>>>>I remember hearing a bit about the school when I was in Hyde Park, but I don't recall it.
>>>
>>>Not surprising. I didn't know anything about it when I was 12 either, and I lived less than 10 blocks from it. All of a sudden my parents sent me there.
>>
>>That was the era when parents made decisions like that. The folks talked "amongst themselves" about private school for me. When they broached the subject to me, I guess my vehemence about not going surprised them. I enjoyed my days in public school. I can imagine, though, that when living in the city one framed those questions in somewhat different ways.
>
>I was more than happy to go. First, I had been transferred by the school system from Murray (53rd and Kimbark) to Bret Harte (56th & Stoney). Sat at a sewing machine for a desk in their home ec room. Plus the schools were getting a bit on the rough side.

I guess that's one of the motivations the folks had for moving to the 'burbs. I grew up in West Pullman -- actually, I had our contact information drilled into me -- 12118 Parnell, COmmodore 4-5857. Houses were closely packed. But, there was always something going on. Ed Derwinski lived across the street from us, but we rarely saw him.

In the early 60's as us kids got older, the family headed out west on Roosevelt Road to Geneva. Schools and area were nice, but that's the only time I've really lived in the 'burbs. Now, in Indianapolis, I'm on the near north side in an Arts and Crafts vintage neighborhood and love it.

>
>>
>>>
>
>>I wondered if your photo revealed something about your past. <g> As Winston Churchill said, as far as I can remember, he didn't respect a man under 30 who wasn't a liberal or a man over 30 who wasn't a conservative. My cousin Billy quoted that to me at our last family Christmas get together (can't imagine why, we were only discussing the last election!). I bit my tongue and didn't say to him, why Billy, you never were a liberal!
>
>Yes, it does. I'm "stuck in the 60s".< g > I know the Churchill saying and I've gotten more conservative as I've gotten older. Right now, I'm pretty much middle of the road.
>
>>The Medici turned into a pizza parlor by the time I arrived in Hyde Park. I guess they were interested in making money by then! It was the best pizza in the neighborhood. I was there recently -- they've moved, across the street and down a couple blocks. The staff complains about the ovens not being as hot in the new location.
>
>I knew about them changing it to a pizza place, but didn't know about the move. Wonder if it's still owned by Hans Moorsbach.

Don't know that.

>
>>Things had pretty well quieted down by 74. I remember sitting in a McDonald's one day minding my own business. A socialist was running for mayor -- a black gentleman who's name I can't remember -- ended up with 2% of the vote. Anyway, one of his campus supporters was out trying stir up the vote in classic Chicago style. He was engrossed in a conversation with another gentleman, from the neighborhood. All of the promise of a socialist candidacy danced around the room. But, that fell on a deaf ear. The continual response was. "Well, what's this guy going to do for me? I mean, my brother knows the alderman, and he got a job at O'Hare. Now, this guy, he becomes mayor. Does he have any clout? Does he have any alderman in his party? Now, If I vote for him, how am I gonna get a job?" How eloquent his Friedmanesque statement of self-interest.
>
>
>You know what Royko said about the Official Chicago slogan, don't you? He said it should be "Ubi est mea".:-)

I worked with a gal at the Church Federation of Greater Chicago who ran the food pantry. Her husband was in some obscure office in the Daley administration -- we always termed it the "dirty tricks" office -- and a bit of CIA action also. Greta had the scoop on everyone. She said that the alderman of the 5th district (I believe, encompassing much of the loop) was "so dirty he's clean."

>>
>
>>>Not only that, but we got to see a real, live war on TV.
>>
>>And, how differently that hit us in our living rooms. A couple Christmases ago, I ran into some friends and we talked about our experiences during that time. We were about 4 years apart -- I was in the middle. My friend Eric had declared himself a CO when it was really tough. He did a lot of work with the Friends. I also declared myself a CO, but as things were dying down. My initial application was rejected, so as a college freshman, I was 1-A. An appeal was approved, but the draft had almost no impact on my class. Still, the visions we saw seemed our destiny. Our youngest friend said that it seemed so distant -- just like another television show. Of course, our withdrawal was complete by the time he graduated from high school
>
>I had a student, then a fatherhood (1-Y, I think it was) deferment. Almost went to Canada at one point, where for a brief period of time I was 1-A. I was living at home at the time and got a call for the pre-induct physical. So I made plans to go north with this girl I knew. They, at the last minute, called it off. Later I got a number well over 320 in the "Death Lottery".

We were pressed to make decisions then that reflected both our values -- often still forming -- as well as our desire for survival -- pretty keenly felt. It sounds like you could write a song about it -- maybe 25 or 30 minutes. <g>

>
>>>>>>>>>>You know, I've heard that stream of unconsciousness of Bill Faulkner, too, so, there you go in that Southern novelist mode. <g>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Hopefully, not in "As I Lay Dying."< bg >
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Sound and Fury?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Much better.:-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>As you like it!
>>>>>>
>>>>>Don't shake that spear at me!:-)
>>>>
>>>>Oh, it's only a flesh wound %)
>>>>
>>>Shouldn't that be a # of flesh wound.:-)
>>
>>Much ado about nothing %)
>
>Only if you can't catch her in the rye.:-)

Ah, to be Lady Chatterley's lover!

Jay