Whether it’s 2024 or 1954 kids share the enthusiasm that comes from being on school vacation during the summer months. However, the way that their free time is spent has few similarities.
As often happens when my weekly breakfast group gets together we take a “look back” at various things and recently we recalled what we did during our school vacations. Here are my own memories and some of theirs.
I grew up on Howard Avenue and back in the ‘50s there were many empty lots on our street and some streets in our current neighborhood didn’t exist back then. Of course, there were no electronic devices to entertain us. We had to entertain ourselves!
Hopscotch was a popular game among the girls. Sometimes we drew the required 10 squares with chalk on a paved driveway and other times we drew them in the road. There were not a lot of cars on our street back then so the times were minimal when we had to get out of the road. We followed the rules as we hopped from square 1 to 10 throwing a small rock on the appropriate square as we moved along. It was actually a great way to practice balance as there was a lot of time spent on one foot!
Jacks was another game that was popular. You need 10 jacks which are 6 pronged metal pieces and a small bouncy ball. You bounce the ball just once and pick up one jack the first time, then two the second time, etc. The goal is to eventually pick up all 10 jacks with only one bounce of the ball. This was a game of “eye and hand coordination” for sure! A flat sidewalk was the perfect spot outdoors. On a rainy day porch or kitchen floors worked great.
My parents owned the side lot next to our house. The front half was a lawn and it was a great place to play croquet. When we got bored with that a badminton net went up and everyone took turns playing. Even some of the parents on the street took part in those activities along with their children.
The back half of the side lawn was a big vegetable garden and “hide and seek” among the corn stalks was always a fun time. I think I inherited my love of gardening from my father!
Summer was also the time to hop on our bikes and head to Pete’s Market on Terrill Street. Popsicles were usually our choice on a hot day. We sat on the steps of the market and ate them before heading home. As I recall they cost a nickel!
Indian Rock at the top of Howard Avenue was our picnic spot. The neighborhood kids named the rock and why we chose that name I have no idea!
A wooded area behind one of the houses on Howard Avenue was the perfect spot for a summer camp made out of boards and old rugs. Things went missing from our parents’ garages and workshops as we built our camp. My father had more tools and nails than some fathers so he had more missing items that I had to retrieve when he discovered they were gone.
By the late ‘50s we were old enough to ride our bikes to the city pool on North Main Street. It was a two-lane road back then but we still needed someone to help us cross the highway safely. Many of us took morning swim lessons. The braver of us went off “the tower” which was a relatively high diving board. I was never among that group! A favorite memory is the small building near the city sidewalk where you could get frozen goodies such as Charleston Chew Bars along with many other yummy choices.
Summer day camps in various neighborhoods were run by the City of Rutland Recreation Dept. Contests, games and crafts made for a fun time.
If you liked horses Hendee’s Stables on North St. Extension was the place to be! There was a large paddock to ride around. Some of the more experienced riders were allowed to go on trails outside the paddock. The most gentle of the horses was Susie — who was categorized as a “work horse.” I was matched up with that horse and even Susie could sense that I didn’t belong in the saddle. She turned around and headed back to the stables with me still on her! I had to duck my head going in. That was the end of horseback riding for me.
Each night after dinner all the neighborhood kids headed outside and played until the 10-of-9 whistle blew. That was when we knew it was time to head inside. As an adult in the summer I no longer have to head inside when the whistle blows but it has a different meaning. I am already inside and the whistle now tells me that it will be bedtime soon. Oh, to be young again!
