Relax, Laugh and Remember with Reminisce Magazine. Each issue is a "time capsule" of life from the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's filled with reader-written stories, pictures from the past, embarrassing moments, ads from the Old Days and much more!
Without kids in school, I find that my harbinger for that seasonal shift is the point when leaves start turning colors. That’s when I know it’s time for some big events. First up is the World Series. After a long, grueling battle through the summer heat, the pennant winners of the National and American Leagues meet in the Fall Classic. So while you wait for a winner to emerge—no predictions, but this Chicago native has her hopes on one particular team—turn to page 22 for a reprise of some great baseball plays, players and finales. And then there’s Halloween—a day of revelry for kids of all ages. Whether it’s the candy or the costumes you enjoy most, when you read our roundup on page 40 you just might recall giving…
The most cherished event of autumn for me and my brood is our annual Thanksgiving celebration, when we all gather around the table and drink in each other’s company with laughter, food and fun. This year, I’m also thankful for: • MEMORIES I am so grateful for the many happy, sad and highly emotional moments my family and I have shared together. You can read more about the importance of family memories on page 16. • FRIENDS I’m thankful that, for me, making friends means more than clicking a “Like” button on Facebook. Read how kids made friends and raised Cain on page 12. • CONNECTIONS I thank all of you, our readers, for sharing your stories with us. Every time I open an email from you, I see life a little differently.…
ROCK CONCERTS Ohio disc jockey Alan Freed is credited with coining the term rock ‘n’ roll and with organizing the first rock concert in 1952. What was the first rock concert you attended? Did you ever see the Beatles perform? Were you at Woodstock in 1969? Did you get to see the free Jefferson Airplane concert in Chicago’s Grant Park? Email your submission with “ROCK CONCERTS” in the subject line. MUSCLE CARS Big cars with big engines were made for speed and performance. Did you drive a Mustang Shelby GT500? A Chevy Corvette, Chevelle or Camaro? A Dodge Daytona? Or did you know someone who did? What was it about these cars that gave such a thrill? We’d love to share your story with readers. Email your submission with “MUSCLE…
A PECK OF PUMPKINS FOR SALE KATHY ZIVICKI OAK CREEK, WI FROM ABOUT 1955 UNTIL 1963, my grandfather L.C. Smith had a plot of land outside Kaukauna, Wisconsin, where he grew apple and pear trees, raspberries, currants, carrots, cucumber and pumpkins. My family—Mom and Dad (Jack and Carol Forster), my sisters Marilyn, Susan and Jackie, and I—would go out to his field and help him weed and pick produce. But of course tasting was what we liked best. My grandmother Helen did a lot of canning, as well as making jams and jellies. Any extra produce we picked would go to neighbors and friends from their church. Grandma’s basement pantry was always well-stocked. I remember heading to the pantry to get a jar of whatever she decided would go well…
SHORT-LIVED WINNINGS JOHN J. ZILLIOX WILLIAMSBURG, VA BIG BANDS WERE ALL THE RAGE in the 1940s. Most had a signature sound you could identify within the first few notes. Often, the bands performed between shows at movie theaters. In November 1944, I decided to attend the Monday morning opener with Sammy Kaye’s orchestra at Shea’s Buffalo Theatre along with three friends from South Park High School Orchestra. During his shows, Sammy would engage the crowd by calling out, “So you want to lead the band,” and every teenage musician responded, “You bet I do.” When that segment arrived, Sammy asked the question, we waved our hands and he pointed to our group. The boys decided I should go on stage. I joined two other contestants—a young girl and a middle-aged…
THE MONDAY AFTER I GRADUATED from Central High School in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1929, I went to work in a hardware store in Springfield about 3 miles from Sixteen Acres, a small community where we lived. I wanted to go to college, so I had taken a college-prep course in school. The Great Depression was approaching, however, and I knew I would not be able to both work and go to college. Instead, I took a two-year business course in night school learning typing and bookkeeping. That course helped me all my working life, including 27 years later when I became the town clerk and treasurer of Jamaica, Vermont, for 11 years. While in night school, I noticed Phyllis, an attractive young woman taking a high school diploma course. She…
