By Ricky Rieckert
This week I want to start out by wishing and hoping all the dad’s had a great father’s day.
I ended last week in the history of Aurora places at State Street and East New York Street.
In the middle of block between State Street and Union Street, on the south side was my homestead, 727 E. New York Street.
When I was approximately 12 years old, and my brother, Randy, was 11, we asked my mother if we could walk downtown.
She said yes, told us to behave and be home for supper at 5 p.m..
We left at 10 a.m. and went over to Main Street (now Galena Boulevard) to Prince Castle’s on the south side near Jeff’s Standard on Lincoln and Main Street.
We ate a 29 cents cheeseburger and a one in a million chocolate shake.
We went downtown, Downer Place and looked at the Fox River from the bridge.
I went to a coin shop next door to today’s Aurora Historical Society.
We went over to Main Street and River Street.
On the northwest corner was Crosby’s Sport Shop, a kid’s dream world.
One floor was all bicycles. One floor was all fishing stuff, and one floor was all hunting stuff. That was always at least and hour in dreamland.
We would then take in a show, either at the Isle Theatre on Stolp Avenue or the Tivoli Theatre or the Paramount Theatre on Main Street.
The Corn Crib was next to the Paramount. You always had to get a bag of hot caramel corn to take into the Paramount.
That was it.
After the show, we went back home, usually by 4:30 p.m..
When I looked back, as a young adult, I thought about my brother’s and my treks downtown at 11 years old and 12 years old and how my mom knew nobody would mess with us, that we wouldn’t get in trouble, and completely trusted us.
Thanks, Mom.
I remember as a kid growing up on East New York Street and walking to kindergarten and sixth grade to Brady School on North Union Street and Columbia Street. First though fifth grades to Sacred Heart School on Fulton Street; seventh through ninth grades to K.D. Waldo Junior High School on Jackson; and 10th though 12th to East Aurora High School on Fifth Avenue.
My mother only drove me to school once, to Brady School, when it was raining like cats and dogs.
Man, things have changed today.
At Nancy Hill School, down the Street from me, I’ve seen parents drop their kids off and drive one block back home.
They could have walked the kids to school.
It’s amazing how the tide turns.
They say when you remember the old days, you’re getting old.
I will be 65 years young July 10.
Carter says I’m a youngster.
Thanks, Carter.
Have a nice week.