2003-10 RHS Newsletter – October-November 2003

In this historical remembrance, Bill Sabel shares personal memories of how families entertained themselves in the 1920s and 30s. He recalls the era of silent, black-and-white films accompanied by live theater organs, followed by the advent of "talkies" in 1927. He vividly describes early battery-operated radios that required constant recharging and careful hydrometer checks by his father, eventually replaced by plug-in console radios where the family listened to shows like "The Lone Ranger" and "Amos and Andy." The article also details how his father's job as a building inspector provided the family with complimentary theater passes, a major basement renovation to install a pool table for the neighborhood kids, and summer evenings spent watching 16-millimeter outdoor movies on a farm in Indiana.

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This short excerpt from Richard H. Little's "Sentimental Journey to Morgan Park" notes that many commuters from the aristocratic village of Morgan Park often passed the time by playing cinch and hearts on their way to the city. The traveler had to bring his own deck, and the wear and tear of the games meant these commuter decks usually contained at most 44 or 45 cards.

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In a letter to the editor, former Morgan Park resident Alice Klingensmith Hofmann reminisces about her time delivering evening papers from "Shorty" Saunders' newsstand at the corner of Monterey and Homewood from 1946 to 1948. She reflects on the valuable life lessons regarding work ethic, determination, and human dignity she learned from Shorty, a grown man who lived alone and was carried to and from his stand by local high school boys. The letter concludes with a touching memory of Shorty's apartment, which was filled with cages of beautiful yellow canary songbirds that greeted him every evening.

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Newsletter Editor David Daruszka discusses his recent work scanning photographs for the newly released Arcadia publishing book, "Chicago's Beverly/Morgan Park Neighborhood." He humorously notes this intensive task has earned him the title of "Mr. Photo," leading to frequent requests from people looking for specific family pictures. Emphasizing that the Ridge Historical Society's photo collection still has gaps, he urges community members to donate historical images of local events, people, and places to help actively preserve the area's rich history.

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This brief historical anecdote describes how Joseph Lane decided to move his house from 108th Street to Longwood Drive in 1908. Placed on rollers and pulled by horses, the house made its way down muddy streets at a rate of about 300 feet per day. When it stalled at the railroad tracks waiting for a workman to cut telegraph wires, Lane cleverly bypassed the railroad watchman—who was posted to prevent such a crossing—by leaving $5 with a bartender to distract him, resulting in the house safely crossing the tracks by morning.

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A sidebar feature highlights the Ridge Historical Society's extensive collection of class photographs from Barnard School, which date from the 1930s through the 1970s. The article includes a specific photo taken in September 1951 of room 207 (HB-4A), and encourages readers to contact the society if they recognize anyone in the picture to help preserve the identities of the community's past students.

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Linda Lamberty reviews Andro Linklater's book "Measuring America," beginning with a humorous personal anecdote about a formidable history teacher, Ella McGill, who confidently predicted Lamberty would one day do something wonderful with history. Lamberty explains that her deep interest in local history revealed how early settlers, regardless of their ultimate professions, heavily relied on the foundational work of surveying. She praises Linklater's book for comprehensively detailing how surveying evolved and shaped America, including the Midwest and the local Ridge area, ultimately breathing vibrant life into historical facts that might otherwise seem dry to the "history challenged."

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This sidebar features a collection of short historical crime reports from the Ridge area to give readers a glimpse into past local illicit activities. It includes the July 29th fatal stabbing of Charles Halford by a youth at 111th and Western, the September 23rd capture of four youths dubbed the "Afternoon Robbers" by Morgan Park Police, and a November 18, 1937 report from the Suburban Star detailing a daring holdup of local dress shop proprietor Alice Schultz at the corner of 111th and Hoyne.

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A historical news brief reprinted from the Suburban Star in 1937 details the tragic sentencing of 41-year-old Otto Bonato. After pleading guilty to charges of violating the internal revenue law, Bonato was fined $500 and sentenced to six months in the County Jail by Federal Judge Charles E. Woodworth. The charges stemmed from an illicit still he owned at 10761 Western Ave., which had exploded the previous July and killed his wife and daughter.

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This news brief announces the arrival of the highly anticipated book "Chicago's Beverly/Morgan Park Neighborhood," published by Arcadia Publishing in association with local writer Joseph Oswald. The book features over 200 images curated from the Ridge Historical Society's photographic archives, chronicling the community's development from its glacial prehistory to its modern identity as a "Village in the City." All proceeds from books purchased through the Society are earmarked for the proper archival storage of their photo collections.

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The Illinois Association of Museums recently honored the Ridge Historical Society Newsletter with an Award of Excellence during its annual competition for historical societies from around the state. The judges' citation noted that they were especially impressed that the publication is an entirely all-volunteer production, and they particularly enjoyed the historical notes featured in the sidebars. RHS President Gene Delves attended the annual awards dinner in Skokie, Illinois, to proudly accept the award on behalf of the society.

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A brief announcement invites RHS members to a reception honoring local artist Ethel Wirtshafter, widely known for her expertise as a batik expert, woodcarver, photographer, and art, drama, and yoga instructor. The celebration of her lifetime commitment to the love of art is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 11th, from 2 to 4 PM at the Walker Branch of the Chicago Public Library, located at 11071 South Hoyne Ave.

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The Ridge Historical Society is pleased to announce the official release of "Chicago's Beverly/Morgan Park Neighborhood," part of the popular Images of America series by Arcadia Press. Produced in association with local writer Joseph Oswald, the book contains over 200 archived images alongside chapter introductions and captions that comprehensively tell the story of the community's history. The page features a dedicated order form allowing members to purchase the book for $19.95 plus shipping, with all proceeds directly helping to raise funds for the organization and its ongoing programs.

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The final page features a short calendar of events for the Ridge Historical Society, noting that while no information on upcoming programs was available at press time, members should visit the website for future updates. It clearly lists upcoming administrative meetings, including the Board of Directors Meeting on October 8th at Driscoll House, and a Strategic Planning Meeting scheduled for November 15th. It also establishes a November 12th deadline for members to submit content for the upcoming December/January Newsletter.

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