A few days ago I received a clipPing from Beaver Falls Tribune printed under the By Line Along the Avenue. Please permit me to thank you for your kind words.
While visiting in the Old Home Town this past summer I became interested in reading Along the Avenue and some of its contents brought back a lot of memories. I wish that I could contribute some of my own which would date back to the early 1900's.
1 wonder how many people recall the Old Red School House that stood at the earner of 33rd St. and 4th Avenue. I started to school there in 1906. The first grade teacher was Mrs. Quay. The principal's name was Mr. Hawk. Later on Mr. Ralph Hood took over. My memory falls me to be able to mention all the teachers but one name sticks out and she was Miss Mabel Long. The school was used by the College Hill Methodist Church while their building was under construction. It was at that time I became a Charter member of this church.
How many old timers can recall the old race track on the hill? Located just off 37th St. near the 38th St. school. It was used primarily as a training track for harness racing. I can recall seeing Old Dr. McCarter there with his horse. This track was also used as a circus grounds. Many times Barnum and Bailey and Ringling Brothers Circus performed there. The Circus used to unload at 22nd St. and parade up 8th Ave. We kids would follow the Steam Calliope up dusty College Avenue. All units were horse drawn and residents that lived near all got their fertilizer free. We kids would help set up the tents and carry water for the elephants and In turn receive passes for the show.
I wonder how many people can remember that fine baseball team that we had. We played on a field just off 4th Avenue at 37th Street. A bit east of where that school bus ended up a short time ago, I would like to name some of the players that I can recall because they were truly old timers. Jim Cunningham, Ray Elamilton, Buzz McAnlis, Spot Howarth, Mr. Harr Sr., Boob Haggart, Nitty Garvin, Boots Hendrickson, Wally and Fred Loefler. I am sure there were more but my memory fails me at this moment.
Old Morado Park where many family picnics were held. I can recall when College Ave. was paved from the Old Book House to 32nd. St. to 4th Ave. and then on to 34th St. The contractor was J. C. Devine and I fired the steam shovel rented from Keystone Driller used on this job. The operator was Charley Boswell. The bricks used weighted 9 lbs. each and we did go through a lot of brick layers.
Many years ago the residents of College Hill had their own power plant located at the north side of 35th St. between 6th and 7th Ave. The engineer was Mr. Kane, he also drove the fire truck. We kids used to hang out there and assist Mr. Kane in a few jobs. Such as put dressing on the drive belt which drove the dynamo from the generator. It could be visa versa. I can't remember. Once in a while we would get too much dressing on and the voltage would drop and then it was sand we would put on the belt.
Some one mentioned about Hookey Dunlap who was chief of police. The Justice of the Peace was H. B. Smith, his office was across the street from C. N. Pullingers grocery store, a few doers up from 32nd. St. on the east side. Mr. Pullinger used to have a horse called Nell that always look off for the barn when the twelve o'clock whistle blew no matter where she was. I used to run a few orders for Mr. Pullinger at noon when coming home for lunch. Many times I had to walk back to the store as I had no rope to tie the horse. At times I helped Mr. Haggart out. His store was on the corner of 4th Ave. and 32nd St. He had bought a model T. Ford to make his deliveries and also to pick his supplies up at the eleventh st. freight station. This was always my job as Mr. Haggart never liked to drive down town. Can you imagine one with his foot depressed to the floor boards steaming up College Ave. with a halt ton on. I feel quite sure there are some folks that can remember Old Home Week held in Beaver Falls. How the horse drawn fire trucks used to race up 7th Ave. in a cloud of dust. The paved street ended at 17th St. The climax of this race was when Boots Hendrickson attired as a tramp would inadvertently fall from Fetterman Bridge into the Beaver River. Many people thought It was for real but it was only an act. Charley Medley's Boat House under the bridge was a good swimming hole for us kids. I can remember getting on an excursion train on the Eastvale side to go to a picnic at Old Rock Point Park.
I often wonder how many members of the Knights of Valor still are alive. Mr. Ralph Hood was our counselor. We were something like a Boy Scout Troop. We had our baseball teams and basketball as well. Some of the members went on to become stars. To mention a few there was Ken Leofler, Chuck Howe, Skinny Hamilton and many others such as Red Wilson, Elmer McGrew, Earl Metger, DicK Bayne, Bushy and Jimmy Steen, Fran and Vincent Fromicella, Bob and Jimmy Reese and Harry Stock. In those days we had three groups or better said three gangs on the hill. The grave yard gang was made up chiefly of those kids on the lower end of Fifth Ave. near the Old Grave Yard. Then we had the 32nd St. gang also the Morado gang. We all got along just fine. If someone got in trouble with kids in Beaver Falls then we would bunch up and take care of it. I might add that there was no one from these Gangs that got Hazed when we went to High Sehool.
Mr. March I hope that there is something in this memoir that you can use also I am hoping that. you will edit this to your liking and make any adjustments that has to be made.
I have many more interesting facts about the old days that I can give you if you are interested. I gave you this much just for size.
Please let me congratulate you on your sport sheet. It is the best that I have read. I get papers from St. Petersburg, Tampa and Fort Myers and their sport sheet doesn't come close to the Tribune. I miss it a great deal.
Give my best to Rosemary and Bob Rahsman. They were our neighbors and we do miss them.
Respectfully Yours,
William J. Davidson,
246 N. W. Harbor Blvd.
Port Charlotte, Fla. 33952
Thank you Mr.Davidson, your letter is very interesting and am sure a host of College residents will look back to those nostalgia days you refer to, and maybe if you have time send us more about people you knew back in those days.