Favorite Lakewood Winter Memories

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:50 am

Hi All,

Anyone have some favorite Lakewood Winter Memories to share?

I have a few.

With an understanding nod to Ivor's plea for snow days, I vividly recall trudging up Rosewood to Madison and Harding schools in knee-deep snow, in weather fit neither for man, nor beast. Often as not, the least amount of snow was generally in the middle of the street!

Helping Dad put the chains on the car's tires, was also fun. I wonder what happened to chains, or for that matter, all that extra snow we used to get?

Another memory recalls the old outdoor ice-rink where Winterhurst presently sits. That was the weekend place-to-be for Lakewoodites to meet and greet!

Jay Foran · Post by **Jay Foran** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:07 am

I was about 10-11 years old. We had a cold snap equal to what we had last week. Having just watched ABC's Wide World of Sports, I was feeling the cabin fever and anxious for a little physical activity.

I filled two buckets to the brim with water and trudged in the dark the 1/2 block up to Roosevelt School. I poured the water down the 15-18 ft. all steel slide on the playground. I gave the water a few minutes to freeze before I got into the tuck position and pulled hard on the two steel braces at the top of the slide.

Remember that famous pic of the ski jumper sliding off the ramp? Needless to say I never made it to the bottom and feel lucky to share the story this many years later.

Suzanne Metelko · Post by **Suzanne Metelko** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:47 am

Jay, as someone who has more than her share of those types of stories about myself, thank you. What I wouldn't give for a video of that moment. I am going to chuckle all day over this! Suzanne

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 10:08 am

I remember watching for the day when the city would flood part of the front yard of Lakewood Park for skating. Workers would string lights so there could be skating after 4 PM. My aunt would pick me up and we'd rent skates, have fun, then get some hot cocoa and watch all the other skaters.

That little outside rink was usually busy, filled with children and grown-ups.

Kate McCarthy · Post by **Kate McCarthy** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:00 pm

I'll have to check to see if they have flooded that part of the park.

My favorite Lakewood winter memory was the time the kids in the neighborhood built their own sledding hill off the top railing of the front porch across the street. The kids dragged the snow from all the front lawns around the neighborhood and built a snow slope that extended from the middle of the front yard, over the shrubbery, and up unto the front porch that had a solid rail. The dragged their sleds onto the porch and flew down the slope to be stopped by one of the older kids so they wouldn't land in the street.

When people say kids don't know how to play anymore I tell them to move to Lakewood....a place where kids in the 21st century still know how to make their own fun...without adult direction...just indirect supervision...required.

Mark Crnolatas · Post by **Mark Crnolatas** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:58 pm

I've had a lot, but...
one of the greatest, would be back in Harding Jr. High, playing with Bob Rice, who conducted and also played trumpet with the band (Gary's dad) , in the most fantastic jazz band to this date, by any scholastic endeavor of any level . The winter concert in I think. 1965. The dance/jazz band sold out the Civic Auditorium and people were sneaking in. I believe some attendance records were set and to date, maybe never broken. The audience expected a good Jr. High School band, but under the guidance of Mr. Rice, what they heard was a great band rivaling any big band in the country at any level. The band was full of literally awesome players by anyone's standards in any professional level, that assembled by the same happenstance as a star system is born, a one of kind happening, and we tore up the house. When the first few bars hit, the audience was awe-struck, as I was told a few dozen times after the concert, as we all were. During the opening song I stood up and had the opportunity to play a jazz solo in front of that packed house and that "feeling" was to set up the rest of my musical world. The band received several standing ovations as I recall, and in the bitter cold temperatures of that night, after the concert I was so "rushed" that while walking home I didn't even feel the cold.

You know, Bob Rice, is Lakewood's Mr. Holland from Mr. Holland's Opus, and like in the movie, there is not many lives he hasn't touched and continues to touch. Now there is a story that needs to be told, and I'm sure Bob is brushing away this whole post as either embarrassing or less than it is.

What a magical night that was!

P.S. I might like to write that story.
Another P.S. Does anyone have a recording of that night?

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:22 pm

Mark,

On this cold day, you have brightened my dad's heart!

Teachers so often do not receive expressions of gratitude until years later, if at all.

As you are well aware, Dad was all about excellence in music. He tried to get the best out of every child who came into his classroom.

Of course, if you played a solo, you'd better do it right!

And you did that yourself, so very well!

I'll let Dad jump in here with a few words too:

Mark,

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your kind words, as well as for the gift of your talent!

Even then, in your younger days, you inspired the other young people with your commitment to excellence on that trumpet!

Helping you to grow, and develop your musical skills, was a wonderful thing for me. Watching you, and other young people discover that you all were capable of going beyond any limits, was truly a joy to behold!

I wanted all of my students to be the best that they could be- from the triangle player, to the trombonist...and they were, weren't they? They really were!

With my fond best wishes,
Your former teacher,

Bob Rice

Stan Austin · Post by **Stan Austin** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:24 pm

Did I hear someone mention Trombonist??

Gary Rice · Post by **Gary Rice** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:46 pm

Stan,

Boy, talk about someone "sliding" through school!

Slick (trombone) slides apparently make super students!

From Dad:

Stan, you were fantastic! We certainly had a great team! I always enjoyed you, as being one of my best and most dedicated bandmenbers!

Gratefully,

Bob Rice

Stan Austin · Post by **Stan Austin** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:55 pm

Mr. Rice----

Thank you.

Stan Austin

Mark Crnolatas · Post by **Mark Crnolatas** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:00 am

Mr Rice, I hardly deserve many thanks, but do you still have that horn with the off-set 2nd valve?

I had both Shilke in Chicago make me a custom horn , ( with a trombone .508 bore for a dark almost flugelhorn sound, but for large bands, it would break concrete in volume ) along with a few other specs, and Dominick Callichio in California make me one of his hand made horns with the 2nd valve off-set ( his horns best for medium and high range so no one made a mistake who was playing the high parts ).

Now let's see, because I was influenced by your horn, and liked that valve setup that much, those 2 horns cost me well over a grand a piece.

P.S. I made out like a bandit when I sold them tho'.

Jim O'Bryan · Post by **Jim O'Bryan** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:44 am

It was the burning of Christmas trees in the 60s.

But today that all changed.

Bill Avis stops over to clean the driveway. Hey Bill, thanks, if you have a little more time time I have some friends on Clarence, Belle, Edgewater, Clifton, Forest, St, Charles, ...

This is what I love about Lakewood.

The people.

.

Jeff Endress · Post by **Jeff Endress** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:55 am

Jim

Indeed! My snow shoveler called, telling me he wouldn't be able to get to my office today. So, I headed over myself, to clean out the four foot drifts on the drive and shovel a path to the back door. The plows had left a huge blockage over the drive, and as I was struggling with the heavy plow debris, one of the residents of the apartment behind my office lent me a hand opening up the drive.

I would imagine that today, now that the snow has finally stopped, that neighbors will be helping neighbors to dig out their cars, drives and walks. It's one of those things that always made Lkaewood a welcoming community.

Jeff

dl meckes · Post by **dl meckes** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:40 pm

I'll mention this again, but that was a great thing about this morning. I was out at about 6:15 and DH joined me a short time later. Anybody who was out at that hour joined their neighbors in digging each other out.

Everyone was pretty much ready to go by 8AM.

I only wished a few more neighbors had gone outside that early - we would have helped them, too.