Young people in Rutland City experienced a true a “neighborhood concept” as they were growing up back in the ‘50s and ‘60s.
There were neighborhood schools, playgrounds, tennis courts and skating rinks.
Back in that time period, most families had only one car. For that reason children walked to school and to activities with their friends. Parents were fine with that since safety concerns found in today’s world did not exist back then.
In Rutland City elementary schools were spread throughout the city. There was Dana School on East Center Street, Kingsley School on Pine Street, Longfellow on Church Street, and the following schools that were named for the street on which they were located, namely: Park, Lincoln, and Watkins. There were also three Catholic elementary schools: Christ the King, St. Peter and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Those three schools were spread throughout the city but were within walking distance for most students.
As we walked to school the number of students increased as we passed classmates’ homes and they joined the group. We always arrived at school on time which meant we were probably told not to “dilly-dally” so we didn’t!
When school was out for the summer children could go to neighborhood playgrounds that offered a variety of fun options. In 1950 there were actually 10 playgrounds in the city: Dana School, Deer Street, Rutland High School field, Kingsley School, Meadow Street, Meldon School, Park Street School, Rotary, Stratton Road and Watkins School.
What did kids do at the playgrounds? Their days were filled with arts and crafts, dog and cat shows, watermelon eating contests, costume parades, bike parades, doll shows, scavenger hunts and many other fun events. At the end of the season a gigantic field day was held and the playgrounds competed against one another in various games.
For children who wanted to play tennis in the ‘50s and ‘60s there were two courts: one at the Rotary Field on North Street and another at White’s playground at the end of Avenue B. Children could take lessons as well as play on their own. Back in the middle ‘50s the Rotary Club donated six racquets for the children to use. By 1956, plans were being made for two tennis courts at White’s playground. They were a reality by 1960. The Recreation Dept. offered free tennis lessons for children at both courts. Around 60 youngsters took advantage of them each summer. By the ‘70s the Meadow Street playground had tennis courts and children in that neighborhood could enjoy them.
Winter also had a role in neighborhood connections over the years. When I was a child back in the ‘50s the only skating rink was at Rotary on North Street. Other sections of Rutland wanted rinks closer to home. By the time I was in high school in the ‘60s there was a rink and warming hut at White’s playground. It was near my cousin Betty’s, home so my parents would bring me there and we would walk to the rink. Other neighborhood teens would join us for a fun time on the ice. By the ‘70s Meadow Street Park also had a skating rink and kids from that section of Rutland had a place to meet their friends and have fun skating. Giorgetti Park on Oak St. Extension also opened a rink in the late ‘70s extending the neighborhood concept to four parts of the city.
Keep in mind that “back in the day” kids walked to a lot more places than they do today. My walk to Christ the King School was about a mile. My walk to MSJ was close to 2 miles… but it was only uphill one way!
