Growing up in Both
The Growth of Both
This post blends the first two posts. The first post told story of infant establishment of the Village of Oak Lawn while the second post told a story of my family and I in relationship to Oak Lawn. This post will blend the first two posts by adding historical articles about Oak Lawn from the Chicago Tribune and then continuation of the history of my family & I to the most relatively recent time.
image below - The Oak Lawn Story by Archibald McKinley
The Early Family Years on Wick Drive
my photo copies
X marks the spot where my family lived on Wick Drive
from left to right ...
Uncle Bill Collins family, my family, Uncle Steve Albrecht family
my bday party at the house on Wick Drive (I'm the blonde)
Collins cousins & me
me in the backyard & me in the front-yard
with my new bike
with my new bike
communion
my sister & me
in my backyard
50 years a Village in 1959
Mayor Harvey Wick
namesake of my street
a 1957 photo
Harvey Wick was mayor of Oak Lawn when my related families moved in Oak Lawn between 1956 & 1958. The construction of Wick Drive was developed after my subdivision was established. By 1956 not only was Wick Drive established but also named after the current mayor of Oak Lawn. I would like to know how that happened - an honorarium while still alive??
Mayor Wick cutting the ribbon on the first day
of the Round-up in 1953 and below a publicity photo of him promoting the installation of the new but not the current village hall
1948-1958
This was a big, big deal at the time. An opportunity to market the village to the surrounding geographical areas, the independent shops along 95th Street, and a gathering event for the residents of the village. In the last year of the event I would have been three years old. I have no idea if my parents and I attended but based on the magnitude of it all I may for sure we would have attended. This event started with 25,000 people, and the Wild Western-themed
celebration brought in over 100,000 attendees by 1952.
This annual event was an idea from the newly formed
Chamber of Commerce in order to stimulate the local economy primarily along 95th Street
from start to finish
and below ...
An Article of the 1957 Event
Snap Shots of the Annual Event
from the book called The Oak Lawn Story
by Archibald McKinley
Governmental Buildings of the Village
photo op in 1940
A village vehicle sticker below
below photo - The Oak Lawn Story by Archibald McKinlay
Oak Lawn once had a full service post office
Our Neighborhood Jewel
in 1987
Our Neighborhood Fire House
in 1992
(more photos)
1946-1971
image - Oak Lawn Public Library
While the Round-Up Days was once and annually a more permanent entertainment spot was of KiddyLand once on the southwest corner of Crawford (Pulaski) and 95th Street on the edge of Oak Lawn. It sat on twenty five acres of land. While I do not remember this apparently 'kid fun spot' I do remember my parents speaking of it as a family outing. A few shopping stores shared this space after its close like Venture & Kmart. In 2018 this space was slated for redevelopment - a complete rehab with a total cost of 30 to 40 million bucks according to the Chicago Tribune.
the rendering of the planned development
The year 1967 was a climatic sorta year.
First the snowstorm and then the tornado
No school for us!!
My route to school was set in stone. I and then later my sister would travel east on Wick Drive west on Harnew South to what would be renamed as Fr. Burns Drive in the 80's and then south to the main street of 103rd Street then crossed it to the Linus church parking lot. During the spring months were would line up per class in the parking lot and than march to the school building on the other side of the church. During the winter the students would line up inside the church entrance area. For those few days of 'school work freedom' I never gave the route a moments notice. My mother and father shoveled the drifts while my sister and I played on on the drifts in the fenced off backyard thinking this can last forever.
Some Scenes of Oak Lawn
(pdf)
a 1959 front page historical account
The Oak Lawn Hospital
Plans for New Hospital in 1954
The State of Oak Lawn by 1960
The Oak Lawn Story by Archibald McKinlay
Let's Change the Status 1960
This attempt to change the government administration from village to city failed by special referendum that same year
The Wick Drive Floods of 1960's
These photo copies were donated by my relatives, The Collins Family, to the Oak Lawn Public Library history section
photos of both the east and then west of Wick Drive
from 4800 block to the 'folk in the road'
Wick Drive along with most streets in the local area would flood during heavy storms. It could flood twice during a typical spring/summer season. One year during the mid 1960's a
teenage-age neighbor took his father canoe from the garage to the street and successfully navigated the road from one end to the other. The latest flood occurred in 2019. My older friend Butch had moved several decades before along with his fathers canoe. The photo below is not Wick but Harnew South in 1976 with a canoe.
Public Schools in Crisis 1964
a 1961 Winter photo
Most of the information about this school and church is documented in previous post so I would, at this time, focus on the sisters/nuns of the school who educated me in particular.
Construction of the School Begins 1955
a 1957 photo - Oak Lawn Public Library
images below are from a program booklet from 1957
images below are from a program booklet from 1957
With My View of the Teachers
1961-1969
1961-1969
In my advancing age I only remember four teachers - two nuns & two laypersons at St. Linus elementary School.
In second grade I had a nun (in photo above first one toward the bottom) who grilled into me the basics of arithmetic, reading, and her Catholic faith. I remember her ruler was used not to measure objects but used for my hands if I did not understand and listen when taught. One wrack would do it. In later years I always wonder if she enjoyment in it or I learned because of it.
I had a 4th grade nun who was physical stunning. She liked me for me if though my grades were sub-par.
My third memory was Mrs. Koziol (not sure of the correct spelling). I remember her greyish hair and her comforting voice as she navigated me though all the subjects with care - loved that person!
The fourth memory was this beast of a layperson who had her favorites and would publicly ridicule me in front of the class for lack of understanding in the meaning of words when written into sentence form. She would read my assignments in front of the entire class not to teach me anything but to demean me. The students would laugh without interruption by her. I did not have any friends that I can recall that year which continued must of my remaining elementary years at St. Linus.
Not the Best Grade Averages
1967
1968 and then my last year in 1969
(link to enlargement)
I am located on the top row, fourth from the left
photo - Oak Lawn Public Library
Religious Milestones at Linus
always written in my mother's handwriting
When I graduated a new wing to the school was completed
from the Oak Lawn Public Library
During my Years at Linus:
This Happened:
The Annexation of Stickney 1967
No Marist High School For Me
photo - 1976 yearbook
The year 1969 was my final year at St. Linus School and the year I was planned to attend Marist High School along with my friends on Wick Drive. My entrance exam scores were poor so was not able to attend my freshman year if ever. I was not an asset to the school due not only to my low elementary grades at Linus but my lack of participation in 'after school' clubs and sports. I had to attend a Richards Public High School for a year so to improve my grades for the next year. By 1972-73 school year I was attending Brother Rice High School due to divine intervention - my cousin was an academic rock star there and they apparently thought I would be by osmosis. Sadly, the next year my cousin suddenly died from a brain clot while driving home from a party - the family on Wick Drive was in shock for weeks. I never did became another Steve at Rice.
my rejection letter
my 1969-70 grades at Richards - School District 122
My sister attend Richards High School for four years from
1972-1976. I need to speak to her about her experiences there.
My nat of memory fails me on this one.
Graduation: Wow I made it!
My sister attend Richards High School for four years from
1972-1976. I need to speak to her about her experiences there.
My nat of memory fails me on this one.
My ugly years filled with a mouth load of gleaming braces
and below a sample of my less than stellar grades at Brother Rice
The Village Twister Made National News
The tornado did not inflict damage in my 'neck of the woods' but I do remember the stranger purple to pink skies from my front yard on Wick Drive as my family and I heard total silence before it hit - not a tree leaf stirred, not a sound from human made.
An Account of the Aftermath
1942-1984
view of the first building in 1948
photos below of the interior by Cinema Treasures
Coral Theater was the movie house of my area. It was to go to place for me during my childhood. Beverly Theater on 95th Street would have been the other one the family visited.
the renovation in 1963
photo - The Oak Lawn Story by Archibald McKinley
and below photo from Cinema Treasures
As Mayor Richard J. Daley was the king mayor of Chicago, Mayor Fred Dumke was the Lord Mayor of Oak Lawn during my youth. Both wheeled influence and favors throughout their lands.
Similar to Soviet Russia or North Korea the mayor
was bigger then life to the citizens of Oak Lawn
a 1967 photo - Oak Lawn Public Library (OLPL)
a 1969 photo from
photo - The Oak Lawn Story by Archibald McKinlay
The Oak Lawn Story by Archibald McKinlay
and below in 1973 - OLPL photo
I now hate to admitted but I was a Republican back then. I worked feverishly in his campaign for mayor. While there were no party affiliations in Oak Lawn elections Dr. Tom Powell was a Republican who I thought was a reformer in the election of 1973.
a 1977 re-election flyer below
images - Oak Lawn Public Library
Romeo's Pizza Parlor
my social life began
my social life began
How do I begin this segment??
upon request I received this image from the historical section of the Oak Lawn Public Library - thanks Kevin!
I will approach it with some sadness due to the fact I did not keep any physical memories of the most enlightening period of youth besides the for the photo above. This modeling photo was part of my modeling composite that was produced in the early 1980's. The hat, pizza bag, and apron were borrowed from Romeo's Pizza for this shot. (I will get to my modeling era in another segment). Sadness of the lack of physical materials turns to joy and having, at least for now, some great memories of my employment there. My employment began in 8th grade-1969 and continued through high school and into the first years of college (college is another saga story). Romeo's Pizza was located on the 9720 South Cicero Avenue. The business spanned decades from the early 60's to late 1980's. I got the job because of my cousin Steve who lived down the block on Wick Drive, four doors down.
my cousin Steve
I learned more during my employment there than in school and/or home. The personalities that worked with me, mostly on the weekends, transformed my life. There was the owner Ray Drew who without knowing it was a father figure. He recognized my strengths and weakness and without judgement acted towards my best interests. There was a Chicago cop who mostly worked the weekends and played the role as manager when the owner was not on duty. He had an authoritative view on life but managed to show a great deal of compassion to the young workers under his charge. They was the native born Irishman who spoke with a thick brogue and provided the comic relief to both owner/manager and the staff. A family generation of employees would work at Romeo's. Brothers would work with younger brothers. Employment was not necessary based on skill but family association. I was a pizza maker who was taught by the Chicago cop and groomed by the eldest of family member employees. This particular employee was a tough, physical solid, and a red-head who boxed, swam, and played baseball - everything I could not do. He had a group of friends I wanted to socialize with on a more than regularly basis. After being a total pest for a couple of months his blonde-haired friend convinced the red-head I was worth the gamble. After countless years of social isolation had friends.
And finally there was this pizza deliver guy who looked sickly thin but robustly active on thoughts of political liberalism and the social graces of basic humanity. The cop and him would debate as they worked in the store sometimes had heated arguments that was stemmed by personal pride of thought then any malaise. This delivery guy shaped my future thoughts on humanity and political thought to this day. I owe him a lot!! I owe all of them a great deal.
Our After Work Hangout
once located on the southwest side of 95th & Cicero
just a few blocks from Romeo's Pizza
photo - Oak Lawn Public Library
photo - Oak Lawn Public Library
The Planned Development 1974
Oak Lawn Public Library newspaper section
Let's Continue to My Next Post
Oak Lawn Public Library newspaper section
Let's Continue to My Next Post
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