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This message forum is an ongoing discussion about anything and just about everything ... within reason.  One thing our class was good at was having opinions.  Almost 70 years of life experience certainly qualifies us as experts on most everything!   Ask a question ... give an opinion ... share some insights ... it's our web site, it's our forum.  That said, it's probably not a good idea to get into arguments about politics, religion, and the like.  While we're experts on everything, we also have a wide range of values and beliefs. This site belongs to all of us ... the whole range ... and we are not here to isolate, alienate, or subjugate anybody.  Of course insults, humiliation, sophomoric barraggadocio, and demented humor is expected behavior among some of us less mature people.
 

Jim Cejka

Right Karsten, we were open all nights. On the weekends, I'd come in the morning and read all the pumps and count everything (oil, cigarettes, and whatever) the station sold, tally it all up, and then get the money out of that floor safe and tally that up, AND, if all went well, the money we took in matched the stuff we sold, to the penny. Thinking now how there were mornings where I had a pile of papers and money on the desk and just left it, in plain sight, when I went out to wait on customers. EEEEgad. Can't imagine that now. Chuck told us a secret - if, whenever you filled a tank, always make the money come out to end in a 5 or a 0, it was much easier to balance the pumps and money. To this day, I still round off like that and drain the hose before I take it from the tank (another Chuck rule - don't spill on the customer's car). 

I remember another thing - I was talking with the Schwermin truck driver who deliverred our gas once, and he told me that basically, all the different brands didn't make a difference. He filled up down on Jones Island and went to all brand stations, Standard, Texaco, whatever, and just dumped what they needed. It wasn't really "Clark" regular, or "Standard" regular, everybody just got regular, or ethyl. Gas was gas. 

William Nelson

Just reading your recollections of jobs as gas station attendants. I didn't get into that business until I was a few years older. After I got out of the Army in '68, I went back to work at Globe-Union's Centralab Div. I wound up with a promotion from what I'd been doing before getting drafted, but only took a year or two to decide I wanted to use my GI Bill and get an Associate's Degree from MSOE. I had a couple of kids to feed and was dating Mary by that time, so money was very tight and I needed to finish school in 18-months.

Dan & Janet Farchione (Class of June, '61) decided to make a career change at about the same time. Dan & I worked together at CRL before I was drafted, but he moved to a competitor while I was in the service. They decided to move their operations, but Jan still had most of a year left to get her degree. He leased a Texaco Station on 27th and Edgerton. He hired me to be his first employee (not counting Jan). I told him I didn't consider myself a trained mechanic, but he said that would be OK. He'd just be happy not to worry about me stealing from him. It didn't pay a lot, but helped me cover expenses. Most of the time, I worked only on weekends, but he tailored my hours to work with my hours at school. We also tried to give good service and did windows,  oil level checks, etc. One regular customer came in with a school bus one day. We broke out the step ladder and washed every window on the bus!

We really had a good time during that period. When he took time off, he left me in charge and I remember well doing the books, sticking the tanks, and inventorying the merchandise. He wound up getting a job as a 3rd shift mechanic for the City and then moving up to the county level. For a couple of years, he was in charge of mechanics for all Milwaukee County, but he hated the job and wound up as an engineering mechanic for Harley Davidson. He loved that job and still rides Harleys regularly, has a hot rod, a dragster, and a few other assorted vehicles.  

Jim Cejka

Two - lane Silver Spring

Before it was widened, there was that string of stores next to our house - the bakery, George's barber shop, K&K, Serchen's drug store. Behind us, kitty-ish across the alley, was a big, 2-story storefront with apartments above, fronting on Silver Spring, and next to that, an empty lot with a big billboard sign. I used to climb on the back of that thing all the time, great view. The corner stores next to us were taken down when the road was widened. The big brick place however, was moved. That was some spectacle, jacking and bracing it up, and getting it on the mover thing. Then the big move. Silver Spring was closed between 35th and Hopkins/43rd, I think around midnight, and they inched that thing up to where it was put in, on the north side, between 42nd and 43rd, across from Carlton. There was quite a crowd out to watch the move, and the taverns across on the north side of Silver Spring I'm sure did a great business, providing a cheering section for the movers. And the thing made it without any damage. That was year's before Scotty could have just beamed it over. 

Garry Sellers

Jim - Here's an even earlier photo (1940) of 35th and Silver Spring looking west.  We managed to miss your house again.  Notice the Coke sign on Serchins drug store and further up the block is the building you saw moved.  Bill Gregorius's family's pub is or will be eventually locacted about mid-blcok on the right.  This is the only "civilized" portion of Silver Spring and it was considered the farthest northern reaches of Milwaukee.  Most of the other areas to the right (north) had NO sidewalks.  The foot path to Carleton Elementary starts on the right, traveled by Bill, Garry, Pat McCarthy (I think), Don Carstenson, Marlene Doege, and other future Custer classmates.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Mention of the footpath to Carlton on Silver Spring brings back memories to me as well. The first memory is of getting lost going home. My instruction was to go out the door, turn right.....and so on. Well, they let us out a different door, and I turned right. Don't remember much more than somehow being in the home of someone who called my mom. Must have been in kindergarten, as Carlton was my first school. Who would let their kindergartener walk that route these days?

Jim Cejka

Thanks Garry, that's a great pic. A little before my time, but I'm sure my grandparents were living there then. That was a great corner, it had everything you needed - three taverns (BTW Gregorius' Silver Spring Tap was the one on the corner of 36th.), a liquor store, two groceries, a drug store, barbershop, clothing store, bakery, hardware store, and a gas station, beuty parlor, and whatever - all within a one block radius. Why did we ever think we needed something like Capital Court, or even the other "big" shopping area, Villard Ave? 

Jim Cejka

Anyone else face this conundrum?

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

We thought we had it licked when we put the little magnet on the dishwasher with "clean" on one half and "dirty" on the other - until my now-toddling grandson decided it was his favorite thing to play with.

Jim Cejka

What gets me is that there are only 2 choices - clean or dirty, right. The odds are 50-50. So, why do I seem to be wrong 90% of the time?

Jim Cejka

Aaah. Spring at last. Finally, we can open the windows or sit outside and listen to the chirping and tweeting of the birds, and the KA-BLAM and WHOOMP of the nearby artillery.

Kenneth Pallaske

Just a note to let everyone know I am still alive and kicking. .It is great to read all of your comments. Although I lived on the other side of the tracks - west of 35th St and north of Silver Spring - I am still a Custer Indian. Oops! A "Native American."

Gar(r)y. Had I won that $1billion, I would have written a nice big check for you.Ha!Ha! Are you ready for the "Big One?"

Jim Cejka

Yippeeee!

Another milestone to help fight the Ho-Hum of Covid de-socialization - - - Curling is back on TV!

Jim Cejka

So, how's Aaron Rogers grading out so far on Jeopardy?

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

I must say I'm pleasantly surprised at Aaron Rodgers as Jeopardy host! I mean, I know he's a nice guy, and a smart guy, but it all comes through in his hosting ("Go Bears"). You have to be fast in getting through the game to move it along, and how different is that from calling and executing plays? 

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Lots better than the last guy with the annoying voice, but too bad Ken Jennings doesn't need the money. 

Garry Sellers

I thought Roger was going to be a disaster but he's pleasantly surprised me.  He's just flat. No energy in his voice but that's the difference between a professional TV personality and a smart, all-pro quarterback.  Right now my vote is for Mike Richards, the Jeopardy producer.  Dr Oz is annoying, long ago selling out to commercial interests. He's right down there with Dr Phil. 

Terri Levenhagen (Hoornstra)

i couldn't agree more about that so-called doctor and sellout Oz. He has the slick broadcaster's voice, but unworthy to replace Alex Trebek. And what about Katie Couric? 

Jim Cejka

I think Rogers, so far, is doing a very good job. He’s holding his own, low key, humble, and making appropriate, and funny, side comments and banter with the guests. (And, he can pronounce those foreign names and big words.) Of all the guest hosts, he’s the one without previous TV/emcee experience. He fits the Alex mold, not trying to be the “star” of the show. He’s not the “hey look at me” type. My wife’s problem with him is that he’s wearing a suit. Maybe he should wear a Packer jersey and use his in-the-huddle voice. I don’t think he’d appear flat then. I think he’ll get more comfortable and come out a little more as his stint goes on next week, and will end up as one of the good ones. 

Yeah, Oz was a zero. At least he was a good example of what we don’t want in an Alex replacement. Couric I though was good. Again, low key, humble, and not trying to be the star. I wasn’t that impressed with Richards either though. He was certainly personable, but, to me, almost a little too glib, kind of cocky.  As producer, he’s done a good job keeping the show going, and I’d hate to see him go to hosting and some new producer mess the show up. 

I was a bit surprised with Ken Jennings. He was excellent for what he did, stepping in at a really hard time, carried the show with respect, and assured us diehard fans that the show wasn’t going to evolve into a “Gong” show. 

They’ve got thirty some years of legacy to uphold, let’s see, and hope, they can do it.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

It looks like we aren't the only Custerites who enjoy Jeopardy. I wonder if we're the only ones who watch with the "pause" button in one hand. It's just amazing how a few extra seconds brings our correct response rate way, way up. Don't we merit an age handicap?

Jim Cejka

* * * Update 4/13 Tuesday * * * 

I think Aaron Rogers nailed it tonight. Funny - his reaction to the Packer question was great, loosening up, and enjoying himself.

Jim Cejka

Garry,

This is supposedly how some golfer's ball landed on a course here in South Carolina. (I don't imagine someone walked over and teed it up there.) Under the golf rules, would that be considered an unplayable or hazardous lie? If so, would they be allowed something more than a one club length drop?

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

Oh boy! That big guy is one more reason I prefer to stay north of the Mason-Dixon line.

Way north.

Jim Cejka

But Nancy, with the on-going climate change, they may be coming to a golf course near you someday.

Nancy Davison (Boerger)

 Oh dear! And here we are in Michigan, fifth in the list of states with the most golf courses (after Florida, California, Texas, and New York), waiting for our very own 'gator to appear. Thank goodness we aren't near any course, but rather out here in the woods with the bobcats and black bears. Somehow predators with fur seem less scary than those with scales. 

Lauren Dieterich

Here in Arizona, all we have to worry about are rattle snakes, scorpions, coyotes and 3 months straight of 120 plus degree days. I saw another picture of a 'gater with a golf ball on it's head. I read that when that happens, you get to play the hole over.