Comments for KHS Class of '57

Comment on The Alhambra by Brenda Beatty McGaw

Brenda Beatty McGaw — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:31:42 +0000

I remember going to the Alhambra in the late 1950s and early 1960s with my sisters when I was a young girl. We could buy popcorn and a coke for a nickle each. I remember the double feature and there would be a dance after that was great fun. That was entertainment!

Comment on KHS Basketball in the 1950s by janice jessop burton

janice jessop burton — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:21:26 +0000

This brought back alot of great memories, remembering all the great games in the old gym .

Comment on Old Knightstown Houses - Page 2 by Ed

Ed — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:49:45 +0000

Hi Gunnar, Thanks for your comment and interest. The “Octagon House” refered to in the article you cited was actually the town Bandstand which used to sit at the south end of the town square. The 1844 Lehmanowsky House is the one pictured on this page. Here’s what Frank Edwards said about the Bandstand:
“The last time I passed I didn’t see the old Band Stand at the very south end of that long yard! How’d THAT get there? Why Tom!, back in the “gay nineties” that Band Stand was at the south end of the Public Square: and every Saturday night in the summer I played B flat clarinet with the Knightstown Boys’ Band up on the second floor of that circular building Mrs. Phil Parker’s dad played another one right next to me. And where are all those boys.?
Down stairs in that “round-house” Jim Wilson cobbled shoes and boots, and discussed politics with all the loafers. Out in front, handy to the sidewalk, was one of the town pumps with an iron dipper chained to it. Dug well ? Sure, but it was covered with boards excepting where the pump went down.
There were three or four such pumps in front of the Main Street stores. The Laboratories had not yet told us about germs, sure!
One such pump in front of the school house, no cafeteria in those days, no cokes, only the old dug well and the help yourself pump with the dandy big iron dipper.”

Frank’s Father, William Edwards, mentioned the Bandstand in his article about the “Silver Cornet” band, (found in the “Early History” pages of this site). Here’s what he said:
“During the Band’s later years a splendid band-stand was erected on the Public Square (at the south end) in which the Band frequently gave concerts. On the ground floor of this stand, J. M. Woods, at one time, had a lemonade and peanut stand and later it was occupied by J.M. Wilson as a shoe repair shop. Finally, the stand was bought by Aaron Carroll and moved to the west end of town.”

Next time I go up to K-town I’m going to take a picture of the old Bandstand and put it somewhere on the site. I wish I had an old picture of the square with the Bandstand to include.

cheers, Ed

Comment on Old Knightstown Houses - Page 2 by gunnar leman

gunnar leman — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:04:34 +0000

Ed, with interest i have read your new history page about 517 W, Main St, the Lehmanowsky house. I am investigating the John Jacob family. I don´t have the local knowledge but I was puzzled by the location and present ownership of the house. On the www.historic.landmarks.org there is reference to an octagon house moved in 1916 from the Knightstown centre to the surroundings of the Lehmanowsky house (close to a junction and Hill St). Here it is said that the house was built 1844. Please clarify if it is the same house.

The John Jacob Lehmanowsky story is interesting. A so called biography was published first in 1902 by Sadtler “Under two Captains” mainly based on stories told by other persons. It was probably available to Deem. The Lehmanowsky family probably left Knightstown after 1850. They then lived in Hamburg, Clark Co, where the wife Lydia died in 1856. John Jacob died in 1858 in Sellersburg. Both are buried at the Lehmanowsky family cemetery in Hamburg, Clark Co. It is included in the Indiana cemetery list.

Regards Gunnar

Comment on Downtown Knightstown History by Susan Jeffery Ward

Susan Jeffery Ward — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:21:06 +0000

I’m enjoying this website. My Dad sent me the line earlier today. Sometimes I hung out at Flory’s and sometimes at Jolly’s. As a kid I remember spending my allowance on penny candy at Flory’s. You could get a whole sack full of candy at a penny a piece. As a teen my first pair of jeans came from Rody’s. And penny loafers were sold there. A good place to check for pictures are the yearbooks. I remember being on the yearbook staff 1968 and either taking or being in pictures for the supporting ads in the back of the yearbook. There are still some golden oldies around town that could fill in some gaps.

Comment on Knightstown Business in the 50s by Susan Jeffery Ward

Susan Jeffery Ward — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:30:12 +0000

Hi, I graduated Knightstown High 1968. My parents live at 418 N. Jefferson. They had a TV repair business Jeff’s Radio and TV Service. Conway’s lived at the corner of Jefferson and Penn. Their store faced Penn St. I believe it was connected to the house. I was often sent for bread or milk. I also went to Lawrence’s sometimes which was located on Morgan Street between Jefferson and Washington. I’m enjoying reading the history of my home town. As a teenager my mother worked at the grocery store at the corner of Main and Jefferson, now Jeff’s Pizza. I remember going there as a child. People by the name of Cunningham owned it then.

Comment on Old Knightstown Houses - Page 3 by Ed

Ed — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:13:02 +0000

Hi Ellen, Thanks for your interest in the site and your suggestion. I would be glad to include the house but I don’t have any info about it’s origin or occupants beyond Diamond or any early pictures.
If I find anything I’ll surely include the house.
Thanks again,
Ed

Comment on Old Knightstown Houses - Page 3 by Ellen Rowan-Webb

Ellen Rowan-Webb — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:02:38 +0000

Ed:
This is great. I haven’t read it all yet, but will. I just wonder if you will include the house that my mother and L.L. Diamond use to live in on Main? I don’t recall the address, but it still stands and it was between the Dairy Queen and the service station across from the furniture store. I know it is over 100 years old. L.L. and his family lived there many years before he and my mother married. L.L. use to own the hatchery in Knightstown.

Keep up the great work.
Ellen

Comment on Music in the 50s by Ed

Ed — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:09:49 +0000

Linda, Thanks so much for the kind words… I do indeed remember the “Silky Straight” program. Glad for the reminder.
Cheers, Ed

Comment on Music in the 50s by Linda Frankel

Linda Frankel — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:32:45 +0000

Thanks so much for these wonderful memories and sounds of WLAC. I listened from Huntington, West Virginia, EVERY NIGHT, when I was supposedly sound asleep. Ernies, Randy’s, and the Silky Straight Program from 11:15 to 11:30, I think (who remembers that one?). It’s still the music I love, and I am lucky to live in New York with a world of music at my door. My 50th Huntington High School reunion is this year, and I’ve just sent my classmates the link to this site. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Comment on Music in the 50s by Robert

Robert — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 06:56:34 +0000

Hello:
First of all..thank you for a great web site..it has brought back so many memories some painful but mostly very pleasant..I will explain the difference before I close.
My name is Robert Branscomb..I am 70 years old and grew up in a little town in Indiana that almost mirrors your “Knightstown”..I grew up in Kingsford Hts Indiana..just outside of LaPorte Indiana. Went to high school in Hamlet Indiana because Kingsford Hts did not have a high school.
I can clearly remember when WLAC began playing the music you came to love so much..in fact us kids would crowd around the radio and listen to it thru all the static as it did not come in very clear..seems like it was better in the car, so we often would beg our parents to let us stay up and go outside and sit in the car until after midnite..sometimes in the summer we got to stay up and listen to the “Midnite Ramble”..:)
As I entered High School and got involved with sports..after a game we always would go over to someone’s house and play those old 45rpm and dance and of course make out..
I graduated in 1957 and went off to the Air Force and did not return for several years..with the exception of those old music days I hated Kingsford Hts ..you see I am Black and I remember how hateful and prejudice the white people were..how we always were treated badly by most of them and how difficult it was to understand why they were like they were. Little did I know that it was the same in the service..imagine being in uniform with other solders and being told you could not sit at the lunch counter and enjoy a cup of coffee while you waited for the bus to take you to the Base…we had to go out back or sit in the car and have one of our white buddies bring us our coffee or sandwich..I remember in High School and playing sports..it would not do to see a white cheerleader get to chummy with a black player..I remember running track in a track meet in Wanatah Indiana..we were not expected to win because at the time Wanatah was the best track school in our division..we beat them and one of our cheerleaders hugged one or our track stars who was a “Negro” and it was a big mess the next day at school..he ended up quitting the team and moving because of our own team players harassing him about that hug..the girl’s father raised so much hell that the track coach took the black track members aside and gave us the “talk”..”nothing personal..its just the way things are”..just don’t make any waves..It was very difficult in school to have any social life because there were only a handful of us and mostly boys at that..which mean dating was a major problem..we mostly didn’t date local girls….we meet and dated girls in Michigan City or South Bend..noon at school was the pits..usually the school had noon ’sock hops”..in the gym and all the kids dance..except of course the Black kids…there were only 2 Black girls and about 7 Black boys..do the math..
Basketball season was good for us because the noon activity was the basketball team doing lay up and showing off for the girls..and no dancing in the gym..
Having said all of that..I think back on those times and the memory of the music makes me a little sad but I love being a part of that time..
Again I want to thank you for this web site.. I love it and have played several songs over and over again.
The world has changed and I pray your little community has also..Thank you so much and God Bless..
Robert

Comment on Knightstown Photographs by tom dunaway

tom dunaway — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:09:45 +0000

jim chance is my uncle. he lives in fortville, in. his e-mail is jc67112000@yahoo.com i saw him last oct/08. he is well.
i have a picture of him on my myspace page in the indiana album. enter tommy dunaway in the find friends dialog box.

Comment on KHS Basketball in the 1950s by Zach

Zach — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:45:55 +0000

My grandmother, Dianne (Chapman) Taylor told me about a blog site that showed an insite to the 1950s in Knightstown. I hae always been told the 50s were great in Knightstown for athletics. My grandfather, John Taylor, who I have always been told was a great athlete never really talks about how good of one he was, and it was great being able to read about the basketball teams from the 50s. I know it must have been a thrill back then, because I am a 2005 graduate of Knightstown and played on the Regional Championship team in that year and it was great! Thanks for sharing all this information!!!

Comment on Dances and Proms by Mike Scott

Mike Scott — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 04:54:56 +0000

Eddie: I was a lot younger than the people in these pictures but remember them all very well. You have done a great job putting these pictures together. Mike Scott 1962

Comment on The Alhambra by Ed

Ed — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:10:15 +0000

Great Story Cindy..!!! Thanks for sharing it with us….!!

Comment on The Alhambra by Cindy (Roland) Loveall

Cindy (Roland) Loveall — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:44:09 +0000

My mother Manda (Mix) Roland and father Wilfred Roland met at the Alhambra Theater. She was from Wilkinson and he from Knightstown. She was 15, he was 16. They have told the story many times how my dad sat behind her at the movies and pulled her hair. It was love at first sight. I just finished a memory book for my mother, since she just turned 80. I had an old picture of the Alhambra that I put in the book and described their meeting there. They would have been married 60 years in July of 2006, but my father passed away on February 2, 2006. Mom has told me several times that she wished she had got a brick from the Alhambra. That was a very special place for them. I asked her recently what movie she went to see that day. She said she couldn’t remember the movie!

Comment on 1950s School Snapshots by Mike Scott

Mike Scott — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:43:27 +0000

I was thinking about the good old days at KHS and listening to some Doo Woop. Found your website. What great pictures. I’m going back to the Indy 500 this Spring and will stop by and look at the old school. Those were some great times. Mike Scott (Class of 1962)

Comment on The Businesses Back Then - The Public Square - East by Carol Wyatt Davis

Carol Wyatt Davis — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:47:17 +0000

Thanks so much for the picture! That was a reunion where they met up in Japan. Mom still has a silk kimono that he brought me from that furlough. I heard Daddy tell lots of stories about those reunions and have seen tons of pictures of it too. One of these days I will round them up and send them to you so everyone can enjoy them. One of Daddy isn’t fit for publishing though! He was a character in his own right, but add his brothers and John and Bill Morgan and the fun started! Thanks again for doing this, I have let lots of others know about it and they love it too. Carol

Comment on The Businesses Back Then - The Public Square - East by Ed

Ed — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:11:37 +0000

Thanks for the info Carol. There was a picture of your dad with some other K-town service men in a September of ‘52 Banner. I think they were on the way to Korea.

Comment on The Businesses Back Then - The Public Square - East by Carol Wyatt Davis

Carol Wyatt Davis — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:43:25 +0000

Ed. I remember Joe Chew having his photography studio on the south side of the Alhambra when I was a kid. It would have been in the early to mid 50’s and my mom took me there for photos to send to my dad in Korea. I may be a little off on the time period, but do remember it being there. Also, when Mattix’s sold the resturant, it was called the Country Kitchen and was owned by Ellen Whitton. I worked there a summer in the mid 60’s with other girls from school. Mary Schaeffer and Ethel Hughes were waitresses full time and my mother in law, Imogene Davis also worked there quite a while. To my great good fortune, I got a job at Flory’s and of course left the old folks at the resturant! Flory’s had a juke box!

Comment on The Businesses Back Then - The Public Square - West by Ed

Ed — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:14:51 +0000

Thanks Bill…!!, do you happen to recall who was there after Price closed his store..???

Comment on The Businesses Back Then - The Public Square - West by William H. Lukens

William H. Lukens — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:06:28 +0000

Ed,

The Price Feed Store on the west side of the square was run by my ‘uncle’ Otto Price. We used to go into his store to see the spring chicks and the ducklings in the huge boxes with breathing holes. He would let us take them out and play on the floor with them. It was fun playing among the feed sacks. As I remember, the place smelled because of the chicks and ducklings.

Bill Lukens

Comment on Downtown Knightstown History by Carol Wyatt Davis

Carol Wyatt Davis — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:53:32 +0000

Ed, Rody’s was a place that is forever etched in my mind. Harriett was my grandmother and my claim to fame! Her sewing skills and pegged pants were legend! After she retired and was dying with cancer, I remember going into her room and she was sewing in her mind. She told me she was worn out because she had been pegging pants all day! Quite a lady and fixture of downtown. Rody’s also sold shoes, she could fit a pair perfectly, and in the earlier days had the dry goods as well. I can remember her selling fabric and measuring and cutting it by the yard. Zippers, buttons, thread, anything you needed for sewing. And Ernie’s cigar smoke could be smelled throughout the store. He was a real character. His wife is still living in Greenfield. I called her FiFi. I consider myself to be among the lucky ones who remember and cherish Knightstown as it used to be.
I seem to remember the Tot “N Teen being on the corner of main and Jefferson where Ratliff Jewelers eventually was. Mom bought some of my clothes there. I can’t thank you enough for this site, I visit it often and love the new additions. Wyatt’s were quite plentiful around town, Elm Grove Dairy employed lots of the guys to deliver milk. I recently enjoyed hearing stories of my dad, Caley and uncles when I sat with Gary Plank and Jerry Livingston at a party. I knew they were characters, but he proved it! Glad you are mending and please don’t stop your work here! Carol

Comment on The Alhambra by William H. Lukens

William H. Lukens — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:41:39 +0000

I too was trained by Lon Craig to be a relief projectionist in 1952 and 1953. I would work when Lon or one of the other primary projectionists would want some time off. The projectionist booth was a steel booth with a small steel door and three small windows. This was necessary because the projectors were very hot and the film was quite flammable. The booth was supposed to be fire proof and it was always hot inside. I remember showing “War of the Worlds” nine times and each time it gave me a fit. This movie came in 12 reels, three to a box and the box weighed at least 50 pounds. At the end of each run of the movie we had to re-wind each reel put them in the proper box in proper order and carry the boxes to the popcorn stand on the entrance level. They would be picked up by a special courier who would deliver another movie. Those were good days except when the balcony sitters got out of hand, then we had to take some action.

Comment on Memoriam by Donna Riden Struewing

Donna Riden Struewing — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:43:20 +0000

This is a nice tribute to classmates. I was in Donna Gross’ wedding. I knew of her death and subsequent death of her husband Bill Strange. God rest her soul.

Comment on Alumni and 50s Classes Pages by Donna Riden Struewing

Donna Riden Struewing — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:38:14 +0000

I really enjoyed the site. Thanks for suggesting it, Terry. What a wonderful tour of memory lane. I attended Knightstown my freshman year (1956) only. I do not remember many names as I moved to Fairmount Indiana after that one year. I wish the class of ‘59 a very successful reunion. I will attend Fairmount Class of ‘59 in August 2009. Where did the time go???? “Cudos” to all responsible for contributing.

Comment on Knightstown Photographs by Terry Clark

Terry Clark — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:40:07 +0000

Hi Brenda,

I think James is living in the Indianapolis area. I found on the internet he has lived in Knightstown, Fortville, Dayton, Ohio and Indianapolis. He might have an unlisted telephone number as I could find no listing for him. Good luck in finding him. Sorry about the mistake above. I hit the wrong key.

Comment on Knightstown Photographs by Wayne Kelly

Wayne Kelly — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:46:28 +0000

Hi, Brenda.

Yes, I certainly remember Jim Chance but after I left K-town in 1952 I lost touch.

His father owned a grocery story across the street from the old Sullivan’s liquor store. It was the first business west of what I believe was then the old sSnclair gas station. May be wrong about that. I lived just a block or two from Chance’s Grocery and I was a regula rvisitor. Jim was often on duty to relieve his dad.

sorry I can’t be more helpful.

If you want a couple of people web search sites send me a note and I will forward the URLs.

Comment on Knightstown Photographs by Brendapatrick

Brendapatrick — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:45:51 +0000

Looking for Jim (James) Chance. He may have graduated in 1954/55. I believe his Dad owed a grocery store in town. Can you tell me anything about him or pass along my e-mail address?
I really enjoyed your pictures. Thanks.

Comment on History of the Knightstown Schools by Jerry Mercer

Jerry Mercer — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:18:25 +0000

It’s hard for me to think of Knightstown without remembering the old school building with the ornate globe and telescope and the gym with its smell of stale popcorn, sweat, and that peculiar “ping” when the basketballs rebounded. I remember my dad (Mark Mercer) coaching the Falcons and the victory bell being rung all over town following their wins. I knocked out a front tooth when I fell on that steel pipe fence that ran around the campus and I remember a big rock next to the sidewalk that we played king-of-the-hill on at recess. Do readers remember Jessie Nae Wagner, Mrs. Ward, Lucinda Newby, and Mrs Rogers with her dreaded “count to a million” assignment? Well, these things pass but are not forgotten. The new school looks great, but I will always remember the smell of the oiled floor in the gym, the clang of the victory bell, and friendly classmates. While I left after elementary school, I will always remember Knightstown and the school with fond memories.
Jerry Mercer ( ezrytr@cablespeed.com )