Community Organizing

Vicissitudes

September 1975

By J.

Did you know? Have you heard? Where have you been? Without Vicissitudes to fill you in on all the latest news, you’ve probably felt real gaps in your conversations this summer. And so, as a public service, here goes:

The exciting vacations taken this summer by area residents would fill a whole issue. There were trips to Florida and California, trips to Mexico, Canada, many excursions closer to home in our own lovely Ozarks. We know everyone did something different and fun. We’ll let the details be written by our children in school and instead fill you in on what’s been going on right here.

For openers, our friends the Sheas have returned to us after spending six months in Europe. The trip was a good one, we understand, but we’re all glad to have them back with us.

Pat and Bill Kohn of the 6100 block of Kingsbury graced the neighborhood with a new baby girl, named Sophie, and born in June. Congratulations!

Things are certainly happening in the Schoemhl clan: as Alderman Roach leaves his post to take on his new job, Vince Schoemhl, Jr. will become the democratic candidate for that aldermanic seat. Congratulations and good luck to Vince and Lois. The election will be October 21; don’t forget!

Jimmy Schoemhl has left us for the Navy. He’ll be going into accountants’ training after finishing his basic training in Great Lakes. Good luck to Jimmy (and the Navy). McPherson and the Schoemhl home surely won’t be the same for a long while. Another Schoemhl has returned home, however: Dennis, who has finished his schooling at Cape and is once again at home.

As always, many of our children made it to the hospitals this summer with various playtime injuries. One of the youngest, no doubt, was Kingsbury’s Colin Couch, who sustained an elbow injury that kept him hospitalized for several days. He’s fine now, mucho spoiled by nurses, but still sporting a cast. Westminster’s Teresa Parker had a nasty bike accident that left her with a skull fracture, but she quickly recuperated, we’re very happy to report.

Back ailments seem to be “in” this summer, we’re sorry to say. Susie Roach was hospitalized for a while, but she and her back are doing well now (she’s even been seen dancing). As we go to press, two other neighbors are also in the hospital with back problems: Kingsbury’s Barbara Bowers in traction and our SDCC leader Cal Stuart undergoing surgery. We hope both will be well and back to normal soon.

Another recuperation we’re very pleased to report is that of McPherson’s Bill Thomas, who had a heart attack earlier this summer. Bill is looking great and in fine spirits and we’re all delighted that things have gone well for the Thomas family.

One of our neighborhood’s fine young people, Bill Botz, 16 year-old son of Kingsbury’s Joe and Betty Botz, was graduated in June from the Gallaudet School for the deaf. An interesting note about the ceremony was the speaker, KMOX -TV’s Ollie Raymand, who delivered his speech in sign language and brought TV coverage for the ceremony. The celebration included a formal dinner at the Flaming Pit. Bill will be leaving us soon to attend the State School for the Deaf in Fulton. We wish him good luck and hope he’ll be home visiting very soon.

The work program for area teenagers was very successful this summer, and brought results we all can take pride in. These hard workers took on two jobs really in need of doing: vacant lot clean up and planting and the remodeling of the SDCC offices. The remodeling crew, supervised by Sue Sante, painted, hung new drapes, and made the offices really attractive.

The landscaping crew, supervised by Elmer Goodum, did a fine job on the old Tot Lot, including planting some new shrubs, making that a terrific-looking mini-park. Let’s all keep it looking great! By the way, the Aquarian Center’s painting and landscaping job on their building just across from the Tot Lot should not go unnoticed. That corner has completely changed in appearance and looks great: The landscaping crew from SDCC also redid a vacant lot near SDCC’s office, one on the 5700 block of Pershing, one on DeBaliviere. Both of these were extremely worthwhile programs for the appearance of our neighborhood.

The teenagers involved also held a fish fry to sponsor a trip to 6 Flags. This constructive summer at SDCC also included etching many area bikes, hopefully making the recovery rate somewhat better this year.

The Police Community Relations van took a number of Washington Heights children 7-12 to a fishing clinic on June 16. This program was coordinated by Jim Cantwell. And Michael Goldsby coached a Little League baseball team, also sponsored by the Police Cornmunity Relations Office.

We congratulate Karen and Deborah Busch, daughters of Horace and Anna Busch, who won 1st place ribbons in a tennis tournament held in Forest Park this summer. Karen also won 2nd place in another tournament, for which she will receive a trophy.

There was a big crowd on hand for the annual 28th Ward Democratic picnic in Forest Park. Members and friends got to meet former Gov. Hearnes, and Rep. James Symington, as well as see and talk to their own representatives in local and state politics: George Storey, Vinita Barbaglia, Steve Vossmeyer, John Roach, Horace Busch, Brendan Ryan, Larry Lee.

Happy news for Clarice and Julius Haynes on DeGiverville. Their daughter Pat was married in July and another daughter Michele will also be getting married soon. We wish them the best of luck.

6100 Westminster will be welcoming new neighbors soon—Mr. and Mrs. Matti Koskelas and their 3 teen-age sons from Finland, who’ll be living in Dennis and Donna Johnson’s home for a year while the Johnsons go to Finland in a teaching exchange. We hope all of you will make a point of meeting and welcoming our new neighbors.

Westminster is also losing some other fine neighbors, Relford and Gloria Patterson, who will be moving soon to Washington D.C. where he is working at Howard University. We will miss them very much and hope’ they’ll be very happy there.

One of our older neighbors, Mr. John Killoran, of the 6100 block of Kingsbury, recently moved into a nursing home and his house has been sold to Ron and Lynn Tilton and Lynn’s brother, Eric Friedman. We won’t forget Mr. Killron and hope our new neighbor will be happy on Kingsbury.

George and Karen Brown’s rehab on the 5800 block of Pershing has been sold to Mr. and Mrs. Asen, who’ve just moved in. Welcome to our neighborhood. And Ken Cohen’s rehab on Pershing has been sold to the Nehrings. Welcome!

Great Expectations on Westminster! In case he hasn’t told you yet, Gregory is about to become a “brudda”. Brad and Marge Weir have announced they are expecting in February. Since our editor insists on journalistic objectivity, we’ll hold down the coverage of that event to 3 or 4 columns. Congratulations to our friends the Weirs.

We’d best come to a screeching halt so we’ll bid you adieu til next month Don’t forget to let THE PAPER know your news in the coming months, so we can broadcast to the world.

Originally published in The Paper, September 1975.

Read this article in the original newspaper issue.