My father Abraham Ratner had a store on
Orange Street during the 50s called Ratner's. In the store we sold
candy, magazines, sodas, ice cream and all types of shakes. Sodas
were made at the fountain with syrup and seltzer.Ice cream sundaes
cost 25 cents.My mom was a terrific soda jerk. Although we were
Jewish, my father every Easter would make the greatest Easter baskets,
and I would bug him until he made me the biggest one!
Next door to our store was a flower shop called Rupps Flower Shop
and at the very corner of Roseville and Orange was the Wonderbar.
If you turned right and walked up a short distance you would see
Roseville Avenue School,which I attended up until 7th grade.
Unfortunately, I do not have very fond memories of Pig Tail Alley.
Bullies would think nothing of getting you in that back alley to
fight. Thank goodness my parents worked very close by.
Across the street from Ratners was a very nice Greek diner where
we used to get our sandwiches. Next to the Greek diner was a shoe
stand where a fellow would stand there all day and shine shoes.
To the left side of the Greek restaurant about a couple of doors
up was a dress shop called Tallins . It just so happened that the
Tallins had a daughter who eventually married my brother and for
a while my brother branched out from my father's store to becoming
a small toy store on the same side of the street.
Up the street on Orange Street was St. Rose of Lima Church.
I remember across the street was the drug store. Across the street
from where I lived on Roseville Avenue was the railroad station.
At Roseville Avenue School I had such teachers as Mrs. Goldberg(4th
grade) who really was my inspiration for becoming an elementary
teacher. She never had any children but we were her children. She
and her husband would always travel,and bring in the pictures to
show us.
Roseville Avenue School was a tough school for me but somehow I
got through it. I could not believe it when going on the internet
one day, I saw that Roseville Avenue is still there today.
I also went to Sussex Avenue School. I had to walk past Boys Vocational
School to get there. I was there the year that Buddy Holly died
in the plane crash.
I first lived on Roseville Avenue above Tetta's Shoe Repair. He
would make me so happy by giving my friends and I the old heels
of shoes so we could play hopscotch. Between playing jump rope,
hopscotch and jacks, we had it made. Quite different from today's
recreation. Afterwards, I lived on 6th Street up from the Police
Station.
I have not been down that area since I left in 1959 when my father
took sick and had to sell our store. We also had loads of parades.
There was always a parade going on. I remember them with joy. They
were lots of fun to watch.
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