April 2010

April 21, 2010December 14, 2021

Who’s Been Writing On The Walls?

For once, I know the answer to the question, but I’m going to see if any of you ‘fess up. You’ll probably recognize a lot of the names scrawled here. I’m going to pose a question: where were these pictures taken?

Why only these names?

One thing I can’t figure out is why the names are all from about the same period. I don’t know if the walls were covered for years and then uncovered long enough for the graffiti to appear, then re-covered. It might be that earlier kids were too afraid to write on the wall and that later generations couldn’t write. Who knows?

Gallery of Graffiti

Click on any picture to make it larger, then click on the left or right side of the photo to move through the gallery (hint: you don’t have to click on the arrow; anywhere on the side will do it.)

Is your name here?

Tell me the full story. Where is it, when was it done, was it done individually or in a group, anything at all.

I think the inscriptions are old enough that they qualify as history, not vandalism. After all, if they were a few hundred years older and carved on cave walls, they’d be considered petroglyphs and somebody would make the place a national monument.

April 20, 2010December 22, 2011

Red Dagger Play, Which One?

We haven’t had a mystery post in quite awhile, so here’s the question: What is the name of the play? I thought it was My Sister Eileen, but I couldn’t find anything in the Google News Archive for 1964-1965 in either The Missourian or The Southeast Weekly Bulletin that supported my guess. Ditto my Girardots.

Was it Our Hearts Were Young and Gay?

Vicky Roth wrote a piece for The Missourian’s Youth Page on Feb. 15, 1965, headlined Casting for Red Dagger Production Is Completed.

Cornelia Otis Skinner will be portrayed by Miss Sally Wright, senior, and Miss Sharon Stiver, who is also a senior, will enact the part of Emily Kimbrough. Cornelia’s father will be played by Albert Spradling, and Mrs. Skinner will be characterized by Miss Mary Sudholdt. The two young women’s romantic interests, Leo McEvoy and Dick Winters, will be portrayed by John Magill and Lee Dahringer.

On a cruise to Europe, Cornelia and Emily have amusing encounters with the ship’s company, among them the steward, Gary Fischer; the purser, Steven Crowe; the stewardess, Miss Frances Hopkins; the admiral, Wm. East [Editor’s note: The Missourian had a style quirk that said to abbreviate William as Wm.]; and the inspector, Miss Marcia Maupin. The two girls also meet two English girls, Harriet St. John and Winifred Blaugh, portrayed by Miss Norma Wagoner and Miss Ann Buchanan, respectively.

During the Paris visit, Cornelia and Emily conquer their living problems with the aid of Madame Elise, Miss Yyonne Askew, the landlady, and her daughter, Therese, played by Miss Sheila Kirchoff. Cornelia also attempts acting lessons with the “great” French actor, Monsieur De La Croiz, who will be portrayed by Ronald Marshall. During the confusion and laughter, the window cleaner, Grant Holt, adds his comments to the hilarious events. The play is under the direction of Mrs. Wm. Busch.

It STILL sounds more like My Sister Eileen

When I read a synopsis of My Sister Eileen, it sure sounds like the characters I see in the photos, up to and including the pack of Portuguese Merchant Marines and their conga line, led by Sherry McBride.

I started to put names on the pictures, but then decided, hey, if I don’t even know the NAME of the play, what are the odds that I’m going to get the names of the cast right? So, I’m going to throw up a gallery of photos, some of which have names (some of which might even be correct); the rest are going to be fill-in-the-blanks.

Gallery of high school play

Click on any image to make it larger, then click on the left or right side to move through the gallery. Good hunting.

April 19, 2010April 19, 2010

Mario’s Pasta House in Jackson

Warning: this story isn’t about Cape and it’s not about anything old. In fact, it’s just the opposite. It’s in Jackson and it’s something new.

My mother and I noticed a lot of cars around a building at the intersection of Highway 61 and 25 just as you come into Jackson. It’s near where you board the trains of the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railway for excursion rides, so we assumed that’s what it was.

On another pass, though, we noticed this sign and decided to give it a shot.

Mario and Doris Grippo

Mario Grippo came to the New Jersey from Italy 37 years ago and and has been in the food service business ever since.

After spending most of three decades in New Jersey, he came here and opened Italian restaurants in Marble Hill and Advance – “We were on a farm, literally on a farm in Advance,” his wife, Doris chimed in. They decided to move their operation to 252 E. Jackson Blvd. a couple of months ago.

Next to Iron Mountain Railway

Mario’s Pasta House isn’t affiliated with the excursion line, but it’s adjacent to it and is the best way to find the restaurant. The driveway is a little tough to spot. I pulled into the service station right before it by mistake the first time.

That diesel locomotive, by the way, was built in 1950 for the Pennsylvania Railroad and pulled the Broadway Limited, among others. It was capable of speeds of up to 120 miles per hour. In 1971, the Pennsy sold it to Amtrak when all of the railroads got out of the passenger business. Amtrak sold it to a tourist railroad, the Blue Mountain and Reading in Pennsylvania, which sold it to the Iron Mountain Railway in 1998.

The diesel is being used until the line’s steam locomotive can be put back in service. For more information about the railway, its schedule and prices, go to this link.

Good food, reasonable prices

For a new restaurant, it’s getting a lot of business, so you may have to wait a few minutes to get your order. I’m not known for my patience, but I have no problem waiting for the quality and quantity of food that comes out.

Their Calazone Meat Lovers was excellent, and big enough that I had some to take home. The next trip, I ordered a Meat Lovers Pizza. (I think it was the 12-inch size.) Again, big enough for two days.

When Wife Lila went there this week, she said, “The crust was better than any pizza I can remember having. The waitress (who remembered your mother and you) said it was New York style, then added, ‘well, New Jersey-New York, we’re all from New Jersey’. I don’t care what they call it. It is the best I can remember having anywhere. It’s my new Wib’s.”

Waitress was accommodating

I asked what my mother had ordered: “She didn’t want anything on the supper menu, because it was too much food. She explained that to the waitress, who said she’d check about what they could do for her. She came back and said they have a lunch special that was small… two stuffed shells and a meatball. The guy would make it up for her for supper.

“The shells looked like they were stuffed with ricotta and the shells and the meatball (one) were covered in red sauce and put under the broiler. It looked good to me, and I can’t even have that much cheese. Your mother ate every bite and pronounced it really good. They were very accommodating, and she was happy. ”

When I was there the first of April, their fountain drink machine hadn’t been installed yet, so they served bottled water and drinks. I don’t know if that’s changed.

Review of Gordonville Grill coming

One of Mother’s friends mentioned a new place to eat, the Gordonville Grill. It, too, proved to be excellent. I ate there at least four times during my stay. I’ll get around to writing a review on it soon. See, I’m not ALWAYS lost in the 60s.

April 18, 2010December 11, 2011

Cape’s New Water Park

Cape voters passed a Parks and Recreation Storm Water bond issue that included the construction of a Family Aquatic Center at the Osage Center on N. Kingshighway, this side of Cape LaCroix Creek. I don’t know if the official name is going to catch on. Everyone I heard mention it called it the Water Park.

There was a lot of wrangling over whether or not is was a good use of money, but, in the end, it’s projected to be finished by Memorial Day, reported a story in The Missourian on April 8.

Remember the Lickitysplit Water Slide?

I’m not sure when the Lickitysplit Water slide on the way to Jackson on 61 opened. I know I never went down it, but my kids loved going there when we were visiting Cape in the summertime.

There’s nothing left of it today except a few undulations in the hill and some blacktop that the grass is gradually taking over.

Google Earth Mar. 5, 2003

It’s the curvy thing in the middle of the frame.

By 2005, Google Earth showed it gone like a giant had taken a big eraser and rubbed it out.

Google Earth May 11, 2005

jacksonmo.com needs updating

Wife Lila helped come up with the name of the Water Slide by finding a site called www.jacksonmo.com.

It assured readers that “Besides being a great place to live, work, and raise children, Jackson is also a fun place to live. Some of Jackson’s most well-known and beloved recreational activities are listed below.”

Methinks that site must not have been updated recently. Anybody who would want to take advantage of the Slide’s “water fun during the summer months” today would go home with a serious case of butt brambles.

Besides being a great place to live, work, and raise children, Jackson is also a fun place to live. Some of Jackson’s most well-known and beloved recreational activities are listed below.