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This is not just a South Shore High School newsletter. It is for all greater South Shore area schools from 1940-1970.
The history of this newsletter
Coming to you since 2005 - I received hundreds of emails from South Shoreites after the book was released and I felt compelled to reunite old friends. It seems to be working.
The South Shore News Spot Newsletter, a free, monthly, multi-page email only newsletter currently has over 1,800 readers from all over the world who write in seeking former friends and classmates. Many people looking for classmates are featured, famous former South Shoreites are profiled, memories and stories are shared about life in that era in Chicago and South Shore in particular. Many amazing personal reunions have taken place because of this newsletter, some after 50 years and people are reconnecting at class reunions because of the newsletter.
To register to receive the newsletter email me at caryn120@comcast.net
Visit my website: www.cmapublishing.net
Hi Caryn, This blog is a great idea. I’ll assume that growing up in South Shore in the 1930’s qualifies. I started in Miss Weed’s kindergarden class in 1936 and graduated from SSHS in ‘49. But I gotta say I’d still sign your dance card at a Tri Hi Y dance. I hope your pen never runs out of ink. Best regards, h27tiff
I graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1957. I lived in South Shore and am interested in the newsletter that I recently heard about.
Back in the late 40s when I attended South Shore High one of my friends was Pete Bachorous. Pete’s family was Greek, very nice people, and his grandmother , who lived with them had never learned English. She was a friendly lady and I asked Pete to teach me a few words in Greek so I could greet her and thank her and respond in some way to her friendliness. He did, along with a few other words that were not appropriate for his grandmother. Now, many many years later I can still recall some of these words and when I go into a Greek establishment I sometimes greet them with the Greek greeting or thank them in Greek. If they ask me how my dinner was I might say, “olakala”. If they ask me where I learned this I tell them about my old friend from high school who taught me so I could greet his grandmother and I recall SSHS and the football team and my friendship with Pete and his family. Mizpah31
For Mitzpah 31:
I lived in South Shore in the ’50’s. My best friend was Peter Nashis (spelling) I believe his family name was Noshopoulos. He also taught me some Greek and I went to his church, St. Constatines.
Another great newsletter, Caryn. Memories are funny things. I was sitting in front of the TV tonight, kinda half watching the news, when they showed a picture of an active volcano in Hawaii. and it brought back a memory of watching them dump molten slag out on Torrence Ave at Wisconsin Steel. Sometimes we’d drive out and sit in the car and watch because it was similar to watching a volcano erupt. I recalled one evening when some of us who hung around Gene’s Shell gas station on the corner of 75th and Jeffery decided to ride out and see if they were dumping so 3 others and myself got in my car, well my Dad’s car, and headed out. It was probably a little after 8 in the evening and it was dark, probably late September or October. It was a nice night, not real cold. When we got there we found they had already started so we sat and watched ’til they were done and someone noticed that it was almost 9:00, the time when the strip clubs opened in Calumet City so we decided to drive on out and watch a couple of shows, have a couple of $.75 beers and be home before 11:00. One of the guys objected. We’ll call him “Joe”. He couldn’t explain why but he just didn’t want to go there but the vote was 3 to 1 so we headed to Cal City. We did as we had planned and about 10:15 or so decided to head home, well 3 of us did, Joe wanted to stay a little longer. We finally got him to leave but as we were walking to the car he was heard to say,”Hey, tomorrow night I’ll get my dad’s car and we’ll come back”. That had to be 1948, 60 years ago and I hadn’t thought about that night in years.I can’t recall who the other 2 guys were but I remember Joe because he didn’t want to go…. out or back home. I’m thankfull for this blog and your newsletter so there’s a place to share these old momories when they pop up. HT
HI Caryn, thanks for the invitation. That’s a good idea.
Well, as I explained on The Overflow I got tapped to MC the monthly senior luncheon at church and I began trying to come up with some nostalgia stuff I could use to have some fun with the group while we’re waiting for the food.
I started recalling some of the old band leaders from the 30’s and early 40’s and Ben Bernie, The Old Mystro, as he called himself, came to mind. He called his Band members The Lads and he used the expression, “yowser, yowser”. His music included “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “It’s a Lonesome Old Town”. His signoff was,”Au Revoir, pleasent dreams”.
Then I remembered Ted Lewis who wore an old top hat he reportedly won from a cab driver in a dice game. His greeting was,”Is everybody happy?” His music included,”When My Baby Smiles At Me” and “Me and My Shadow”.
In the days before TV,long before TV,kids could listen to 15 minute adventure shows on the radio for entertainment. There was Jack Armstrong the All American Boy with his friends Billy and Betty Fairfield. Captain Midnight was an aviation adventure show. I enjoyed a western about Tom Mix. The show was sponsored by Ralston breakfast food and the “Old Wrangler” nightly assured us that it’s chuck full of good things for boys and girls.
I figure that should be good for the June luncheon and if I get invited back for the next one in July some of the old South Shoreites might help me out with some other memories from that era. They’ll have to be memories that go beyond South Shore because I’m up here in Wisconsin and I’ve only met a few who’ve known the happiness of growing up in South Shore, Chicago in the 30’s and 40’s. Well, Caryn if you can get this in the July Spot News I’ll have about 3 weeks to see what comes in. As always, Caryn, Thank you for The South Shore Spot News. Stay well. Hi to Bill. Harry
My family moved to South Shore in 1959 when The Faulkner School for Girls moved from 48th & Dorchester. My mother taught kindergarten and my sister, Mary, and I attended the school pre-k through 12. One of my classmates was Irene Manus whose dad was tickled that Irene had taught me a couple of words. Mr. Manus was so delighted that he bought me a booklet of Greek phrases, and he taught me a few words and phrases. Later, I loaned it to another classmate, Phyllis Georgini, who was dating and later married a Greek man. She never returned my booklet! Whenever I go to a Greek restaurant, I too always say thank you in Greek. One of my favorite haunts was Mitchell’s Ice Cream parlor. Helen Mitchell was a Faulkner girl too; when George, her brother, moved the business out to Homewood, I and hundreds (probably thousands) of others drove from all over Chicagoland and beyond to partake of their to-die-for treats. Though I have lived in Colorado for many years, I visit Mitchell’s and other memorable spots in Hyde Park and South Shore. Huge disappointment about Marshall Field’s though!! Can’t believe Macy’s changed the name. It will take at least a generation before Chicagoans get over that. I have so many happy memories of my home town and don’t get back often enough. Louise, Faulkner ‘66
Where are Faulkner grads: Sara White, Jeannie Maurey(sp?), Janice
Marks? Graduated about 64-66.
Please put me on your mailing list.
I heard about a reunion on 11/1/08 at the South Shore Country Club. Can you send me information about it.
Some freinds and I would like to attend.
Bruce Behrstock Class of January and June 1965.
Go Tars.
I will be glad to add you to the list Bruce
Enjoy!
Caryn
Caryn, Add me to the list. I stubbled upon this website by accident. My family lived and worked in South Shore for over 30 years. My family owned South Shore Cleaners and Taylor Shop 2442 E. 79th Stret, next to Tews Funeral Home.
Tom Gibertini
Hi Tom
I will be glad to add you to the newsletter list
I hope you enjoy it
I do remember the taylor shop
I think my parents knew your parents
Caryn
Would love to receive newsletter. Please add me to the list.
Dan (Danny) Harris Guess I’ve fibnally grown up.
I was sent a picture that I believe is me when I was a child….standing on the tracks on 79th & Paxton ave…..Do you have that picture?