Our memory book of our hometown
The articles written by citizens of Waukegan of the yesteryears have brought smiles to so many faces -- mine included.
My initial beginning was at the original Victory Hospital in 1927. When it was time for kindergarten, I walked to North School on Franklin Street and continued all the way through eighth grade, having great teachers like Miss Salmon, Miss Petersen and my first man teacher, Mr. Mills.
I was called a "northsider" because everyone north of Julian or Corey avenues were considered to be on the north side of town. Greenwood Avenue with its horse stable was really country!
Growing up, we played outside -- rain, shine or snow. Everybody in our neighborhood gathered on James Court (a dead-end street) and didn't leave until dark or chores called.
There wasn't much traffic to contend with because few people owned cars in the early '30s. And we didn't need special equipment when we played -- besides, we couldn't really afford it.
On Dec. 7, 1941, I remember coming home from the movies and discovering that Pearl Harbor had been bombed. The following day during high school classes, President Roosevelt's voice came on the school intercom telling us we were at war. The next four years we watched so many of our classmates go off to war, and 87 alumni of years past gave their lives to protect our country.
Silk stockings became a thing of the past. We were issued ration books for gasoline, sugar and other products. There were meatless Tuesdays, save-your-cooking- grease weeks, collect old newspapers, and we had contests at school to buy war stamps and war bonds, saving pennies and nickels a little at a time.
For fun, 10 cents could entertain us because we could sit in the movies all day and watch Buck Rogers battle the evil Ming. And on a very hot day, the air-conditioned theater was worth the price of admission.
We rode our bikes to the North Beach in summer -- down the hill on Clayton Street. It was a thrill, but we sure had to pump hard to get back up that hill.
Upton Park flooded its tennis court in the winter, and it was always nice when you took a turn around the rink with a special boy tagging along.
I attended Christ Episcopal Church and years ago sang in St. Cecilia's choir. We got to go to Druce Lake Camp as a reward for our attendance. Dean Ganster (our priest) always saw to it that everyone was included. We knew that he gave of his time and money so we could go -- but then he was always doing for everyone he could in Waukegan during those Depression years.
In the early '40s, through the cooperation of the Y.W.C.A and Mr. Havel and Jane Ward Seever, the "Hangout" was born -- no admission fees, just good times with good friends. The night that the Japanese surrendered, we left the rehearsal of a student play for the "Hangout," walked down to Genesee Street and started a conga line through the center of town, cheering, laughing and celebrating -- the war was over!
How can we forget some of those special teachers who made such a lasting impression on us all: Mr. Grosche, science; Mr. Otto Graham, band; Miss Dady, math and study hall; Mr. Hurd, history club; Miss Eleanor Moore, English; Mr. Grapp, industrial arts; Master Sgt. Holly, ROTC; Miss Hurbutt, English.
They are but a few of the staff of W.T.H.S that helped shape the strength and intelligence of the student body who later became Waukegan's mayors, fire chiefs, aldermen, doctors, lawyers, members of the Illinois legislature, movie and TV performers, athletic stars, CEOs, clergy, teachers, builders, musicians, writers and authors and on and on. Waukegan didn't have to take a backseat to any town, anywhere.
During our senior year at W.T.H.S, our basketball team, led by coach "Strings" Allen, made history by beating one of our rival suburban teams by the score of 5-3. Yes, that was a basketball score -- I know, I was there.
Our class, 1945, also helped sponsor a contest to name the school's mascot; the winner -- Bulldogs. And that's the way it's been ever since.
After graduation I went off to college, met and married my husband, Bill. For four years we looked at other communities in the Midwest, but we decided to come back to Waukegan. And thus we entered the local work force, built our home, raised and educated our children here and created new memories.
We all watched Waukegan grow. We celebrated the 100 years of its founding with a gigantic parade, a pageant (with Jack Benny) depicting the history of our town held at Weiss Field, and saw our male population grow beards.
And so, our memory book of our hometown, though not complete yet, is still filled with promise, because the spirit of this community -- Waukegan -- will never die as long as we keep our pride in her and the people she represents. Shirley Garnant Figeas
