Published by the Hyde Park Histot'ical Society Le on Despres (I) and Douglas Ande rson Devereux Bowly with Peter Ascoli (r) Soci ety's Dinner a Success he annual dinner of the H yde Park Histori cal TSociety, held at the Quadrangle Club on February 23, was an unqualified success. 150 members and invited guests had much to celebrate, includ ing former Fifth Ward Alderman Leon Despres' 100th birthday, the 75th anniversary of the Museum of Science and Industry, and outstanding contributions in architectural preservation, education, and local history. Winners of Paul Cornell Awards were Leon Despres, the Museum of Science and Industry, and Dr. Larry H awkins of the Office of Special Programs of the University of Chicago. Marian and Leon Despres Preservation Awards were presented to Dan Aucunas, for restoration of the Vierling House on South Greenwood Avenue, and the University of Chicago Medical Center fo r preserving the American School of Correspondence building. Peter Ascoli received the J ean Block award for his biography of his grandfa ther, J wius Rosenwald. After-dinner speaker and State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie entertai ned the audience with a personal account of why and how she became a political fi gure in H yde Park. 4th Ward Alderman Ton i Preckwinkle (I) and As he received his Cornell Award for extraordinary State. Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie service, Leon Despres reminisced about his nearly ~ . ~~ 2 ~~ -< 0 100 years in Hyde Park. After naming several Hyde Parkers who have elected to state and national office over the years, he inspired cheers by saying that, "next year I might see a Hyde Parker in the White House." The enthusiastic audience knew he was referring to Senator Barack Obama! Jack Spic er with Dan Aucun us (r) Jane and Roger Hildebrand with Dr. larry Hawkins (r) courage ofher t·onvictions. AI ice Sch lessi nger, Our mother 'U'as our inspiration. She was and will always be the voice in our heads telling tIS to be better. She 1928-2008 was a standard bearer in the things she said and the way she lived her life. We will remember her in nearly all that Alice Schlessinger, who passed away January 7, 2008, we strive to do. served her family and community for as long as she To date, the Historical Society has received more lived in Hyde Park. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, than $800 in donations in Alice's honor. H er husband, she was a vigorous and committed president of the Nathan, sent the following comments, addressed to Hyde Park Historical Society. The following statements Carol Bradford, retiring President of the Society: are excerpted from the eulogy delivered at her funeral by her youngest son, Gideon Schlessinger. Dear Carol, Alice Schlessinger, born in Cindnnati in Jarmary of 1928, was perpetually optimistic and cheerfttl and she Thank yOlt for your note ofappredation for our family's was loved by good friends and casual acquaintances alike assignation ofthe Historical Sodety as the viewpoint of for her beauty, her grace, and her lively sense of humor. contributions in Alice's memory. Alice devoted a lot of She always excelled academically, ttltimately finishing time and energy to the affairs of the Sot·iety and made first in her class in Economics at the University of many good friends in the process. Her spedal interest was Cindnnati and securing her Phi Beta Kappa key. to improve the life ofthe Community in every aspect she Debate, formal or informal, provided an outlet for the touched and that interest guided our choice of recipients. fitll range ofher intellectual gifts .... (T)here was endless depth to her intellect and she always maintained the Sincerely, Nathan Schlessinger ~.~ s I) 11 Y o 0 8 3 ~~~ Hyde Park Center Program Attracts La rge Gro up r­ More than 50 enthusiasts of local architectural history crowded into the Society's Headquarters on Saturday, ~ March 1, for Jack Spicer's program about the H yde Park Center, the oldest part of the neighborhood. This Center extends from 53rd to 55th Streets north to south, and lies between Harper and Woodlawn Avenues. The program was enhanced by photographs taken by Society member David Schalliol. The houses are noted for their brickwork, stone carving, and detailed carpentry. Arrangements of wi ndows, roof gables, and porches contri bute to the uniqueness of each building. The community lost many of these lovely buildings during Llrban renewal, which makes preserving those that remai n important indeed. J ack Spicer called particular attention to the region's oldest house, the H enry Clay Work house behind 5317 South Dorchester Ave. The program co ncluded with a walking tour of this special area. Great La kes Folksinge r to Sing Songs of Henry Clay Work On Sunday, April 13, Great Lakes balladeer Lee Murdock will sing in a program entitled Folk Songs ofthe Great Lakes Region at the H yde Park N eighborhood Club, 5480 South Kenwood Avenue, immediately following the Club's annual Pancake Breakfast. Murdock will include songs of Lake Michigan and H yde Park legend Henry Clay Work. Around 1860, H enry Clay Work built the small cottage behind the hOllse at 5317 South Dorchester Avenue. One of the village's earliest citizens, Work served as secretary of the Hyde Park Village Council while composing Civil War songs, including Marching through Georgia and Wake Nicodemtts. He also composed the well-known ballad, Grandfather's Clock. Work's Great Lakes songs include The Wreck ofthe Lady Elgin. This free eve nt will begin immediately after the Breakfast at 1:00 PM, and last approximately until 3:00 PM. All H yde Parkers, young, old, and everything in between, are cordially invited to come to this special event. Recordings by Lee Murdock will be available for purchase. This performance is supported by the Illinois H umanities Council. Lee Murdock ~~ S I' n ~ o 0 8 ~!~" to the South Water Street entrance at Randolph St. Chicago's Fi nest Station at the north end of the tracks downtown. (This foot passage was removed by the early 1970s in Transportat ion: preparation for construction of the Illinois Center office buildings above the station platforms, in time for the The Illinois Centra l Electric delivery of today's double-deck Highliners.) The IC's cars were much larger than those used on Fourth part ofa series about the history ofthe Illinois Chicago's elevated lines, but they were quite similar in Central Railroad's Electric Commuter Service their interior fittings. Most of the cars' interiors were taken up by crosswise seats, with "walkover" backs that By John G. Allen and Roy G. Benedict the trainmen moved from one direction to another at the end of the line so that passengers could face forward. ElECTRIC CARS FOR A GRE AT COMM UTER RAILROAD At the ends of the cars, adjacent to the vestibules, were Like most railroads electrifying their commuter longitudinal bench seats, above which were suspended services, the Illinois Central opted for multiple-unit grab handles for the benefit of standees. If there was still cars, a concept first proved on Chicago's South Side a need for more standing space, passengers could walk elevated line in 1897.1 Multiple-unit cars ,carry their along the aisLes and hold onto one of the grab handles own electric motors for propulsion, and also have their built into the seat backs.5 Above everything were own sets of controls-both of which functions had incandescent lights, partly but not entirely encased in been hitherto limited to Locomotives. The IC started flower-shaped glass housings. As on the elevated, there electric service with 260 multiple-unit cars, in motor­ were slots above the windows and on the bulkhead walls trailer pairs, but only 215 of these cars were brand at both ends of the cars' interiors fo r advertisements (a new in 1926. Forty-five of the 130 trailer cars used feature now confined to the doorways of cars on Metra). when electric service began were in fact built between The cars went through three interior paint schemes 1921 and 1924 by the Pullman Company, and were in their long lives. Initially, the interior scheme hauled by steam Locomotives before being placed in consisted of imitation wood grain, which provided an electric service in 1926. These cars were designed with element of continuity with the earlier wood-bodied the imen Uoll-tbatthe.y w.oulcLhe_aloy.e.t:ted...ro.elect.ri.! cats which the l22.QsJket was replacing. During the operation. The 215 new cars consisted of 130 motor mid-1930s, the wood grain was replaced with dark cars built by the Pullman Company, and the other 85 were trailers, built by the Standard Steel Car Company. The railroad took delivery of another 20 cars in 1928­ ten motors and ten trailers, all built by Pullman, thus bringing the total electric fleet to 280.2 Although the cars were showing their age by the 1960s, when delivered they were at the head of their class: Each car seated 84 passengers, mostly on reversible rattan-backed "ross seats. To promote easy entry and exit, there were two wide doors at either end ofthe car leading to large vestibules. In the area ofthe car interior adjacent to the vestibules, longitudinal seats provided easy circulation and room for standing passengers. Acceleration was brisk: 0 to 15 mph in 10 seconds, 15 to 28 mph in another 10 seconds. Theoretical top A six-car train of th e origina l da rk gree n cars is approaching speed was 57 mph; actual was 68-70.