Turkeys and Pigs and Deer, OH MY!

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Jim

I have to apologize.

Between dealing with hurricane Sandy living here on the beach and also trying to recover from a horrible cold and sinus infection, I have been lax on posting anything to my blog these last few weeks. Fortunately, we were not hit to badly by the hurricane AND I have recovered from my recent illness and I am ready to prattle on aimlessly once again!

I cannot believe that it is almost the middle of November already! My wife is busy making plans for Thanksgiving and all of the sudden, I am staring at naked trees outside our windows. Fortunately, it’s so windy in our area most of the time, I am rarely faced with the daunting task of raking leaves.

As a child growing up in Duquesne, it was always a sure sign of the arrival of my favorite time of the year when I would look out of our dining room window and see a blanket of leaves covering our back yard. The sycamore in the yard had grown to such an immense size, that by the time I was in my teens, it towered over our two storied home. During the summer months, it provided a think umbrella of shade for the back yard and for the back half of the house. After turning a brilliant orange and yellow by October, an avalanche of leaves continued to bombard our yard until every last leaf had released its grip on even the smallest twig.

My dad was very diligent about keeping up with the leaves. Together, my brother, Dad and I would pack bag after bag of leaves. Of course, an obligatory swam dive or two into the largest piles of leaves would have to be landed by me and Steve before they were packed away into a bag. I can still remember that wonderful smell of the slightly damp and musty leaves that was part of the aroma of the season.

By the time that our seasonal raking chores were completed and the last leaf had been gathered, we were only days away from Thanksgiving. Heading into the first event in a season of holidays, Mom would be planning her part in the Volk Family’s Thanksgiving Day dinner at my grandparents. The menu was traditional American Thanksgiving Day cuisine and was rarely deviated from; turkey, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, canned corn, green beans, dinner rolls, and of course, pumpkin pie. I believe that this was perhaps the only family gathering where any vestige of hunky food was absent! There wasn’t a cabbage roll, pot of soup or poppy seed roll around!

I never really never gave the absence of good ol’ hunky food a second thought until recently. I always presumed that Thanksgiving was purely an American tradition. The story of the Pilgrims sharing their bounty with the Native Americans never mentioned “hunky hand grenades” or haluski as part of the menu. However, on a lark, I decided to do a bit of research into Slovakian traditions and found that there was an event that somewhat paralleled our Thanksgiving feast, “Zabíjačka,” pronounced za-bil’-yach-ka.

Although the literal English translation is “shambles,” its implied meaning is “slaughter.” Sound appetizing already, doesn’t it. After reading a recap of the traditions that are part of the event, I’ve come to the conclusion that this particular tradition was one that my grandparents were happy to leave in the “old country!” If there was any heartwarming  custom that could have been associated with this event, I was at a bit of a loss to find any after reading the recap below. Let me know what you think and if anyone recalls their parents following or talking about this tradition:

Slaughter (Zabíjačka)

One of the annual (or semi-annual) traditions in Slovakia is something called zabíjačka or slaughter. It’s the closest thing we have to the American Thanksgiving. The difference is that instead of killing a turkey, we eat a pig.

The whole ritual starts in late March, when people living in a village buy a pig (prasa). The small 30lb piglet is then fattened all summer long, and finally slaughtered once it gets to a respectable 200lbs. Of course, nowadays many folks do not have the yard (nor the patience) to raise a pig. As such, it is quite common to purchase an already pre-fattened pig. And if the family is small, to purchase just a half or a quarter of the porker.

Cleaning the Pig

Unlike with the case of Thanksgiving, there is no set “slaughter” date. However, there are two main slaughter seasons: in November (about a month before Christmas) and then again before Easter. On the day of slaughter (or the delivery of the pig), the whole family, friends and neighbors get together. The dead pig is placed on a wooden board, and a heat lamp is used to burn off all the hair. Then hot water is poured all over the pig to wash it. Finally, the head is chopped off and the belly is cut open.

The internal organs are then removed, including the intestines (črevá). Typically one woman would wash the intestines while another went about preparing lunch. The intestines have to be washed thoroughly, since they are to be used later as casings for sausages and hurky. They are rinsed off some 20 times, and then left to soak in water containing dissolved lemon, chopped onions and black pepper. The internal organs are cooked up into a soup (polievka or vývar) that is served for lunch. Small kidney dumplings (pečeňové halušky, dumplings made out of kidney meat mixed with flour) are mixed into it. And for the main course, there is baked meat (pečené mäso).

Making Sausages 

The real fun started after lunch: making of sausages. Men cut up the meat, grind it up, mix it with the various spices and filled the intestines. Meat from the lunch soup is used to make jaternica (rice sausage) and tlačenka (meaning “pressed meat” but known as head cheese). Other pig parts (including the feet and the tail) are turned into studenina and huspenina, dishes I have no desire to learn the recipe for. Finished sausages are left hanging from a stick overnight and then put in the smokehouse the following morning. Of course, all this involved plenty of drinking and merry good time. Dinner typically consisted of the sauerkraut soup (kapustnica) and more baked meat.

Smoking Meat

The smokehouse (udiareň) was a little wooden shed with a metal roof. It contained several horizontal sticks from which the meat could be hung. Several cinder blocks or bricks were placed on the bottom, and fire was started between them. A metal sheet with multiple holes punctured in it was placed over the bricks. The purpose of this sheet was to evenly distribute the smoke coming from the fire. Various types of wood were used, but my grandma used the plum (slivka) tree. The fire was kept low to produce a lot of smoke. The sausages were left in the udiareň for about 4 days.

While the sausages were smoking, the other meat was covered with salt and left to marinate in a wooden tub (korýtko). The juices that the meat let out were periodically poured again over the meat. Bacon (slanina) was treated the same way. It was also often seasoned with caraway. Meats were then smoked for some 5 or 6 days, until the bacon got yellow and the meat got golden. Smoked meat (údené mäso) was stored in a dark pantry (komora) where it would keep all winter long.

 

There was one part of OUR Thanksgiving each year that took place without fail. Part of Thanksgiving Day at my grandparents included my father and his brothers and nephews planning their “soon-to-be” transition into the “Great White Hunters” of Western Pennsylvania! Thanksgiving always meant the beginning of deer hunting season. Thousands of testosterone driven hunkys would soon descend upon the forested
areas of Pennsylvania to satisfy their annual primordial quest for “MEAT!”

The majority of my male cousins, my brother and I were never inclined to participate in this particular event. Perhaps we had seen Bambi one too many times or had viewed one too many doe-eyed deer heads on some wall. Whatever the reason, as great as my dad’s hopes were of bagging a 12-pointer each year, my mother, my brother and I remained behind hoping for the opposite result. Having a deer carcass hanging on our back porch awaiting butchering, didn’t conjure up that same warm and toasty feeling one would get from seeing a freshly cut Christmas tree awaiting its move into our living room. But then again, anything beats washing pig intestines!!

Happy Thanksgiving in advance!!

Posted in Autumntime, Food and Restaurants, Holidays - Non-Christmas and New Years, Hunky Celebrations, My Hunky Family, Parents | 10 Comments

Halloween – The LAZY Way!

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Jim

Due to the fact that I am still cleaning up after the recent visit from Hurricane Sandy, I am taking the lazy Hunky way out of posting a Halloween article by reposting a couple from recent years. My house didn’t suffer any damage, but just cleaning up branches, trees and  lots of windblown debris is taking some time. I hope you’ll forgive me for the rerun, but the sentiment is the same and memories still bring that warm and fuzzy feeling. – Jim

There are certain headlines and articles that I simply pass over when reading the newspaper, due to lack of interest or the fact that they don’t concern me. However, one such headline recently caught my eye. The headline announced that a community in Virginia had passed an ordinance that imposed a ban on trick or treating for children over the age of 12. The article went on to say that three teenage boys were being held for the shooting of another teen while they were “trick or treating.” The more I tried to search for more information about the event, the more similar events I found throughout the country. What a sad situation.

Having to ban teenagers from “trick or treating” was never necessary when I was a child. It almost became a rite of passage to be able to stop going door-to-door and begin being an “escort” for the younger kids. The thought of violence was wasn’t even a consideration. Good Lord, if we started any trouble, our parents would be the ones killing us!

Today in my office, one of my co-workers had a visit from her 4 year old daughter. This precious red-headed little girl was proudly wearing a plastic fireman’s hat. I asked where she had gotten it, and she told me a fireman and a fire truck had visited her pre-school today. Trying to hold her attention while her mom gathered some papers off of her desk to take home with her, I asked her if she had decided what she was going to be for Halloween. Her eyes grew as big as saucers with excitement, and she quickly informed me that she and her younger brother were going to be crayons. She was going to be the red one (of course) and her baby brother was going to be a “gween crayon.”

That very brief conversation with Kim’s little girl took me back to my own childhood and reminded me of how excited I would get anticipating Halloween. Planning what you were going to dress up as for Halloween was such a big thrill. I would think about it for weeks, trying to come up with the “perfect” costume that would scare everyone! Would I be a ghost, a monster, a Martian or maybe that scary Creature from the Black Lagoon? Half of the thrill of Halloween was deciding on your disguise.

By the week before the big event, I’d be so confused about what to be. That was about the time that my personal “reality check lady,” MOM, would step in and announce that I would be wearing the clown costume that my older brother had grown out of. A clown. How humiliating. And so went my childhood, my youthful attempt at creativity squashed by the reality of thriftiness! I was forever destined to be a living rerun of Halloween Past.

One event would always take my mind off of my costume issue each year. I always looked forward to carving a pumpkin with my dad at Halloween. He wouldn’t necessarily get the biggest pumpkin he could find, but I never remember being disappointed with its size. Dad would always do the cutting, and Stevie Joe and I would be the ones who had to dig into the slimy interior and remove all of the pumpkin’s “guts.” I can still remember the smell of fresh pumpkin “innards!” We would all discuss what the best and scariest face would be for the jack-o-lantern. Even though we would discuss different ideas, ours always looked the same. The simple fact was that my brother and I were never permitted to wield a sharp knife to carve it ourselves. Dad would always be the carver. We would sit and stare at Dad with every cut he would make. He really had an artistic touch and the pumpkin would always turn out very special. He wouldn’t be content with just putting a candle inside, but would often rig up a small lightbulb to light our jack-o-lantern instead. We’d place it at the top of our porch steps and religiously light it each evening at Halloween.

Once I had accepted my fate of forever wearing a hand-me-down costume each year and turned my attention to the strategic planning phase of Halloween. Along with my brother and cousins, Paula and Karla, the days before Halloween were spent planning our “attack” on the neighborhood. Which streets would provide the largest bounty? Which house had historically had the best treats and which would only give you those items that were low on the desirability spectrum? Chocolate bars and dimes were high on the list while apples and popcorn balls ranked rather low in my book. Of course, our strategy was often revised during the actual event since we would often discover a “mother lode” of treats at an unexpected residence.

Part of our plan was always to leverage the youngest member of our band of hunky trick-or-treaters, my cousin Karla. She was small, cute and a natural performer. She knew how to work the crowd and turned on just the appropriate amount cuteness, sweetness and innocence when the neighbor opened their door. Her curly blond hair left them defenseless and we were always bound to get a few extras in our bag as a result.

The area that the four of us would cover would be begin at Martin Street and would cover all points west over to Taft Street in West Mifflin. It included Thomas St, Mellon St., Iowa St., Ohio Ave., Texas Ave., Main Ave., Vermont Ave., and Highland Ave. I counted how many homes were in our “trick-or-treat zone” by using Google Maps which gives you satellite images of the homes. I was amazed when I counted nearly 200 homes! This number is pretty significant, since it was very rare that a home wouldn’t have their porch light burning to welcome the neighborhood kids.

Once we began our “mission” on Halloween evening, there was not stopping us. Just like a swarm of locusts, we would bravely walk up to every door and loudly announce “Trick or Treat?” Our bags would pop open and the goodies would be dropped in. Of course, we would all be making mental note of what we received and decided whether would return later or even attempt to go to their back door via the alley behind. I’m sure they knew what was going on if we did decide to go to their back door, but they never let us know or fail to give us another treat.

There were times when we were less than happy about a particular neighbor’s offering. However, we would NEVER be disrespectful or so rude as to say anything that would make our displeasure known to the grown-up. Our parents would kill us if they heard that we did. When our group’s youngest member, Karla, had just started going out with us on Halloween, we came upon a house that was giving out apples. Unfortunately, Karla was a bit too young to understand what the rules were. When she say an apple being dropped into her bag, she quickly and loudly blurted out…. “Yuck! An apple!” My sentiments exactly, and who better to express it? It still brings a smile to my face when I think about it.

By the time we had completed our route, we were all exhausted. During the course of the evening, one bag for candy was rarely enough. We someimes would need to run home for another bag or two as they became overloaded. Perhaps the hardest part of the evening was the return home from the top of Mellon Street. Carrying what seemed like a TON of candy, we would drag ourselves and our bags of candy back home.

You would think our night would be over, but that was not the case. After we got home, Dad and Mom would plop us in the backseat of our car and would then proceed to chauffer us around to every relative’s home to continue our Halloween escapades. With the size of our hunky family, this final part of the evening’s celebration would net us some extra special goodies! Of course, the time it took to visit all my relatives was considerable. After we knocked on their door and received our treats and displayed our costumes, Mom and Dad would have to converse with my Aunts and Uncles for a bit. The conversation usually lasted until we started whining or tugging on their clothes to get going or “idemo” as they say in Croatian.

Only after we had completed the rounds to all of our relatives could we finally return home and focus on one our most enjoyable tasks. My brother and I would go to separate areas of our living room and proceed to “process” all of the candy we had received. Processing meant dumping all of your goodies into a big pile and then separating the items into unique little groups of like items until all of the candy was matched with like kinds. This process took a while, but eventually we would end up with a neatly organized array of sugary treats in front of us.

The next, and most important task was to begin trading negotiations with my brother. Although I am told that it is un-American, I have always hated peanut butter. The taste and smell have always repulsed me. As a result of my disdain for peanut butter and all things nutty, the trading process was pretty clear cut. Steve and I would trade plain treats in return for nutty treats on a unilateral basis. There was never a need for discussion or argument. He’d get the my Snickers and I’d get his Milky Ways, Peanut Butter Cups were traded for 3 Musketeer Bars, and so on. The apples always went to Mom and our small penny candy items were joined together and stored in a brown paper bag for use in lunch bags throughout the fall and winter months. Popcorn balls were tossed out (sorry) and candy apples usually went to Mom or Dad since they enjoyed them so much. If there were any homemade treats, they were tested by Mom, not unlike the Royal Food Taster in days of yore.

Beside the candy treats, we would also have collected a few coins and some small novelty items. My favorite of the small items were the paper tattoos that you could moisten and place on your arm. When you peeled off the paper backing, you would be left with this really neat design on your arm. The design was usually an anchor, a cartoon character or even the classic “Mom” tattoo. Some of the other little toys we’d get were whistles, tiny yo-yo’s and an occasional Asian Finger Trap made of woven bamboo.

We were only permitted to have one or two pieces of candy on Halloween evening. She knew that we would be a bit too “energized” had we consumed more than one or two. As it was, by the time late evening rolled around, we were WAY too tired from our excursions to do much of any else. We would be so tired, that we didn’t even complain when we were told it was bedtime. Besides, the next day was my birthday, and Mom wouldn’t have the heart to deny me a few extra pieces of candy!

Allowing hundreds of children roam the streets after dark, often unsupervised, was never an issue. We were safe. The though of harming any of the children never crossed anyone’s mind. After all, we were all part of the village that raised us! We were home.

Occasionaly, I like to post articles that I think you might enjoy. As I was checking out The Duquesne Times, I came across the following picture and article about Halloween. The picture was published in 1951 and the article in 1959.

I don’t recall the events myself, but it sounds like the type of event that the good people of Duquesne would embrace. I hope you enjoy!

I would be very curious if you are among the children pictured in this 1951 photo. (To bad they didn’t have “spell check” in 1951. It looks like Halloween is mispelled twice. Once in the headline and once in the caption!) But, that makes it special. Since the caption is somewhat difficult to read, allow me to clarify:

Local adults and youngsters, bag in had, went door to door Haloween night for handouts from their generous neighbors. In the photo above looking for the “birdie” are Mrs. George Sabol, and sones George, Michael and Richard; Mrs. Chas. Miller, Mrs. John Connolly and children John and Joseph; Barbara Johnson, Ronnie Marko, MIchael Dennis Banik, and Patricia Nagy.

In the lower photo are Marjorie, Martha and Richard Jakubovics, Evelyn and Audrey Gracan, Michael Derkota, Barbara Bobuk, Eileen Benny, David and Judith Bartko, George and Richard Taylor, Jackie Dillinger, Joseph Black and Frank Barazda.

The article belows outlines a big Halloween event that took place in 1959. It sounds like an exciting time!

Posted in Autumntime, Holidays - Non-Christmas and New Years | 1 Comment

Duquesne – From Sea To Stormy Sea!

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Jim

I received an email from one of our favorite Duquesne buddies, Barry Long around 1 a.m. this morning. That was about 7 p.m. Saturday evening in Honolulu, where Barry lives at this time of year. Unbeknownst to Barry at the time he sent the email, Canada’s British Columbia had suffered a 7.7 magnitude earthquake, and as a result, a tsunami warning would be issued for Hawaii. Fortunately, the impact and tsunami warning were downgraded, and as of the time of this post, the danger has subsided. For more information on the tsunami, click here.

Here on the other side of the nation, Ocean City, MD and the entire Northeast United States is bracing for the impact of Hurricane Sandy. I purposely drove over to the Boardwalk along the ocean and was suprised at the fact although the wind was VERY strong, around 30-35 mph, there wasn’t any rainfall yet. The waves were really crashing, but there was an eerie calm along the Boardwalk.

I found it somewhat ironic that both Barry and I were both dipping our toes (so to speak) into Mother Nature’s stormy waters today at opposite ends of the nation. Certainly, Duquesne’s roots go deep!

With all of that said, Barry’s email contained a link to a YouTube video that I’m sure you’ll enjoy as a Duquesner and a Pittsburger (I’m claiming dual citizanship)! I began watching it early this morning and inspite of the ominous weather threats, I had a huge smile on my face and tears in my eye as I dabbed them with my “terrible towel.”

Thank you Barry, for this bit of sunshine on what is forcasted to be a very rainy day! We’re all so relieved that you’re safe from your threat!

YUNZ BE SAFE MY FRIENDS! Now, relax while you can, and enjoy the video:

Posted in Miscellaneous | 7 Comments

Testing Your Holy Name Memory

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Jim

OK my fellow Holy Namers and Duquesners, time to dust off some grade school memories!

I received the following question from one of our blog’s readers and need your help. I vaguely remember her grandfather’s name, but the part about the apartment threw me. Can anyone help Joanne? If so, please leave your comments and memories.

Jim,

I have been reading your blog for a long time.  I wondered if you remembered Edward and Gladys Byrne.  I believe that Edward was the janitor of Holy Name and I also think that they lived upstairs of the school (or church) in an apartment.  They were my grandparents, but my grandfather died when I was a little girl and I do not remember him that much.  My grandmother and uncles lived in Duquesne all their lives and I am very familiar with the streets and some of the merchants you talk about.  I think some of them went to Holy Name school and you may remember them.  Please let me know.  Thank you very much.

Joanne Belin

Posted in Church and School - Holy Name, Feedback From Our Friends, Parents | 8 Comments

DUQUESNE PENNSYLVANIA – THE SONG!

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Jim

Well, at long last I have tackled technology head on and have ome out the victor!! About three years ago, I recieved a Christmas gift from my wife that I was SO excited about. I received a turntable that would allow me to convert my record collection into digital files that could be used to make CD’s, play on my computer and use in a large variety of ways.

As excited as I was to receive the equipment, I became immediately baffled and frustrated during my attempts to actually USE the item. The directions were written in a way that it would take a Audio Engineer to understand. Although I tried and tried to connect it to my computer, I repeatedly failed. Rather than ASK someone for help, I did the typical guy thing and removed the turntable to my garage workbench, where it remained until this week.

As I was frantically searching for something through my rubbish junk treasures that I have stored in the garage, I came across the turntable and decided that it wasn’t going to get the better of me. Three years had been long enough for me to “cool off” after my initial frustration, so I decided I would tackle it once more.

Since the instructions for installation and use had long since been suck into the “black hole” that exists in my “Man Cave,” I had to resort to exploring the internet to locate on-line instructions. After sifting through some unrelated websites, I finally located the directions. I was able to print, read, comprehend, install and operate the turntable after 3 years of feeling defeated.

With all of that said, I am finally able to share the song by Hank Snow that I mentioned a long time ago, DUQUESNE PENNSYLVANIA. The song was on an album that was released in 1971 and titled Tracks & Trains. Hank Snow was noted for singing songs that had to do with railroads. This album was one of many that paid homage to trains and tracks.

I have a “romantic” theory about this particular song. As I researched Snow’s life, I was surprised to read that even though he was born in Canada, after becoming a US citizen, he served in the US Army. He was stationed at the same training base as my Uncle Mark Puskaric and during the same time frame. Since Uncle Mark was such a congenial guy, I have convinced myself that he befriended Hank Snow and told him stories about Duquesne Pennsylvania! This is further evidenced by the fact that Uncle Mark was stationed in Monterey California after his North Carolina stint. Once you read the lyrics, you’ll understand the connection. Again, this is pure conjecture on my part, and just a hunky fantasy!

So please, enjoy the following video that I created to honor our hometown, and let me know what you think!

Duquesne Pennsylvania 

Ruby VanNoy – Danny Samson

© Tree Publishing, BMI

 

A train in the rain is my claim to fame

Since I broke the chain that shackled my brain

To that woman insane way back in Duquesne Pennsylvania

But my only regret is that I can’t forget all the outstandin’ debts

That she ain’t paid yet and that fuzzy brunette

Who always said don’t sweat the small stuff

 

So I ride in the rain on this big ole train

Like a man with no name and my language profane

Cause my only domain is this freight to Monterey California

With the rain on my face with the wind in the chase

It’s an open shut case I’m a happy disgrace

To the life I misplaced way back in Duquesne Pennsylvania

 

A woman untrue is a hard bite to chew

And the feelin’ was new but I knew what to do so I quickly withdrew

Cause a woman’s ado can detain ya

Yes a word of advice is enough to suffice

And I won’t say it twice and even though she seems nice

It’s a big sacrifice just one toss of the dice can restrain ya

 

So heed my request use the utmost finesse

On the girl statuesque enjoy her caress

But don’t be outguessed for she may distress and defame ya

Now you’ve heard my claim and there’s more of the same

It’s a heck of a shame but you can’t win the game

So we’ll ride in the rain on the train from Duquesne Pennsylvania

 

A train in the rain is my claim to fame

Since I broke the chain that shackled my brain

To that woman insane way back in Duquesne Pennsylvania

But my only regret is that I can’t forget all the outstanding debts

That she ain’t paid yet and that fuzzy brunette

Who always said don’t sweat the small stuff

 

So I ride in the rain on this big ole train

 

**********

HANK SNOW BIOGRAPHY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Snow

Biography

Hank Snow, (also known as Hank, The Yodeling Ranger
Hank Snow or, The Singing Ranger) was born in Brooklyn, Queens County, Nova Scotia, Canada on May 9, 1914. He ran away from home to escape a brutal stepfather when he was 12 years old and joined a fishing boat as a cabin boy. When he was 14, he ordered his first guitar from an Eaton’s department store catalogue for $5.95, and played his first show in a church basement in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia at age 16. He then sang in local clubs in and around Halifax. He married Minnie Blanche Aalders in 1935 and had one son, Rev. Jimmy Rodgers Snow.

Canadian Years

A successful appearance on Halifax radio station CHNS led to Snow’s audition with the Canadian division of RCA Victor in Montreal, Quebec. In 1936, he signed with the label, staying for more than 45 years. A weekly CBC radio show brought him national recognition and, using the name, Hank, The Yodeling Ranger, and he began touring Canada until the late 1940s when American country music stations began playing his records.

Nashville Calls

Snow moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1945, and “Hank Snow, the Singing Ranger” (modified from his earlier nickname, the Yodeling Ranger), was invited to play at the Grand Ole Opry in 1950. That same year he released his hit, “I’m Moving On.” The first of seven number 1 hits on the country charts, “I’m Moving On” stayed at the top for 21 weeks, setting the all-time record for most weeks at number 1.

That same year ” “The Golden Rocket” and “The Rhumba Boogie” both hit number one with the latter remaining No. 1 for eight weeks.

Along with these hits, his other “signature song” was “I’ve Been Everywhere,” in which he portrayed himself as a hitchhiker bragging about all the towns he’d been through. This song was originally written and performed in Australia by Geoff Mack, and its re-write incorporated North American place names. Rattling off a well-rhymed series of city names at an auctioneer’s pace has long made the song a challenge for any singer.

While performing in Renfro Valley, Snow worked with a young Hank Williams.

In the February 7th 1953 edition, Billboard Magazine reported that Snow’s then seventeen year old son, Jimmy Rodgers Snow, had “signed with Victor” (RCA Victor Records). Billboard reported that the younger Snow would “record duets with his father”, as well as cover his own (presumably ghost-written) material.

Elvis

A regular at the Grand Ole Opry, in 1954 Snow persuaded the directors to allow a young Elvis Presley to appear on stage. Snow used Presley as his opening act and introduced him to Colonel Tom Parker. In August 1955, Snow and Parker formed the management team, Hank Snow Attractions. This partnership signed a management contract with Presley but before long, Snow was out and Parker had full control over the rock singer’s career. Forty years after leaving Parker, Snow stated, “I have worked with several managers over the years and have had respect for them all except one. Tom Parker (he refuses to recognise the title Colonel) was the most egotistical, obnoxious human being I’ve ever had dealings with.”

Later career

Performing in lavish and colourful sequin-studded suits, Snow had a career covering six decades during which he sold more than 80 million albums. Although he became an American naturalized citizen in 1958, he still maintained friendships in Canada and remembered his roots with the 1968 album, My Nova Scotia Home. That same year he performed at campaign stops on behalf of U.S. presidential candidate George Wallace.

Despite his lack of schooling, Snow was a gifted songwriter and in 1978 was elected to Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In Canada, he was ten times voted that country’s top country music performer. In 1979, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Nova Scotia Music Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985.

His autobiography, The Hank Snow Story, was published in 1994, and later The Hank Snow Country Music Centre opened near his ancestral home in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. A victim of child abuse, he established the Hank Snow International Foundation For Prevention Of Child Abuse.

Illness and Death

In 1996, Snow experienced respiratory problems and at 12:30am on December 20, 1999, he died from heart failure[4] at his Rainbow Ranch in Madison, Tennessee and was interred in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville. Minnie died on May 12, 2003 in Madison, Tennessee.

 

Posted in Duquesne Talent, Life in General, Movies, Music, Radio and TV | 13 Comments

All In The Name Of Progress???

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Jim

I received a wonder email from Michael Ferchak that shared many of his recollections about his youth in Duquesne. Mike grew up on Chestnut Street, off of Center Street. I attempted to find an image of Mike’s home, but not knowing the address came up empty handed. I checked the 1940 Census since the 1950 Census has yet to be published on in US Archives, but no Ferchak listed on Chestnut St. (Mike, do you remember your house number on Chestnut?)

Mike asks a lot of questions about “What happened?” to our hometown. I am sure we all constantly scratch our heads wondering the same thing!

I graduated from Holy Trinity in 1963. We lived on Chestnut Street, a dead end off Center St, above Oak. There were a lot of kids in just one block: Bobby & Donna Namejo, Richard & Kathy Erikson, Lori Carcho, Terry & Jill (Butcher?), Andy “Duke” Dyakan, 5 Cimbala’s–Charlotte, Eddie, Carl, Marlene & Johnnie, Valerie (Lagan?), Jim & Steve “Sandy” Skalican, whose dad Steve had a body shop in the alley. There was a vacant church at the top of the hill and I can recall the steeple being removed.  There was a mom and pop store on every corner, Ivan’s Market at the top of High Street, near the Valiknac’s (Vilma went to HT and her older brother Tommy, a really nice kid).

We moved to West Mifflin in 1957, Mellon St in Duquesne Annex, a block from the fire hall  & the Village Tavern, where you could get a fish sandwich for 35 cents, which was so big it would feed 4 of us for Friday dinner.
My brother, Damian and I had a paper route on Crawford, Maryland, Burns & Wools streets in Duquesne, where we delivered the McKeesport Daily News. The paper cost 6 cents. We had about a hundred customers and most of the tipped at Christmas.  Nice Mrs. Bedont (who also owned the market on Crawford across from the Union Grill, I think) tipped us every week. We earned a penny on every paper we delivered. Most of our customers were nice, some crabby and a couple were disagreeable, demanding or just deadbeats.  One guy insisted that we deliver the paper around back up the back porch steps, when his front door was two steps off the front walk. I was chased by dogs a few times, and I still don’t like them. Damian and I also  worked at the Duquesne Isaly’s in the late 60’s but that’s a story for another time.

 But why was the thriving business district demolished and replaced with a cheesy strip mall? Alexander’s market, Woody’s drugs, 5 & 10, Feig’s Bakery, Plaza Theater where admission was 25 cents, Stone’s and Levine’s–2 hardware stores, Jerry & Bud’s donut shop and the shoe store (Karen’s) where you could see your toes though a real X-ray machine!!! All gone.

Michael Ferchak

I posted the following article from The Duquesne Times that was published on 5/26/1960. I remember how the redevelopment seriously impacted my father’s service station on North 2nd Street. To his dying day, he never got past the fact that his livelihood was taken away from him as a result of “eminent domain” and the Redevelopment, and it yielded a parking lot as a result.

I understand that the current strip center located on what was South 2nd Street is destined for a renovation of sorts. If anyone has information that they would like to share about the chamges that are supposed to occur, please share them with us.

Posted in Church and School - Holy Trinity, Duquesne Buildings, Feedback From Our Friends, Stores and Businesses | 7 Comments

Kennywood From A Parent’s Perspective

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Jim

Get ready for a treat!

There is a series of Youtube videos that are absolutely delightful and hysterical titled “The Pittsburgh Dad.” The videos are like mini-Situation Comedies about living in the area. The video below is the latest and will definately bring back some memories from the images throughout the park. Let us know what you think!

Thanks you Colleen Travis for tipping me off to this video!

Posted in Kennywood, Movies, Music, Radio and TV | 2 Comments

Bernadette Lucas – In God’s Arms

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Jim

A former classmate of mine from Holy Name has passed away. The feeling I had when I read the news was one of great sadness. I have not had contact with Bernadette since we finished 8th grade in 1965, however I remember her and her family very well. I believe that she lived on 7th St. during her childhood. I secretly had a “crush” on Bernadette during grade school. I remember her mom used to help serve breakfast on First Fridays, standing behind the counter in the cafeteria and dishing out those wonderful maple rolls.

To learn of a childhood friend’s passing is a new experience for me. It is certainly one that I will need to deal with in the future, and that will be increasingly difficult.

God be with you Bernadette. My deepest sympathies to your entire family during this difficult time. Know that all of your Holy Name classmates are praying for you and know that you are now at rest in God’s embrace.

Remembrance
Remembrance is a golden chain
Death tries to break,
but all in vain.
To have, to love, and then to part
Is the greatest sorrow of one’s heart.
The years may wipe out many things
But some they wipe out never.
Like memories of those happy times
When we were all together.
~ Author Unknown

Bernadette E. Lucas, 61, of Dillsburg, passed away Saturday, September 22, 2012, at the Manor Care Health Services, York.
She was born February 26, 1951, in Pittsburgh, the daughter of Bernard Lucas of Duquesne and the late Betty Ziele Lucas.
Bernadette was a retired Vice Principal in the Midd West School District and was a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Mechanicsburg.
She is survived by two sons, Jorma Z. Lucas of Dillsburg, Paul G. Werntges of Charleston, SC; two daughters, Bernadette G. Werntges of Baltimore, MD, Renee E. Werntges of Dillsburg; one brother, Brian Lucas of Midland, TX; and two sisters, Barb Daniels of Midland, TX and Bonni Hayford of Jacksonville, FL. She also leaves behind three grandchildren, Madeleine Lucas, Scarlett Werntges and Dahlia Payne.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, September 27, 2012, at 10:00 am in her church, 310 Hertzler Rd., Mechanicsburg, PA with the Rev. Monsignor William J. King as Celebrant. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Mechanicsburg, PA. A viewing will be held Wednesday from 7-9 pm in the Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc., 30 N. Chestnut St., Dillsburg, PA.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Heartland Hospice, 3417 Concord Rd., Suite C, York, PA 17402. An online guestbook can be signed at www.cocklinfuneralhome.com

Published in Patriot-News on September 25, 2012

Posted in Church and School - Holy Name, Duquesne's Special Citizens | 5 Comments

Duquesne Dateline – May, 1956

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Jim

What a thrill! Yesterday I received an email from Bob Vislay that brought to mind an event in Duquesne’s history that I had nearly forgotten about. Along with his recollections from the event, Bob also sent pictures from his personal archives that hauntingly recall the chaos that followed the tornado of May 13, 1956.

I was only 4 1/2 years old when the tornado occurred, however I remember that my parents and brother Steve had been somewhere away from home when event took place. I recall coming down the road from St. Joe’s Cemetery and my dad saying “It got our chimney,” and it certainly had! The chimney had toppled over and had fallen in our side yard. Aside from that, our home sustained little other damage other than some snapped branches from our sycamore.

In addition to Bob’s note and photos, I have also posted the event recap from The Duquesne Times along with a few other tidbits from that same edition of the paper that I thought you’d enjoy! Be sure to let us know your recollections of the tornado! And PLEASE, if you have any photos or stories in those albums, scrapbooks or boxes of photos you’ve tucked away a long time ago, drag them out and share your memories with us!

Jim,

Digging thru my archive of “memories & pictures”, I ran into the ones of the Tornado.

I remember being awaken by my mother one night, saying we are having a bad storm and had to rush down to the cellar. Turns out that on that May night in 1956, Duquesne had a tornado. I have little memory of the sounds of the storm, but I can recall seeing the damage around town. There were a number chimneys blown down, and the roof blown off of The Bus Company building. You may remember the big building next to the city dump. I certainly remember the damage along W. Grant Ave. between 5th and 6th Streets.

I have attached a few pictures. The brick building at the corner of 6th and Grant was three story until the tornado. You can see the damage looking down Grant Ave.

Thought I would share…

Posted in Duquesne Buildings, Duquesne History, Feedback From Our Friends, Historic Events, Springtime | 6 Comments

The September Of Our Years

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Jim

The past week has been very hectic for me, so I apologize for not posting anything to my blog. However, in my feeble attempt to make-up for my lapse, I thought that it would be fun to take a look back to events that were happening in Duquesne during this week in September.

Thankfully, The Duquesne Times has provided me with a wealth of history and trivia about our hometown. For instance, did you know that 100 years ago, the citizens of Duquesne had a local football team – The Thunderbolts??? I haven’t been able to find out if they were school or league affiliated, but I’m working on that.

So enjoy the following articles and moments in time……………….

SEPTEMBER 1912

SEPTEMBER 1922

SEPTEMBER 1932

SEPTEMBER 1942

SEPTEMBER 1952

Posted in Duquesne History, Life in General, Miscellaneous, Sports | 13 Comments