By Jennifer Thompson
Editor, Good Old Days
Hurrah, its June - summer is here! The days are longer now, and there is so much to do outdoors. In my family, the farm is a busy place in the summer. There is fencing to be fixed, a large yard to be maintained, livestock to take care of, and hay season is steadily approaching. We are grateful for the daylight left at the end of the work day that may lend to an hour or two of fishing, perhaps.
June is certainly a time for family. There is usually a wedding to go to this time of year, and most likely a family reunion. Don’t forget the weekend barbeques or, in my family, the Weenie Roast after dark! Some of my fondest memories of my childhood bring me back to these summer nights: my folks cooking outdoors, my sister and I playing Red Rover with our cousins and waiting for the night to fall so we could chase the fireflies, and play hide and seek in the dark.
And what else is so important about June? Its Fathers Day! In indulging in my reminiscence of days past, I realize my memories wouldn’t be as sweet without Dad. I think of these summer nights, surrounded by family, and I remember how much fun my Dad could be. He would play his old records, and he and Mom would dance in the yard. Funny how something that seemed so embarrassing as a child could grow into such a fond memory!
Then he would sit on the porch listening to the sounds of the country, birds, tree frogs, and coyotes in the distance; and after his appropriate moments of silence, just taking it all in, he would tell great stories of history, or of his family. I am so honored to have my father, who I regard as a man of great intelligence and wisdom.
My father was normally a quiet man, but when he spoke he really had something to say. He could make sense of something that would trouble you, with an answer that seemed so simple, yet profound. It was really something special to see a man work hard every day, not only at an automobile plant and on the farm, but with all of the housework as well, and to be so content. I learned from my father the value of a hard days work and the satisfaction it can bring. I inherited from him as well the enjoyment of a summer night, spent on the back porch, listening to the sounds and feeling the breeze.
This Fathers Day, spend some really quality time with Dad, if you are fortunate enough to still have him around. I know I’ll be looking forward to it, the barbeque and old records, then a quiet evening on the back porch. I;ll enjoy the shared moments of silence, followed by great conversation. And I’ll take it all in, and treasure those times forever.
Hope you all enjoy this months issue, and remember that July is around the corner, so if you have any stories about Independence Day or about Summer, please post those on the message boards or send us a letter, and we will be happy to include your memories in our July issue!
Jennifer Thomspon
It Happened This Month
390 Years Ago
June 1613
June 29:
Londons original Globe Theatre burned down during the first performance of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII when a cannon was fired upon the arrival of King James, thus catching the straw roof on fire.
300 Years Ago
June 1703
June 28: Birthday of John Wesley, founder of the Methodist religion.
100 Years Ago
June 1903
June 2: Birthday of physicist Robert Morris Page, inventor of pulse radar.
June 16: The Ford Motor Company was incorporated.
The Pepsi Cola Company registered its trade name.
June 25: Birthday of British author George Orwell (birth name Eric Arthur Blair).
June 28: Birthday of Alan Bunce, actor, Albert of Ethel & Albert.
75 Years Ago
June 1928
June 4: Birthday of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, author and sex therapist.
June 7: Birthday of Randolph Turpin, boxer. He died in 1996.
June 8: The first flight between the United States and Australia occurred.
June 12: Birthday of singer Vic Damone (Vito Farinola) His songs include On the Street Where You Live, You Were Only Fooling, and An Affair to Remember.
June 17: Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean; her flight was between Newfoundland and Wales, completed in about 21 hours.
June 22: Birthday of comedian Orson Bean.
50 Years Ago
June 1953
June 1: Acting debut of Raymond Burr on ABC-TVs The Mask of Medusa. He later became the star of Perry Mason.
Birthday of Ronnie Dunn, country singer of Brooks and Dunn.
Birthday of David Berkowitz, serial killer known as Son of Sam.
June 2: The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was broadcast, and become one of the first international news stories to be given complete television coverage, included on all three American networks.
June 8: The Supreme Court ruled that Washington D.C. restaurants could not refuse to serve blacks.
June 10: Birthday of U.S. Senator, John Edwards.
June 13: Birthday of actor, Tim Allen.
June 19: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed by electric chair at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York, after having been convicted of conspiring to pass U.S. atomic secrets to the Soviet Union.
Birthday of Larry Dunn, formerly of the band Earth, Wind, and Fire.
June 24: Senator John F. Kennedy announced his engagement to Jacqueline Bouvier.
June 30: The first Corvette is manufactured on the assembly line in Flint Michigan. This Corvette sold for $3,250
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Do you know when you’re at peace with something? Chances are, its when you can look at an issue, person, or problem and feel no charge, no subtle or sudden surge of emotion. But peace is something more. It’s about balance, an inner certainty that you are untouched by it, him, or her. The peace-check is a key element in gaining closure, in ascertaining that the situation is fully resolved.
~The late Shale Paul, Personal Effectiveness Coach
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Readers Comments
Purpose of Legacies?
Just to clarify, is the purpose of legacies to preserve all stories of people who grew up within a certain timeframe? Or does it focus mainly on war memories?
Thanks,
Sally
Reply
The goal behind U.S. Legacies is to preserve the lifestyles and memories of everyone, however our main priority are the individuals that grew up using kerosene lanterns, wood cook stoves, a horse and buggy or even traveled in a covered wagon. However, we also have special sections dedicated to preserving the stories of soldiers that helped keep our land free and their family members.
Since the years continue to pass much to quickly, we are also starting to include stories containing childhood memories from people that grew up during the 1940s and 1950s because we want to make sure we gather as many true life memories as possible before people leave us and take their priceless memories with them.
Thanks,
Cathy Smith
Editors Note: That time frame has changed greatly since this article was first published in 2003.
Radios
I have read several comments in the past about the use of battery powered radios prior to having electricity. I would like to know how they recharged the batteries and how many hours a radio would run on a charged battery?
Thanks,
Tom Knapp
Lucky Strike Green
Many years ago, I heard that Lucky Strike Cigarettes used to be in a green package, but during the war, they changed to the white package because the green dye was needed for the war effort. Does anyone know what year they changed the color of their packages?
Thanks!
David Miller
Brownie Camera
I can remember having a Brownie camera when I was a kid, but does anyone know when home style cameras first became available to the average family?
Thanks,
Frank T.
USL Co-Ops?
Since I started receiving your magazine last fall, I have thoroughly enjoyed it and shared it with other members of my family, as well as telling others about it. With each issue, improvements in content & quality are certainly noticeable!
As I’m sure interest in your work is spreading more quickly every day (especially via Internet), maybe I am covering items you’ve already considered, but there are numerous groups and clubs, even other publications (noting that you are non-profit and all-volunteer) who would surely welcome sharing info with you. For obvious reasons, may I suggest you initiate co-ops with the following:
Classic Car clubs (nationwide)
Genealogy groups & publications
Oprah Magazine
Red Hat Society (women over 50 = they all have stories to tell!)
Reminisce Magazine (c/o Reiman Publications)
Reunions Magazine
Veterans organizations and publications (VFW, American Legion, and Retired Officers magazines).
One item many people probably ask about is if back issues are available and at what cost? New subscribers most certainly would be interested in what they missed because they didn’t find out about you sooner. Can they be sold as [sets] (by Volume/Year, or from Issue #1 to whenever a subscription starts)? Have you thought of compiling them into books? Such sets or books could be purchased by family members for relatives or donated (gifted) by sponsors to nursing home, libraries, et al.
P.S. Thank you for using mailing envelopes! As your magazines are surely keepsakes for those who wish to share/pass on/refer to over and over, this definitely helps preventing any damage to them on route.
Guest
Reply
Thank you very much for your compliments on the procedures we have implemented so far and for your ideas relating to additional improvements. We are always looking for ways to continue improving the quality of our magazine and the exposure we receive. We are posting your comments in hope that our volunteers and subscribers will compose letters to the various organizations and publications within their realm of contact, as well as possibly inspire them to submit their own ideas for improvements.
In regard to your comment about selling back issues, we do offer individual copies of back issues for $3.50 each, plus we are currently looking for suppliers to make a nice folder that will hold and preserve 12 issues. As soon as we find a company to supply us with an appropriate folder, we will be happy to take advantage of your suggestion and offer books containing 12 back issues.
Again, we thank you for your suggestions and would like to encourage our other readers to submit their own ideas. For together, we are a family of historical preservationists, and what greater history can we preserve, then the history and memories of our own family.
Franklin T. Wike, Jr.
Executive Editor
U.S. Legacies
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To My Father
Dedicated to My Father
and All Fathers
By Dr. Zoe L. Simmons
Ever since I was little,You’ve shown me you were there
In case I ever needed you
When life wasn’t playing fair.
I can’t imagine life
Without your gentle touch,
And if you left me,
I would miss you very much.
You’re the only person
Who’s truly always there
In both good and bad times,
When I’ve shown despair.
You’re the only person who
Knows what I’ve been through,
And throughout every hardship
Your friendship has shone true.
Through your every guidance,
I’ve grown so strong
For your love has steered me
Away from what is wrong.
I will call you my father,
I’ll also call you my friend,
And the love that stands between us
Never will end.
Published in U S Legacies Magazine June 2003
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