St. Jude Church/School Nostalgia

**12468_laing** · December-07-10, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Eastburn

Can't believe we dropped to page 2. We really need CFG to keep us current.

sorry about that, i should have noticed. i quit my job in september - the place now has gone out of business after 33 years. now all of us are trying to get unpaid wages and 401K's rectified.
i have a DETROIT question, not necessarily a St. Jude question, but it does have to do with the neighborhood.
Question, remember the hydrofoil races on the Detroit river? As a scout of Troop 420, we worked it many times - inflated helium baloons one year, passed out Towne Club pop another. I can still remember sitting on our porch, Laing between Casino and Moross, and hearing the roar of the boats. Anyone else have a memory like that? By the way, my Old Testament course is over in 1 1/2 weeks, can't believe the Diaconate is now 3 1/2 yrs left. Thanks for all the prayers.

**jcole** · December-07-10, 11:27 PM

Hydroplane races. The Gold Cups. I remember going to them a few times, especially as a teen. Sat on a rock in the river and felt the boats go by. It was so cool.

**Tsomyak** · December-08-10, 12:51 AM

One of my favorite summertime memories. One year my dad got tickets to sit in the pit area. Other years we would sit at one of the parks along the river [[Waterworks?). And I can also remember listening to the roar of the boats though my bedroom window. You didn't need a newspaper to know there the races were in town!

**Eastburn** · December-08-10, 08:34 AM

I think they also had Silver Cup races. If I'm not mistaken, that's where Silvercup Bread got its name. Gar Wood was an early hydroplane driver.

We're heading back to MI today. I'll check back in in a day or 2.

Having dinner with a bunch of NDHW guys Friday evening.

Laing - I'm assuming the company went out of business because you left.

**12468_laing** · December-08-10, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by Eastburn

I think they also had Silver Cup races. If I'm not mistaken, that's where Silvercup Bread got its name. Gar Wood was an early hydroplane driver.

We're heading back to MI today. I'll check back in in a day or 2.

Having dinner with a bunch of NDHW guys Friday evening.

Laing - I'm assuming the company went out of business because you left.

Eastburn, I would like to say it is so, but it ain't so - it was dying a slow painful death.

**7andkelly** · December-08-10, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by 12468_laing

Eastburn, I would like to say it is so, but it ain't so - it was dying a slow painful death.

There's a whole lot of lasics going on up here, laing, if you're interested.

If you come back up here for work, your first pirogis and Stroh's at Polonia's are on me.

**12468_laing** · December-08-10, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by 7andkelly

There's a whole lot of lasics going on up here, laing, if you're interested.

If you come back up here for work, your first pirogis and Stroh's at Polonia's are on me.

Thanks for the invite. Just don't know - I remember a sweatshirt I used to have - "Detroit, where the weak are killed and eaten". Not to say I'm an old foggy, but Old Hickory, TN has gotten pretty comfortable for this old Jet. And, looking at my gray hair, as my kids say, Dad, you so old!!!! So, does Detroit still host the boat races on the river?

Still get some Stroh's for games on Sundays, but drinking out of a blue can which doesn't come from Detroit leaves something to your memories.

Bought some Canadian Club the other day. The guy who sold it asked me how I knew of it. Told him about sitting on Belle Isle and watching the "Canadian Club" sign in red be cursivily written in red. He told me he remembered that, too as he left in 1985 - he lived on the west side - told him he wasn't a true Detroiter - had to do it.

So, as Christmas is coming upon us, I have to ask the question - what is your favorite St. Jude memory of this season of Christ? We all have at least a million!!!!

**jcole** · December-08-10, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by 12468_laing

Thanks for the invite. Just don't know - I remember a sweatshirt I used to have - "Detroit, where the weak are killed and eaten". Not to say I'm an old foggy, but Old Hickory, TN has gotten pretty comfortable for this old Jet. And, looking at my gray hair, as my kids say, Dad, you so old!!!! So, does Detroit still host the boat races on the river?

Still get some Stroh's for games on Sundays, but drinking out of a blue can which doesn't come from Detroit leaves something to your memories.

Bought some Canadian Club the other day. The guy who sold it asked me how I knew of it. Told him about sitting on Belle Isle and watching the "Canadian Club" sign in red be cursivily written in red. He told me he remembered that, too as he left in 1985 - he lived on the west side - told him he wasn't a true Detroiter - had to do it.

So, as Christmas is coming upon us, I have to ask the question - what is your favorite St. Jude memory of this season of Christ? We all have at least a million!!!!

Mine will always be a long, cold walk on Christmas Eve which ended up at the Nativity scene in front of the gym. It was part of my kidhood as early as I can remember. After a stop and a prayer in front of the manger, it was home to find out that Santa had magically stopped at out house first, AGAIN!!

**12468_laing** · December-08-10, 08:18 PM

I have a lot of memories - from selling Christmas cards which were picked up from the right side closet of the entrance of the gym, to midnight mass with all the choir, yes you too Z, to the first time I brought my family to Christmas mass the first time - my sons had to be 8 and 6. Needless, they were awestruck with the church - prior to the renovations. There still has to be something to be said to walk up stairs to the church.

**12468_laing** · December-08-10, 08:20 PM

So, here I sit also watching the Preds/Wings game. We got a goal, but who knows what will happen. Anyone else watching?

**kellyroad** · December-09-10, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by 12468_laing

Thanks for the invite. Just don't know - I remember a sweatshirt I used to have - "Detroit, where the weak are killed and eaten". Not to say I'm an old foggy, but Old Hickory, TN has gotten pretty comfortable for this old Jet. And, looking at my gray hair, as my kids say, Dad, you so old!!!! So, does Detroit still host the boat races on the river?

Still get some Stroh's for games on Sundays, but drinking out of a blue can which doesn't come from Detroit leaves something to your memories.

Bought some Canadian Club the other day. The guy who sold it asked me how I knew of it. Told him about sitting on Belle Isle and watching the "Canadian Club" sign in red be cursivily written in red. He told me he remembered that, too as he left in 1985 - he lived on the west side - told him he wasn't a true Detroiter - had to do it.

So, as Christmas is coming upon us, I have to ask the question - what is your favorite St. Jude memory of this season of Christ? We all have at least a million!!!!

So many great Christmas memories Laing. You have mentioned a few already.
Of course, the nativity scene [[the original one with the large scale figures, hay, and manger illuminated by a couple of flood lights....It stood in front east side of the gym)...It reminded us at St. Jude and anyone driving along 7Mile/Moross what the Christmas season was all about. Of course, the jam packed Midnight Mass with the magnificent choir and the Christmas Bazaar with Santa on stage are unforgettable.

CC [[the "good stuff") was always a staple at our house....usually a gift from my dad's coworker....a fifth would last forever. Remember its holiday packaging?

It seems with the Woodward/John R divide extended so far north and I-696 expressway cutting the commute time that the east side vs the west side is of historical interest only. [[liked your jab though)

Hope thing are going well in TN. If you come up to the D give your DY SJ forum friends a heads up.

**12468_laing** · December-09-10, 10:13 AM

another Christmas memory. When we were going through all the Christmas decorations after my folks passed away, we found a box with close to 20 different colored foil bows. Had to laugh, they all came from the top of the decorative boxes Dad used to get when he bought his Four Roses.

**zitro** · December-09-10, 11:26 AM

We celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve, usually because my dad had to work on Christmas Day. So, after an evening of playing with the new goodies, I would have to pull myself away from my new found booty to sing Midnight Mass. I don't think it was until I was in high school that there wasn't a time that I was nodding off up there. Good thing it was out of sight from the throngs.

**jcole** · December-09-10, 12:06 PM

Must have been a city employee thing, Z, because we always did Chritmas Eve too. Dad worked a lot of midnights when the kids were little, so he wouldn't have been home when we got up at 6am to open gifts. It just became a tradition as we got older and I've never gotten out of the habit.

**Campfire Girl** · December-10-10, 08:45 AM

I remember our beautiful altar that took your breath away with all the flowers. we never went to Midnight Mass until our teen years, and remember that much better. Our choir was awesome! even though the interior of the church has changed, it hasn't changed totally spiritually charged Midnight Mass at St. Jude. Every Mass said by Fr. Jovita, gives you a 'take away!'

**jcole** · December-10-10, 09:06 AM

We always went to 10:30 Mass on Christmas, and most other times. By the time I was old enough to remember, Dad was a Lieutenant and not working on Christmas so he sang with Z.

**Campfire Girl** · December-10-10, 09:29 AM

I didn't know your Dad sang in the choir! the things you find out 40 years after the fact! :-)

**jcole** · December-10-10, 09:54 AM

Oh, yeah, he did for years. My mom helped make all of the choir and priests surplices and other vestments.

**Campfire Girl** · December-10-10, 10:04 AM

All be darned. How wonderful that he was in the choir and your mom sewed for the priests and choir. I remember my Mom and Dad being involved in the PTG [[Parent Teacher Guild), Campfire and Cub Scouts, etc., I think all of our parents were heavily involved in our parish and school and that made all the difference in the world. They knew how important it was to get involved in order to give back to the parish - We have a lot of givers of Time and Talent at St. Jude, even today, but I hear a lot from other folks, who just go to church and that's the extent of their involvement.

**jcole** · December-10-10, 10:05 AM

Mom was big time into Altar Society. I think she was in it for the card parties, personally.

**Campfire Girl** · December-10-10, 10:18 AM

it's funny, how those same ladies still have their card parties...and now even the gents are invited. it's probably a lot of the same ladies your mom played cards with!

**jcole** · December-10-10, 10:22 AM

Probably some of them anyway. Her 'crowd' contained Lynn MacDonald and Anne Dennis, the other Jim's mother.

**Campfire Girl** · December-10-10, 10:32 AM

we'ren't Lynn Macdonald and Anne Dennis sisters? I know that Pauline D'Aoust still goes, Barbara - was Kurkowski, is now Bartowiak, and some other familiar faces, and first names, but last names....

**jcole** · December-10-10, 10:35 AM

No, Lynn and Ann just acted and looked like sisters. Kathy Mac even called Ann 'Aunt' but I don't think they were related.

**Campfire Girl** · December-10-10, 10:48 AM

I remember Jim, calling Lynn "Aunt Lynn" too. Those ladies still keep the altar clean - carry home home the altar linens and are very mindful of their duties!