Abstract
This oral history interview explores Karl Anderson's experiences and memories connected to the Tremont area during the mid-20th century. Karl discusses his involvement in the community, particularly through experiences at Lincoln Park and his participation in local clubs at Merrick House. He reflects on the diverse ethnic backgrounds of Tremont residents, the social dynamics, and the neighborhood's evolution over time. The interview also touches on his experiences in sports, his observations on youth activities, and the changes in the area as people moved to the suburbs.
Interviewee
Anderson, Karl (interviewee)
Interviewer
Anderson, Ellen (interviewer)
Project
Tremont History Project
Date
3-4-2003
Document Type
Oral History
Recommended Citation
"Karl Anderson interview, 04 March 2003" (2003). Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection. Interview 223033.
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/crohc000/1303
Transcript
Ellen Anderson: Please state your name and spell it for me.
Karl Anderson: My name is Karl Anderson. K-a-r-l A-n-d-e-r-s-o-n.
Ellen Anderson: How are you connected to Tremont?
Karl Anderson: Well, when I started to go to junior high, I went to Lincoln High school. It was a six year school. I worked for the department of recreation and worked at Lincoln Park, which is part of Tremont, probably for about six, seven years. Involved in the swimming pool, working there during summer seasons. Of course, was not able to do it while going to school or college.
Ellen Anderson: So are your parents or relatives in Tremont?
Karl Anderson: I did not live in the area. My parents were not originally from there, the Tremont area. Also to add I belonged to a club at the Merrick House which is a Tremont area facility. There were many clubs of young people that were formed there at the Merrick House, more of a community house. We had a sports group or sports players, we had a club.
Ellen Anderson: What were your first memories of Tremont?
Karl Anderson: Well, my first impression as a kid was it was a rough area, a rough area to live and work in and it, the kids that came from that area were kind of tough kids and known for fighting and getting into trouble and yet after I worked there for a while I got to know those who were in the area and it worked out really fine. There were times where I witnessed lets say fights or squabbles, whatever you want to call it but, overall it was pretty good. Let’s say, how would you put it, a mixed crowd of kids, they weren’t the rich kids the were just the good moderate, everyday kids, down to the kids that lived in the projects.
Ellen Anderson: Now were there a lot of ethnic groups?
Karl Anderson: Yes, there were. Now going back to Lincoln High School our principal would take a survey of people living in the area and our high school always had the most countries represented. A lot of European countries were from the Tremont area and–
Ellen Anderson: Do you remember which ones, can you name them?
Karl Anderson: Oh, a lot of Polish kids, Ukrainian kids, Hungarian, when these DP’s come from these places they settled in this area to. They settled there because other people from there were there to. They were people of the same nationality so people who wanted to come over. Those were tough times. At the time we did not have many Blacks that lived in Tremont, just a few, not many Spanish speaking people it was more of a European ethnic background of kids.
Ellen Anderson: Can you tell me the year that you are talking about, around?
Karl Anderson: OK, I am talking about I would say 1954 to about 1961.
Ellen Anderson: OK, would you say this was a good place to live, work or go to school or –
Karl Anderson: It was, it was, it was a good place. Some kids had it tougher then others, it was an old neighborhood, there was a project area that was run by the government.
Ellen Anderson: Was it government housing?
Karl Anderson: Yes, government housing, government project.
Ellen Anderson: OK.
Karl Anderson: Yes, when I speak of the government project, that is housing.
Ellen Anderson: Right.
Karl Anderson: But many of the homes were old, old homes I couldn’t even say when they were built. Probably back in the early 1900’s.
Ellen Anderson: OK, you would think WWI probably?
Karl Anderson: Yes, yes. And the majority of the kids went to a large elementary school called Tremont school, which I don’t know if it is still there or not. It may still be there but, it housed a great deal of kids, grades one through sixth.
Ellen Anderson: Do you think it was the only elementary school and that is why it was so big?
Karl Anderson: To my knowledge it was, it covered the entire area there and that is a large area. And of course there were Catholic schools in the area to as well. So, as well as religion is concerned, there was a diversity of religion you know.
Ellen Anderson: Alright, so now you were a teenager going to Lincoln High School. What were your memories about teenagers having fun in Tremont? Like in High School, what did they do?
Karl Anderson: That’s a good question. You know I really don’t know how to answer that.
Ellen Anderson: OK, do you remember them going to socials of any kind? Proms?
Karl Anderson: Oh yes, yes. There were two centers or community centers. One was the Merrick House and the other was the Bath House were they had basketball courts in the back of it and the Bath House which I would say was for the older people that had houses that were so old that they did not have places to clean up so therefore they had a male and female area that they could go take a shower, showers. They called it the Bath House but I never saw a bat tub in there. I know there were showers.
Ellen Anderson: Did you ever go in there?
Karl Anderson: Yes, I did. I, working at the swimming pool I had to , had a chance to go across from the swimming pool. Now of course that is closed and the city has sold it off. But, that was quite a gathering place and the Merrick was quite a gathering place.
Ellen Anderson: Now the Merrick was, they had what, basketball games or –
Karl Anderson: They had a basketball court and had club facilities.
Ellen Anderson: Could they have a party there?
Karl Anderson: Not too much, not that I know of anyway.
Ellen Anderson: Do you remember parties going on in the area at all? Karl Anderson: Oh boy, not too much, no.
Ellen Anderson:OK, do you remember, if not parties, did teenagers listen to any type of music that they liked a lot? Bands?
Karl Anderson: No, I really couldn’t. No, I don’t, no. I can’t recall anything of that kind. See outside of the summertime I was not involved.
Ellen Anderson: What about movies, so you remember going to the movies?
Karl Anderson: There were several movie houses but, I never attended them.
Ellen Anderson: Do you remember popular movies? Did you go to any movies.
Karl Anderson: (laughs) No, not much. My parents were very religious and did not permit me to go to any movies.
Ellen Anderson: OK< so you would say the popular places were the ones you just named?
Karl Anderson: Yes, and the Tremont Bowl Diamonds which is down in the lower part of the, near Clark Bridge.
Ellen Anderson: now what is that?
Karl Anderson: Baseball diamond.
Ellen Anderson: Oh, baseball diamond. Yes, was baseball popular then?
Karl Anderson: Yes, it was yeah.
Ellen Anderson: Would you say baseball was more popular than basketball.
Karl Anderson: Oh, I think all sports were popular. Not much soccer or at least I didn’t see it but, baseball, basketball, football were the major ones.
Ellen Anderson: Did Lincoln have teams at this time?
Karl Anderson: Oh yes, not good teams but, they had teams.
Ellen Anderson: Teams in all of these sports.
Karl Anderson: Yes.
Ellen Anderson: do you remember the name of the teams, the mascot?
Karl Anderson: Well, we were called the Lincoln Presidents and we really didn’t have a mascot. (Laughter)
Ellen Anderson: Did you participate on any of the teams?
Karl Anderson: Yes, I played three sports. I was probably a six letter winner. Ellen Anderson: What sports did you play?
Karl Anderson: I played basketball, baseball and football. I was fortunate enough to get a scholarship grant/aid to go to college. So that is why I ended up as I did a teacher in public schools.
Ellen Anderson: OK. How did you end up in Tremont? You didn’t live there. How did you end up in their schools? How did that happen?
Karl Anderson: That is a good question. That, Tremont was a different city ward we went by wards. I was in ward nine and Tremont was in ward seven. And I was a good friend of the councilman and the councilman was able to recommend me for a job within the ward and usually the councilman within the ward – But, we didn’t have many places in my ward where we could work so that is where I was able to work in the Tremont area.
Ellen Anderson: And go to school?
Karl Anderson: Yes, well Lincoln was then in my district.
Ellen Anderson: DID you have siblings, a sister or brother that did this to, or other relatives?
Karl Anderson: No, I didn’t. I had a brother but, he was eleven years older than me, so he was out of the picture by the time I became a teenager.
Ellen Anderson: OK, Now did you date when you were in high school? Was there dating then?
Karl Anderson: I myself did not. I’ll be honest I did not date that much. I didn’t have any girlfriends.
Ellen Anderson: Did other teenagers date?
Karl Anderson: Yes, they did, yes.
Ellen Anderson: What age would you say that kind of activity took place?
Karl Anderson: Oh, I would say ninth grade yeah. Not as early as it does now. (laughter)
Ellen Anderson: Yeah, now was there any interracial dating or did most just stick to their own kind?
Karl Anderson: Yes, we did not have many Blacks at Lincoln High School like I said before and not many Blacks in the area and it was a predominately ninety-eight percent white school and majority ethnic.
Ellen Anderson: Would the different ethnic teens date each other?
Karl Anderson: Yes, sure.
Ellen Anderson: And what about religious, would a Protestant date a Catholic? Karl Anderson: Good question. I really wouldn’t know.
Ellen Anderson: Alright, ok. Where there phrases like boyfriend/girlfriend?
Karl Anderson: Yeah, and going steady and all of that.
Ellen Anderson: What was going steady, what did that mean?
Karl Anderson: I guess it meant to wear a charm or something of each others, you are really making me reminisce here. (laughter)
Ellen Anderson: OK, talking about sports was there any sporting events that you remember being big or popular?
Karl Anderson: Not really. Not at that period of time. We didn’t have really good sports teams.
Ellen Anderson: At Lincoln?
Karl Anderson: Yes, at Lincoln.
Ellen Anderson: Now what about professional sports do you remember –
Karl Anderson: of course the Brown’s were big and the Indians were big, the Kettlers didn’t come along till the seventy’s.
Ellen Anderson: Did teenagers or your group fellow the teams like the Browns, the Indians? Did they talk about them?
Karl Anderson: Many of the playgrounds– Well, like with the Indians they would open the bleachers and field and call Saturday, Ladies Day and if you wanted to get in you could bring your kids and pay fifty cents and they would fill up the bleachers. You know that was when I was in the teens or so. The Browns were the same way. I think it was seventy-five cents to sit in the bleaches. From where I lived, I could take a bus for a nickel each way and sit in the bleaches. And you know it has changed drastically since those days.
Ellen Anderson: Did you go?
Karl Anderson: Oh yes, I did go. I went with friends.
Ellen Anderson: Now you said it cost one nickel to go from Tremont to downtown by bus.
Karl Anderson: Yes, that was my bus.
Ellen Anderson: Do you remember any other costs of things? Like how much did it cost for a hot dog?
Karl Anderson: Very reasonable, like ten cents for a hot dog.
Ellen Anderson: How much did it cost to get into the game?
Karl Anderson: Seventy-five, fifty cents.
Ellen Anderson: Wow is that right. Were those games well attended?
Karl Anderson: Pretty well attended yes, yes.
Ellen Anderson: But, it wasn’t a big thing for you to get on a bus by yourself or with friends to go down, how old were you?
Karl Anderson: I would say seventh, eighth grade, twelve thirteen.
Ellen Anderson: What about drug use, was there a lot of drug use?
Karl Anderson: I think the biggest thing was glue sniffing. I think that was about it.
Ellen Anderson: What about alcohol?
Karl Anderson: Alcohol, yes, it was available. I didn’t run with that kind of a crowd so I really don’t know anything about that.
Ellen Anderson: But you would say it was used?
Karl Anderson: Yes, but, not to the extent that it is used today.
Ellen Anderson: So you would definitely say that there is a big change from this to now?
Karl Anderson: Oh yes, there is more to do now and kids these days get into more trouble.
Ellen Anderson: A kid in trouble then what would you say they get in trouble doing? Was it more devilish type trouble?
Karl Anderson: Yes, mischievous.
Ellen Anderson: Was it criminal, shoplifting, stealing or –
Karl Anderson: I would say it would be petty. Petty thief and things of that sort. We didn’t have any at that time, weapons or things of that sort. If we did have a weapon, it was used for hunting, hunting purposes. Like, I can’t say anymore.
Ellen Anderson: Did you hunt?
Karl Anderson: Oh yes.
Ellen Anderson: Where did you hunt?
Karl Anderson: Where I live near the zoo there was a railway that went thru there, a big field and we went down to that area to hunt.
Ellen Anderson: What did you hunt?
Karl Anderson: Rabbit, pheasant.
Ellen Anderson: So this was a wooded area then.
Karl Anderson: Yes.
Ellen Anderson: The area that you used to hunt in, what does it look like now?
Karl Anderson: Good question. I would say it is not developed. It is a valley that extends, if anything it would be industry down there of some kind or some kind of a truck depot of some sort.
Ellen Anderson: Now, you said you worked in Tremont in the pools.
Karl Anderson: Yes.
Ellen Anderson: Was there one pool in Tremont or others?
Karl Anderson: There was just one and it was located in Lincoln Park. It was a shallow pool only four feet deep but, it was very large. We could get approximately one hundred and fifty, two hundred kids in there.
Ellen Anderson: Did you usually have that many?
Karl Anderson: Ye, yes it was well attended.
Ellen Anderson: How much did it cost to get in?
Karl Anderson: It did not cost anything.
Ellen Anderson: So it was an open pool to whoever wanted to come.
Karl Anderson: Yes.
Ellen Anderson: Did you have to be a resident of Tremont to use the pool?
Karl Anderson: No requirements.
Ellen Anderson: No requirements. So they just walked in and got in the pool?
Karl Anderson: Yes, free, had free learn to swim nine to twelve in the morning, then we would close for a short time and then be open from one o’clock to nine pm. And they would, the only thing they would do is a body check as the kids walked in, so they did not have any open sores or anything of that sort. And they would swim for approximately forty-five, fifty minutes and then take a ten minute break each hour. And it was well protected and well guarded and –
Ellen Anderson: What about after hours? Did you have children who sneaked into the pool?
Karl Anderson: Yes, but we did not worry about that. The only thing we worried about was in the morning whether someone had thrown a bottle over and hit the deck and broke up. We would have to make sure everything was cleaned up but, basically it was the care and watching the kids. We really did not have any accidents.
Ellen Anderson: Do you mind me asking if you remember how much you got paid?
Karl Anderson: Oh, I think it was ninety cents an hour. And then I got a promotion and it was one dollar and fifty a hour.
Ellen Anderson: OK, was that your money to spend?
Karl Anderson: Yes, money to save.
Ellen Anderson: I am going to go back to the social aspect. Especially in this day and age we have a lot of unwed mothers and children in trouble. Did you see any of that or experience any of that?
Karl Anderson: Very little. In fact, we didn’t see it in school.
Ellen Anderson: So you would never see a pregnant girl in your school?
Karl Anderson: Oh no. Because I think they were taken care of, placed in homes till their baby was born or, families, families were more involved than that. It was very, very – It was uncommon. We just did not see it.
Ellen Anderson: Were there early marriages? Anything like that?
Karl Anderson: Not really, no. Usually they waited till they were out of high school. In fact, I just went to a funeral where two of my classmates, they married one year out of high school. I graduated in 1957, and they got married in 1958 and she just passed away at age sixty- three, So that probably ten to fifteen percent of the kids in my class got married about a year after they graduated.
Ellen Anderson: They had children soon after they married?
Karl Anderson: Usually, yes.
Ellen Anderson: What about going to college, did any of the children go to school after high school?
Karl Anderson: The percentage from our school is very low. Very low, who went to college, ten percent or so.
Ellen Anderson: So what did most of them do?
Karl Anderson: Most went out in the working world, and the working field and of course there was a lot of opportunity at that time. The steel mills were close, telephone company and the utility company hired a lo of kids. I guess there was opportunity available.
Ellen Anderson: What about the women? Did they also work or did they get married, stay home?
Karl Anderson: I would say they did.
Ellen Anderson: They worked?
Karl Anderson: As secretaries or I really can’t think.
Ellen Anderson: That’s OK take your time.
Karl Anderson: I don’t , outside of my friends a few went to college or went into the work force.
Ellen Anderson: But the majority went into the work force.
Karl Anderson: Yes, yes.
Ellen Anderson: Would you say most stayed in the Tremont area or leave the area?
Karl Anderson: I would say ninety-nine of them, the kids that were able to get out on their own got out of the area.
Ellen Anderson: Is that right! Why do you think that is?
Karl Anderson: Because of the opportunity of a newer more open area in the suburbs because the suburbs were becoming very large. In fact, parents were moving as well. I would say between sixth grade and twelfth grade, fifty percent of the kids transferred to Parma or Berea or some suburban school on the West side.
Ellen Anderson: Can you describe what the neighborhood looks like what a street in Tremont looks like, describe a house?
Karl Anderson: That’s a tough question because there are a lot of older homes, many are multi- family. There is some redevelopment in the area. There are some people who try and open up a business, such as restaurants, coffee shops, some unique places but, it does not have the flavor it had years ago.
Ellen Anderson: When you say flavor, what do you mean flavor?
Karl Anderson: Well, there is just a different, you know, well–
Ellen Anderson: Like a friendly feeling, a neighborhood feeling?
Karl Anderson: That’s a good way to put it, a neighborhood feeling.
Ellen Anderson: People cared.
Karl Anderson: Yes, they did.
Ellen Anderson: People took care of their property?
Karl Anderson: At that time they did yes, but I think those who live there now take care of their property as well. I don’t get down there to that area very much.
Ellen Anderson: I was going to ask if you got back to that area much?
Karl Anderson: No, not too often. I have some friends who have a barbershop there and I stopped in only once and I would say if I go back , I go back to ride around and to look at things and see how things were or go with someone who did live there and they can point out, “oh that is where I lived, that is where my house was and it is not there now. But basically a lot is missing but a lot is still there.
Ellen Anderson: There was a lot of highways that went thru Tremont. Do you remember anything about that?
Karl Anderson: The main highway was I-71 and no I take that back 90 also went thru there, kind of a crisscross going thru. It took up a lot of homes I-71 took up a lot of homes.
Ellen Anderson: Do you remember it being a big, affecting Tremont?
Karl Anderson: Oh, I don’t know I really don’t know because it happened when I wasn’t living there. I don’t know what the effect was not living there. I’m sure some were pushed out and I’m sure a lot of people were pushed back into the neighborhood.
Ellen Anderson: The look of it though, I mean did it change the “feel” like you said before. Highways have a tendency to divide.
Karl Anderson: I am sure it did divide the area, I am sure it did. But again I can’t give any personal feelings about it.
Ellen Anderson: Well, what can you say are the better memories you have about Tremont?
Karl Anderson: Outside of working there, I was involved in a community club, having friends there, going to school there, playing sports in the area. That is all I can say about that.
Ellen Anderson: Your friends that you still have there do they talk about Tremont, about the changes of Tremont?
Karl Anderson: They talk about the past. I did take a friend down there for a meeting and we drove around and looked around. Some of the churches are still standing there. The spirals, the orthodox, I guess you know the orthodox Byzantine churches that have the cylindrical spires and old Pilgrim church and old Lincoln Park, you know.
Ellen Anderson: Were you affiliated with any of these churches?
Karl Anderson: No, no.
Ellen Anderson: But four friends were?
Karl Anderson: Yes, but the churches that branched out to the suburbs, they also branched out there.
Ellen Anderson: So if you had to name two churches off the top of your head, that stand out as the main, big, churches what would they be?
Karl Anderson: Pilgrim church is definitely one and I would say Augustine, a Catholic church. That is still pretty active. They feed the poor and they help people. They have a help/reach program there. So that church is still very active.
Ellen Anderson: So you said that you are a part of a group that meets.
Karl Anderson: At the Merrick house.
Ellen Anderson: What kind of group is that, can you explain that to me?
Karl Anderson: Oh well, I guess at the time going to the high school there were a lot of clubs that did things together. At the time our club was made up of guys that were interested in basketball and then we would go on overnights on weekends at Metro parks or somewhere together.
Ellen Anderson: Sort of like the boy scouts or something similar?
Karl Anderson: No, well more like a fraternity or something like that. Just guys that hung around together and the girls did the same thing. The girls had clubs, social clubs. We called them social clubs but, it would be similar to the YMCA.
Ellen Anderson: So even though you didn’t live in Tremont you still associated with these clubs?
Karl Anderson: Yeah, because of these guys I played sports with I would come over.
Ellen Anderson: So you were still participating even though you were not living in the same area.
Karl Anderson: Yes, right.
Ellen Anderson: Are there any other historical points when you think of Tremont that need to be known or be remembered about Tremont?
Karl Anderson: Not that I can think of off hand.
Ellen Anderson: now I know you talked about there in the middle fifty’s. That was right after Korea (war). Did you see any affects of the war remember anything?
KA: No. I did not.
Ellen Anderson: You said you had a brother eleven years older than you, was he involved?
Karl Anderson: No. I do remember now that I did have one classmate that was killed in Vietnam, but that was about it.
Ellen Anderson: Just one?
Karl Anderson: Just one, that was about it.
Ellen Anderson: That was in 1969,1962?
Karl Anderson: Sixty-one.
Ellen Anderson: He was involved in combat and killed?
Karl Anderson: yes.
Ellen Anderson: Would you go back to live in Tremont?
Karl Anderson: No, I don’t think so, no. And I never had any intent to. I would not live there. I would live somewhere else.
Ellen Anderson: Why?
Karl Anderson: It would be a step down.
Ellen Anderson: OK.
Karl Anderson: Living in a – I shouldn’t say better but an upgrade neighborhood and that is how I grew up and I wouldn’t –
Ellen Anderson: Do you remember when Stokes became Mayor of Cleveland? Karl Anderson: Yes, yes.
Ellen Anderson: Do you remember any impact of that? An African American becoming mayor of Cleveland?
Karl Anderson: It didn’t bother me at the time. I never meet him, but –
Ellen Anderson: Do you remember any one politician that cause a political impact in your mind?
Karl Anderson: Dennis Kucinich. He began as a councilman in that particular area that is where his roots are.
Ellen Anderson: Do you know him? Have you meet him?
Karl Anderson: I have met him a couple of times. He’s a great politician, but that is as far as I can take it.
Ellen Anderson: Was he embraced by Tremont because he was from Tremont?
Karl Anderson: Yes, he started there and became Mayor of Cleveland. His other political aspirations have developed from that so I don’t think he will ever become President of the United States. (laughter) You have this on tape. EA; So, he was well liked in Tremont, were there any who did not like him?
Karl Anderson: Oh, I’m pretty sure but, he had a strong following yeah. Kucinich, good ethnic name.
Ellen Anderson: Right, right. Any other politicians that stand out in your memory during that time?
Karl Anderson: Gee, I don’t know. Of course Mayor Celebrezzi and a few others but, once I got out of college I was not that involved in politics, so–
Ellen Anderson: Did you marry someone from the neighborhood?
Karl Anderson: No, no. I married a fellow teacher.
Ellen Anderson: We are about done, anything else you would like to add?
Karl Anderson: No, (laughter). Nothing else I can think of.
Ellen Anderson: Anything else about memories as a teenager. Outside of sports did you do anything else socially?
Karl Anderson: Not in that area, no.
Ellen Anderson: So if you wanted to catch up with anyone there where would you have gone? Karl Anderson: Either the Merrick House or the Bath House.
Ellen Anderson: That Bath House is where you would clean?
Karl Anderson: Yes, but they had the basketball in the back.
Ellen Anderson: Oh yes, ok.
Karl Anderson: People would also gather in the evening and play cards.
Ellen Anderson: Did they have concerts there?
Karl Anderson: I don’t recall. I don’t recall at all, but I know there was a lot of card playing. Ellen Anderson: what about chess?
Karl Anderson: A few, but mostly cards?
Ellen Anderson: do you remember any different types of languages being spoken there?
Karl Anderson: The kids spoke English. They were good English speaking kids.
Ellen Anderson: So you didn’t hear a lot of accents?
Karl Anderson: No, the only ones we heard with the accents were displaced persons that came over in the early fifty’s, mid sixty’s. We called them DP’S.
Ellen Anderson: OK, that was displaced person.
Karl Anderson: Yes, mostly from Hungary and that area. The Ukraine, places, where the Second World War had moved them. The US took over quite a few of those people. They were the ones who would speak in their native tongues because they weren’t good in English, but they also stuck very close together.
Ellen Anderson: Were they cliques, would you say?
Karl Anderson: No, they just stuck together.
Ellen Anderson: Did all the groups stick together?
Karl Anderson: No, there was a good mix.
Ellen Anderson: So there was no real type of overt racism?
Karl Anderson: No, there really wasn’t.
Ellen Anderson: And most people were on the same economic level as well?
Karl Anderson: Right and most of the people their parents worked in the steel mills or down in the flats where the work was.
Ellen Anderson: What kind of work places were in Tremont?
Karl Anderson: Well, in Tremont, not that much. It would be down in the valley in the areas that had the steel mills and industrial type of work.
Ellen Anderson: And you would say most of the parents worked there?
Karl Anderson: yes.
Ellen Anderson: Would you say there were a lot of stay at home Moms as well?
Karl Anderson: Yes, mothers did not work as much. Fathers were the bread winners.
Ellen Anderson: Did students go home for lunch?
Karl Anderson: good question. Some did, some didn’t.
Ellen Anderson: Well I’d like to thank you. Is there anything else you think will be interesting to add. Karl Anderson
Karl Anderson: No, not that I can think of. Just that I am involved in Lincoln Old Sports which started in 1950 and I am on this committee where we have an evening of dinner and socializing and it is a unique group and the last year we have at least three hundred, four hundred guys show up.
Ellen Anderson: Wow and these are people from Tremont.
Karl Anderson: Yes, people from the area and the group grew from eight, twelve guys and kept growing. I happened to be on that committee that is active in keeping them together.
Ellen Anderson: And you are getting younger men to join?
Karl Anderson: Yes. In 1971, they tone down the old Lincoln High School and we are hoping that, I think as you get older you get more interested in getting involved in a group like this.
Ellen Anderson: So what else do they do besides meeting at this dinner.
Karl Anderson: That’s it, every two years.
Ellen Anderson: So every two years they meet at this dinner.
Karl Anderson: That’s it. One dinner.
Ellen Anderson: No other activity outside of that?
Karl Anderson: No, we have a historian and he sets up his display in one room and we have dinner in the dinning hall in a place in Broadview Heights called St Michael’s Woodside. And guys just come and meet new friends and see old friends. Its quite nice. It is a very nice time.
Ellen Anderson: OK.
TAPE ENDS INTERVIEW ENDS
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