Wayne Gorian

DO YOU REMEMBER?
Around 36th & Highway100 (The Beltline)
The Clock Hamburgers, Robins Nest A&W (Just guys worked as carhops), Embers, Grants department store, Country Kitchen, Chalet bowl & restaurant, & Noble Drug.

DO YOU REMEMBER In Robbinsdale?
Moller Hobby store, Bowling alley, Red Barn Hamburgers, Red Owl, Maltson Cafe. fire/police station (Youth Center dances), Train Depot, traffic circle by North Memorial, & Twin Lake beach.

DO YOU REMEMBER In Crystal?
Henry's Hamburgers, The Point Hamburgers, Mr. Bigs, Sweden House, McDonalds (Eat in your car or standup inside. 2 cheeseburgers fries & a pop for $1.) Target opening its second store in 1962. The mirrored ball in the shopping center.

DO YOU REMEMBER?
The two Porkey's on Lake Street. The last one on University was closed in early 2011.
Driving to St. Paul took an hour down University.
Starlite (?) Drive-in theater on 52
When Brookdale (opened in 1962) now gone and is a scary Walmart. The Terrace Theater is a vacant shell for twenty years.

DO YOU REMEMBER?
The curfew sirens going off at 9 pm. (it still does, but kids don't know why)
Not locking the doors at night. My parents didn't!!
Young kids delivering the morning or afternoon newspapers, alone & in the dark.
Little children at school bus stops with no parents around.
Mothers staying at home and greeting us after school with cookies & whole milk.
Mothers making home cooked meals and eating as a family.
Going out to eat, as a family was a rare and special occasion.
Youths with weight problems, was unheard of. Look at our yearbook.
Gals teasing their hair & guys using Brylcreem. We are all glad that's gone.
Homes having air conditioning was just a window fan.
Vacations in the winter, never. Summer was always up north. Plus that one trip to the Black Hills. (Flying was not cheap then).
Music had lyrics you could understand plus having rhythm & melody.
"Don't watch TV in the dark it's bad for your eyes." Maybe that's why I wear glasses.
No Minnesota sales tax. The temporary sales tax came in 1967.
You could work part-time in the summer and pay for a year of college. (U of M was $450.)

BONUS MEMORY POINTS
Streetcars on Broadway ending on 42nd (ended in 1951)
The movie theaters on 42nd & Hubbard & downtown Golden Valley
Resorts on Medicine Lake
Farms in Golden Valley & New Hope
The locomotive water tower in Robbinsdale.
Having a big radio in the living room.
Getting that first TV (Just channel 4 & 5).

We live fairly close to RSHS, across from Bassett Creek Park on the south side of Crystal. We have lived here since 1975.

Attended a year at The Minneapolis College of Art. Worked as an illustrator for Boeing aircraft in Los Angeles. My bride Sonia was a visiting student from Ecuador & going to UCLA and we got married in L.A. in 1967. At the same time I was going to be transferred to San Diego. I said no, I'm going back to Minnesota (Really Dumb!) She never saw snow before and still hasn't forgiven me.

Since 1972 we have owned several business in good times and bad; freelance illustrator, graphic/design company, temp service for graphics & advertising professionals and a temp service for dentists. Since 2004 we have with our son have an internet based company for selling refurbished dental drills. (HandpieceUSA.com, BillsforDrills.com & eBay.com).

In 2009 our son moved home with our three grand children now age 7, 11 & 12. They have no mother. We are now helping raise three children again especially Sonia. It's a hand full but all are turning out great. Plus we are not bored.

Visit the Facebook sites:
You know you grew up in New Hope/Crystal/Robbinsdale if...
Lee Elementary in Robbinsdale Alumni
Robbinsdale Historical Society

ROBBINSDALE JUNIOR HIGH
DO YOU REMEMBER?
The principal Mr. Woodword being the D.J. at lunchtime in the auditorium. Girls always dancing with girls. Boys just sitting and looking at the Robbinsdale babes.

About 3 times a year there would be a school dance on Friday night.

Mr. Godfrey the woodshop teacher and his redheaded wife was also a teacher. Both are still around as of two years ago.

The yearly school carnival: games, dancing, D.J. music, cakewalk & prizes.

The Friday night football games at RJH field before the building of Mielke field.

Rifle Club using RJH Rifle Range in the basement!!!

My eight grade social studies teacher when studying about WWII. Said: "If your dads have any WWII souvenirs, bring them to class." Students brought them to class! A German Luger pistol, Colt 45 pistol, Nazi daggers, Samurai swords & etc. If this happened today it would make the national news!!!

I was in Science Club (only for the coolest of the cool students). I still remember someone from a new local company call Control Data, talking to us about this new fangled invention called a "Computer". He said: "it would change the world." I don't know if he was ever right or not?


LEE AVENUE SCHOOL
Here is some photos you may be interested in, enjoy.
Some of my teachers
K. Mrs. Hirsch, 1st Rico, 2nd McCarvill, 3rd Mrs. Mutch, 4th Miss Thor, 5th Miss. Roemer, 6th Mr. Hoeschen

DO YOU REMEMBER?
Mr. Tharp Principal
Mr Boynton 6th Grade principal (Still around and gets his haircuts at David Harders "64" barber shop on 42nd)
Gus the janitor
The fun music teacher (forgot her name)
Waiting in line in the morning and afternoon to go to use the lavatory & drinking fountain.
Pizza burgers, spanish rice, spinach, whole milk in glass bottles and lunch cost $.20.
Waiting in line to hold the big kite that Mr. Tharp would be flying.
The "Little Theater"
Girls playing jacks, hopscotch and jump ropes and boys with marbles and trading cards.
In the 5th & 6th grade, helping out in the lunchroom & playground every few weeks.
"Patrol Guides" with the flag and white cross belt
Watching the smoky steam engines trains pass by.
Every room had a pile of papers setting on Lee Avenue for the paper drive.
The playground, merry-go-round, slides and jungle gyms.
Going under our desks or in the hall in case of a nuclear attack.
Field Trips To: Minneapolis Main Post Office, Train ride from Minneapolis to St. Paul and back, State Capital Building, Sibley House, Minneapolis Library Museum (Mummies), Como Zoo, Circus, Bell Museum of Natural History and the train trip to Chicago in the 6th grade and it cost $13.08.

Now all that is standing of Lee Avenue School is the flagpole and what is in our memories.

For more photos of Lee Avenue School visit Tom Dressel page.