Dear Hearts & Gentle
People:
It's Spring in the old
hometown. We're experiencing some very springlike storms, along with the
flooding you know about, and everything is very greeeeen. Temperatures
continue to be moderate. Perhaps the biggest change locally is the appearance
of The Goosepond. It has been cleaned up Big Time and will be the site of many
activities during Heritage Days. The full schedule of events is on our
web pages.
Let's get right to the mail.
I received this note from Sharron Jenkins '57
Heathman:
Our friend, John Boehm, died
last Friday in Phoenix. Some of his friends and classmates are planning
a very informal celebration of his life at the Elks this Friday at 6
p.m. There may be some classmates or friends in the TLC group who
would be interested.
From
Don Stephenson:
On May 12 members of my family and
I attended a 100th birthday celebration for Ruth Drumm, a
former Lexingtonian who now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona. She has lived
in Arizona for over 50 years. An open house for this event was held at
the Scottsdale Methodist Church and there were many in attendance including
members of her family from other states. One member of her family that I
met at this event had recently been visiting with an aunt that lives in
Richmond, Mo. Ruth is the widow of O. W. Drumm, a former employee of a
Lexington bank that no longer exists. I believe that it was the
Lexington Savings and Trust Bank but I'm not sure of that. If my memory
serves me right, it was located on Main Street on the side of the street
across from the Court House between 10th and 11th Streets. The Drumms
were friends of my parents, the late Pat (Sr.) and Florence
Stephenson.
Many people will remember
O.W. and Ruth Drumm and their son Don.
Del Scharnhorst
'55
Just a couple of comments re this
issue of TLC. We also lost Frank Hulver, a
long-time Lexington farmer, and cousin to Wally Hulver
Secondly, either Jim O'Malley's
memory (or mine) is foggy about the Swartz junkyard. I'm sure when I moved
here in 1952, it was located to the west of Maid-Rite where the vacant
lot is now.
That ought to produce some
commentary!
And speaking of commentary,
I certainly know how to get you people to write to me - all I need to do is to
make an error. I referred to the Eagle Building as the "Palace Building." Now
will someone please let me know where the Palace Hotel was! All I remember is
the name and a vague feeling that it was in Block
42.
Webmaster Bob Ball
'58 was one who commented on my error, and was he ever
right!
Lots
of people will write to you, gleefully, to make the
correction!
With
regard to the barber shop, I can remember when I was a kid, sitting in the Gem
waiting for my turn, and the minister and an elder or two of the Zion AME
church (I think) coming in to speak to Floyd Boldridge about someone in the
congregation who was having a bad time. Floyd didn't say much, just shook his
head and turned around to the cash register, opened it, and took out some
money to give to the minister. I suspect that being the good man that
Mr. Boldridge was, it happened more than once. Lexington is made the
poorer by his absence.
My classmate Earlene Hancock '57 Edwards sent a
note:
The
TLC was very informative. I do remember some of the names
mentioned. Floyd Boldridge was my cousin. My father used to work
for him as a barber.
Loretta Gueguen Broker added to the Lexington
Legends list:
Hi all - Beings as I'm a young
thing and wasn't born until 1942, many of Jim O'Malley's legends are
unfamiliar to me. However, I do want to add one that ALL of us will
remember.
Miss Angela Mautino, LHS Latin (and Spanish) teacher. She not
only taught my parents (I think, or maybe that was the Todhunter sisters and
Ms. Shouse) but she taught all five of us Gueguen children. The boys in
class used to LOVE to get her upset, even cry, and watch her pull her flowered
handkerchief out of her well-endowed bosom to wipe her eyes. She also
taught the Catholic children religion (and we were just as ornery, I'm
afraid). But her specialty was directing the annual Variety Show. We
really drove her crazy with that endeavor, but they always turned out great.
What a woman she was and as do most old schoolteachers, always seemed to
remember names of her former classmates. She holds a very special place in my
heart because she introduced me to my husband. She felt sorry for the
lonely Catholic schoolteacher who moved to town and felt obligated to
introduce him to a good Catholic girl. She even agreed to be Godmother
to our fifth child. I'm sure she has a special place in heaven.
I look forward to reading about other
legends.
All of us of a
certain age have great memories of Miss Mautino. And Miss Katherine and
Miss Emery and Mrs. Shouse.
Okay, Folks,
get busy and hunt for errors. And send in your nominations for Lexington
Legends!
Special note to the Class of 1957: If
you haven't sent in your registration and autobiography for the Reunion, I
swear I will hunt you down and beat you up. I plan to compose biographies for
those who don't send them in themselves - and I promise you, you don't want
that!
(There! Think that will scare
them?)
Your devoted
scribe,
Susan
TLC #98: May 24, 2007