When the living was easy

Do you remember the lyrics, “Summertime and the living is easy?” When we were young, we didn’t realize just how easy we had it. We didn’t have to worry about jobs bills or mortgage payments. Summers in were spent going to the show at the State or Roseland theaters free passes from the merchants. Or playing ball on the Little League diamonds or in the school yards. Or going to the beach where the guys and gals would have a great time swimming together.

And who could forget swimming at the parks? There was Palmer Park, with its 3-foot depth and one end and 8 feet at the other, or West Pullman Park with its garage doors that came up when it was bright and sunny and went down when it was raining out.

The kids of Rosemoor got to go swimming at the Pump on 103rd and Princeton. Those were the kids who went to Van Vlissengen and a couple other of those schools in that area. We mostly hung around St Anthony’s and Kensington, where we played ball at Morandi’s Park otherwise known as Kensington Park and sometimes at Scanlon school.

I remember spending time playing fast pitch at Scanlon School and on the swings in their playground. Scanlan had a couple of really great swings with seats that aren’t really long chains. But the best part of going to Scanlon’s playground was the daddy long legs you shimmied all the way up just to slide all the way down: a great thrill that would be outlawed in today’s playground’s layout!

Palmer Park was the playground for us. It had everything: the high bars, parallel bars, and monkey bars. It was great fun and all the falling didn’t matter. It was your problem if you fell because your parents weren’t even around to helicopter you. All your playmates would just laugh at you for your stupidity. That’s how we got South Side tough!

I remember one time I decided to play tennis, but not having a partner was not a problem because Palmer Park had handball walls. Handball was pretty popular in the late ’40s and early ’50s and parts of the park were handball courts. I would go down to Palmer Park and practice against the wall by myself for exercise. It was a great workout for at least the four times I did it.

Palmer Park at one time had bocce and horseshoe courts. Those were popular games in the ’50s and everyone would just go out relax and have a great time at the park. In Kensington, we had the Roseland Operetta Club, which had bocce courts of their own. And there was also the South End Club, which was more of a tavern club that also had access to bocce ball courts.

If it’s summertime in Roseland it’s carnival time! St. Anthony’s was known for having the best carnival in Roseland. From the Tilt-A-Whirl to the game booths, from the Ferris Wheel to the food stands, St .Anthony’s was the best!

The pizza they served at the carnival was the same pizza rectangles they sold at the bingo Friday nights. It was always something my sisters and her friends would look forward to having before they went out on Friday nights. Having it for sale at the carnival every night was something special. Everyone got to enjoy having slices of pizza for 50 cents a slice!

Back in the late ’50s early ’60s, St. Willibrod had a great carnival, run by the saintly Father Exler, that was held on Michigan Avenue at Kensington. The last one was held the year before they built the Roseland Plaza on the corner of 115th and Michigan, anchored by National Tea Company and Ma Bell Telephone offices and DeKoven Rexall Drugs. The plaza was across from the Clark Gas Station at Kensington and Michigan.

As I said in the beginning, our youth was built on summertime and our living was easy.

In case you haven’t noticed, currently in Pullman, there’s a Chick-fil-A at 111th and Doty. And if you look at the signage, you’re going to be surprised to see there’s also a Baskin-Robbins/Dunkin’ Donuts, and a Jimmy John’s. Along with the Pullman Coffee Club, Lexington Betty’s BBQ Smokehouse, Wingstop, Potbelly’s and Culver’s, Pullman is fast becoming the fast-food capital of the South Side!

The Pullman National Historical Park is back to its full-scale schedule and providing events and activities for visitors. The free admission to the National Park makes it a great place to visit a few times throughout the summer. That way you can see all the events and displays they offer throughout the season.

In May, we had Railroad Days and in June we will have the city-sponsored Taste of Chicago. That event will be taking place for the third time in Pullman in Arcade Park. Each year it gets better, and more sponsors take part. It behooves you to put the Taste on your calendar and make it a point to visit Pullman that weekend.

Lastly and best of all, it’s time for St. Anthony’s Feast! Sunday, June 8, will be the big St. Anthony festa in the parking lot at St. Anthony Church. There will be food for sale and a variety of musicians playing after each of the masses.

“Petals from Roseland: Fond Memories of Chicago’s Roseland, Pullman and Kensington Neighborhoods” is available from me for anyone interested in sharing or revisiting their life in Roseland at $20 + $5 s&h. Contact me at petalsfromroseland@gmail.com or 11403 S. St. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60628; 773-710-3559. My book is also available at D & D Foods, 1023 S. Halsted, Chicago Heights, at Bookie’s New and Used Books, 10324 S. Western Ave, Chicago and at Miles Books, 2819 Jewett Ave., Highland, Indiana.