1930 Block Party in Scranton
Nov 5 – Tell about a fictional block party using a census page for the guest list
This past weekend, local families had a party on the block bordered by East Market Street, Maylert Ave., Electric Street and Von Storch Ave. of Scranton, PA. Most of the families live in rented homes, only the Willliams, Wilson and Yeslavage families own their houses.
Everyone made a dish. The menu included potato salad, sliced ham, fried chicken, baked beans, peaches and cream, strawberry ice cream, bread pudding, iced tea, and a special treat for the kids supplied by Mr. Williams, Tootsie rolls and Twinkies.
The women compared recipes and complimented each other on the dishes they had made. When they had a chance to stop fussing about the food, they sat sipping iced tea, and sharing stories they had heard at the market. The young ladies who worked in town talked about people who had come into the shops that week and about other young ladies in town who were recently engaged. Many of the men worked in the coal mines or otherwise as laborers and were glad for a day off. Some played dominoes while others sat and smoked while chatting about the news of the day. Mr. Williams worked at the railroad office. His son Carlton was a clerk at Blum’s Parts and he and George Fletcher, who was an auto mechanic, talked about the newest cars being made. Mr and Mrs. Yeslavage don’t speak much English, so they were quiet for the most part, with their older kids translating when necessary.
The Wilson’s had recently gotten a pedal car, which all the little kids wanted to try. Nine-year-old James was kind enough to share and organized the children in a line to take turns riding around the block. Hugh (12) and Francis (10) Cochrane said they were too old for such a toy, but Hamilton, 4, enjoyed the ride immensely. Raymond (13) and Harriett (11) Depue declined to take a turn. Ruth Mott (10) on the other hand wanted to give it a try and Dorothy (10) and Ruth (8) Fletcher, Henry (9), Harry (9) and Jack (5) Yates, Albert (9) and David (7) Reese, Norman Shaw (8), Walter Yeslavage and the Thomas kids, Doris (9), George (9) and Albert (5) all happily took a spin as well. A couple of the girls made the boys wait as they had to get their dolls settled in before setting off.
While waiting, some of the kids started a game of leapfrog and by the end of the day, even the older kids got involved in a game of hide and seek, using the yards of all the homes on the block as potential hiding places.
About half of the families had a radio (Walter Mott actually sold them); the programs were interesting, especially when the radio hosts were telling stories. Some families had a Victrola and some records and brought them outdoors. For the party, they played music by Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby and the teenagers danced. Gertrude (13), Rose Hughes (14), Ellen Cochrane (13), Grace (15) and Florence(17) Depue, Olive Nicholls (16) and Sarah Yeslavage (14) were happy to sit and listen to music, and occasionally got up to take a turn dancing as well. The older boys, Harold Nicholls (17), Robert Connolly (17), Earl Mott (16), Llord White (14), Leonard (13) and George (15) Fletcher played a lively game of pick up sticks or alternatively played with a couple bolo bats or yoyos that were on hand.
The party ended shortly after dusk as the moms got the younger kids off to bed and the teenagers sat clustered talking and laughing until they too were chased indoors. There were plenty of chores in the day ahead.