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Reminisce Extra|January 2019FACEBOOK POSTS‘I RESOLVE TO...’ Whether we love ’em, hate ’em or forget ’em, few of us can resist making New Year’s resolutions. “My New Year’s resolution has been the same for years—and I’m still not married to Jamie Lee Curtis.” CLAY JOHNSON “Less candy, more fruit.” SHELLEY HUPPERT “Read books, maybe one a month. I think I can do it.” MINZI TAYLOR JONESW “Leash-train my cat.” MARIA BUSER Join the conversation at FACEBOOK.COM/REMINISCEMAGAZINE…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019EXTRA SPECIALSSTORIES TO READ With 32 reader-submitted tales of growing up, finding true love and doing what they loved best, this issue celebrates the new year. RECIPES TO TRY We share a reader favorite on page 46 from sister publication Taste of Home. OLD-FASHIONED FUN From sledding to skiing, enjoy the dozens of reader photos sprinkled throughout the issue. REMEMBER WHEN? Test your skills: Trivial Pursuits on page 11, Motown's origins on page 42 and a Looney Tunes-themed Crossword on page 54. LAST-MINUTE GIFT IDEA Give Reminisce , get a gift, FREE! Order now: REMINISCE.COM/GIVETODAY…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 20191961 TOPS IN ENTERTAINMENT~ ACADEMY AWARDS ~ BEST MOTION PICTURE The Apartment Billy Wilder, producer BEST ACTOR Burt Lancaster, Elmer Gantry BEST ACTRESS Elizabeth Taylor, Butterfield 8 ~ GRAMMY AWARDS ~ RECORD OF THE YEAR “Moon River” Artist: Henry Mancini SONG OF THE YEAR “Moon River” Songwriters: Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer ALBUM OF THE YEAR Judy at Carnegie Hall Judy Garland ~ SPORTS STATS ~ KENTUCKY DERBY Carry Back NFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME Green Bay Packers over New York Giants, 37-0 NFL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Paul Hornung, Green Bay Packers WORLD SERIES New York Yankees over Cincinnati Reds (4-1) MVP, AMERICAN LEAGUE Roger Maris, New York Yankees MVP, NATIONAL LEAGUE Frank Robinson, Cincinnati Reds INDIANAPOLIS 500 A.J. Foyt…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019BORSCHT BELTLocated in the Catskill Mountains in southeastern New York state, the popular Jewish vacation spot comprised 538 hotels and more than 50,000 bungalows. Settled by Jewish immigrant farmers in the early 20th century Became a mecca for Jewish patrons from the 1920s to the late 1960s Hotels such as Grossinger’s and Kutsher’s pioneered the all-inclusive resort. Musicians who performed there: Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin Comedians who entertained there—Mel Brooks, Rodney Dangerfield and Henny Youngman—introduced the world to stand-up comedy as we know it.…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 20191961 FABULOUS LATINASIn 1961, Rita Moreno was 29 and a showbiz veteran. Growing up in the Bronx, NY, Moreno made her Broadway debut at 13, and four years later, in 1949, Louis B. Mayer himself signed her to a contract at MGM. Even so, with the exception of Tuptim in The King and I (1956), Moreno’s movie roles were small until her electrifying, Oscar-winning performance as Anita in West Side Story (1961). Multitalented and hardworking, Moreno has inspired young artists everywhere, including Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and a fellow child of the Bronx, Jennifer Lopez.…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019SAFETY FIRSTDURING WORLD WAR II, women numbering in the millions entered the labor force, often trading strictly feminine jobs for factory and office work. The Magnavox Co. in Fort Wayne, IN., where Carol Sheets worked, produced radio and electronic equipment. Plant safety was in; horseplay was out. In addition to receiving the booklet On Duty with its list of safety tips, workers were instructed to follow “sane healthful practices”—eat wholesome foods, drink water and wear sensible shoes.…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019WITH A SONG IN THEIR HEARTSStardust Memories by MIKE MANSFIELD • DELTONA, FL MY FATHER, AUSTIN MANSFIELD, was bandleader and guitarist with a group called the Aristocrats of Rhythm before World War II. He and his band often played the Balinese Room of the elegant Blackstone Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, where singer Dale Evans sometimes joined them as a soloist. This was a few years before she met and married Roy Rogers. During the war, Dad was a sergeant in the Army Air Corps stationed at Mitchel Field in Long Island, New York, as a liaison pilot. He belonged to the Mitchel Field choir, which performed with Frank Sinatra at Carnegie Hall in September 1943 as part of the kickoff for the Third War Loan campaign. I still have the letter W. Randolph Burgess,…4 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019Step Lively!Taking the Fifth Our class of 4-year-olds at the Phyllis Ann Dance Studio in Bellingham posed in ballet’s fifth position for this picture in 1941. All these years later I am still in touch with friends from those wonderful days. I’m the dancer in the center. KAREN BOWSHER KOHLWES • CLINTON, WA Fascinatin’ Rhythm My sister Myrtle and I sang and tap-danced in beautiful costumes our mother made. I was 9 and Myrtle 11 when this picture was taken in 1935. Now I dance every Friday and Saturday night—usually the jitterbug, which I love the most—at our local Moose Lodge. TRUDIE GAVETTE • LA PINE, OR…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 201960 YEARS OF RHYTHM AND SOULThe Motown sound, a mashup of gospel music with the syncopation of doo-wop and jazz, got its start in 1959 when Berry Gordy Jr. turned the garage of a simple two-story house in Detroit, Michigan, into a music studio and transformed singers and songwriters into legends. How much pop-soul from the House that Gordy Built do you recall? 1 What name did Berry Gordy give to the house on Grand Boulevard in Detroit where his famous Motown recording studio was located? A. MotorTown Revue B. Detroit Music Center C. Hitsville U.S.A. D. Monument to Music 2 How is the building currently used? A. As a warehouse B. As a museum C. As a halfway house D. As a soup kitchen 3 How much did Berry Gordy borrow in January 1959…3 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLLDUNE BUGGY DREAM My daughter Gail wasn’t thrilled when I brought home a VW wreck to be her first car in 1968. But after I stripped it down and put a new Meyers Manx dune buggy body on it, Gail became a bit more enthused. We were living on California’s Alameda Island, where her car was a big hit. “Me and my 1967 Camaro RS/SS, which I’ve owned for more than 46 years. It swings a lot of heads when I drive by.”JOAN GERBER • CAMDEN, NY ROY NICHOLS • RENO, NV COMING UP: Happy Valentines Post your photos at: REMINISCE.COM/SUBMIT-A-STORY…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019AN UNUSUAL WAY TO TOSS A SALADBack in the summer of 1969, I was excited to be going to New York City’s Central Park with my brother Joey, sister Ginny, cousin Rosie and good friend Paul to see a free concert by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. Perpetually dieting, I’d packed my usual lunch, a tomato and a pepper. We got to the park very early and chose what we thought was a prime viewing spot right behind the seating area. The place was filling up, but everyone was calm as the crew worked on the stage. Then, who should show up but Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin! They were just hanging out and not part of the show, but when the crowd saw them, it went wild. The band came on a few minutes…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019Tell Us Your Story!BARBIE DOLLS When she debuted in 1959, Barbie Millicent Roberts, an 111/2-inch doll, broke the mold. She was a model, drove a car, had a boyfriend, and wore a ponytail and a black-and-white striped bathing suit. Tell us about your play dates with this fashion maven. Label your story “Barbie Dolls.” TREEHOUSES Climbing trees got even more fun when you assembled old, discarded boards and nails to build a treehouse. Those elevated playhouses kept out adults and outsiders. Did you build one? Play in one? Share your adventures. Label your story “Treehouses.” SUPPER CLUBS These swanky restaurants are open only for supper and are often found off the beaten path. You’ll always find good service, large portions and a well-stocked bar. Did you have a favorite? What do you recall…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019WHAT WOULD A GIRL SING?Late in 1960, Carole King, born Carol Joan Klein, was an 18-year-old wife, mother and aspiring songwriter. Husband Gerry Goffin, 22, worked as a chemist while writing song lyrics in his off-hours. One afternoon King tape-recorded a melody she had created on the family piano. She then ran out to play mahjong with a friend, leaving her husband a note: “Please write.” Goffin listened and penned the words to an enduring song: Tonight you’re mine completely, You give your love so sweetly. Tonight the light of love is in your eyes, But will you love me tomorrow? For the song, Goffin and King imagined a female voice both woman-confident and teenage-vulnerable. They found that special voice in Shirley Owen, the 19-year-old lead singer of the Shirelles, a New Jersey vocal…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019READING IS FUNDAMENTALBALANCING ACT These solidly handcrafted bookends inspire nostalgia. Made of iron with a gold patina, the Merlino See Saw Metal Bookend set features velveteen-covered bases to protect your furniture. $45 WAYFAIR.COM UP ON THE ROOF It’s a lamp. It’s a book stand. It’s two solutions in one. The frosted-plastic lamp is shaped like a house so books can rest on the roof without breaking their spines. The Book Rest Lamp measures 53/4x41/2x6 inches and can use a 5-volt power supply or USB connector. Stay-cool LED bulb included (but not the book). $60 US.THELITERARYGIFTCOMPANY.COM TAKE NOTE The Composition Notebook Pouch rekindles memories of school literature classes. Stash your library card, smartphone, e-reader or paperback in this handy vintage-style bag. $12 OUTOFPRINTCLOTHING.COM BOOKS ON LOAN Create your own lending library with a…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019ARE WE THERE YET?Every year in the early ’70s, my sisters and I looked forward to our trip to Big Bear Mountain, California. Growing up in Orange County, we were unaccustomed to snow or heights, so when we were driving the winding mountain road, our mother, Martie, would start white-knuckling the dashboard. She winced and whined to Dad at every curve with a long, drawn-out, “Oh, Don, be careful!” Her matter-of-life-or-death reaction made the otherwise dull drive quite exciting. At the same time, my sister Debbie and I would enter another round of the great American child’s game Stop Touching Me, also known as Mom, He/She Won’t Stop Touching Me. We’d finish the trip with rousing games of How Much Longer? and Are We There Yet? Whenever we ventured up the mountain, within…2 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019THAT BUS TRIP CHANGED EVERYTHINGA group of residents from the singles apartment complex where I lived in 1968 decided to take a weekend ski trip. We scheduled a bus to transport us from Dallas, Texas, to Ruidoso, New Mexico. I was three years out of college, and had no idea I was going to meet the love of my life that February. I HAD NO IDEA I WAS GOING TO MEET THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. During the hourslong bus ride, Lynn McDonald and her four girlfriends cleverly sat in the front of the bus. They picked the spot right next to the keg of beer because the guys made frequent visits there. I tried to get Lynn to come to the back of the bus where we were having an impromptu party, but…2 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019KEY DEFENSEAs of 2017, the Defense Department maintained more than 130 military bands worldwide. More than 6,000 musicians participate in the bands. The Army is the oldest and largest employer of musicians in the world, with active-duty bands in more than 30 locations at home and overseas. Every year, the Navy Band plays at some 1,300 ceremonies and puts on about 300 concerts. Members of Army Field Band, which was formed with combat soldiers in 1946, now serve as the Army’s chief “musical ambassadors,” touring about 100 days a year. Their repertoire includes jazz, choral works and show tunes, along with classic marches. The Air Force Bands audio player has 539 songs for free listening, ranging from funk (“Funk Lang Syne”) to traditional (“Amazing Grace”). Among the Marine Corps groups or…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019YOU GOTTA HAVE A GIMMICKMy introduction to the performing arts came in 1938 when I was almost 6, and Mother signed me up for dance lessons with Miss Spanner, a pretty lady with ruby red lips and dark wavy hair. Mother and I walked to the dance studio in the west end of Bridgeport, Connecticut, where I’d sit as she tied my shoes. I loved being looked after so caringly by my mother on those Saturdays; during the week she worked at a factory. There were about 10 of us in the class. At recital time, we had to learn two songs, “The Band Played On” and “She’s Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage.” Mother was very crafty and made both of my outfits. I found the band costume uncomfortable, but it was…3 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019WHEN MRS. FISKE MET MR. ICKESNow one of just a few left in the world, this car was built in England during World War II and came to America with factory left-hand drive. With German subs sinking tankers off the Eastern Seaboard, threatening gasoline supplies, Constance Fiske took her brother’s advice and chose this car for its fuel economy, which was advertised in Britain as 40 mpg. She bought it new for $835 from Crandall Hicks Motor Co. on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. Mandatory gas rationing started on the East Coast in May 1942, and Mrs. Fiske dubbed her car Mr. Ickes, after then-Interior Secretary Harold Ickes, the country’s energy czar. Her purchase proved shrewd: In 1943, someone offered her $2,500 for it. With just a canvas top and side curtains, and no heater or…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019Contributor GuidelinesTELL US HOW TO FIND YOU Whether you send your submission via mail or email or post it online, include your full name, daytime phone number, email address and mailing address. If you have a post office box, tell us your street address too. HELP US SORT THINGS OUT Include the name of the department your submission is for (Motoring Memories, Growing Up, etc.) on the first page of your submission or in the email subject line. For any photos you submit, please identify the people, city, state and year the photo was taken. We reserve the right to use submissions in any section of our magazine, or elsewhere. We do not return unsolicited materials. Send quality photo reprints or email high-resolution JPEG files (300 dpi at 8x10) so you…2 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019Resolutions That StickCue the pots and pans. The new year has begun and with it comes all the resolve we can muster to get fit, get organized, write more letters, visit more friends, travel to more events—do more of everything. But I have to ask: What’s the big rush? I have resolved to start the year at a slower pace and take things one day at a time. Living in a state where ice, snow and the occasional lake effect can alter my day-to-day routine in a jiffy, slow is my best option—on the road, on the stairs, getting in and out of the car. I’m not looking for 180-degree turnarounds. I’ve learned over time that the resolutions I’m most likely to stick with are the ones that become lasting habits. That’s…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019TRIVIAL PURSUITSThe Dick Van Dyke Show began entertaining us on Oct. 3, 1961. Based on series creator Carl Reiner’s experiences when he worked on Your Show of Shows, this sitcom was a humorous look at the life of a TV comedy writer and his wife. See how much you remember. 1 What was the show’s pilot called? 2 Who played Rob Petrie in the pilot? 3 What former dancer played Laura Petrie? 4 Rob and Laura lived in what NYC suburb? 5 True or false: The Petries slept in a double bed. 6 Name the Petries’ neighbors. 7 Who played the wisecracking Buddy Sorrell? 8 What was the name of Buddy’s salty wife? 9 This former vaudeville performer played Sally Rogers. 10 What did Rob often trip over in the show’s…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019THE VOICE RANG CLEARThe summer sun made the low iron gates in Hoboken, New Jersey, too hot to touch. The flagstone sidewalks and cement steps rising from the street felt like heated stovetops. On the horizon across the Hudson River, the spires of New York waved in the hot air. Life inside the city apartments was a daytime misery. To escape the heat and to relieve the adults, children often were sent to the country. For several summers in the late 1930s and early ’40s my brother, Robert, and I went to a farm near Liberty, New York, in the Catskill Mountains, an area once referred to as the Borscht Belt. The place was operated as a dairy farm and summer resort by Tanta Schmidt. She was a Hitler admirer. Over the fireplace…3 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019LOOK! I CAN READ!Dick and Jane book opened my understanding of the entire world. In a single story with very few words, I was reading. My favorite part was the last page, where the plot climaxed with Look! Look! Look! In grammar school, our class was divided into groups for reading and arithmetic. We were never told which group was top or bottom but, of course, we could all guess. I was good at reading, so when my name was called, everyone knew that was the top reading group. Alas, I never made it to the top in arithmetic. I remember that soft little red book as if it were yesterday. Look was an appropriate word for my reading epiphany. Reading opened a new world and has always been an important part of…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019HOLD ON ONE MINUTEWhile World War II raged overseas and eligible bachelors joined the military ranks, young women like my mother, Carol Sheets, stayed home, dressed in slacks and went to work in the factories. My mother found a good job at the Magnavox plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The company prided itself on its safety practices, and the Magnavox Safety Committee presented each new employee the booklet “On Duty.” Copyrighted by the National Safety Council in 1943, the booklet had safety tips and precautions for working with tools and heavy machinery as well as other advice. Employees also got a welcome letter with the Magnavox slogan, MAGNA-FY Safety at Magnavox, including a list of health and safety do’s and don’ts. But it was the letter my mom sent to the editor of…3 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019IF THESE PHOTOS COULD TALKMy husband Rick’s mother, Aleah Bell Coffman, was 18 when she married Gordon Wenzler and moved from her home in Kansas to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, leaving behind her mother, Amanda; father, Walter; sister, Loretta; and brothers Clarence and Burdett. Loretta was 15 years older than Aleah Bell, but the sisters were very close. Loretta even picked her sister’s name, which Aleah Bell disliked all her life. Aleah Bell met Gordy in early 1945 when he was stationed in Manhattan, Kansas, with the Army Air Corps. A high school senior at the time, Aleah Bell worked at a gas station in the nearby town of Fort Riley. Gordy used to joke about her work overalls. WHEN I RANG THE BELL, AN OLDER MAN OPENED THE DOOR AND SCOOPED ME INTO HIS ARMS.…2 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019SILENT NIGHT VIGILMy mother, Luella, had such a beautiful voice she was offered a position with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. One Christmas Eve during World War II, as my father headed to the Pacific as a Navy surgeon, my mother volunteered to sing for the troops on a hospital ship anchored at New York Harbor. The ship had recently returned from Europe with several wounded soldiers. It was obvious they were in serious condition, and some were in great pain. Mom was moved by the sight of the ailing men, who were worried and saddened to be far from their loved ones at the holidays. But she pulled herself together and asked them what they wanted to hear. After a long moment, with some shouting, “anything,” she started to sing…2 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019DANCING AROUND THE PROBLEMWhen I was a little girl, I loved to dance—what little girl doesn’t? If you pinched me hard enough today, I bet I could still perform “The Mama Doll Song” that my cousin and I did for every Masonic lodge and Lions Club in town back in 1955. But something terrible happened to me when I was 7. I became sick very suddenly and no one could figure out what was wrong. I was confined to bed for almost a year—I remember the worst part was being too ill to enjoy Christmas. I was carried out to the front room to sit near the tree with my presents, but I was too tired to open them and begged to be taken back to bed. Looking over my mom’s shoulder as…3 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019BLUE FOR BREAKFASTFROM THE TASTE OF HOME COLLECTION Blueberry Crunch Breakfast Bake When in season, blueberries make this breakfast dish scrumptious, but frozen berries work just as well. My grandmother also made this treat with strawberries. PREP: 15 min.• BAKE: 30 min. MAKES: 12 servings 1 loaf (16oz.) day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch slices 8 large eggs 1 cup half-and-half cream 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup old-fashioned oats 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup cold butter 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 1 cup chopped walnuts 1. Arrange half of the bread slices in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. 2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream and vanilla. Slowly pour half of the cream mixture over the bread. Top…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019CLASSIC CLUES1 The founder of this carmaker came to the industry from a manufacturer of sheep-shearing equipment. 2 The company’s Seven model was a 17-year success that inspired similar models by other carmakers around the world. 3 This successor to the Seven was introduced in 1939. 4 Other versions available were four- and six-window sedans, and a van. 5 The year this car was built, an American military prototype inspired by one of this automaker’s roadsters evolved into the Willys Jeep. HOW’D YOU DO? Check your answer on page 58.…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019Contact UsCUSTOMER CARE For subscriptions, renewals, gifts, payments, account information and inquiries: Email: customercare@reminisce.com Visit: reminisce.com/customercare Write: REMINISCE CUSTOMER CARE PO BOX 5294 HARLAN IA 51593-0794 To buy single issues: shoptasteofhome.com EDITORIAL OFFICES Email comments and suggestions: feedback@reminisce.com Write: REMINISCE 1610 N 2ND ST STE 102 MILWAUKEE WI 53212-3906 facebook.com/ReminisceMagazine REPRINT REQUESTS Email permissions@TrustedMediaBrands.com to request permission to reprint any material from Reminisce. Email marcus.glover@sheridan.com to request bulk article reprints and poster printing.…1 min
Reminisce Extra|January 2019GOOD LUCK IS HIS ACE IN THE HOLESome of my fondest memories revolve around card games with my family during camping trips to Santa Cruz, even though, unlike Kenny Rogers’ gambler, I’ve never had a clue when to hold ’em or fold ’em. But if I’ve been unlucky at cards, I’ve been fortunate in the important areas of my life. It started when I was 12 and my family moved from South Dakota to Sacramento just as World War II was breaking out. I was too young to serve in the war, so my teenage years were relatively free from stress. And I got lucky with the climate: Sacramento winters were a huge relief after the Dakotas. I WAS TOO SHY TO ASK HER OUT, BUT FATE STEPPED IN ON MY BEHALF. So I loved Sacramento—and then…2 min
