Of Maxwell Park
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www.macarthurmetro.org TIM CHAPMAN Daffodils throughout our neighborhoods. See stories on pages 3 and 4. A Community Newspaper • P.O. Box 19046, Oakland, CA 94619 • (510) 287-2655 Serving the neighborhoods from Fruitvale Avenue to Seminary Avenue and from Foothill Boulevard to Warren Freeway since 1989 Volume 17 Number 2 March 2005 A “Rosie the Welder” of Maxwell Park B Y P AT P ATTERSON one afternoon, when Mary A friend’s suggestion guided welding torch, with two men mentioned her days of welding her to California for more prom- backing her up holding the ships in the ’40s. Turns out that ising work. She left to go west tanks and hose. Many times PAT PATTERSON onversation with Mary Weinhandl, my 93-year-old she was a “Rosie the Riveter,” with only a suitcase and her she welded lying flat on her Cnext-door neighbor, is or in her case, a welder, an children. back, doing the ceilings and always a learning experience, equally important role in the She landed a job with Moore other close spots. an ongoing supply of life les- shipbuilding days of World Shipbuilders around 1943. “There were inspections of sons, all for the price of decades War II. “Rosies” were women She was the only woman in our work regularly, and I would of friendship. The stories flow who worked in shipyards like her unit of 15 men. She was always get high marks for my of good old days in Oakland, those in Richmond and Oak- issued a heavy brown suede clean and accurate welds,” of happy times, of raising her land as increasing numbers of jacket, pants, a welder’s hood, she proudly states. family, of tough war times. men joined the armed services. and steel-toed work boots, to When a ship was finally For 30 years we’ve conversed Over six million women from protect from the intense sparks christened, a huge crowd of in our gardens (hers, the best in all backgrounds, and from all and heat. welders, riveters, and other Maxwell Park), talking about over the country, worked at Her job was to help construct builders would assemble, with everything from raising children industrial jobs that challenged whole metal rooms that would all the big shots present for to canning plums. She’s no light- traditional notions of women’s become kitchens, sleeping quar- the celebration. weight, and a common sight capabilities and ensured ters, in fact all the inside rooms Mary made $10 a day and was seeing her with a small axe, American productivity that of huge ships. worked eight-hour days. She hacking a thick weed before helped to win the war. “There were huge metal typically left for work at five dropping some bulbs in the Mary was one of many who sheets, like sheet rock today, a.m., after getting oatmeal for ground for spring. And I’d soon answered the call for workers that we welded together to make the kids. She walked to and learn that those same hands during the war. From farm girl the rooms,” Mary remembers. from work each day in the that cradled a small bulb into to working mother at a local “We joined the two metal heavy work clothes. Finally “I would always get high marks for the warm earth also guided a munitions company in Denver, plates together, using a ‘bead’ home, she’d surround herself my clean and accurate welds,” Mary welder’s hot torch to build a Colorado, she was looking for to seam them perfectly.” with family, preparing a home- Weinhandl says of her shipbuild- ship during wartime. better opportunities to support With steady hands and sharp cooked dinner. She remembers ing days during World War II. We were splitting orchids her family. eyes, she skillfully worked the continued on page 6 E K R E B Y D O The Mayor of MacArthur Blvd. J B Y M EREDITH F LORIAN Oakland lining the walls of his customers from as far away as cozy office. Walnut Creek or Calistoga. “I ho is Jerry Scheberie? His father started the used- even sold Margaux Hemingway An altruistic community car business in 1942 and moved a car, one of my specialty cars, W advocate? Or an iras- it to MacArthur in the mid-fif- a Ford GT 40.” cible modern-day cowboy who ties. After college, Jerry came He never advertises, prefer- races ’60s classic cars? If you back to the family business and ring to put the money in a car make a deal with this honest, worked with his father all the than pay advertising, and runs old-fashioned used-car salesman time. “There was never anything the business entirely by himself. and honor the terms, you’ll have else I wanted to do. I traveled If a customer decides he is a friend for life. Should you bla- the world in 1960, spent three unhappy with a car, Jerry will tantly cheat him, you’ll confront months and went everywhere simply take the car back and in Europe. I’ve been to China return their money. “I make a the cowboy and meet your fate Jerry Scheberie. in a dusty duel. and South America.” lot less than most people. I see The son of German immi- Though he’s a man who’s what car dealers make, how you grants, Jerry grew up in Oakland found his true vocation, Jerry get interest high. They call it a they get back on their feet, that’s mostly used his wrestling with “wonderful times at the says he’s not a very good sales- ‘mouse house.’” fine. But I don’t like to be prowess to build self-esteem Altenheim” and the beer gardens man. “I have a kind of attitude Jerry does finance some cars, cheated. I mean outright.” among students at Skyline in the Dimond. “We used to play if there’s something you like, but since he got burned twice That’s when the spirit of High School. In 1987, when a in the coal yard that the Roberts you’re welcome to have your this year, he may change how the trained boxer and wrestler customer’s child wasn’t doing family had. We used to go up mechanic look at it. If you he does business. “I sold this emerges. “I remember back in well in school or wrestling, to the Devil’s Punch Bowl. There don’t like it, there’s no problem. fellow two cars for cash. He the ’50s, I was pretty good at re- Jerry was asked to help out. was a big canyon there, where I’m not hiding anything.” came in and bought a third one. possessing. I’ve had some expe- He started one-on-one tutoring the cable car went up to Leona He gets his business mostly His check was no good, and he’s riences. Trickier is best.” While with the youngster, and the Lodge.” by word of mouth. A lot of his left.” Jerry has even sold cars he has had some wild adven- team “was undefeated the Jerry, a graduate of Fremont satisfied customers have sent without taking a credit state- tures placing himself in harm’s next year. There’re hardly any High, studied history at San him referrals. He even received ment. “My dad did it. I haven’t way during repossession, he has scholarships for it [wrestling]. Jose State, and his devotion to a very public “thank you” had a lot of problems. I’ll work generally been successful and It’s a tough sport. I maintained his own heritage, as well as printed in a local church bulle- with people. I have some people shown himself to be a formi- the mat room myself, cleaned Oakland’s past, is intricately tin, which he proudly displays. who are overdue, but they are dable opponent. it. I paid for all the uniforms.” detailed by scores of fascinating While he sells cars mostly good people. I don’t care. If they If you visit him, he’ll likely Showing me his wall of old photos of his family and of to local customers, he has lots of can pay a little each month after share a yarn or two. He has continued on page 6 Your support helps keep the Metro alive! Become one of the Thousand Friends. Vera Callender, Miriam Hurley, Ann & Ethan Hutcheson-Wilcox, Roxanne Jursch, Helen Lore, Laura Luster You, too, can become a friend of the Metro. See page 2. 2 March 2005 From the Neighborhood Up: HOT NUMBERS Dennis CITY OF OAKLAND AGENCIES Evanosky ABAT—the Alcoholic 777-8670 An Idea Whose Time Has Come Beverage Action Team Graffiti hotline 238-4703 positive rather than negative she said. “The Dimond and Antonio and East Oakland Abandoned cars 238-6030 note by asking the neighbors other Oakland neighborhoods neighborhoods. CHA has O.P.D. Non-emergency 238-3333 who attend to share positive are social networks that in- its own staff, but the county ideas with the audience. clude the local merchants and health department also pro- Animal control 535-5602 For example, at the any organizations, formal or vided in-kind staff located in Beat Health (drugs) 777-8630 Shenanigans council’s January 24 meeting, informal, that affect our lives.” the same office, while Cal’s Drug Hotline 238-DRUG she asked audience members She showed particular School of Public Health pro- Noise Hotline: 238-6777 on the Boulevard to share what they were pride when speaking of vided interns.