MEMOIRS OF SCHOOL STREET VILLAGE

Thanks so much for the great response to this blog!
A special thank you to those who have passed it on to others. We are heading quickly to amazing page visits to this blog! Welcome to folks from all over the country and other countries as well, including Lisbon!!

The "Village", as it was called, is located in the northwest corner of the city of Taunton, Massachusetts U.S.A. It covers about 1 square mile with the center being School Street. A large portion of the Village population was Portuguese when I was growing up.

This blog covers a lot of the history of the Village, much to do with my years as a child there: 1940 through the late 1950's. I do have many wonderful photos and information prior to that that and will share those as well. Always looking for MORE PHOTOS AND MORE STORIES TO TELL.

If you would like to send photos or share a memory of growing up in the Village
e-mail me at spinoart@comcast.net
feel free to comment on the posts. Directions are on the right side of the blog posts. Jump in, the water is fine and it is easy!!!


I will be posting photographs but not identifying individuals unless I have permission or they are a matter of public record. It you wish to give me permission, please let me know.

I am looking for any and all photos of the Village...

Please note: the way blogs work is that the latest post is first. It you would like to start from the beginning of the blog, check out the post labels on the right of the blog and go from there. Thanks.


Friday, December 21, 2012

More about Christmas in Taunton

After posting the first blog about our Christmas Green display, I was delighted to receive more photos and information to share with everyone.

I felt it important enough to do a follow-up post. Thank you to Arlene Gouveia. Kathy Campanirio and Shelley Au for these lovely additions to our memory banks.


First, Arlene Gouveia has identified the friend with Aunt Alveda 
as Alice Emond, also from the Village. Arlene says that Alice was
a font of information about the Village.
Here is the photo once more.
                                 







Shelley Au has sent another batch of her Mom's
 photos and we know now that it was her Dad, my Uncle Ziggy who probably
took the photos of Aunt Al and Alice. 
Here is Ziggy and a friend....think they were double-dating?
These photos appear to be in the later 40's. After you read the
quotation below, you may agree with me that this was in 1945.
Arlene tells us that the memorial was one she read often. I recall
it so well, it is long gone and so, apparently, is the one
in City Hall.


Finally, Kathy Campanirio retreived an excerpt from
"From 80 Years of Christmas in Taunton-Candles on the Green"
by
Dr. William F. Hanna and Charles E. Crowley

"1942-1944 strict wartime blackout rules were in effect as war raged in Europe and
the Pacific so there were no lighted Christmas displays on Taunton Green,
the only time since 1914 there were no lights there.
In 1945, three months after the surrender of Japan a beautiful Christmas
display was then lighted on the Green.  At its center was the honor roll listing the names
of 4,900 Tauntonians who served their country during wartime. Atop a gold pedestal
topped by a gold star symbolizing those who had perished in the conflict. On two
sides of the Green stood ten foot high figures of Santa Claus and Uncle Sam, both
saluting the star. These were designed by Allison Macomber, a well known local sculpturer."



Amazingly, Shelley has shared this photo with us: Uncle Sam saluting
the brave fallen from Taunton.  My Uncle Ziggy must have felt
a special emotion as he had only recently served in Europe during the war.
Bless you, Shelley and Aunt Al for keeping this beautiful photo.

------------

This lovely little book pictures all of the Greens from 1922 to 1993
and was released in 1994.  I plan to find myself a copy.

Thanks again to Dr. Hanna and Charles Crowley for
helping the keep the history of Taunton alive.








2 comments:

  1. Sandy,that fellow with your Uncle Ziggy is Alice's husband,John.He served in Europe during the war and was severely wounded. As a child I was so impressed with Alice's faith that would return.She went to church everyday. They were married shortly after the war.

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  2. Sandy, that memorial to WW1 veterans is in the entrance to city hall.Who knows when that place will open again!

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