St. Jude Church/School Nostalgia

**zitro** · May-21-09, 09:24 AM

On the O'Reilly Factor Pinheads and Patriots segment last night Bill made Dontrelle Willis a Patriot for his win the night before and mentioned how much he had struggled to return to form. I thought that was pretty cool

**Tsomyak** · May-21-09, 11:40 AM

Ah, the Saturday afternoon matinees are my favorite memory of the old Civic. Mom would drop us off for a double feature, and if we were lucky, we'd stop over at the Sanders afterward for a treat. I can still here the kids in the audience boo when the screen flashed that sign that advertised for the matinee "All seats 50 cents". Sure, that was great if you were an adult, but the kids were getting robbed! Regular admission for a kid was 35! The nerve!

**Eastburn** · May-21-09, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by Tsomyak

Ah, the Saturday afternoon matinees are my favorite memory of the old Civic. Mom would drop us off for a double feature, and if we were lucky, we'd stop over at the Sanders afterward for a treat. I can still here the kids in the audience boo when the screen flashed that sign that advertised for the matinee "All seats 50 cents". Sure, that was great if you were an adult, but the kids were getting robbed! Regular admission for a kid was 35! The nerve!

.25 in my day. In fact, the Flamingo theatre on 7 [[6?) Mile [[later a roller rink) was a dime.

**kellyroad** · May-22-09, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by Tsomyak

Ah, the Saturday afternoon matinees are my favorite memory of the old Civic. Mom would drop us off for a double feature, and if we were lucky, we'd stop over at the Sanders afterward for a treat. I can still here the kids in the audience boo when the screen flashed that sign that advertised for the matinee "All seats 50 cents". Sure, that was great if you were an adult, but the kids were getting robbed! Regular admission for a kid was 35! The nerve!

Two of the most memorable movies at the Civic Theater: 1. A Hard Day's Night during a Saturday afternoon mantinee for 35 cents in 1964... not an empty seat in the theater, girls screaming just like on the Ed Sullivan show. 2. 2001: A Space Oddysey...the symbolism at the time was way above my head but it was an enjoyable evening with my dad.

**7andkelly** · May-21-09, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by zitro

On the O'Reilly Factor Pinheads and Patriots segment last night Bill made Dontrelle Willis a Patriot for his win the night before and mentioned how much he had struggled to return to form. I thought that was pretty cool

Thanks for posting this, Z.

It's good to hear someone in the national media say something [[anything) nice about anyone connected with Detroit.

**zitro** · May-21-09, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by 7andkelly

Thanks for posting this, Z.

It's good to hear someone in the national media say something [[anything) nice about anyone connected with Detroit.

That's why I was pleasantly surprised, it seems like it's only fashionable anymore to use Detroit as a whipping post.

**EMG** · May-21-09, 08:33 PM

All of the following are pictures I got from the Virtual Motor City site - http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...vmc;page=index

The first is presumably the interior of St. Jude's church. I was never personally in there so I'm taking their word for it. The others are of our friend the Lion and Mouse - and this juggling sculpture I had long forgotten but which came back to me instantly once I saw the picture - back in the old days of Eastland probably in the late 50's, early 60's before it was made into an enclosed mall in the mid-70's.

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**Eastburn** · May-21-09, 09:01 PM

Thanks EMG, that's the St. Jude [[& Eastland) I remember.

**zitro** · May-22-09, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by EMG

All of the following are pictures I got from the Virtual Motor City site - http://dlxs.lib.wayne.edu/cgi/i/imag...vmc;page=index

The first is presumably the interior of St. Jude's church. I was never personally in there so I'm taking their word for it. The others are of our friend the Lion and Mouse - and this juggling sculpture I had long forgotten but which came back to me instantly once I saw the picture - back in the old days of Eastland probably in the late 50's, early 60's before it was made into an enclosed mall in the mid-70's.

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What I found striking in the photo of the church is that the lighting fixtures were different. They must not have had these in there for long before switching over to the ones we were accustomed too. The Parish must have been flushed with money during those days.

**7andkelly** · May-22-09, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by zitro

What I found striking in the photo of the church is that the lighting fixtures were different. They must not have had these in there for long before switching over to the ones we were accustomed too. The Parish must have been flushed with money during those days.

The old ones got dusty.

I see the stations are the same, just hung the way they used to be.

**kellyroad** · May-22-09, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by zitro

What I found striking in the photo of the church is that the lighting fixtures were different. They must not have had these in there for long before switching over to the ones we were accustomed too. The Parish must have been flushed with money during those days.

The altar canopy, light fixtures [[which included nave ceiling illumination) and new stations of the cross [[the ones in the picture are the original wood rectangular ones that eventually ended up in the basement church along with the pictured altar) were all added around 1963. Yes the parish had some extra coin laying around.

**Eastburn** · May-22-09, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by zitro

What I found striking in the photo of the church is that the lighting fixtures were different. They must not have had these in there for long before switching over to the ones we were accustomed too. The Parish must have been flushed with money during those days.

We sure were. Most folks were making about 4 grand a year. Supporting the church was a serious responsibility. Plus there were a lot fewer outfits competing for charity dollars. Most folks gave only to the church & maybe United Way.

As I recall, the parish bought Fr. Ording a new Buick Roadmaster every 2 - 3 years. Couldn't have the pastor of such a grand church driving a heap.

**Eastburn** · May-22-09, 12:15 PM

The biggest things when the church opened was that it was air conditioned [[unheard of for a church at that time) and that the aisles were carpeted.

**kellyroad** · May-22-09, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Eastburn

The biggest things when the church opened was that it was air conditioned [[unheard of for a church at that time) and that the aisles were carpeted.

It's been said that St. Jude Church was the last "grand" church built in the Arch Diocese of Detroit. Considering the romanasque architecture, marble, persian rugs, carpeted aisles, and, of course, the air conditioning, it probably is true. Imagine building a church like that now. ......Fr. Ording did it right.

Eastburn: Do you know if Fr. Ording actually chose that style of church or did the Arch Diocese have a heavy hand in its design?

**kellyroad** · May-22-09, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Eastburn

As I recall, the parish bought Fr. Ording a new Buick Roadmaster every 2 - 3 years. Couldn't have the pastor of such a grand church driving a heap.

I understand that Fr. Ording came from a family of means and certainly the diocese priests did not take the vow of poverty. Do you recall the Chrysler [[Newport or Imperial) Fr. Ording received from the parish on his 40th anniversary of his ordination?

**Eastburn** · May-22-09, 11:03 PM

KR, Ion't know who decided on the style of the church.

Fr. Ording owned a cottage on Orchard Lake but I don't recall it being very fancy. I was there with my folks once.

**Mkap** · May-22-09, 05:45 AM

WB - I never had dreams like the ones you must have had LOL. I had to go to the theater to get my fix.

I can also remember going to see "Love Story" at the old Warren up on eight Mile at about thirteen. I could not, for the life of me, figure out why all the girls were crying. What was the big deal, thousands of guys died on "Combat" and "Rat Patrol" every week. I guess I was an incensitive brute back then.

**7andkelly** · May-22-09, 06:08 AM

Originally Posted by Mkap

WB - I never had dreams like the ones you must have had LOL. I had to go to the theater to get my fix.

I can also remember going to see "Love Story" at the old Warren up on eight Mile at about thirteen. I could not, for the life of me, figure out why all the girls were crying. What was the big deal, thousands of guys died on "Combat" and "Rat Patrol" every week. I guess I was an incensitive brute back then.

So you're saying Love Story was a war movie? Don't remember seeing it. "All the girls were crying"? ... thanks for the warning.

**Eastburn** · May-22-09, 07:52 AM

[quote=Mkap;23019]WB - I never had dreams like the ones you must have had LOL. I had to go to the theater to get my fix.

Dreams? Those weren't dreams....honest.

**Eastburn** · May-22-09, 07:53 AM

In fact, 35 year old women still pursue me.

**jcole** · May-22-09, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by Eastburn

In fact, 35 year old women still pursue me.

I believe you EB. But are they pursuing you or chasing you away?

**Eastburn** · May-22-09, 09:53 AM

Some of them have guns.

**jcole** · May-23-09, 10:40 AM

Isn't the ice cream store pic the place that used to be a beer store, and Vetare's was next door?

**EMG** · May-23-09, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by jcole

Isn't the ice cream store pic the place that used to be a beer store, and Vetare's was next door?

The beer store and Vetare's must have been before my time, because I don't remember them. Not to say they couldn't have been there after my birth, just that I didn't go to that area before it was a frozen custard place.

At the time that I left Michigan shortly after the taking of that picture, I believe the ice cream store was shut down and boarded up [[though that could have been just due to the season) and just west of it was a barber shop called Hair Force One.

**EMG** · May-23-09, 10:54 AM

The north side of Heilmann field, taken facing directly southbound from State Fair between Brock and Crusade:

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A shot taken from State Fair near Crusade, showing the northeast corner of Heilmann field and a bit of Burbank School in the background:

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Eastbound Liberal between Boulder and Cordell [[despite the fact that I misnamed the file as Boulder to Crusade and didn't catch it until after I uploaded):

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Facing southwest from the corner of Crusade and Maddelein. The church in the background [[can't remember the name of it) was at the corner of Morang and 7 Mile.

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And a shot of Redmond northbound from just north of Seven Mile. And, of course, part of St. Jude's to the left.

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