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  OUR BELMONT, late 20's to approximatelyl 1960

A open collective oral history of our memories

Edition of February 1, 2008

 
The fiftieth reunion of my class of 1950 stirred many memories and a great deal of correspondence before and after the Oct 2000 reunion. That inspired me to write memoirs of my days in Belmont. And not to let other's contributions disappear into cyber vapors, I incorporated many in my narratives.

My first memoirs of growing up in Belmont 1932-1960 grew to the point I submitted it to the Belmont Historical Society Archives. Others who contributed were Roy Scammell, Barbara Dow Elwell,  Larry Maletta, Dick Bolles, Mary Hart Duffy,

My second treatise, pond hockey,  Belmont, Mass. 1940-1953 has drawn attention beyond  Belmont circles as the topic of pond hockey in the US and Canada has reached the point where a movie on it will come out in 2008.

Bit by bit fond recall of Christmas in Belmont, 1937-1960 has come together.

Having been a lifelong "car nut" I have documented my Memories of Vehicles in Belmont 1937-1960. Inspired by my participation in car clubs, forums and selling old car magazines off my site.

After acquiring a list of Belmont veterans deceased while in service in all wars, I started my Veterans Memorial page.

My notes on the fine book, "Images of Belmont" published in 2000 by the Belmont Historical Society

St. Joseph's 1944 Altar Boys Photo

Some related links:

I made my first trip since 1989 to Massachusetts in July '99 and visited my brother on Beacon Hill and my only cousin in Gloucester. Ed Benz called me in May in response to my inquiries about our Harvard Class of '54 reunion.

I have had my yearbook handy all these years and my four kids are familiar with it. About a dozen years ago, one daughter in law exclaimed, 'what happened to people, everyone looks so bright and intelligent?'

I answered, "pre television". (which I haven't had in my home since 1987.)

I emigrated to the Ozarks from Anaheim, California in 1991. Around Thanksgiving 1998 I visited my four kids, three grandchildren and some friends in southern California.

It was rewarding to see a 'new' daughter-in-law, three homes my kids had acquired and my youngest son, Andy, who was in the Navy when I left California. I chatted with my ex, Anne (Iwanowicz, Wakefield High, 1954, Skidmore and Boston University) who has always loved California since North American Aviation moved us there in 1963.

I landed a foreclosure here before 'everyone else' discovered the area so for less than $25,000 I got a 2000 sq ft, albeit 90 year old home, a 40 by 40 barn of the same vintage and five acres, four now in beef/fescue production.

I joined all the local civic clubs and ran for state representative in 1996 so I haven't been an obscure 'ex Californian'. In fact I shattered all local precedent by doing so. It helped 'get to know' people and 'be known'.

I had a 'stopover' in northwest Arkansas, renting a house in 'retired Bella Vista' for five months in 1991. Living amongst golf carts and people who had NO interest in the area did not appeal to me. It was back to the real world moving here to a cattle and feed raising village of 166 (never been larger, nor smaller since founded in 1884). It''s a German Lutheran community, of which I am neither.

I hadn't seen a hockey game since my bad knee forced my 'early retirement' in 1987 until I visited four ice rinks in southern California and watched kids from 4 to 14 play. It brought back fond memories. Since then I discovered ice hockey 70 miles south of me which inspired me to put up my HOCKEY HOME web pages for my experiences and some current good links for amateur hockey. I tried to play but to date my legs have been too shaky. New rinks are being built within 35 miles so I'm holding on to my equipment.

It seems redundant to say I am retired, since essentially I have not had a 'day job' since 1981 when I took a disability retirement. My health is good but I've had some 'setbacks' which some doctors said I got through because I was 'too mean to die', and never smoked.


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