Growing Upon the Island in the 50's and 60's

Those were the days!

No song reminds me of Grand Isle like Blueberry Hill

Grand Isle is a wonderful place in my memories. This was the Grand Isle before Hurricane Betsy. I grew up on Santiny Lane. There were more people living there than on any other street on the island. Grand Isle was a place where I could walk or ride my bike down the connecting,oak-lined, small, winding, shell roads that led to places like Augustin's General Merchandise, to Tallien's Grocery, to the Grand Isle school where I went to summer recreation and sister school and past Nez Coupe's(a Pirate)creepy house.These winding roads were lined with Oleanders, snake flowers, Easter grass, wine flowers, clover, and honeysuckle. This was a place we grew up speaking both English and French with very little outside influence on our lives. We were barefoot and carefree-fishing, going to the beach on summer days, exploring the "woods" in the back of Santiny Lane,staying indoors at certain times on those hot summer days so as not to "catch" polio, or going to the neighborhood grocery store-at night- alone-wearing pajamas- for a "little grape" and a bag of Chee-Wees.On hot days we would go to Mars' and buy a snowball. During the day we would hear the sounds of the Junk Man or Mr. Polkey, the Fruit Man, coming down the street in their trucks,of mothers calling their kids to come in and eat, and the songs of Fats Domino and the Platters' on a loudspeaker. At night we would make the Veiller out on the porch, saying "Good Night" to each person passing by while ,in the trees ,the sound of the Cigalles(locusts) had a calming effect upon us. Once in a while, when we had a lot of mosquitoes, the "mosquito" truck would pass down the lane spraying a cloud of mosquito repellent. We would hurry out of our homes to run and play in the repellent--real healthy for us-but we didn't know any better. We inhaled those chemicals like we inhaled the fumes from the butane gas tanks we all had in our yards. Many of my friends back then have moved away, as I have, but Grand Isle came with me- and I don't ever want to lose it. Here are some of those memories that have made Grand Isle such a special place to me.

.....PEOPLE

As in most small communities, Grand Isle had its share of colorful or eccentric people. This is in no way to make fun of anyone here--it is only to remember.

Memere Coo-Coot-I remember she lived in a very small house and died when I was young. She was very poor and would wear a brown paper bag over her head to shield her from the sun

Memere Dod(not MY Memere Dod -another one)She lived in a little shotgun house diagonally across from my house-she used to make wreaths out of dried shrimp shells-This is a craft that is no longer done today.

Daka and Dodor-An old couple who lived in an old unpainted creole cottage at the end of Santiny Lane. The kids used to talk about how Daka(the woman)would beat her husband(DoDor) and drink his blood. I don't remember them dying while living on the island-they probably moved away first.

There are other "characters" but they were known for less than admirable or funny qualities. They still have families that are living on the island so I won't name them. They were known for such qualities as stinginess, nosiness, untruthfulness, being a peeping Tom. If one of our friends would display such behavior, we would call them by the name of that adult known for that behavior.

My(home) Friends-Joy and Perry Vizier(my next door neighbors and first cousins)---Poonie and Leoda Besson(DaDa)--Darlene Lafont--Gary Brunies(my first cousin-Joy and I used to wrestle him for marbles)---Frances Hebert--Bonnie and Esther Bradberry--Chery Bradberry---Kate, Phyllis, and Blondie Bradberry--Sherry Anne Folse---Cindy and Mona Bradberry--Vera Chighizola--Melanie Verdin---Mary Anne Crosby-Valerie Guillot and her sister Pam----Tanya Malenika--Wendy and Judy Besson---Paula Smith--Faye Bradberry---Cheryl Chandler--Susan Guillot--Geraldine and Mary Ann McVey---Earline and Lynette Crosby

Kate Bradberry, Carol "Blondie" Bradberry, and Phyllis Bradberry

My School Friends--First grade:Deborah Scott and Jerry Berry
Second Grade: Joy Vizier and Bunny Matherne
Third Grade:Doreen Griffin Don't remember much else--bad time in my life-Dad had just contracted polio .
Fourth grade-Susan Duet(can't remember that year much either--my uncle died =I was close to him and his wife)
Fifth grade-Anita McIntosh, Cathy Callais
Sixth Grade-Janis Callais,Diana Theriot(she was from Massachusetts).

Janis Callais, my best friend for many years. We were both Beatle fans.

I went to school "up the Bayou" in Golden Meadow. From 1st - 3rd I went to Golden Meadow Lower Elementary. My first grade teacher was Mrs. Myrtle Kaiser, an older woman from North Carolina. My second grade teacher I won't even name because she was soooo mean. My third grade teacher was Mrs. Gautreaux. I don't remember too much about her, so I guess she wasn't bad. Back then we would have religion classes as soon as we got off the bus. If you were Protestant, you would go to Mrs. Kaiser for Bible stories. I can still smell my plaid school bag. In 3rd grade I had a brown hard leather one. I had a favorite coloring book called Around the World. It had pictures of children from around the world in traditional costumes. In 4th grade I went to the old building at the Golden Meadow High School. My grandfather had gone to school in that building. We used the same old connected desks with inkwells that no one used anymore and very high ceilings, wooden floors and cloak rooms. I came back to this building in 7th grade. Several years later , it was destroyed by fire.

.....PLACES

The Library-The Librarian was Mrs. DeMornier. The library was a tiny one room building near the Oleander Hotel.I used to love going there just to smell the books. Does anyone else love the smell of LIBRARY BOOKS?

The Show- our 25 cent theater owned by "Smitty"-Paula Smith's dad. It was on the beachside and survived Hurricane Betsy. I saw such movies as A Hard Days Night, Help, Several 3 stooge Movies, The Pleasure of His Company(with Fred Astaire--I guess we went to see ANYTHING) The proctor was a lady named Lucky(Locard). We were very scared of her with her flashlight. Behind the last seats was a place where adults used to stand and smoke while watching the movie. There were 2 bathrooms-one on each side of the screen- the girl's bathroom only had one toilet in a corner. If it was occupied when you went in, you just did what you had to do on the floor because there was a drain in the middle of the cement floor--gross, huh?
Tony's Rendevouz-owned by Tony Marullo-a dance hall for adults-somewhere across from the Show. Mr. Marullo used to drive up and down the streets in his car with a loudspeaker announcing events coming up at his place.
Mars' Grocery-owned by Raymond and Mars Santiny-used to be a very small store on Santiny Lane-you could buy just about anything you needed from Jack's Cookies and Dickie's Potato Chips to Nifty School Supplies and Breeze Washing powder with the towel inside. There was a porch where the men would sit and drink their Dixie Beers and smoke such cigarettes as Winston's and Pall Malls.On the side of the porch was a little room where they made and sold snowballs. The store was destroyed by Betsy then rebuilt .
Alek Crosby's Grocery-another small grocery store on Santiny Lane
Tom's Bar and Motel-my grandma used to clean the bar and the rooms there. It was located where the Tarpon Lounge now is.
T-Man's -a bar-I used to catch the bus to school here-it was located at the front of Cott Lane
Snack Shack
Merrick's Gas Station
Tallien's(Boudreaux's Store)
Landry's-(originally located near the Gulfview Motel and Finks Restaurant.The post office was next to it. There was a fire in the late 1950's and it relocated to where Sureway is now located.

Dip's Grocery(the building still exists and is still a grocery store on the beachside. The original store was located next to where the second store was.
Prejeans Grocery(I barely remember this palace-it was a very old store located somewhere between"downtown"(ha!) and Bayou Rigaud
Gulfview MotelThis building is still around. Fink's restaurant was below it.
Oleander Hotel(still standing but falling apart-Mom worked there a long time ago. I used to enjoy sitting in the lobby and in a little room upstairs that had a door but no steps leading down
Fink's Restaurant(Mom worked there also)
Ice Cream Parlor(pawluh, as we said it)
Augustine's General MerchandiseMy favorite place to shop. I always went there to buy my "16 Magazines".The only drawback was that the "Pirate House" and the jail was on the way over so I didn't always like going alone.
Nez Coupe's House- an old house not too far from Augustin's and next to the jail. It was once owned by Louis Chighizola(Nez Coupe), a pirate who worked for Jean Lafitte-I was always afraid of this house when I would walk or ride past it on my bike going to Augustin's. It survived Hurricane Betsy(as old and run down as it was)b ut it was torn down later. The postmaster in the 1930's made a painting and drawing of it and I think they are still sold on postcards. .
Mrs.Milliet's Grocery-an old store on the beach side-I think it was across from the Oleander Hotel

.....GAMES

Although we had TV, radio, and phonographs in the days I was growing up, we had a lot of time for playing outside and exploring, also. Here are some of the games and places we went to to keep us busy.
"Bom Bom Bom"
Bom Bom Bom
Here We come
Where from?
Tennessee!
What's your trade?
Lemonade---
Go to work and do it!(This was sort of a charades game/ One child would demonstrate something and the others had top guess what she was doing.)

London Bridge(our version) London Bridge is falling down, Falling Down, Falling down. London Bridge is Falling Down, My Fair Lady--CHIP--CHOP--CHO!

Statue-Grab someone by the arm, spin them, and they have to stay frozen in that position.
Tag
Colors(like tag)
Take a Giant Step
123 Red Light
Red Rover

"My Children, My Children"
My Children, My Children, I'm Callin' You(the "mother says that several times and the "kids" reply several times, also). Then the mother says:
I'll send my _________ after you(this could be anything, like dog, cat, monster, snake, stick)and the children STILL reply"We don't care!" UNTIL she says"I will send MYSELF after you". Then the children start running and the "mother" tries to catch one of them to spank them.

.....EVENTS

When the Army came to town- I don't know if it was the army or the National Guard that came to do some maneuvers on the beach, but the whole town was full of soldiers. They took us out into the gulf for a ride in these huge vehicles with the biggest tires I had ever seen. I don't know why they came to Grand Isle , but as I think back on it, it was the early 1960's. It could have had something to do with the Bay of Pigs.

Sister School--I used to love Sister School (Cathechism) in the summer. I always looked up to the nuns who would come and teach us. It also gave me a chance to go to Grand Isle School(I went to regular school 30 miles away). The "sisters" were:SISTER Peters(she was like the boss), Sister Aloysius(we always thought she was the prettiest) and Sister Monica. I don't remember any other.

Easter Egg Hunts-These were at the Catholic Church- I once found the Golden egg.

Gary and I, sitting on my front steps eagerly awaiting the Easter Egg hunt.

Big Christmas Party that mom gave-I think this was in 1959-It was in our garage and the whole neighborhood was invited. Mom had decorated some tree she had found and cut down somewhere. I got a gift from either her or my aunt. It was called The Most Beautiful Tree in the World. I had never forgotten it. I lost it in Betsy. Last summer when we went to Pennsylvania, I decided to look for it at an Antique Barn near Hershey-and I couldn't believe it-I actually found 2 copies!I bought one for $3.

Tent Revival Meetings- my uncle used to invite the pentecostals to hold a tent revival on his empty lot. This was at night. And everyone would sit around on the ground or gas tanks and listen.
The Fair-At least once a year the fair would come to Grand Isle. That was always a big event for us( even though it was a small fair) because we lived so far from the Ponchartrain Beach Amusement Park in New Orleans. Anyway one of the fair managers or owners, an old woman, used to make the cotton candy. My cousins Joy and Perry and I used to call her "Hominy" because she would always ask hominy cotton candies we wanted.

Dressing Up- I used to love to wear costumes. I wore them anytime Momma would let me-it didn't have to be Mardi Gras or Halloween. I had one light yellow evening gown,a cowgirl outfit, a bridal gown(I went to the store once with it and the dogs chased me home),a majorette outfit, a robot outfit(for my Mardi Gras Birthday party), and my favorite which was bought by a relative--a Gypsy outfit. I used to love thinking I was a gypsy.

Here I am at my Grandma's house with Dad, Aunt Vern,and Papere Doodoo(yes,Doodoo!).

.....SONGS

Tippy, Tippy Ton
Tippy, tippy, ton
J'ai Mal dans l'vent
Ca me prends
Ca me quit
Ca me lesse jamais (This is a song about a stomach ache.)

Trader Joe Paretti
Trader Joe Paretti
His hair is like spaghetti
His cars won't start
They even fall apart
You're on the right track
To a Heart Attack
When you go to trader Joe Paretti!(This is our rewording of a commercial of a car dealer, Joe Paretti.)
Hwere is the original song from the commercial:
Trader Joe Paretti, The Dealer who is ready, To trade with you. You are on the right track to a PONTIAC, When you go to trader Joe Paretti.)

When Molly was a Baby----This was a VERY monotonous song. "When Molly was a baby, a baby, a baby, When Molly was a baby , a baby was she---she went this a way and that and that a way and this away and that away(the singer would act like a baby) When Molly was a baby a baby was she!

The song could go on for a long time substitutin the word baby for a different stage in Molly's life(schoolgirl, teenager, bride, mother, teacher, grandma, and even dead).

There's a Hole at the Bottom of the SeaThis sonf is also very monotonous. Here it is:There's a hole at the bottom of the sea(repeat) There's a hole, there's a hole. There's a hole at the bottom of the sea. There's a log in the hole at the bottom of the sea.(repeat.)There's a log, there's a log.tHis goeson as things are added on thelog

Found a Peanut--Found a Peanut, Found a Peanut, Found a Peanut Just Now. Oh I just now Found a Peanut Found a Peanut, Just now.
Cracked it open, Cracked it open, Cracked it open just now, Oh I just now cracked it opwen, cracked it open just now.
It was rotten, it was rotten , it was rotten just now. Oh Ijust now found it rotten , found it rotten just now.
At it anyway, ate it anyway, Ate it anyway just now. Oh I just now ate it anyway, ate it anyway just now.
Got sick, got sick , got sick just now. Oh I just now got sick ,got sick just now.
I died, I died, I died just now. Oh, I just now died , I died just now
Went to heaven , went to heaven went to heaven just now. Oh, I just now went to heaven, went to heaven just now.(Whew! Another weird monotonous song!)

.....TV

The Great Macnutt-The great Macnutt was a New Orleans TV announcer named Wayne Mack. Through his tunnel would come crawling boys and girls from schools and scout troops to introduce themselves and say hello to mom and dad. A 3 Stooges short would be shown every day--my favorite part. Back then Moe was my favorite because he knew how to take control and handle a situation. I have since re-evaluated my Favorite Stooge opinion and have come to appreciate the "subtle" comic genius of Curly. Shemp is pretty good, too.

Morgus Presents- Today I love Morgus, but back then when he came on TV late on Saturday night, I was scared to death. I didn't realize he was meant to be funny. I would sit there with my hands over my eyes. I wanted to watch it but was too afraid. What a big chicken I was!

Johnny's Follies-all I can say is Johnny got on my nerves.

Saturday Hop with John Pela- a dance show from New Orleans.

Popeye and Pals- a Sunday morning show with "Uncle Henry"Dupre-from New Orleans-a cartoon show with kids from New Orleans as guests watching Popeye cartoons. On Saturday and Sunday mornings and afternoons we would watch Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Tarzan, Ramar of the Jungle, Superman,Shirly Temple movies, and lots of Hanna-Barbera cartoons(Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Augie Doggy and Doggy Daddy)

Lloyd Thaxton- a dance show. It wasn't from New Orleans, but I liked watching it.
Romper Room with Miss Jenny Hostettler
Saturday Nights-Jackie Gleason Show
Sunday nights- The WonderfulWorld of Disney, The 20th Century, Wild Kingdom,My Favorite Martian
Friday Nights- Sing Along with Mitch, International Showtime, Addams Family
Amos 'n Andy-many black people became offended by this show that was made in the 1950's and syndicated in the early 1960's because the main characters were either lazy or dumb. I have several copies. Although the main characters had faults, many of the professional people in the comedy were black, and Amos, the cab driver, was a kind and wise family man. What kind of comedy would it be if some of the characters didn't do silly things? It wouldn't be worth watching.

.....TOYS

World Book Encyclopedia-Mom got me a set in the first grade and even at that age I read it and loved reading all the articles about different cultures and faraway places and times long ago. The set was like a toy to me--I loved reading them.We lost the set in Betsy. World Book, Inc. gave us a new set when Mom had written and told them what happened.

Whirly Birds- These were plastic plates that you tried to spin on a long stick(I may be mistaken about the name.

Pogo Sticks-I never quite learned how to stay on one of these.

Tiny Tears-She cried when she was given a bottle.
Thumbelina-One of the ugliest doll I ever saw-She looked like a newborn mouse. She had a big knob on her back-just like a tumor-that was wound so that she could squirm like a small baby.

Patty and Penny Playpal-They were dolls that were about 3 feet tall. Patty had long straight blond hair and Penny had short, curly, brown hair. I had Penny.

Classics Illustrated Comics- I used to love these comics. They were all about fairy tales, myths, and legends.

Mardi gras beads made of actual glass-these necklaces were beautiful. They are all made of plastic now--most of them nowadays all look alike.
Lie Detector Game-My uncle Bobor bought me this game. He would buy me anything I wanted. I would open up the Aldens Catalog and point to the dresses I wanted and he would buy them.
Marbles-Loved to play marbles. I always had a cigar box or fruit cake can full of them. I had crystals, peewees, buljoos, shtoons, ball bearings, cats eyes, and what I called "pretty marbles". Those were opaque and had beautiful swirls of color on them.

.....THIS AND THAT

Can-Can slips- Little girls usually wore these with their Sunday dresses. The'FLAIRER' the better.

Picking acorns- I was always looking for ways to make money, so whenever I needed some, I would pick acorns (25 cents a bucket) for a man to feed his pigs. Once I tried eating acorns-they weren't too bad--but I really got sick the next day.

Boucheries-

Trawling with dad-Once in a while Daddy would take me trawling with him. We would go out into the Caminada Bay and sometimes he would let me drive the boat. Mom would fix a lunch for us--either some cans of potted meat with crackers or bread or some boiled weiners. I used to love going out there. He once showed me the tracks of the train or trolley that Grand Isle used to have when it was a tourist resort for the rich back in the late 1800's. I liked taking those trips so much that the smell of a shrimp shed and the boat dock and the marshes brings back nice memories.

Picking Blackberries

Picnicking

Riding my bike

Haunted house

Going to the dump- The dump was once located on a back street behind Augustin's. It was within walking distance, but my Mom would never let me go, even though she let me go to Augustin's. Most of my friends would go to the dump and come back with boxes full of neat stuff, mostly old mail, that they would scrounge up on their trip. To me it was like a treasure--free stuff! I always wanted to go.

Bats- There was a period when we had lots of bats on the island right around sundown. We would have to go inside- they were everywhere.

Tieing grassOn our way to Station of the Cross at night, my friends and I would pass through an empty field of grass with a small path.We'd tie the grasses together so other church goers would trip. It always backfired on our way back home.

Dinner time(means lunch)-we always had our big meal ,dinner during the day, and supper at night. See my recipe section.

My Playhouse-Daddy built me this great little playhouse that was attached to our shed. It was about 8 feet by 12 feet. He built a cabinet to store my toys in. We would sometimes use the shelves to lay down in. I loved to play "Madame" with all my dolls. I had a table in there next to a window where I would sit and pretend to drink tea from those little porcelain tea sets.