Indholdsfortegnelse for February - March 2017 i Reminisce

SUBWAY TRAVEL With DC’s Metro turning 41, we asked our Facebook friends for memories of riding the underground rails. “My mother would take my sister and me on the L into Chicago to see the Christmas tree at Marshall Field’s.” JOAN JAZWINSKI “In the early ’60s, my friend and I would ride the L to visit the WLS radio studios.” PAMELA ENZWEILER PULICE “The New Jersey PATH trains scared me as a kid. To me, they were big black boxes.” RON CHMIEL Join the conversation at FACEBOOK.COM/  REMINISCEMAGAZINE.…

TOP WOMEN OF SONG Aretha Franklin was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame—30 years ago. Who is your favorite female singer, and which of her songs still inspires you? Email with the subject line “Top Women of Song.” FAMILY TREE You told us that you were interested in exploring your roots, so we have launched Family Tree , a new column on page 64. Now tell us what you’ve found or what our experts can help you uncover. Email with the subject line “Family Tree.” SHOPPING MALLS Designed and built as hubs for socializing and one-stop- shopping, indoor malls grew up across the U.S. in the 1950s. Where was the first in your area, and what do you recall about hanging out and shopping…

My mom, Emily Frech Ballard, was the oldest child of German immigrants in the early 1900s. By the time she was in her teens, America was fighting Germany in World War I and anti-German sentiment had grown in the U.S. As a result, her father lost his job. The family of six had no income, so Mom left high school to work as a package wrapper at Marshall Field’s department store. One day while my mom was at work, a supervisor with the Bell System in Chicago asked if she would like a job as a phone operator at their main office. At age 17, this was her lucky break. In her role at Bell, Mom developed a novel pattern of relaying long-distance calls. Her ingenuity led to her moving…

BEST DOCUMENTARY ABOUT BOWLING A League of Ordinary Gentlemen (2004) BEST LINE ABOUT BOWLING FROM A MOVIE THAT IS SORT OF ABOUT BOWLING “Smokey, this is not Nam. This is bowling. There are rules.” —Walter Sobchak (John Goodman), The Big Lebowski (1998) SECOND-BEST LINE FROM A MOVIE ABOUT BOWLING (because its best line is unprintable) “You’re on a gravy train with biscuit wheels.” —Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray), Kingpin (1996) BEST CARTOON BOWLER Homer Simpson OTHER BEST CARTOON BOWLER Fred Flintstone…

Our honeymoon started on June 21, 1947, at the Drake Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I woke up in the middle of the night to a hard push and wound up on the floor. I remember thinking, Is there an unspoken message here? The next morning Sandy and I boarded a train to Miami Beach, Florida. When the conductor asked for our tickets, I handed him our marriage license by mistake. He looked me and said, “This is good for a lot of rides, but not on this train. You’ll have to produce a ticket.” Later that morning, after ordering pancakes in the dining car, a woman across the table asked why I was pouring coffee on my pancakes. “It isn’t coffee; it’s syrup,” I replied. “They probably heat it up…

Francis Ford Coppola followed up his sweeping mob drama The Godfather (1972) with the even more ambitious The Godfather: Part II in 1974. Larger in scope than the first film, Part II covered more than 60 years of the Corleone family, weaving in both prequel and sequel story lines. It traced how the orphaned Vito Andolini (Robert De Niro) grew into the feared New York mafia leader, Don Corleone, and how his reluctant, idealistic youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), took over the fragile empire to protect the family—and eventually lost his soul. Coppola’s vast canvas earned him critical praise, though some complained that the complex and shifting alliances in the plot were tough to follow and left some loose threads. Coppola tried to tie them up in The Godfather: Part…

Godfather lines and references have popped up in other movies ( You’ve Got Mail , Point Break ) and TV shows ( Seinfeld , The Simpsons ). The franchise is such a rich part of American culture, even people who have never seen a Godfather movie can quote from at least one of the films. PART I “My father made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.” “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” “It’s a Sicilian message. It means Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.” “It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.” PART II “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” “If anything in this life is certain, if history has taught us anything, it is that you can kill anyone. “ “I’m smart and I want respect!” “I know…

When my son was born 49 years ago, I named him Scott Miller Douglas. His middle name was my maiden name. My grandmother gave my mother her maiden name as a middle name and I liked that idea. In fact, when I married in 1960, I dropped my middle name, Ann, and starting using my maiden name, Miller. Recently, I was working on the Miller family genealogy and discovered that my great-great-great-grandfather, Joseph Miller, born in 1778, and his wife, Susan Eshelman, gave each of their children the same middle name, Eshelman. Their son, Christian Eshelman Miller, married Susan Harnish in 1834, and each of their children had the middle name Harnish. Their son, Abram Harnish Miller, married Lizzie Kreider in 1885 and each of their children had the middle…

Spring is in the air and with it comes change—not wholesale change, mind you, but something a bit more subtle. You may have noticed our new logo on the cover. We hope you like its bold, colorful design. And inside this issue, you’ll find new departments, fun tidbits and trivia, and a fresh approach to the way we present your stories. We know from your letters that you love old photos and hearing about events from the past. We know that you love reading stories and want to know more about what life was like during past eras. We also know that you have a sense of humor and are interested in exploring your family history. That’s why we are introducing several new columns and reintroducing some all-time favorites. Here’s…

The year made it into the record books for two sports legends (see below). Memorable events such as the kidnapping of a publishing heiress, a long impeachment process and the pardoning of a former president unfolded on the front pages of newspapers and on the evening news. Hollywood provided a stellar list of movies (see Trivial Pursuits, opposite). Dancers, discoveries, songs and books filled out the rest of the year. Check out 1974’s highs and lows. FEB. 4: The radical Symbionese Liberation Army kidnapped Patricia “Patty” Hearst, 19, granddaughter of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. MARCH 4: People magazine debuted, featuring Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby on the cover. MARCH 29: Well diggers in Xian, China, discovered the tomb of the first Qin dynasty emperor, along…

During my early years in Huntsville, Alabama, I was part of a poor family. We lived in a boardinghouse at the Dallas Cotton Mill Village. I begged for pennies on the streets. At the age of 11, unable to live with my stepfather, I moved in with a bootlegger named Kathrin until I was 17. She treated me like a mother, and I loved her for it. I lived many lives after that, including four years in the Air Force, where I was honored with three awards. I worked my way through Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee, laying sewer lines full time on campus to pay my college expenses before getting my bachelor’s degree. After college I went into real estate, where I developed, owned and operated 16 hotels/…

“It is not the things you have that make you happy. It is love and kindness and helping each other and just plain being good.” —LAURA INGALLS WILDER Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote these words to a sixth-grade class decades ago. But she could have been explaining why her books still resonate with 21st-century readers. The novels paint a picture of pioneer life while depicting values that still matter to us today. COURAGE. The Ingallses journey from one unsettled location to the next. The plucky family survives droughts, crop failures, locusts, blizzards and even a prairie fire, but they keep trudging forward, certain that better times are ahead. (Luckily, Pa’s fiddle can lift their spirits.) SELF-RELIANCE. Despite all the upheavals, Laura’s childhood comes off as happy and secure. Her parents…

Home from the Navy in 1947, I started school at Greenville College in my hometown of Greenville, Illinois, about 50 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri. I had been out of high school for four years, but my high school principal, Mr. Gardner, invited me to a Valentine’s Day dance at school. We lived in a small community, and the thought of seeing my former teachers was intriguing. So I agreed. When Friday came, I cleaned up, gussied up and drove to the high school gym. I chatted with my former teachers and approached Mr. Gardner to thank him before leaving. Just then, the band started playing and a young woman stood up to sing. One look at her and I was mesmerized. I had never seen such a beautiful…

At 27, after serving in World War II, I dreamed of owning a piece of land. So I moved from central Illinois to Shelbina, Missouri, and bought 236 acres for $6,000. The plot of land was situated on a dirt road and was half farmland and half trees, with an old house that had no running water or electricity. Obviously, it was not what you’d call prime real estate. But it was mine. I was alone for the first time in my life, and I found it liberating. My days were filled from dawn until dusk with plowing and planting corn. Dinnertime came and went, and I barely remembered to eat. I wouldn’t say I was a great success at farming in Missouri. However, when I went to the store…

TALIA SHIRE, Francis’ sister, plays Michael Corleone’s sister, Connie, in all three Godfather movies. CARMINE COPPOLA, Francis’ father and a composer, shared the Best Dramatic Score Oscar for The Godfather: Part II with Nino Rota. SOFIA COPPOLA, Francis’ daughter, played Michael Corleone’s daughter, Mary, in The Godfather: Part III . Other family connections include Francis’ nephews NICOLAS CAGE (by brother August) and JASON SCHWARTZMAN (by sister Talia).…

MILLINGTON, MICHIGAN Her eyes closed to the bright sun and her hands protected in a gigantic muff, PAULA MOHR braves the brisk weather to pose next to the family’s Chevy on Thanksgiving. Paula’s mother, Barbara, snapped this picture. DENVER, COLORADO In her cozy hooded coat, 5-year-old JULIE NATALE, now of Centennial, CO, helps her 2-year-old brother Kim navigate the hard grass on his scooter. GROWING UP along the Missouri River in South Dakota meant lots of winter fun for 8-year-old ROY SOULE (left), now of Moville, IA, and his brother Phil, 6, with their dog Rex. At McCook Lake in 1949, “we had lots of woods and prairie to explore, hunt and fish,” Roy says, adding, “we were proud of our coonskin hats!” DOES YOUR PICTURE HAVE A PAST? Send…

Half of the names on our pedigrees are women, and research into their ancestry can be one of the most challenging dilemmas. However, there are often clues hidden in plain sight. The following naming patterns illustrate a common practice during America’s early days: FIRST SON —named after the paternal grandfather SECOND SON —named after the maternal grandfather THIRD SON —named after the father FIRST DAUGHTER —named after the maternal grandmother SECOND DAUGHTER — named after the paternal grandmother THIRD DAUGHTER —named after the mother When searching for a relative, look for a daughter who had a middle name, for she may have been given the maiden name of her mother. The name of the oldest daughter and the middle name of the second son could result in the name of…

TELL US HOW TO FIND YOU: Whether you send your submission via mail or email, include your full name, daytime phone number, email address and mailing address. If you have a PO Box, be sure to tell us your street address too. HELP US SORT THINGS OUT: Include the name of the department your submission is for (Growing Up, Name That Car, etc.) on the first page of your submission or in the email subject line. All photos should be high-resolution (at least 300 dpi on 8x10). Please identify the people, city, state and year the photo was taken. We reserve the right to use submissions in any section of our magazine or elsewhere. WHAT YOU’LL GET: If we publish your material, we will send you a complimentary copy of…

FEWER ADS, MORE OF WHAT YOU LOVE! Get a monthly dose of Reminisce Extra as well. Don’t miss the new jam-packed format. MORE CONTENT With only six ads, every issue has more stories to read and enjoy. MORE PUZZLES We’ll keep the crosswords and add Sudoku, mind games and word puzzles. MORE HEROES In each issue, we’ll devote an entire feature to heroes you admire: military members, firefighters and police, teachers and more. MORE PHOTOS Page after page of your photos will fill each issue with the content you love. Keep Reminisce coming every month! Subscribe today at REMINISCE.COM/  EXTRASPECIAL. • War Heroes Return Home • Celebrating Mardi Gras • Ultimate Rock Concerts…

Several significant movies came out in 1974, including works by filmmakers at or approaching the height of their creative powers. Perhaps the best example is Francis Ford Coppola, who had two films nominated for Best Picture, including the winner, The Godfather: Part II (for more on this epic film, see page 53). Can you name these other influential movies from that banner year? 1 Coppola wrote and directed this thriller featuring Gene Hackman (pictured above) and a haunting score by David Shire, who was Coppola’s brother-in-law. 2 This black-and-white satire starred Gene Wilder, who was nominated with Mel Brooks for an adapted screenplay Oscar. 3 Another Mel Brooks satire featured Cleavon Little as the sheriff of Rock Ridge. 4 This mystery was director Roman Polanski’s tribute to old-style detective stories.…

1970 SMART, FUNNY WOMEN In 1970, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, a groundbreaking sitcom about a single woman juggling her career and home life, premiered on CBS. And it was the year Tina Fey was born. Fey would become the first female head writer of Saturday Night Live, as well as create, produce, write and star in the sitcom 30 Rock. Though separated by about 40 years, the women are closer than time suggests. MARY TYLER MOORE TINA FEY « WHOSE IS BETTER? » “GIVE A LITTLE BIT” Watch and cast your vote at FACEBOOK.COM/  REMINISCEMAGAZINE. WORTH ANOTHER LOOK The 1974 thriller The Taking of Pelham One Two Three , about four men who take the passengers of a New York City subway train…

AN AMF AD from 1959 touts air-cooled bowling alleys as havens on hot days. Leagues filled lanes in winter, but alleys had to work to get summer business. BABY SPLIT The 2-7 or 3-10 split—pins left standing after the first throw. The gap is narrower than a typical split, such as the 7-10, which makes it easier to knock down both pins for the spare. BED POSTS The 7-10 split. BROOKLYN A ball that hits on the side of the head pin opposite the side from which it was thrown—on the left for a right-handed player, for instance. Also known as “Jersey Side.” DUTCH 200 A game of alternating strikes and spares, for a score of 200. OPEN FRAME A frame without a strike or spare. PICKET FENCE The 1-2-4-7…

BY THE KEROSENSE LIGHT In the 1940s and ’50s, MARY ANN GOVE’S family spent time each summer at a cabin in the pines near Payson, AZ. At night, they sat around the table lit by a kerosene lantern, playing Monopoly and eating dozens of her mom’s chocolate chip cookies. Mary Ann always bought the cheap properties so her money would go further, but ended up going bankrupt when she landed on Boardwalk or Park Place. MONOPOLY MONKEY BUSINESS Growing up in the 1950s and ’60s with four siblings gave me many memorable experiences. Playing Monopoly with my two older brothers was just one of them. Sitting at the kitchen table in our old farmhouse, my brothers taught me everything about board games that our parents didn’t want us to know.…

Bill Haley & The Comets recorded the single “Thirteen Women” for Decca Records in 1954. With 30 minutes remaining to record the flip side—a dance number absurdly labeled a fox trot—the first two takes proved unusable, and studio time ran out. Undaunted, producer Milt Gabler combined those attempts to create the master for “Rock Around the Clock.” Disc jockeys preferred the “Clock” side, and the song became a minor hit that year before fading quickly. The following year, though, the song changed American popular music. When Haley’s voice thundered through theater speakers behind the credits for the film Blackboard Jungle , teens went crazy and often danced in theater aisles. Decca reissued the disc, which quickly locked in the No. 1 chart position for eight weeks. Fast-forward 18 years to…