As kids growing up in Newark, we had no
time for getting into trouble or being bored. We found things to
do. We played stick base ball in the street, where the sewers were
the bases, kick the can, hide and seek and if nothing else we listened
to the radio,"The Lone Ranger", "Sam Spade"
and "Lux Presents Hollywood". If all else failed, we went
to the movies.
We looked forward to rain and snow days. If the weather was to
bad, the fire bell would ring and we did not have to return to school
after lunch, (At 14th Avenue School). My mother would take my sister an
I to the Congress theater, on South Orange Avenue, between Fairmount
Avenue and Camden Street. The movies was 25 cents and for 5 cent
more the adults could receive a piece of dinner ware. Needless to
say we made dinner sets, which until today we have few pieces left.
It was one of these rain days that my mother took us to see"Gone
With The Wind" at he Lowes , downtown Newark. Sometimes my
mother would send us to the Congress, where we would meet up with
my cousins and Grandfather. He would get the piece, forget it was
on his lap and fall asleep. The kids in the movies would go wild,
clapping and screaming every time some dropped a piece. We would
get to see two features, a news reel, coming attractions and one
episode of "Flash Gordon"
It was a real treat when my father would take the family downtown
in his car on Sunday to the movies, the Paramount, Lowes, Brandfort
or the Adams, these were the big theaters. We would see a movie
and a stage show, I can remember the big bands, Harry James, Cab
Calloway and many more.
On the way home we would stop at Prince Street and get pickles,
pickled tomatoes, corn beef and Indian nuts in the shell, today
called pinoli.
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