Whistles, Horns & Bells in Antwerp
By: Stan Jordan
If you grew up in the Antwerp area, you’ve heard all of the above. That noise was for the good of the people and not meant to make them uncomfortable.
For years the East Elevator blew a steam whistle at 12:00 noon. I suppose that if you were out in the field, it was time to go in for dinner. For years the siren at the fire house sounded at 12 and 6 o’clock. All my life at 6:00 p.m. the bell on St. Mary’s Church would ring. Now, that was a welcomed sound, as it was quitting time; going home time; rest and recreation. It took the place of a big clock on Main Street.
In one of my art classes in school, we had a picture of a painting of some big time artist of the 17 or 18 hundreds that showed a man and wife in work clothes and shoes out in the field, bowed in prayer. In the back ground a ½ mile away was a village and a church steeple, and the church bell was ringing and telling the folks, the work day was over.
This painting was done in 1857 by Jean Francois Millet. It was called “The Angelus”.
The Angelus is a catholic devotion commemorating the Incarnation. It is usually accompanied by the ringing of the Angelus Bell, which is a call to prayer and to spread good will to everyone.
This picture might lead you to believe these are poor people, with the sacks of potatoes, the wheel barrow, the potato lift fork and the hard work. But if they own the land in the back ground to the village, they are pretty well off.
It wakes up your imagination. I have enjoyed this painting and what it brings across, all my life.
Credit to Wikipedia.
See ya!
Toys in the Park
By: Stan Jordan
This picture is from the Ted Mendez collection.
Down at the park most of the toys were installed in the early 1930’s, but this picture shows a merry-go-round. I have no idea when this was installed (the picture was taken in 1953). I figure it was installed after 1950 because I never played on it and by now WWII was done.
As I understand it is a fun thing. I think the risk of injury on it was quite high and that type of merry-go-round have been sort of outlawed by the insurance people.
See ya!
Halloween
By: Stan Jordan
It is nearly the end of October and that means Halloween is upon us. It is a time for kids to have a ball.
The kids will be dressed in their favorite something.
They have a costume for everything … good guys, bad guys, pirates, ghost and about any cartoon character you can imagine, even a scarecrow. There is no end for these little people and their ideas, of course mom helps out too, ya know.
I understand trick or treat night will be on Saturday, October 27th from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.
See ya!
The Hot Dog
By: Stan Jordan
I am going to do a column on my favorite…the American hot dog.
The name “hot dog” comes from the old German people who came to America and were butchers and worked with selling fresh meat. They brought over the long thin dogs called dachshund and some smaller sausages called “dachshund” or “little dog”. Over the years those Germans and American meat handlers called the long drawn out thin sausages the hot dog because the dachshund was long and thin.
To me, the hot dog is an icon as much as the Statue of Liberty. I can enjoy a good hot dog in any fashion…boiled, baked, roasted, pickled…any way, even raw. Some new people make them out of soy beans, turkey, beef, all pork, probably even chicken. But I still want the old fashioned kind, the original hot dog, made of bits of pork.
When you go to a sporting event, like a ball game, or any game of that type, you crave a good hot dog. The memory stays with you all of your life. You will always remember, “Dad and I went to the game and had a hot dog”.
Oh yes, a burger is fine or even a BLT, but nothing compares to or stays in memory like a good ole hot dog.
What is a backyard cookout or on the patio or a picnic in the park, without a hot dog or two of any type? The lowly hot dog is part of your growing up, just like little league or T-ball.
You can call them Coney dogs or chili dogs or corn dogs, or maybe a footlong hot dog…it is American any way you enjoy it.
I understand there are over 21 billion hot dogs eaten in America each year! It is estimated in America each year over the July 4th weekend alone that 155 million hot dogs are consumed.
See ya!
More on drugs
By: Stan Jordan
It’s only been a week or so since I wrote about drugs, but the drug problem is getting to be ridiculous, not only nationwide but right here in our area.
The murder here just the other day, is assumed to be drug related. For some reason or other, a young fellow shot an older man. I assume a drug deal gone bad. Now that is one you heard about, but how many of those drug deals go on each day, that we don’t hear about?
I’m sorry to say but parents are not doing a good job on helping to keep their kids out of drugs. Like it or not, right here in this area there are too many juveniles being arrested for drug use. At the very least, that is on your record all your life, plus any other charges. Kids just don’t realize that their record with the bad marks goes with them all their lives. You cannot serve in the military and a factory doesn’t want you. You have two strikes against you if you do drugs.
See ya!
Steve and I
By: Stan Jordan
Yesterday, the 3rd of October, Steve Knapp and I went for a drive over in Indiana, mostly in Scipio Township.
Steve grew up in that area and for 34 years, a couple generations ago I was the mailman in some of that country and we sure had a fine afternoon.
We went up the Worden Road and it is quite different there now. There used to be about 10 houses on that mile and I think now there were only four left. I remembered where those houses were and who lived there, and Steve knew all those people also.
Then we went on over to The Center Scipio School. He attended that school for a few years, then he went into Harlan for a couple of years and then to Woodlan.
The school house was built in 1880 and is still standing, of course it shows its age, but to Steve, it brought back a lot of memories and we sat there and he told me about some of the antics they pulled. Steve had attended the school at South Scipio also, but that school was torn down years ago, but he had stories to tell.
Then we went down the Scipio Road and noticed a few houses were gone and some new ones were built. We traveled the Knapp Road and some of the Antwerp – Harlan Pike. What we noticed was all the lawns were nice and green and all the area was mowed up nice. Those riding lawn mowers have really decorated the rural areas. Everything is mowed up nice.
We traveled the Notestine Road and then State Line Road a ways. We visited Diehl Cemetery and then the River Road back to town. I’m telling you, we really enjoyed that trip.
Why don’t you take a ride into the country?
See ya!
