This Point in Time XXVII-2
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www.PointRichmondHistory.org Vol. XXVII No. 2 September/October, 2008 $3.00 Point Richmond History Association From the Contents of this Issue From the President 1 President Members 2 Editor’s Notes 3 By Mid Dornan A-Mid Trivia 4 Church News 6 Mid is on Vacation. Westside Women’s Improvement Club 10 Out and About Town 12 Archive Photo Gallery 14 Masquer’s Playhouse Review 16 William L. Thompson, MD 20 Memories of the Second World War in the Richmond Area Evan Griffins’ Memoirs 22 Deaths 25 Cards, letters and emails 26 Get your own copy of the newly reproduced “THIS POINT…..in time” book, Birthdays/90’s Club 27 see next page. Calendar 28 PRHA Archive Photo #0716-Sonny Jackson Postcard Collection “Fountain, Point Richmond, California.” Volume XXVII-2, September/October, 2008 This Point…..in time Point Richmond History Association Thank you members for your renewal: And a warm welcome to these new Debbi Miller members John T. Knox* Rose Gehm Jessie West Thomas Mercer-Hursh & Theresa de Valerie Fregulia Valencé* Nancy Noble John A. Thiella & Rosa T. Casazza* Tim and Roberta Montgomery Linda Newton Ken Blonski & Louise Fender Sandi Genser-Maack* Arline Rodini Ilamay Dein Thank You! Velma J. Healy June Albonico Santa Fe Market Eunice R. Hursh and June S. Solosabel Jerry & Grace Cerkanowicz Point Richmond Market Henry & Eva Marchitiello Family Elizabeth M. McDonald* For selling Betty Dornan “THIS POINT…..in time” Norma Wallace For us *Premium Membership, Thank You! Museum Hours: Thursday 11:30 am to 2:00 pm Saturday 11:30 am to 2:00 pm “THIS POINT in time”, the book is available once again! By Donna Roselius, Teresa Albro, Michelle Brown & Rosemary Corbin. It was written in 1980 and published by the Point Richmond History Association. This book contains stories of early Point Richmond, detailed descriptions of historic homes and commercial buildings and is illustrated throughout with drawings and maps by talented Donna Roselius. $15.00 Pick up your copy at the museum (Tuesday/Thursday 11:30-2). Or mail your check (made out to PRHA) for $15.00 for each copy you want and add $6.95 for UPS shipping. Mail it to: TPIT Book, 229 Golden Gate Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801. The Cover Brick kiln still standing at Brickyard Cove, one time site of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Works. Photo by Theresa de Valencé, enhanced by Thomas Mercer-Hursh 2 This Point…..in time Volume XXVII-2, September/October, 2008 Point Richmond History Association Editor’s Thank You! Notes Our Special Supporters! Gary Shows (510-235-1336) History Makers Here is the end of Summer issue. My usual Sherri Mertle thank you’s to our contributors. Doug & Rosemary Corbin I received a nice surprise from Marilyn Darling! Kathe Kiehn Marilyn has given us several historic photos of the Elizabeth M. McDonald St. James Apartments (Ivy Inn) on Cottage Avenue as well as a short history of the building. I have Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Inc decided to save this material for the next issue and John A. Thiella & Rosa T. Casazza make the old building its theme. So if anyone has Sonny Jackson any old photos or interesting information about this building, please let me know and I will share Corporate Sponsor it with our readers. Timeworks Inc. Clock Company Also thanks to Myrna Wishart for sending a Stephanie, Patti & Stephen Kowalski historic Richmond envelope, I have made it a part of our photo archives. First Church of Christ, Scientist Speaking of photos, thanks once again to Thomas Mercer-Hursh for his enthusiastic work, he History Preservers: has enhanced every image in this issue. I hope you Royce Ong are enjoying our photo archives. Remember that Edward J. McGarvey you can see the majority of our archives at our Gilda Markarian website www.pointrichmondhistory.org. I add and Kevin, Renee & Griffin Knee improve as time permits. Jean & John Knox The deadline for contributions to the next issue John A. Thiella & Rosa T. Casazza is October 31, 2008. David & Anne Roth Catherine Burchell The Summer issue newsletter assembly crew, John Helfrich thanks to you all: Sandi Genser-Maack & Lynn Maack Jerry Cerkanowicz Thomas Mercer-Hursh & Theresa de Valence Gary Shows Pam Wilson John & Nancy Mengshol Mid Dornan Donna Wilson Pat Pearson Erica & Barry Goode Bruce Bartram Linda Andrew-Marshall Ann Bartram Margaret Morkowski Sonja Darling Pat Dornan Tom Piazza Paul & Zoe Mukavtz Marcelina Smith Margaret Morkowski Volume XXVII-2, September/October, 2008 This Point…..in time 3 Point Richmond History Association A-Mid Trivia Mid Dornan (510-234-5334) Q: What is the average number of people hoping to have REACT training in the Fall. airborne over the U.S. in any given hour? *** Answer: at end of Trivia Want to be a part of Graffiti Removal? The *** City of Richmond has a kit available for volunteers. Life expectancy in the U.S. surpassed 78 years Contact Rochelle Monk on Graffiti hotline 231- for the first time, the government reports, but the 3031. Graffiti is discouraged when cleaned up country still lags behind about 30 others in estimated immediately. life span. *** *** In the past one could observe and count the While everyone can't attend the Summer number of people with Tattoos. Today, it is more Olympics in Beijing, the technology of TV lets the likely to observe those WITHOUT tattoos. rest of the world enjoy the events for which athletes *** spend a lifetime preparing. 92 year old Barbara Vincent remembers *** attending the 1926 dedication ceremonies of the Gene Clements, former Point Resident, is a Richmond Natatorium (Plunge). She says it was member of Masters of Harmony Barbershop which very cold that day. has won 7 consecutive International Chorus *** competitions against 26 champion choruses. On Sonja and Joe Darling spent the month of July September 27, at 8:00 p.m. they will be performing in North Dakota attending a family reunion and at the Sacramento Community Center Theater, 13th visiting her mother . & ‘L’ Street, Sacramento. *** *** Does it seem to you the historical charm of the A black watermelon weighing 17 pounds was Point is being poisoned with huge, boxlike, towering auctioned off for a record $6,100 in Japan: the structures the City Planning Department is allowing melon is one of a variety that is prized for its to be built on the hillsides? unparalleled taste and unusual skin. *** *** To err is human: A recent obituary in a nearby newspaper, - but when the eraser wears out ahead of the apparently placed by a family member, ended: pencil you are overdoing it. “There will be no service, no prayer and no closure or for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart”. - but don’t try to offer that as an excuse Yikes! or *** - to try to blame someone else for it is even Aspiring novelist, Alan Hess, wants to know if more human. anyone knows about The Nut Club which was on *** MacDonald Avenue during the ‘40s. He said it was No matter how much you try to improve Mother near the Red Robin and The Denver Club. Nature, you can’t fool Father Time. *** *** Pat Pearson has been named Safety Chairperson ANSWER: 61,000 people are airborne and REACRT representative for the Point. She is 4 This Point…..in time Volume XXVII-2, September/October, 2008 Point Richmond History Association • Elden: to grow old Keeping Up With • Evenhood: equality Language Changes • Sloom: to sleep soundly -Mid Here are a few new dictionary entries: Words and phases are constantly • Boomeritis: afflictions or injuries of emerging, vanishing and changing in English. Baby Boomers, caused by aging. In the 1950s and ‘60s - female parents were • Mouse potato: a person who spends a called “Mother,” “Ma,” or sometimes great deal of time using a computer “Mama.” Few called her “Mom” but now • Ringtone: the sound made by a cell “Mom” seems to replace all the other words. phone to signal an incoming call. Only time will tell which new words will • Sharrow: an arrowlike design painted on stick around. a roadway to mark a bicycle route. • Supersize: to increase considerably the • Teenager (1930) size, amount or extent of something. • Malnourishment (1932) • Surge: a large, but brief, increase in • Majorette (1941) military’s troop strength. • Automation (1948) • Discotheque (1951) YESTERDAY TODAY • Aerospace (1957) bawl cry • Mini (1961) cake of soap bar of soap • Streaker (1973) blackboard chalkboard grip suitcase Exiting, as new words enter the icebox fridge language are these words: grippe flu • Bendsome: pliable, flexible roughage fiber • Dwine: to slowly pine or waste away rec ( or rumpus) room family room Get your own “I Saved the Plunge” Magnet! Send a tax deductable donation of $10.00 or more to: Save the Richmond Plunge Trust P.O. Box 70443 Richmond, CA 94807-0443 And we will send your 3” x 5” magnet to you. Volume XXVII-2, September/October, 2008 This Point…..in time 5 Point Richmond History Association Church News reached a successful completion. Funds for the roof continue to be made to a special Diocese savings account. The parish hall floor was recently cleaned and we have been collecting and donating children’s clothes to Casa Esperanza. The term of some of the parish council members has expired and we are seeking new members. If you are interested in serving on the parish council do not hesitate, step right up and volunteer. New members bring new ideas. Pancake breakfasts continue on the third Sunday of the month and thanks to “The Team,” who do all of the preparation and aid in their success. The breakfast’s will continue through October and then resume in May.