Memoirs of Norbert E. Gnadinger, Sr. Volume 1

1920

I was born on June 27, 1921, in a little frame house located at 1008 Ellison Ave., Germantown, Louisville, Kentucky (no zip code). It was “wash-day”. They say that Mom made a point of finishing all of the family wash and hanging it on the outside clothes line and then took time out to deliver me. What!, you are already questioning my word? Well, you are right. I was born in 1921 but I was conceived in 1920 and I need to give some background to this memorial occasion. This little shot-gun house had four rooms with a back-yard outhouse (toilet). There were already nine people living in the house and it was decided there should be one more-me. Living jammed together like this was normal. The working class of people to which we belonged could afford little better than this. Since we, and all our friends, lived under the same conditions, we thought nothing of it(we did have a nice front porch to sit out on and a nice back yard). I did often think that I was the catalyst which later helped my parents decide to build a larger home. I was the youngest child, the baby. I’ve always thought, ‘what if Mom and Pop had decided to make my brother Frank the last child?’ Fortunately for me they did not do this. I remember nothing of this house during my first two years.

My father, Francis Adam (Frank) Gnadinger was a machinist for the C. Lee Cook Mfg. Co. for most of his working life, and my mother, Mary Catherine (Mamie) (Determann)Gnadinger, a hard working housewife, headed this, somewhat large, family. My Aunt Rose (Kleier) Gnadinger also lived with us after the death of her husband, Joseph Gnadinger, Pop’s brother. None had what, today, would be considered a good education. But, it was adequate for that period. Since my Pop was a trained machinist, I would say that the education he received would be equal to a high-school education today. My Mom often stated that she was taught only German in school and when she entered the sixth grade (?) the schools were required by law to teach only in English, in all grades, as a first language. Also, every child in Catholic Schools made their First Holy Communion when they were twelve years old (?)(Mom was thirteen). I don’t know if this condition was universal or just a diocesan requirement. We all called our parents Mom and Pop and I’ll continue to refer to them in this manner.

Now for a listing of the rest of my immediate family: My oldest brother, Robert Francis (Bob), was thirteen years old in 1920. Next in order was Bernard George (Bernie)(Ben), ten years old. Next was Carl John at eight, Stanley Louis (Stan) at seven, Mary Catherine (Kate) at four and Frank Joseph at two years old. Mom was thirty nine and Pop was thirty eight years old. Aunt Rose was fifty two. An interesting thing should be added at this point. Less than a city block away and almost across the alley from 1008 Ellison Ave. at 1023 Charles St. resided a Mr. Louis Emory Buchter and his wife, Mary Magdalene (Mamie)(Lang) Buchter. A baby was also conceived at this Charles St. address, a girl it turns out to be, and she would be named Helen Ann Buchter, my wife since 1939. The Buchters, a few years later, moved to their permanent home across from the present St Xavier High School at 1054 Ardmore Drive (then named Phillips Ave.). Helen and I didn’t meet or get to know each other until we were seventeen years old.

You live in a particular neighborhood because the ambience appeals to you. You are among people you understand and who are friendly to you. Sometimes there will also be a relative or two living nearby. It was not always true but during this period, most of your neighbors shared the same religious preference, therefore you knew most everyone and your parents more than likely helped raise all the kids in the area besides their own. We kids could not get into trouble without our parents learning about it almost immediately. Every one of our parents would be in jail constantly for child abuse for we were spanked. I lived through this and I don’t believe I became mentally twisted because of the discipline. I admit I may be a little peculiar. Naturally, there were people we did not like and kids we couldn’t get along with, but I remember, always, a friendly attitude from most of our neighbors.

In the 21st Century, and through most of the latter part of the 20th Century, we, as a people, gradually lost our feeling of community. We began as German-towners, a closely knit group of friends and acquaintances who enjoyed each others company, but gradually, over the years, we became Louisvillians who sometimes did not even know the people living next door. What held us together in the 1920’s? We needed each other’s support and when there was a physical need for help, there was always someone you could count on. If you patronized any store you were waited on as a valuable customer and your opinion was accepted as being important. It was taken for granted that you would maintain your property and Germantown was noted for its’ neat neighborhoods with painted or whitewashed walks and porch rails. Everyone swept their walks each day and went so far as to sweep the gutters in the street. That is “neat”.

All of the children who were able were outside doing something most of the day, winter or summer. I don’t say we had more snow in those days but we took advantage of what there was and this made a lasting impression on us. Snow-ball fights were universal and everyone would sleigh-ride down Ellison hill. The summers were glorious. There was so much to do. We played “Peggy” and baseball in the streets, or, if you were older, on Ellison field just this side of the Ellison dump. Shelby Park was convenient with all the usual sports equipment. They even had Tennis courts and a large swimming pool. We didn’t swim there very often because they charged an admission and we could go out to Beargrass Creek and swim there for nothing. We had no swim suits so we enjoyed swimming in the nude (no girls allowed). Our baseball bats were seconds which we were able to finagle from workers at the Hillerich & Bradsby Bat Factory near Preston and Broadway Sts. Our baseball ended up losing its’ cover and we would re-cover it using old-fashioned Electricians Friction Tape. Try it sometime.

I’m getting carried away again with nostalgia but I must mention one more item, “Roller-skates”. Most streets in our neighborhood were made of brick and remained that way into the 1940s. The bricks are still there but covered with asphalt now. Up the street at Sommers Drug Store was Kreiger St. It was asphalted for three blocks from Ellison Ave. all the way to Goss Ave. This is where we roller-skated. All you needed was a pair of skates, a broomstick and a Wilson Milk can, other skaters and you were in business for a game of Shinny (?). Not many rules. You just wanted to hit the “beat-up” can past another skater and he wanted to try and stop you. There may have been a goal line to hit it across. We all got our full value from our skate wheels. There were two types of skate wheels. The one we could afford was cheaply made, had no bearings, were of solid construction with a hole in the center and it slid over a shaft and was secured with a washer and nut. It helped to put grease on the shaft before sliding the wheel on. The expensive skate wheel was fitted with roller bearings and cost too much for our pocketbook. The leather straps, frame and skate key usually held up really well. Our wheels were something else. If you had little money what do you do. We would, really, ride the wheels until they were worn down to the axle and then you waited until you had enough cash to visit Johnson’s Hdwe. Store on Goss Ave. at Texas St. for a refit. No kidding! Ask your Grandpa.

Right here I have to mention the Electric Automobile. I never saw anyone but women driving them, I guess, because they didn’t need to be cranked to start like the internal combustion engines. A woman could buy one of these from the Detroit Electric Autos situated at 4th and York Sts. If you wanted to smoke a cigar while driving, you went first to the Reiss-Dabney Cigar Co. at Shelby St. and Goss Ave. They made both a light and a dark leaf Certified Bond. The dark leaf Certified Bond would choke you to death. My brother, Bernie, smoked those for years. Undoubtedly, the best ice cream in the city based on testimony of my Mom was made by the Cuscaden Confections doing business at 3rd and Jefferson Sts. I mentioned Hellman’s Grocery previously. I’m sure we purchased small items from him. I’m also sure (?) that Mom bought most of her supplies from her brother-in-law, John G. Steinmetz, Grocer, of 754 Logan St. He delivered to the door.

Most of the Germantowners earned their living rather close to home or a short street-car ride away. Located at Reutlinger and Oak Sts was the Bradford Woolen Mill. On Goss Ave. between the L & N RR tracks and McHenry St was the Louisville Textiles, Inc. Cotton Mill. The James Clark Jr. Electric Co had a large building on Bergman near Shelby St. Other large places of employment were, The Standard Sanitary Co, The L & N Railroad Yards, B.F. Avery & Sons Plow and Farm Equipment Co., J.F. Wagner Sheetmetal Co. and Belknap Hdwe. and Mfg. Co. Of course there were many more but these were the ones you heard about the most.

Our firefighters who regularly fought the latest flare up of flames at the Ellison Ave. dump were part of the Engine Co. #14 located at 1024 Logan St.(Check out a lot of the addresses I’m giving you. Most of the buildings are still standing). The following entry pretty well forcefully presents the thought I have been trying to give you concerning the neighborhood spirit of the 1920s. It concerns the widows or those in need of extra income who tried to keep their family together and it involves the front-room store. I’ll just give these examples but there were many more. Schlegel’s Grocery at 1024 Charles St., Dolfinger’s Drygoods at 961 Charles St, Sarah Arnolds Drygoods at 1008 E. Oak St., and many who did “hair”, washed and ironed clothes and did general cleaning of homes or businesses. There was no Social Security and very few pensions. I have to close this great year of 1920 with an example of prices of services of an item you can relate to. The Hotel Henry Watterson (Modern and Fireproof)(it burned completely, circa 1970) located on Walnut between 4th and 5th Sts. A typical room rented for $1.75 per night and the prices ranged up to a Suite (with bath) for $6.00 per night. (8/17/2000)