Jack & Sylvia & I moved into 9753 Brennan when I was 2 1/2 in August, 1948.  We were original owners of the north half of the duplex with Bill, Thea, and their son Marc LuPescu owning the south half, 9755. There were no fences back then, and the far end of the back yard would flood during heavy rains.  Debbie Kaplan Low (who has already written about Brennan Avenue) moved in later right across the street at 9752.

There was a commonality among the early residents.  They were all young families, the husband of which had recently come out of the service after WWII and was the sole breadwinner in virtually every case.  It was rare that a family had a TV, but if they did, many families would crowd around that small screen, especially on Tuesday nights to watch Milton Berle.  Two cars in a family?  Forget it!  Luxury was having a phone extension upstairs!

When we moved in, we had coal heat.  My mischievous task was to melt crayons on the front of the furnace.  Our duplex was the first to convert to gas heat when it became available.

My sister Paula Harris Meier and I both went to Luella; I graduated in June '59, she in June '63, and we graduated from Bowen in June '63 and '67, respectively.

I lived in the house till I got married (Linda Kahn, Bradwell Jan '61/South Shore Jan '65) in Jan '68.  My parents sold the house in mid-1975 when they retired and moved to San Mateo CA where we and our two daughters had been living since Nov '73.  When I tell people about the neighborhood and the closeness, people today are absolutely amazed.

Last summer the June '59 Luella class had a reunion; around 30 people showed up.  We met at the Lincolnwood Radisson, but we spent a good portion of the Saturday at Luella (now Lawrence School).  We toured the school (including the tunnel on the lower level) and even had a box lunch brought in which we consumed in the old gym (that's the one closest to 99th st).  For us sentimental slobs who feed on nostalgia, it was just great.  If someone out there wanted to organize a more expansive Luella reunion, I guarantee many would attend!

~~~Louis Harris

I actually lived on Brennan (9620) throughout my Luella and Bowen days. It was a terrific street, particularly if you needed to find kids to play baseball or basketball.

~~~Marc Ginsberg

What a surprise to stumble upon this site and see so many familiar names--  My next door neighbor, Louis Harris -- and Debbie Kaplan, from across the street;   Nina Ovryn-- my classmate and friend, and Jeff Z (Zolly) with whom I have stayed in touch.  Great to read the stories.

The manor was a unique place. I literally knew the name of every single person who lived on my block. It was a different world.  Kids went trick or treating without parents--and we played outside, past dark, until our parents called us home.

I keep waiting for a Manorite to write a screenplay about our years there--  what a pivotal time.

 ~~~Wendy Austin

My older brother, Jay Golden, alerted me to this site because he was mentioned in the paragraphs written by Allan Feingold about living in Merrionette Manor in the 1950s.  My name is Joanna Golden and I was this skinny, little redhead running amok on Luella. I was friends with Linda Shlaes, Madelyn Bonn (her family got prosperous and moved to the North side pretty early), Linda Frishman, Sharon Levin, Ruthie Leonard, Candy Garland (she moved to Texas) and several others, but their names elude me right now.  We lived at 9668 So. Luella (that number is burned in my memory) and like so many others, we cut through Our Lady Gate of Heaven fenced lot in order to get to school.  I once went to class there with my friend Ruthie Leonard (she was very worldly) and I don't remember much about the nuns but it was a strange experience for a Jewish girl.

I remember having snowball fights from one side of the street to the other with kids like Bobby Levin, Alan Olschwang, Buddy Truax, Dickie Carlson, Jeff Burge and sometimes David Milsk would come over from the next block to join in the fray. We built snow forts on each side of the street and let them hurl. One year it snowed so much and was so windy that the drifts along side our house were up to my brother's window on the 3rd floor and he walked out his window onto the snow.  Our house had a vestibule and our boots were taken off there.

We lived a couple of doors over from Eddie Kaufman (sister Joanne); the Olschwangs (Mort & Ida were the parents, Janet and Alan were the kids) lived across the street from the Kaufmans; Levins were across from us and Truax family (Big Bud was the dad, Buddy and Sissy were the kids but can't remember the mom's name; they had a Great Dane named Wells Jerry of Melbourne, they called him Jerry) & Carlson family (Harold & Jeanette were mom & dad, Carole and Dickie were the older kids) shared a duplex next to Levins.  Our duplex neighbors were the Kroopkins.

Something else I remember with great fondness is the summer nights when we would have hide-n-seek games after dark.  There were lots of places to hide and so many kids to join in the fun.  Looking back, the summers were long and it was a challenge to find stuff to do every day to occupy our time.  My mom worked full time (which was unusual for those times) and I can't remember who watched me other than my brother, Jay.

Luella School was called Luella then (didn't know they changed the name) and I graduated in 1956.  I led the alto section of girls for the graduation program and Ms. Ermine called me the "golden voice". We sang "when you walk through a storm hold your head up high and don't be afraid of the dark, at the end of the storm there's a golden sky and the sweet silver song of the lark".......   Can't carry a note today but then again, that's a long time ago!  Graduated from Bowen in 1960 and remember Mr. Hurd (Algebra) telling me I was just as much trouble as my older brother, Jay !  I think Mr. Hurd is why I can't do any math except adding and subtracting.  He constantly picked on me because he remembered my brother.

Hopefully, as I remember more stuff I can add on to this.  If there's any kind of a reunion from Luella that includes those years, someone please send me an email and I'll come. (joanna  @twobagsfull.com) Now I live in Silicon Valley area (Los Gatos, CA) and yearn for all this memorabilia stuff.  Do remember one other thing to mention, they tried to make me right handed at Luella.  All of the papers that I did left handed (my writing hand is left) they made me redo during recesses, lunch periods, and sometimes after school with my right hand because supposedly it was "wrong" to be left handed.  As a result, I could write left and right handed for many years in a legible handwriting.  But, I think that whole episode (printing/handwriting training) made me a little bit nutty because it was trying to trick the normal pathways in my brain.

~~~Joanna Snyder (nee Golden)

My parents moved to "the Manor" in 1951, when I was 13 and my sister Joanna 9 years old.  Having come from the Burnside neighborhood, on 91st between South Park (now King Drive) and Cottage Grove, the Manor seemed like the suburbs, or whatever we knew the suburbs were.  Our duplex, at 9668 Luella, was shared, in later years, with the Kroopkins, who lived in 9666.  In the summers, Bobby Levin, David Milsk, Alan Olschwang, Dickie Carlson and Buddy Truax played softball in the street from morning to night - in those days cars were rarely parked in the street.  And around July 4th, we would poke firecrackers into tin cans, set them in a puddle, light the fuse, and watch the can fly skyward.  The summers were truly idyllic times.  When the mosquito fogging truck came down the street at night - it was always at night - it would be followed by a squadron of kids on their bicycles.  Some of us mowed lawns for cash, but nobody ever shoveled the walk or, even more difficult, the driveway.  I wonder, today, how anyone ever got their cars out during those memorable Chicago blizzards.  Winters did have their appeal: we would build snowforts and have snowballs fights all day long.  The blizzard of 1967 was rather different from your typical Chicago snowstorm, for I left my car in middle of the Outer Drive beside Soldier Field for almost a week.

As I got older, Eddy Kaufman, Alan Lewin, Alan Feingold, Alan Lunsik and I were all at Bowen together.  What an awful memory I have of that place.  My tenure there, from 1952 to 1956, was a hellish experience, being one of only six jews and somehow easily identifiable as such; I can't remember ever not being a punching bag for some jerk whose future became shoveling slag over on Torrence Avenue.  The trek to Bowen was awesome, if you didn't walk over to Yates Avenue and wait for the bus, which took you to 92nd and Commercial were you transferred.  That ride was an eternity, especially if you missed the bus, and standing in the rain or the freezing wind was no joy.  Some of us walked, and our route took us through the unfinished tunnel under the railroad tracks at 95th and Yates.  All our fantasies about scary things surfaced when we entered that tunnel, and it was always a relief to have gotten through it.

By the time I graduated from Bowen in January, 1956, Bowen's student population had become markedly jewish, and my sister Joanna's experience there was quite different from mine.  In 1962 I graduated from Urbana, began at the U of Chicago, went into the Navy in 1964, and when I came out of the service in 1966 the Manor had changed, racially, and so many of our family's friends were gone.  And we sold our home, like everyone else, and now live all over the country.  I do miss Carl's hot dogs and those fabulous fries.  I also miss the wonderful lime floats and olive burgers from Peter Pan at 71st and Jeffery, and the sack of White Castle gut bombs you could buy for 6 cents each on 79th.  My parents moved to "the Manor" in 1951, when I was 13 and my sister Joanna 9 years old.  Having come from the Burnside neighborhood, on 91st between South Park (now King Drive) and Cottage Grove, the Manor seemed like the suburbs, or whatever we knew the suburbs were.  Our duplex, at 9668 Luella, was shared, in later years, with the Kroopkins, who lived in 9666.  In the summers, Bobby Levin, David Milsk, Alan Olschwang, Dickie Carlson and Buddy Truax played softball in the street from morning to night - in those days cars were rarely parked in the street.  And around July 4th, we would poke firecrackers into tin cans, set them in a puddle, light the fuse, and watch the can fly skyward.  The summers were truly idyllic times.  When the mosquito fogging truck came down the street at night - it was always at night - it would be followed by a squadron of kids on their bicycles.  Some of us mowed lawns for cash, but nobody ever shoveled the walk or, even more difficult, the driveway.  I wonder, today, how anyone ever got their cars out during those memorable Chicago blizzards.  Winters did have their appeal: we would build snowforts and have snowballs fights all day long.  The blizzard of 1967 was rather different from your typical Chicago snowstorm, for I left my car in middle of the Outer Drive beside Soldier Field for almost a week.

As I got older, Eddy Kaufman, Alan Lewin, Alan Feingold, Alan Lunsik and I were all at Bowen together.  What an awful memory I have of that place.  My tenure there, from 1952 to 1956, was a hellish experience, being one of only six jews and somehow easily identifiable as such; I can't remember ever not being a punching bag for some jerk whose future became shoveling slag over on Torrence Avenue.  The trek to Bowen was awesome, if you didn't walk over to Yates Avenue and wait for the bus, which took you to 92nd and Commercial were you transferred.  That ride was an eternity, especially if you missed the bus, and standing in the rain or the freezing wind was no joy.  Some of us walked, and our route took us through the unfinished tunnel under the railroad tracks at 95th and Yates.  All our fantasies about scary things surfaced when we entered that tunnel, and it was always a relief to have gotten through it.

By the time I graduated from Bowen in January, 1956, Bowen's student population had become markedly jewish, and my sister Joanna's experience there was quite different from mine.  In 1962 I graduated from Urbana, began at the U of Chicago, went into the Navy in 1964, and when I came out of the service in 1966 the Manor had changed, racially, and so many of our family's friends were gone.  And we sold our home, like everyone else, and now live all over the country.  I do miss Carl's hot dogs and those fabulous fries.  I also miss the wonderful lime floats and olive burgers from Peter Pan at 71st and Jeffery, and the sack of White Castle gut bombs you could buy for 6 cents each on 79th.  But I don't miss Chicago, with its racial strife and one-sided politics.

~~~Jay Golden   JGolden365  @aol.com

 

   

Crandon

This Merrionette Manor photo, circa 1952, was when the neighborhood was brand new.
The shot is looking North on Crandon Ave., from our house at 9679.

~~~Jim Besser
    

I lived at 9713 S. Crandon Ave. from birth (1949) through 4th grade at Luella School (when we moved to NW suburb Park Ridge following Bud and Cele James of Luella St. of the Manor), and I was so sad to read online that the name of the school has been changed, no matter for a wonderful purpose. I remember my phone # was Essex 5-2310! My parents were K.C. (deceased) and Mary (living) August, and I have an older brother John and younger sister, Susan. In the same duplex were the Richards family of parents Joe and Rhoda, Leslie and Kathy--Leslie being almost my age and my best friend. On the other side of us were Robin Burger and her younger brother (Richie?) Burger. Our backyard abutted 5 backyards, and one was the Rosensteins (whose surname later was changed to Russell)--where my other constant friend lived--Hazel.

Older sister was Sherry and she had a younger brother and a beautiful weimaraner dog. Also, in a backyard that abutted to ours, there was a teen aged boy who had had polio, and in the summer he was put in a blow-up pool to exercise his legs.

I loved growing up in Merrionette Manor!! Always kids my age with whom to play hop scotch, hula-hoop, roller skating or tag. Mom would tell us to "go outside and play" after breakfast, and we came home for lunch. We'd know it was lunchtime because all the other moms would be calling their children in and we would just go home. Summertime was great, because we had such a large area to roam (it seemed large to us!) of winding streets and safe roads.

Other girls I remember playing with were Donna Chernick (sp?), Suzy Gercikov (sp?), Judy Lev, Judy Goodman, Robin Alpert and Ann Southern.

Frequent playmates were Lynn Roberts and her younger brother Dick (parents Myrtle and Irv--in the next duplex toward Luella School, with their grandmother on the other side of the duplex). Across the street were the Zipse family, whose son John (b. 1947) was in my brother John's cub scout troop, along with 2 or 3 other Johns--including Jon Burge--a popular post-war male name!

The Snyder family lived across the street and up toward the Catholic School. Mrs.Helen Snyder taught me how to knit. They had two children, their daughter was Jolene who I played with and she had a younger brother. I especially remember the Catholic School grounds which had a fair each summer to raise monies, and I would come home with a goldfish every time.

I loved walking to school, and coming home for lunch! We all carried school bags--remember the type we had? I often tell people who wonder about where I grew up, that it was a wonderfully diverse neighborhood (religiously, at the time, anyway), being a mix of Protestant, Jewish and Catholic families. Our school was surrounded, after all, with religious institutions, my Community Church being on one corner, and a Baptist Church, as I recall, being on another, the Temple around the corner, and the Catholic Church and school flanking one street. Then there was, I recall, a Methodist Church on the other side of the school. Jewish holidays meant fun movie times at school, as so many kids were out. The Community School was a major social force in our lives. Besides being the place my Brownie Troop met, we attended every Sunday, and participated in the yearly fund raising bazaars, which were so much fun!! My dad always made the posters. Other families we cared about at the church included Cele and Bud James and their daughters Jennifer and Janie, the Mel Miller family, the Burges, the Stones and so many others. Ice cream socials, and events planned at those huge county parks with the weather shelters and large stone fireplaces!

As for the school grounds, they were stones and asphalt, with a tall swing set and the ever present "portables."  We used the sides of the portables to bounce our pinkie balls on. I always had band aids on my knees from playing and falling on the school ground's unforgiving grounds. The major surprise when I moved to the suburbs was that there was green grass surrounding the schools--all of them. Who knew?  We had great times doing cartwheels, playing chicken-man, hopscotch, and of course, tag. I remember lining up before school started so that we entered in lines according to grade! We went up those stairs, the tall ones. The stairs on which, during recess, we used to play games of ball and jacks.

Then there was summertime-- time for "Jolly Day Camp" when this bus would come each morning, and take us to a large city pool, for "fun and games." I just remember that on the first day a woman made sure we girls each took a shower by lathering up our bare skin--and I was so embarrassed--I wouldn't go back again. Then each morning when I saw all the other kids in the neighborhood heading off to camp, I was relieved that I would be staying "in the neighborhood" to play that day! The boundaries of our world were the fences, the streets, the houses, the school, the Temple and churches, and of course, on the periphery, the shopping center. This is where my doctor's office was, the grocery store, the bowling alley, and a shoe store. I recently saw one of the same fluoroscope/x-ray? machines for one's feet that the shoe store had in it---at a museum in Minnesota. I guess it was a Midwestern thing--seeing one's toes and where they were placed in relation to the end of the shoe. Wasn't that a dangerous practice?

I recall seeing a series of changes happen. One family would get some asphalt put between the street and the curb by their driveway, and suddenly this was an upgrade enjoyed by many. Then there were the vestibules! We never got one of those great places to put wet umbrellas and boots, but we did have a screened-in porch in our backyard.  Others went on to a wonderful garage! We never had one, but the asphalt slab was such a part of my childhood games, I don't know what that would have been like. I loved that patch of asphalt that I marked up with chalk, and on which I jumped rope endlessly--oh that I could do that today! The lawns in front of our house seemed so large and our backyards were perfect places to hide and seek, and play Red Rover, and Mother May I. Bliss--I never have forgotten the wonderful years I spent in the Manor, and at Luella School. 

Thanks for this forum, to let us come together and share these happy memories!  If anyone remembers me, feel free to contact me.  I would be happy to hear from you.

~~~Virginia "Ginger" August  
gingeraugust   at  gmail dot com

Ginger's House on Crandon

   
I seem to remember much of what has already been mentioned. I grew up in a nice duplex at 9678 S. Crandon just down from the corner of 97^th Street. I remember  what seemed to be those long walks to Luella, shortened considerably if one were willing to brave the possible wrath of those chasing you out of the OLGH property, which was a great shortcut. There was a closeness that existed for those that lived in the Manor at the time. I was not a popular guy, which my brother was, so I just had certain friends and kept to myself mostly. I started guitar lessons in 1963 at home with a guy that came to the house weekly (I  remember his name was Mr. Stein) and learned my chops in time to appreciate the coming of the Beatles when they hit the shores in 1963.

 

Who could forget that horrible day President Kennedy was killed. I remember walking home for lunch and it was all over the news, and they sent us home early from school. The following day my 5^th grade teacher, Ms. Walsh wept uncontrollably as we watched the funeral procession on the TV’s which were in every classroom at the time. We utilized the side of Luella for our pitching practice making boxes on the walls with chalk to increase our accuracy. We also played softball during the summers outside our home on Crandon Ave. We always had great intense games which ended only as the sun went down.

 

I enjoyed our visits to the local eating establishments as much as anyone did. Topps was a favorite for breakfasts on the weekend. My mother (now 88) still remarks that there will NEVER be another Kaiser roll like the ones that we got from the Seaway Deli on 87^th street. I took the bus for years, down Jeffrey to Hebrew school at South Shore Temple which was a bit of an adventure of its own. Yes we too enjoyed Benny’s and Moishe Pippic on 100^th’ street. On occasion we were treated to lunch there. Man those colored dot candies probably accounted for half a dozen of the cavities that got filled during my youth.

 

Alas when my parents best friends, the Gilman’s who lived in back of us (on Brennan) were moving in 1967 my parents caved and we joined them up in Highland Park. What a culture shock indeed. But it was fine for me as it beat being beaten up at Bowen.  Oh well, at least there were more than a lifetime of memories to be gleaned from having lived in one of the most unique neighborhoods ever.  Thanks for the memories all…….

~~~Lee Rothman

dcisive  at hotmail

     

Oglesby

We lived at 9635 Oglesby and  at the corner of Oglesby and 95th, east side of the street, there used to be a sign that said "Merrionette Manor", and there were a lot of pine trees behind it. I spent many a day up those trees much to my mom's chagrin when I would come home covered in pine tar. I also had a run in with my first woodpecker in that little park....he won. Almost knocked me out of the tree. They eventually made the little area into a larger park with 'monkey' bars and slides. My sister ruled that park with an iron hand.

~~~ Jeff Zolitor (Luella '69)

I never went to Bowen, we moved to the 'burbs (Niles) before I was old enough. My sister, Carol went there for her freshman year.   We lived On Oglseby in Merionett manor. I remember the sign.

I also remember Moishe Pipics and going next door to Bennie the butcher's and stocking up on penny candies. Pixie sticks were the best. And Mary-Janes, of course. Then head back accross the street to Luella School. After School I went down the street to Hebrew School at C.K.I. "Whatever you do, Don't Bother Rabbi Einhorn!"

The Synagogue was almost directly accross the street from the Catholic School, Our lady Gate of Heaven and I remember some great taunting matches that would ensue between us and those catholics...

I learned to ride a bike without training wheels on Oglesby. Then went riding around the block for what seemed like hours.

I also remember Topps(1st Hot Fudge Sundae), Tasty freeze, Fireworks at Trumble Park, Kiddie-Land( 1st Roller Coaster) Didn't they have pony rides there as well? And going to Rib Hill(1st spare ribs)- OK we were Jewish, nu, so?

I remember my 1st Crush, Pam Anders. I knew it must be love because I teased her during recess in the Luella School playgound. Once. She cried. I felt horrible. Sorry, Pam. I was young. I also remember Dr. Goldberg making a HOUSE CALL!  Lots of memories.  Thanks.

Oh yes, and now those Vienna Hot Dogs that we paid twenty five cents for, smothered in  REAL french fries, when I get the craving and can't stand it any longer, usually around opening day, I order them in from Lou Malnati's (on the internet) Complete with Popyseeed buns, Sport Peppers, etc. Average cost is about $3.50 per dog. Worth every cent. Especially if you live in Idaho...

~~~Rick Kemp

     

96th Street

Wow!  What a blast from the past!  My daughter actually found this site while browsing, and I was surprised to actually recognize some former classmates from Luella - Debbie Kaplan and Diane Gilbert.

I lived at 2257 E. 96th St. from 1952-1963.  It was the only whitewashed duplex in the Manor, and it seemed, the farthest walk from Luella.  I walked home for lunch every day, so it was a real treat on the rare occasions when the Catholic school had its gates open so I could shorten my walk.

I remember my third grade teacher, Miss Ginsberg, and having my first crush on the boy who sat in front of me.

I remember playing Barbies with Lynne Sadowsky and reading Nancy Drew books sitting on her glider in her screened porch.  Gayle Wartenburg and I played card and board games and swam in her pool.  I also have recollections of red-haired Susan Simon and a Marcy Gorsky.

I remember riding our bikes in the neighborhood, and the boys in our class chasing us in fun.

I remember  SPUD, chinese jumprope (remember stringing all those rubberbands?), regular jumprope,  cat's cradle (string), troll dolls, and acrobatic manuevers on the swing set.  We kept ourselves entertained for hours.

Does anyone remember the best corned beef sandwiches at the Seaway (?) near 79th and Jeffrey?

Luella,  thanks for the memories.

~~~Susan Trippel  Robinson

98th Street

I lived at 2129 East 98th Street, along with my brothers Mike and Gary from 1953 until 1965.  The Levin Kids!!!  Of course, all three of us attended Birnam, Luella, and Bowen.

The very first kids I met and stayed friends with, until I left the Manor to live in LA were Bobby Lazar and his Cheryl (This wa the fall of 1953!!!)

I loved hanging out at the 95th St. Bowling Alley, Grants Department Store, Slagle's Five & Dime, Walgreens.  Scotty Dogs on Stony Island.  Segals on 79th where all of us from Bowen waited for the Bus back to the Manor!  Let's not forget the J!

Oh - I remember the Luella Social Dances on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Our DJ was Eddie Schwartz (Tomato).  My mom (Teddie) was one of the mothers who sold candy outside the gym.

My brother Mike (Luella '58, Bowen '62) died in 1990 of leukemia.  My brother Gary lives in Northern California and has an 18 year old daughter.

To any and all of my dear classmates and friends I grew up with - please contact me!!!  I now live in LA (trying to - after all LA is no Chicago!!!)

I have practiced social work for 35 years.  I am married and have a son 25 years old.  Please, all Burnham, Luella & Bowen friends, contact ASAP.  I'd love to come back home for a reunion.

~~~Richie Levin
(Lrichie1946-at-aol-dot-com)

99th Street

I lived on 99^th Street between Jeffrey and Merrill from 1952 to 1965. I went to Luella and Bowen. Some names I remember: Jill Schwimmer, Carol & Gail Kalver, Lois Stein, Maxine Pincus, Bill Smith, Barry Moller, Hal Lunsik, Gary Sherman, Eddie Schwartz – I can go on and on. It was a wonderful place to grow up at. I worked my teenage years at the National Food Store on 95^th Street and hung out at DeVito’s Bowling Lanes. Loved those Moishe Pippik hot dogs on 100^th Street and ate many times at Rib Hill. I went back a few years ago to the old neighborhood for a visit. My synagogue, Congregation Kehelith Israel, is now a Baptist Church. I read that Rabbi Einhorn died a few years ago. 100^th Street looked empty and driving down Jeffrey all the stores had bars on them. It made me sad. The 95^th Street shopping strip was gone.

~~~Rick Krause

 

 

Wendy Austin, Nina Overyn and Shiela Goldman stand out immediately in my memories. The playground at school - and yes! The nuns, the Catholic school across from the school. Sooo mysterious. The games with everyone on the street that lasted till it got dark, Trick-or- Treating all over the neighborhood, birthday parties - SERIOUS  Barbie doll time. Playing at Nina's house, Mr. and Mrs. Overyn were so generous. Nina's house was like my second home - directly across the street. Sheila Goldman was a stitch! I remember being so jealous of her wonderful, thick, midnight black hair. Wendy's bright blue eyes, short blond hair and vivacious personality came back to me as I listened to her voice on my answering machine.  

Gosh. Such early memories. So good to read all the stories.  My best to eveyone!

~~~Leni Tanenbaum

add your stories to this page

Introduction / Bowen Memories / Extracurricular/ Site Index /  Streets & Neighborhoods / Home / Message Board/