LET'S GO

August 1928
Volume Four, Number Eight

PARISH PUBLICATION: 1925-1932
Special thanks to Joe Boman and family for the loan of their bound copies of this rare publication.
Further thanks to Father Rauch for the loan of one issue which the Boman's didn't have
Without those loans this project could never have taken place.
Bob Corbett -- March 2004



This pamphlet was conceived in enthusiasm by men and women who are bristling with PEP to build a Beautiful Church in St. James Parish. They are impatiently waiting: they are clamoring for action. They want YOU to know what they propose doing. They hope you will be with them. Don't look for a seat in the Grand Stand-People who do things move-the disinterested sit and watch -- Our Parish Big Drum is beating a marching tune – “LET'S GO."



HOUSE OF PRAYER

My Dear Parishioners:

The New Church was not erected for you, though it was made possible by your contributions; it was erected for Christ and is a monument to His resurrection and to His living and abiding presence amongst men. It is His house and an effort has been made to build it in such magnificent and elegant splendor as would attract attention and win admiration of the community and exemplify the power and influence that Christ has over the hearts of the faithful who belong to the parish.

The building is magnificent, artistic and costly, but in keeping with our conception of the palace of our Divine Master whose splendor the heavens proclaim and to whose undying love for man the Cross mutely gives testimony.

Within the church even in the daytime there are shadows suggestive of mystery: one feels conscious of being in peaceful seclusion, cut off from the garish appeal of worldly attractions and alone with God; reverence spontaneously steals into the soul and the mind is atuned to spiritual activity -- "My house is the house of prayer" one might fancy an angel guard whispering to all who enter, whilst the tiny light in the lamp before the tabernacle reinforced a thousand times to the true believer by the magnificent current of faith, illuminates the Sanctuary and attracts attention from all things else to Christ's Blessed Presence.

The artistic effort since the building was begun has aimed at this effect; there is no other place in the world so sacred as the interior of a Catholic Church, hence it should fulfill its destined purpose and differ from all other community centers by its innate sacred characteristes and solemn grandeur: whilst it is an auditorium, it would fail in it appeal unless it served to impress the semblance of a divine influence permeating its atmosphere and silent depiction and uplifting the human heart to heavenly thing - so "My house is a house of prayer" cannot be repeated too often nor too deeply impressed upon the congregation and my ardent wish is that there will never be an hour between sunrise and sunset after the church is in use when there shall not be at least a few persons kneeling in humble adoration within its sacred walls -- call them what you will, a guard of honor, a group of holy mendicants, devotees of the Sacred Heart, tortured souls, repentant sinners, grateful benefactors, little children, or a cross cut of humanity comprising members of all these groups coming with their various hopes and fears and sorrows to joy before the great counselor and benefactor who invites all who labor and are burdened to come assuring them, "I will refresh you."

The New Church is the parish gift to God, and the sum total of many individual gifts, some large, some small, the generosity of each parishioner is recorded and undoubtedly many blessings shall come into many homes in the parish because of the interest that has been taken in this edifice and will continue down through the years. It is itself a prayer, your permanent prayer in so far as it represents your sacrifice.

An empty church is like an empty purse or an abandoned palace in a desert, a worshipper is what gives it animation, and a constant stream of visitors is the best indication of its worth. It is the duty of each parishioner to visit the church frequently, not only at times of sacrifice and public devotion, but also when there is a life problem to be solved or a crisis in the family circle. In the down-town district there are many young folk and business men who daily drop into church to recite the rosary or spend five minutes in serious meditation, they do not consider it a burden, they will assure you it is one of the greatest pleasures of their lives. An inclination never to pass a church without a desire to pay a visit is a sign that the spirit of God is in your body and that you are among the favored few who understand the full significance of the Blessed Sacrament.

I congratulate the parishioners on the work that has been accomplished. Your new church speaks well of your generosity. May we all continue to enjoy it.

Yours sincerely in Christ,
PATRICK J. O'CONNOR. Adm

WHY IS THE CHURCH DARK?

When one enters the church after being in brilliant sunshine the impression is made of being in comparative darkness; of course this is an optical delusion caused by the slow dilation of the pupils and diminishes after the eyes become accustomed to light weakened whilst passing through stained glass. Shadow is a feature of Gothic architecture which bears resemblance to the arched openings in a forest, these are deepened in St. James Church by the russet browns and dark stencil on the walls.

This scheme of decorations is most effective in setting in relief and emphasizing all that is worthy of attention.

The object that attracts the eye is light, a light in the wilderness at night holds the attention of the desolate traveler whereas a thousand would distract his attention and multiply the objects of vision; thus in the church the effect of comparative darkness bring'S the stained glass windows, the sanctuary, the tapestries, the artistic wood and all that is in brighter colors into relief, greater light and a more colorful decoration would have a tendency to accentuate the unnecessary and less beautiful and extend the field of vision and distraction and make it more difficult for the mind to lift itself from the world to God. The decorations and lighting in the church are intended to rest the mind, ease the nerve tension and dispose one to meditation and prayer. The reaction one experiences sitting in solitude of evening on a hillside after the sun has just dipped below the horizon is one most conducive to reflection and an artificial reproduction of this condition has been made in the church.

BAPTISMS

Alice Jane Doherty, 6821 West Park Ave.
Charles Donald Nerd, 6508 Clayton Ave.
Marion Lee Killoran, 1032 Art Hill Pl.
Elizabeth Clara Shelton, 2605 Ecoff Ave.
Robert Frank Schmid, 6508 Nashville Ave.
Rita Jean Wilson, 6410 West Park Ave.
James Joseph Brady, 1224a Tamm Ave.

THE CHOIR HAPPY

The Kilgen Co. have installed the new organ and it is a splendid instrument; a dulcet, multi-vibrating orchestra, a many tongued appealer to emotions, a key to Christian sentiment and a fine stimulant to devotion. I heard it of an evening as I wandered through the church when the sun shed its last faint rays in fantistic colors through the stained glass windows, the music rose and fell, and pleaded with the voice of a nightingale as if to arrest the rays of the dying day and hold them on earth a little longer, or chant a paean to the dawn or resurrection. It was sublime and when the choir stood around it and heard its mystic response to the touch of the organist. They were a happy jubilant coterie of enthusiasts for old St. James.

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

Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Crotty recently returned from an extended tour which took in St. Paul, Minn. and Yellow Stone Park. Mr. Crotty intended some fishing but the many attractions on the way gave him so little time he did not put a hook in the water.

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

Misses Adeline and Marie O'Gorman spent a few weeks' vacation at a Club House on the Gasconade river near Jeremie, Missouri. They said they had a very delightful time.

MRS. KERN'S DEATH

Mrs. Mary Kerns, 1105 Central Avenue, died at her home after a lingering illness July 8th at the good old age of 80. Until a few months before her death she was quite active and accompanied her daughters on their various excursions and picnics and attended not only Sunday Masses but the various parish devotions. She was a lady of the old school and a splendid type of Catholic womanhood, gentle, refined, sympathetic and kindly disposed. She was one of the biggest contributors to St. James Parish and was a member of the parish over a period of twenty years.

She was a native of St. Genevieve, Mo., where numerous relatives still reside. She wished to be interred in the family burial grounds and her remains was conveyed to the church in St. Genevieve where it was met by the greater part of the community who assisted at the solemn requiem mass.

On the following Monday as a tribute of gratitude for her many gifts to St. James, the parish offered a high mass for her repose which was attended by the family circle and many of their neighbors.

The priest who spoke at the funeral mass selected as his topic the consolation there is at death for one who has led a Christian life, no better exemplar could have been selected than Mrs. Kern, though she had many trials including the death of her husband many years ago she had innumerable consolations, comparative prosperity and a happy home. May she rest in peace.

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

Mr. Greenwell, Sr., of 6423 Nashville Avenue, is very low from senility.

THE SCHOOL WILL BE READY

The committee in charge of the completion of the school are confident they will have the five additional rooms ready by Labor Day. They have decided to use the name of Mr. Harry Huger, 1033 Louisville Avenue, local general contractor, and have Mr. Joseph Crotty superintend the construction. They hope in this way to be able to secure through Mr. Huger's kindly cooperation and one of his foremen, a sufficient force of carpenters to complete the studding in a few days and have the partitions ready for the plasterers.

Nine Evans wardrobes will be installed; a contract has been given the American Seating Company for new desks for the entire school, Mr. Wm. Henkel and Mr. Jerry Corbett on this committee cleverly succeeded in obtaining a reduction of $170 on the original bid and without doubt, saved the parish this amount.

The funds on hand are being spent with economy and will be sufficient to put the school in splendid condition.

The Mothers Club have volunteered to give $500 from their treasury toward the improvement of the school yard and are expecting, a bargain from Louis Schollmeyer whose usual method of dealing with the parish is to give everything for nothing. Mrs. Scholhneyer though out of the parish has continued her membership in the Mothers Club."'

Mr. Crotty is another laborer who works without charge.

Mr. W. Hense has taken his late father's place in furthering the best interest of the school children in athletics. He hopes to have the yard in shape for the football season.

NEAR THE END OF THE ROAD

Now that we are near the end of the road where we hoped to find a beautiful church erected in St. James Parish we will pause for a few minutes and indulge in reverie. The work was not as difficult as it appeared to be seven years ago, taking it all in all there was splendid cooperation and good leadership, almost every family in the parish of any religious pretentions were heart and soul in the movement to build a new church, there was more doing than talking, and the hard cash donated each Sunday spoke volumes for the sturdy faith of the contributors.

We set out to build a $75,000 church. Were a parishioner to suggest six years ago the possibility of a $220,000 one, he would be considered insane; everyone can recall there was at that time almost as big a Sunday congregation as there is at present; the parish has not grown considerably in the past seven years; there are many new faces, the period after the war was one of change and transition and there was a family going for everyone that came. New parishioners require time to find themselves and it has been noted that ten seasoned settlers have contributed annually an amount equal to the contribution of thirty new arrivals. Of course there are exceptions, but it is human to stand aloof for a time, in new surroundings and many who did so, after they caught the spirit of being at home, quickened their pace and showed the stuff they were made of.

The docility of the parishioners was remarkable, they sometimes have moved slowly but the fact is the general body got into step as soon as they saw there was motion, the parishioners who from the very start backed up financially and morally the suggestion that each wage earner contribute 4% are the ones after God, who made possible the present edifice. .

This method of contributing is easy, regu- lar and has proved itself effective, a few have stood out against it to this day, were the parish to await their pleasure we would still be talking new church and another decade at least would have passed before anything worth while could be accomplished. .

The fact is those who have given conscien- tiously 'arc as well off today as those who dribbled out a tiny nickel stream and they have the happiness of knowing they did their duty before God and men.

The church is all we hoped it might be, it is large, well lighted, and well ventilated, the craftsmanship in wood, glass, iron and stone gives it an artistic appeal; the architecture is correct in the opinion of those who may be presumed capable of forming correct judgment; every day there is a line of visitors coming to admire it, and enthusiastic comments are spreading the knowledge of it about town; without doubt people are visiting who until the church was under construction never heard of St. James.

SEND YOUR CHILD TO A PAROCHIAL SCHOOL

Children are good psychologists, that is they know what is in your mind and they know exactly what importance you attach to religion. If it is the one big thing in your life they realize it and are apt to regard it in the same light; but if you consider many other affairs more important, well what can, you expect of them?

A Catholic parent who does not send his child to a parochial school, unless there are some, peculiar circumstances justifying his action, has reason for suspecting the intensity of his own faith, there is a kink somewhere in his reasoning; either he thinks religious training unnecessary to life or that a smattering of it is sufficient, whereas the truth is the child was made by God, belongs to God; must end with God or lose its soul, and parents are under a grave obligation of giving their children thorough knowledge of their duty and the means of salvation.

THE NEW CHURCH OPENING

Though not entirely completed the New Church will be in use next Sunday, August 12th.

Solemn High Mass at 5:30 will mark the opening ceremony. The other masses will be at 7:00, 7:30, 9:00 and the last a High Mass at 10:00 o'clock.

Permission to hold services before dedication has been obtained from the Ordinary to make possible the completion of the school.

Date of dedication will be set by the Archbishop on his return from Ireland. By that time in all probability Wade Avenue will be made, the landscaping far advanced and the rest of the furnishings installed.

THE KINDERGARTEN

A fully equipped and properly directed kindergarten will be a feature of the school this year, the biggest and best room will be utilized and a chair will be provided for each of the little ones.

Expert advice has been sought about the advisability of dividing the day between the kindergarten pupils and first grade, each taking a three-hour session; the prevailing opinion seems to be that the majority of pupils in these grades can acquire as much knowledge in three hours as in a full day. The adoption of this suggestion will eliminate congestion in the other rooms and give a splendid opportunity to the teacher to pay special attention to each pupil, it is estimated there will be less than forty children to a room and ample space for 350 pupils.

The first grade will have the morning period and the kindergarten pupils the afternoon,

.....................................

Mrs. Michael Lyons formerly of this parish. died after a lingering illness and was buried in her home town in Illinois. May she rest in peace.

.......................

The infant child of Mr. and Mrs. Con. Lane, 6412 W. Park Avenue, is seriously ill at St. Mary's Hospital.

.........................

Mrs. Maurice Cooper, Tamm & Brockschmidt Place, reports she enjoyed the luxury of a snow storm on Pikes Peak, whilst the rest of us were sweltering in St. Louis in the torrid heats of July.

..............................

Mr. Charles Heil and family are on a three weeks tour in the east, they have taken in Washington and intended visiting Montreal and Quebec. Mr. Heil promised to be back for the High Mass at the opening of the Church.

AT DOLAN'S REAL ESTATE
FOR RENT APARTMENTS - FLATS

6530 Clayton A venue, 5 rooms, efficiency -- $45.00
1432a Tamm Avenue, new 4 rooms, garage -- $50.00
1442 Tamm A venue, new 4 room apartment, garage -- $50.00

COTTAGES

6022 Wilson Avenue, 4 room brick cottage, bath, furnace, garage $35.00

STORES

1420 Tamm Avenue, new store with flat above, modern, good location, reasonable rent.

FOR SALE

1458 Tamm Avenue, beautiful modern 7 room residence, large lot -- must be seen to be appreciated-priced to sell.

6817 Wise Avenue, 3 room brick cottage, bath, furnace -- $4,300.00

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

Miss Agnes Saxton, daughter of Mr. Thos. J. Saxton, 6600 Clayton Road, was married on the 4th of July from Nuptial Mass at St. James Church to Edward J. O'Neil of St. Edwards Parish. Father O'Connor was a guest at the breakfast which was given at the home of the bride and had the additional pleasure of meeting many of his old friends from St. Edwards parish. Detective Mathew O'Neil and Genevieve Saxton were the official witnesses.

...............................

John Murphy son of Dr. Brent Murphy is on a visit to his mother's relatives in Memphis. His sister Maud is also on a vacation, and their brother Brent is receiving training in the Citizens Military camp at Jefferson Barracks.

IT SPEAKS

I am a new Church
Arising in grace and symetry
They say I will be
A majestic symbol of your Faith
An august emblem of your Love
And your Labour
Splendid, superb, soul-stirring
A shining temple soaring to Heaven
A triumph!

But I like best to think
That already there stirs a glowing place with-in me
That must be a Heart;
For besides being rapturous because I will shelter my Lord,
I am so vibrant with other tender things;
And, I am always Remembering; and Loving;
My faceted walls seem woven and interwoven
With the fabric of your hearts, your dreams,
I am your sacrifice, your courage, your hopes
Your weariness, your humility, your pride for me;
I am the memory of wistful tears
In dying eyes that longed for me,
Of Baby hands proffering me hoarded gifts, shyly;
Of the mite, tremblingly, lovingly, eagerly bestowed
By the Very Old
Or the Very Poor;
There is enshrined in me
The Kingly Generosity of Kingly Hearts;
The gayety of the Young
As they toiled for me; there are
Your sacred ties of Love and Friendship bound up in me; And besides all these things, I know
You will come to me to pray
And to weep;
My walls will be hallowed with the story of your whispered hopes,
Your fears;
My aisles will resound to the swelling melody of your nuptials,
Your children and your children's children
I will cradle close to my breast in Baptism
And my deep Heart
Will be torn with the minor music of your Requiems;
I will be your Voice calling to Heaven
When you are dust,
Your fair deeds shining glorious
Like the sun on the mountaintops,
Like a smile in the eyes of God;
I will enfold you in my arms eternally,
And the Lord will abide with You
And with Me!

I am St. James!

Contributed by an Admirer

ANOTHER DISAPPOINtMENT

We have dreamed of the day for many years when, the first Mass will be offered in the New Church and hoped to see a radiant glow of admiration and satisfaction in the face of every one present; this would be the one moment of achievement and triumph -- the precious little grand act in the life of the congregation.

To assure this satisfaction every effort has been made to have the church complete in every detail; the organ, the altar, the tapestries, all were ordered in good time. A hope was entertained that the opening could be held on the solemnity of the feast of St. James. The first disappointment came when the contractor for the herringbone floor did not arrive for a week after the scaffolding was removed, this occasioned a change in the program and the date of opening was reset for August 12th.

Now comes another disappointment, the pews will not be installed though a contract for them was made May 2nd with the supposedly reliablefirtn of Kundz and Co., a Cleveland concern who agreed to have them ready about July 15th.

Since this information reached us the wires have been kept busy and we have even threatened to reject the contract.

However, the program for opening has not been changed and the Immaculate Conception Church of St.Louis has kindly consented to let us have 500 very suitable chairs until the pews are installed.

CHURCH ETIQUETTE

A former parishioner who recently moved into another parish was unfavorably impressed the first Sunday she attended church by the congregation's lack of etiquette.

The congregation did not stand when the priest entered the sanctuary, the altar boys were slovenly and poorly trained, there was no order when the communicants approached the altar, they crowded around the rails, stepped on one another's toes, fell all over one another when going from and returning to the pews. Parishioners seemed to recognize no regular time for Mass, the church was half empty when it began, people continued to come until after the Elevation with the result that every time there was a new arrival, there was a disturbance in some section of the church and devotion was impossible.

It is reasonable to suppose her opinion of Pastors, people and parishioners depreciated considerably, and it will take more than a good sermon to remove her bad impressions. The congregation of St. James Parish are not entirely perfect in all these respects; an endeavor will be made to have good order in the new church, and to begin at the worst abuse, all the doors of the church will be closed ten minutes after Mass begins.

.....................

Eugene Martineau is receiving a training at the Citizens Naval Station, Duluth, Minn.

..........................

Misses Adeline and Josephine O'Gorman are having a very delightful time visiting their sister, Mrs. Jim Gallaher, in Detroit.

A FISHING PARTY

A fishing party was organized during the month to go after the big ones in the Gasconade river at the popular resort conducted by an Alumna of the parochial school Miss Janice Smith and her father Mr. Thomas Smith, known as Gascondy Fishing Club. Mr. Ray Dolan, Mr. and Mrs. Pahl, Mr. and Mrs. Pierce, Mr. Martin Coad, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Walsh made up the party, though all the men considered themselves skilled fishermen, the women it is said made the best catches. Fish were hard to lure and the bass did not strike with the regularity that was expected, after a few days their fishing enthusiasm abated but this did not diminish considerably the pleasure of the outing. There was lots of boat riding, swimming and joshing. The surroundings of the resort which is in a secluded Ozark Hill overlooking a scene of unusual sylvian splendor, are restful and refreshing. A row of cottages for guests makes possible a room for each individual, and an extensive dining room in which all assemble necessitates intimate acquaintance. A family spirit prevails and everyone feels at home.

Mr. Pierce it appears, so accustomed to give the Ha Ha, pulled off a bonehead when he summoned a waiter to replace his coffee. "There is something wrong with it," he said, "I'm afraid to drink it." The rest of the party smiled and allayed Mr. Pierce's fears by assuring him that all that was amiss was due to a too generous helping of real cream.

When this Was related in St. Louis Mr. Eddie Ryan heard of it and said, "That is the place for me." and immediately he purchased a ticket on the Rock Island, destination Gascondy. On arriving there he found the cow was sold that gave the rich milk and he at once phoned Marie for the recipe for making Home Brew. It may be he was unaccustomed to the dangers of rural ease or perhaps he was not sufficiently watchful of a proper parking site, undoubtedly he must have lain for a long time on the grass under a spreading chestnut tree because since he came home he has been advertising for a cure for chiggers and affirms the only sound piece of skin on his body is the roof of his mouth.

Father O'Connor and John Coad also spent a few days recently at this resort and met there Jim Fahey, Mr. Benedict of Grandview Place, Mary Kenny. The fishing was not so good.

.....................

Mrs. Sally Dolan with an outlay of 35 cents won at the Epiphany Carnival a $5.00 order on the Lafayette Bank, a beautiful parlor lamp and a handsome quilt, and a reputation of being a lucky girl, but she had that before she went to the Carnival.

.....................

Mr. and Mrs. McGann, 1201 Childress Avenue, recently visited the old home in Ohio and says Missouri is a better place for a working man.

.....................

Miss Rosalie Moran of 1539 Tamm Avenue is rapidly recuperating after being operated upon at St. Mary's Hospital for appendicitis.

.....................

Mr. Vincent Kigens, 1320 Tamm Avenue who suffered a severe attack of inflamed and ruptured appendix was operated upon at St. Anthonys and is expected home.

.....................

Mr. Noonan, Sr., 1414 Sulphur Avenue, is suffering intense pains with an infected throat.

.....................

Mr. Wm, Moynihan, Sr., 1328 Hughes Place, suffered a paralytic stroke from which he has not fully recovered.

NEW PARISHIONER

The church which we. hope you will appreciate has cost the parish approximately $225,000.00; were this sum invested at the rate of 6% it would bear interest to the amount of $13,500.00 per year. This you will realize is the annual rent of the church allowing nothing for depreciation, insurance or running expense.

In justice therefore you are bound to make a reasonable contribution each week as long as you remain in the parish. The majority of the parishioners areand have been for several years contributing 4% of their earning or income to the support of the parish. They make their contributions usually in envelopes each Sunday and they say it implies no serious burden to do so. It simply means that you divide each dollar that you earn between yourself and God. You keep 96 cents for yourself and give 4 cents to the support of your church.

If you fail to contribute and have means you are availing of the other fellow's Catholicity and generosity --in plain words you are sponging.

.....................

Officer Peter Dolan. 6410 West Park Avenue, has been very ill at his home.

.....................

Mrs. H. V. Lutz, 1516 Buck Avenue, has recovered from her illness and is on a visit to some of her relatives.

.....................

Father Niehaus of Vincennes, Indiana, visited the Hillenbrand family on Oakland Avenue last week and said Mass at St. James.

A YOUNG LAWYER

Mr. Alfred E. Schweitzer, 1033a Art Hill Place, who was admitted to the Bar after graduating from St. Louis University in June, now solicits the patronage of his friends. He has been a member of St. James Parish for many years and at one time was a member of the choir. He is affiliated with the Paulian Council of the Knights of Columbus and is a fine intelligent young man. We wish him success.

.....................

Total receipts from the Carnival were $7,192.70 with the expenses of $1,070.27 the grand net balance for the new school is $6.122 43.

CHURCH DIRECTORY

PASTOR -- REV. PATRICK J. O'CONNOR
ASSISTANT -- REV. N. E. POHL Teacher -- Dominican Sisters under direction of Sister Gabriel -- Phone Hiland 2171

Masses on Week Days. 6:30 a. m. and during Lent, themonths of May and October, 8:30a.m.
Masses, Sundays. 6. 7:30. 9 and 10 High Mass
Masses on Holy Days. 6. 7:30 and 9
Confessions are heard on Saturday afternoons and evenings from 4:30 to 6:00 o'clock and from 7:30 to 9 o'clock, also on the Eves of Holy Days and First Fridays from 3 to 4:30 and 7:30 to 9 o'clock, also on the Eves of Holy Days and First Fridays from 3 to 4:40 and 7:30 to 8:30.

---------------------------------------------------
Communion of Societies at 7:30 Mass in Winter and 6 o'clock Mass in Summer.
Virgin Mothers Sodality 1st Sunday each month
Holy Name Society 2nd Sunday each month
St. Ann' 8 Sodality 3rd Sunday each month
Angelic Warfare Society 4th Sunday each month

Baptisms Sundays at 3:30

A MISSION IN THE NEW CHURCH

There will be a mission in the New Church conducted by two Jesuits, Fathers Tierney and Cunningham, beginning Sunday, September 2nd at 10 o'clock Mass and continuing until the 9th. It is unfortunate that Labor Day intervenes and that the mission is so short but this was the only week these distinguished missionaries have open until Lent. The proximity of the date to the opening of the church and the religious enthusiasm that is expected to prevail incline us to hope the parishioners will sacrifice their annual outings and concentrate their activities in bringing back to the fold stray sheep.

.........................

Mrs. M. O'Brien of 1228 Tamm A venue who has had considerable illness during the past year, seems to he regaining her strength.

.........................

Mr. Gene Tunney it is said is a scholar, a gentleman, and a first-class pugilist, evidently he is also a practical Catholic; he did not resent the half-hearted demonstration given him by the fans nor lose his kindly consideration during the fight, he was merciful to his opponent and refrained from hitting the damaged eye and did not strike when Heeney was groping from dimmed vision. He looked imploringIy at the referee when it was apparent his opponent was about to collapse. He could easily have given the knockout blow and did not do so because his Catholic training inclined him to have pity. He was not out for blood and is not brutally inclined hence he has been a failure with the fans. Goodwill makes good sportsmanship but in boxing contests poor gate receipts

LONG THREATENING

No doubt about it this time, the final payments on the contracts for the New ChurCh have to be met before August 15th. It is prohable the bills will amount to about $80,000. Father O'Connor says the first that comes is apt to be paid but he wouldn't give any guarantee the later ones will leave satisfied.

The parishioners are asked to be mindful of the efforts he must make to meet many pressing obligations, and he requests everyone who keeps a purse to empty it in part or in whole into the church treasury.

.........................

Mr. Stephen Boyer, 6705 Garner Avenue, gives promise of recovery from his long illness.

.........................

Mr. James McCabe of 6738 Glades Avenue continues invalided by paralysis

UNCLE HENRY'S LETTER
August 5th, 1928.

dear Charlie:

wel charlie we are having sum reel hot weather, an the other day i was driving through Forest park an i got a good whiff of the River de Paires whicn alwas has a bad case of halitosis about this time of year, so i guess they aint no doubt that summer is here.

another sure sign of summer is the number of peeple that is on there vacation, or planing it, an i am planing mine also, only i wont get it for about 50 weeks, on account of i just had 1.

did you ever stop to think how the vacation idear works out, specially for a man with a family? Your boss tells you that you have been workin 2 hard, an so you better take a cupple of weaks off to rest up, an you go home with vishions of lots of sleep an no work, an find your family is got plans enough to keep yeu busy 24 hours a day. it is them that is taking a vacation, an you are goin to keep on workin, only longer an harder. when you are on the job, the boss wont let you start the day till 8 o'clock, but during vacation, you can start as early as "they" please. You put in about 2 weeks of that an then you are glad to get back on the job, so you can have rum rest.

charlie Heils folks is on "his" vacation now, an he is busy driving 'em all through the east an when it is all over, he will be so tired of driving that he will feel like walkin to the stock yards every morning, instead of riding. father O'Connor is the only person i know that reely has a vacation, an i guess that is why he takes so many trips, but we cant all be a priest.

eddie Ryan is got a funny idear about a vacation. he went to a fishing rezort on the Gasconade river, and was gone about a weak, an when he got back i said, "well Ed, did you catch any fish? how was the river?" and he looked at me kind of dumb, an says, "fish! whadda you mean fish? I did'nt even see a river."

arthur Pahl went on a fishin trip with ray Dolan an frank Walsh an martin Coad, an after the 1st day, Arthur size the situation up an decide that if he didnt get busy an get sum game, they wasn't goin to be eny, on accont of ray an martin is a cupple of nim-rod aristocrats, wet prefer to stand in a boat an pull a fancy fly through the water, an high hat the fish becaus they dont jump in the minnow bucket. walsh declared hisself as bein on a vacation an he just laid in bed, an said he would do his fishin from the winder if they would bring the river clost enough.

Arthur seen plainly that a crowd like that wasn't goin to pervide much game, an, bein a expert fisherman, he reelize that the fish wasn't going to bite enyway, because it was thursday, an 1 of the natives told him that the fish in that locality was all raised in schools. an was taught to fast on thursday, to avoid bem caught for Friday. So Arthur decide to go after sum frogs on account of they wasnt raised in the same school or mite be using a last-years calender an so he took his rifle an went out like a regular Kit Carson, an we all laffed becus we figgered he would never get no frogs in day light, but we laffed on the other cheek when he came back with a big catch, an i never set down to a finer meal than them frogs made. Everybody ask him how he done it, an he told a wierd tale about how he wistled like a ventriliquist so they thought he was coming from the other directshun, an when they turned around he shot em in the spine, but i dont think enybody believed him. Arthurs wife an the Mrs. was along, but that didnt make no difference; we had a good time eny-way.

wel charlie, we are goin to move into the new church nex Sunday, an if you get down this way while you are on your vacation, you will get the siprise of your life when you see what a beautiful place it is. the pastor jumped all over me on account of i said that the wood they used was rotten an full of worm holes. he said i didnt no a good anteeke when i seen it, an i have to admit that the general effect is wonderful.

i didnt meen to cretercisc the work. but i only said "why not get sum good lumber for such fine workmanship. even if it cost a few cents more." an i think i am right at that dont you charlie? Of course, he went strate up in the air, an told me that they had to pay extra to get lumber with worm holes in it, an they had to go all over town to get a big enough supply, can you imaginr paying a oremium for rotten boards? If it would of been sumbody else i would of thought he was stringin me an put up a argument. but he was so sincere, i just couldnt say nuthin but i been thinkin since that maybe the strain of buildin an financing the church is bezinin to tell on him. an he might see his mistake when he gets rested up. .

the Pastor has been doin sum schemin to figger out how to finish the school alterations on the money raised by the carnival. at first, he didn't see how he could do it but he is got several foxey birds on the committee with him, like Crotty an Harry huger and jerry corbett and Bill Henkel, an anythng for saving that he couldnt think of, they did. he though he had drove a close bargain for his desks, an went off on a fishin trip wel pleased with hisself, an when he come back he got the shock of his life when he found that Corbett an Henkell had made the desk people cut there price $170.00 more. All of the jews dont go to the synagog.

Your perticler friend an uncle,
HENRY

BACK TO LET'S GO, 1928

BACK TO LET'S GO, 1925-1932


HOME DOGTOWN

Bibliography Oral history Recorded history Photos
YOUR page External links Walking Tour

Bob Corbett corbetre@webster.edu