By Staff
Did you ever hold up one of those big pink-and-white conch shells to your ear to hear the ocean roar of waves hitting the shore?
These large ocean shells were very popular in people's homes years ago.
I was quite amazed at the statistics I read in the paper of Dowagiac's 2006 graduating class.
It stated that out of a class of 141 students, 115 planned to go to a two- or four-year college, four to a technical school and three were going into the military.
So, in looking back at my 1948 class of 58 years ago, I found a big difference in the statistics of my class which had 97 or 99 grads in 1948 and the Class of 2006.
I think there were very few that I can recall who were fortunate to get to go on to college.
No local college back then.
I do remember two joining the military, but most of us ended up working in factories, stores, on farms or for other kinds of businesses.
Also, several of the girls got married during our senior year or shortly after.
My, how times have changed since 1948 – and all for the better, wouldn't you say?
Remember the old iron-rail bridge that used to be on Riverside Drive after you passed through the cemetery gates on Division Street years ago?
On the east side of the bridge was what was called the lower Mill Pond.
And to the west ran the Dowagiac Creek, which went to the flour mill on Spaulding Street.
This was the water that was used to turn the millstone.
In my vast pack-rat collection I have a picture of the dam that gave way in 1894.
It held the water in the upper pond that used to power the mill.
At that time the dam was repaired by men from the Round Oak factory at a cost of $500.
A lot of people can remember the last time a break in the dam occurred was July 13, 1968, and did quite a bit of damage in Dowagiac.
I wonder, did Dowagiac ever have a horse-drawn milk route and if so, does anyone remember who had it?
I remember years ago when they painted the Frank Welsh house all in just one night on Haines Street.
This was done by a whole bunch of local painters. I don't recall the occasion, but in talking to my old friend Jim Welsh, he said he had a sign hanging in his garage that advertised it.
Did you know that in 1839 there were only three houses in Dowagiac?
You used to be able to pick up your telephone to find out what time it was.
How long ago was it that we had to go over the viaduct on 5th Street when we went to Niles on old M-40 South?
Bet you didn't know that years ago donkey milk was believed to help cure whooping cough, a childhood disease I think I had.