Friday, August 29, 2008

A Whistle Far Away


By Sandi Howland Archer


As I get older I notice that things pop in and out of my memory suddenly and certainly uninvited. More out than in for sure! Like today when I arrived home from work. I opened my car door and heard a distant whistle. A human whistle.

Now it's entirely possible that I hear that same whistle on a regular basis and just don't lumber into the house soon enough to write myself a little “gotta remember this” note. At any rate, I should get to the point before I lose my train of thought and tell you all about how we fry eggs on the sidewalk here in sunny Arizona.

Now about that whistle. When I was five years old, my parents bought a home in East End and moved us there from metro Turkey Hill. Or perhaps it was Olanta. We lived at 1311 Daisy Street. My father drove a Willys. It was green. The license plate read 2LP88. Our phone number was 59180.

There was an alley between our house and the large yellow one shared by the Hugar and Passmore families. And at the end of the alley lived a real swell fella. Robert Henry. The alley was paved with bricks. The red variety.

Now just to give you an idea of how far back my pathology goes, one of my most vivid – dare I say, fondest – childhood memories was watching my mother shovel ashes hot from the furnace on those slippery bricks so she could trek over and have coffee with Mrs. Hugar on a typical wintry day. I felt no pleasure while watching the shoveling. None at all. But just every once in a while, her feet would go out from under her. What joy!

Oh, yes, about that whistle. My sister, Carole, was the first-born. Two years later I joined up and became the oft-forgettable middle child. A short time later brother Clyde arrived. His steadfast pals from early on in school were Louis Mitchell and Jack Mitchell. Cousins I think. And those fellas whistled. I sat on the stairway with the phone and talked in whispered tones to Bea Accordino, Anna Marie Marino, and Forshia Vale. Don’t think Clyde talked on the phone. Maybe once when he made plans to run off to Altoona with Karen Knicely. They hitched a ride on the back of a snowplow. That’s another whole story. None of it good.

Clyde (I think his chums called him Clijo) and Louie and Jackie whistled to each other in various tones, repetitions, and volume. It was a language known only to them. I recall vividly sitting at the dinner table and hearing a whistle from at least 2 or 3 blocks away. Clyde would go outside and reply in code known only to “the gang.” Shortly he’d go off down the street.

Clyde died when he was just 48. Pancreatic cancer. A real beast it was.

Now about that whistle I heard today. Hmmm……….

See ya in ’09!
Sandra (Sandi) Howland Archer

Monday, August 25, 2008

To Lea Davidson, with Love

Lea Davidson as News Editor of our CAHS newspaper, The Triangle, with faculty advisor Miss Jane Gillespie.

Lea Davidson is one of my favorite classmates. She always greeted you with a big smile. And she was supportive whenever called upon for ideas or help. Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall ever seeing her in anything but a friendly, cheerful mood.

She worked hard as a member of the Press Club for three years and served as News Editor of our school newspaper, The Triangle, in our junior year.

You always knew she was going to be a teacher and a good one at that. True to her calling, she was a second grade teacher at The Phillips School in Pittsburgh for many years, retiring 12 years ago. She then turned her talents to serving customers in Kaufman’s Department Store for 10 years. In Better Ladies Wear, of course.

Her father, Bob Davidson, was one of Clearfield’s best-known and best-loved haberdashers. As owner of Davidson’s Store for Men and Boys, he greeted you with a big smile and could size you up without laying a hand or a tape measure on you. The tailoring was impeccable, and you left the store feeling on top of the world.
It’s clear Lea inherited both her smile and her knowledge of quality clothing from her father.

Here’s to you, Lea Davidson! We look forward to seeing you at our 50th-Year Reunion in 2009.

- Dennis Mollura

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Heading the CAHS Press Club in 1958-59

For some reason, the Press Club ceased publishing The Triangle in our senior year. In the same year, the club chose not to (or maybe was not permitted to) elect officers. Lea, however, continued her leadership role by heading a group of club members who contributed a weekly CAHS news column to The Progress. From left, Jerry Koval, Louise Long, Lea Davidson, Russell Read, Fonda Duck and Dennis Mollura. Second row, B. Graffius, Dixie Aveni, George Gaylor, P. Herbert, Mary Lou Kepner and Carmen Norman.

- Bison Photo by Orvis Kline

With Future Teachers of America

From the Future Teachers photo in The Bison in 1958. At left is Jane Evans.

At The Phillips School in 1989


With Second Graders at The Phillips School

In the classroom with second graders in 1980. Look at all the fun things on the white board.

Lea with Her Mother, Sara, in Philipsburg

In front of Uncle Harry Parsky's Men's Store on Spruce Street in Philipsburg.

Lea with Her Sister Elinor - Already Demonstrating Her Future Teacher Talents