Memories
Nancy and all, I attached an image of their oversized business card. Apparently no one got it, so I will attach it to this email as well. In case the image does not make it, below is the text of what is on the card.
THE COPPER KETTLE
310 West Eighteenth - Across Street from Ada High School
Serving Hamburger, Sandwiches, Plate Lunches, Cold Drinks, Candies, Ice Cream
Home Baked Pastries --- Everything Home Made
Students Invited at All Times Whether You Want to Buy or Not
Meet your Friends Here
Mrs. A. H. Montgomery, Owner
From Doug
I have no recollection of Cooper Kettle; but, hamburgers at 25 cents was about right. Seems to me that a quarter was a lot of money back then. My uncle use to send me down the street to Hamburger King on Saturdays to get hamburgers for some of the employees. Occasionally we could buy them at five for a dollar. At our last reunion, I did stop in for a hamburger and fries (nuther trip down memory lane). I couldn't help but comment to the current owner on how much their prices had gone up since I was last there. I asked, "what happened? Last time I was here your hamburgers were only a quarter." They didn't seem to be amused,...or even offer me a senior citizen discount.
Well, prices are all relative. For a little more than the price of a gallon of gas, you could get a hamburger. Hamburgers today still cost a little, sometimes a lot, more than a gallon of gas. One thing that seems to be missing is the comfortable ambiance of places like Hamburger King and Folgers. They just don't make grease like they use to.
Stu
I don't remember the Copper Kettle, but I do remember that little house behind the High school and across the street, where they sold hamburgers. I ran over there and ordered a hamburger nearly everyday. This was before the cafeteria was built. After a while, the people who worked there started remembering me and would save a hamburger for me so that I wouldn't have to wait in line to order. I don't know why they did that, but of course I loved it. Did that happen to anyone else also? Hamburgers were so cheap back then. Did they cost 25 cents? or am I dreaming that up? I know they didn't cost very much.
Sidney
A couple of people have emailed me and they remember the lunch place on the corner (actually a grocery store) and the small place in a house that was about a block south on Stockton. That place was Sis's. SP?
I did a google on the address of the Cooper kettle and it would have been directly across 18th from the band building and probably second from the corner from Stockton as it goes towards town.
My conclusion is that is was long gone before we came along and served the original old high school that was in the middle of the campus between the Sr. High and Jr. High that we knew.
Know any old timers?? I think Charlie might be aware of it since he has been in Ada and has known a lot of older residents.
Doug
I certainly remember a couple of places on the west side of the high school. Seems like there was one on the corner, another in a house next to it...or maybe they were the same. They had wonderful hamburgers.
Holley
I don't remember the Copper Kettle, but I do remember that little house behind the High school and across the street, where they sold hamburgers. I ran over there and ordered a hamburger nearly everyday. This was before the cafeteria was built. After a while, the people who worked there started remembering me and would save a hamburger for me so that I wouldn't have to wait in line to order. I don't know why they did that, but of course I loved it. Did that happen to anyone else also? Hamburgers were so cheap back then. Did they cost 25 cents? or am I dreaming that up? I know they didn't cost very much.
Sidney
Sidney,
I remember that hamburger place! It seems to me they were smaller burgers,
maybe five for a dollar. Right or mysteriously inventive on my part!?
Mike Chapman
Well Mike.
You are probably right. They didn't make anything as big back then as they do today!!!!! Instead of the small medium and large, now we are getting the grande, muy grande, and muy muy grande! And paying muy grande for it! Sidney
I remember Hamburger King having five for a dollar. I seem to remember them being a good size. After we delivered the Sundy Ada News, we would all go to Hamburger King and have a hamburger for breakfast. I remember them being delicious. My Dad said it was because of the mustard they use. Never understood how just mustard could make them taste so good.
Ben
Benny, one thing that makes burgers incredibly tasty, beyond the explanatory power of any ingredient, is being sharply hungry after being out delivering papers in the chill and early morning!
Joe
Supposing it was 1958 when you could get 5 burgers for a buck, if the
inflation in the price of burgers was consistent with the inflation in the
CPI market basket, your $0.20 hamburger should cost $1.51 today. I think a
dollar burger at McD's is pretty similar in size to a 1958 20-cent version.
I remember paying about $0.69 for a large, lunch-counter burger around the
same time, which would be $5.19 today. So the "labor value" of a reasonably
sized burger has been pretty constant or even declined somewhat over the
years, probably as a result of mass consumption and delivery.
Sound about right to you?
Clumps of Fat,
Joe
Name sounds familiar, but the west side had to be satisfied with the Argos Special for 10 cents. Nothing better after a swim at Glen Wood Park. Walk across main and lay down your dime. It was only later that we developed concern for the integrity of Argo, the cook. But I am pretty sure that a burger basket at Folgers was 35 cents in 1958. Fred
Does anyone know where the Washington School Merry-go-round that we played on in the 40s/50s is today.
I do.
Doug
I remember it well, but I can't remember if it was on the east side close to the slide or on the west side close to the basketball goal and the monkey bars. Could it now be at Wintersmith park? Fred
I remember as being on the east side and not far from the building.
It is not at Wintersmith park. It is on private property and looks alone and forlorn. I am sure the children or grandchildren that is was bought for have gone off and forgotten it. Kinda like Puff the magic dragon.
Doug
If you drive to the west end of King's Road, past Janet's house, you come to the end facing a house that has been there forever. You then have to turn left, then a quick right. As you make the right turn, you can see into the side/back yard of the the house that older house. You will see the merry-go-round back through the trees.
When I saw it, I did remember I had known many years ago that that is were it ended up, and that is why I know it is the one from Washington.
Doug
Whhhhooaaa. Seeing that picture instantaneously transported me backwards 60 years!
All the recent correspondence sweeps over my head--or past my memory, as I
didn't arrive in Ada until 1956. But Doug's description of the forlorn and
forgotten merry-go-round took me back to 1947, when my brother, a neighbor,
and myself were exploring the countryside around our home in the remote,
rural landscape 5 miles west of Stillwater, OK, on highway 51. We found an
abandoned one-room school-house, open to the outdoors and the weather.
There were still ancient textbooks inside, and outside in what must have
been a tiny play-ground, was a merry-go-round. Although it made a terrible,
shrill squeal when we put it in motion, it was still functional. Surrounded
by weeds, it was rusty and well off perpendicular. There was a palpable
feeling of loneliness about the place, and apart from the sound of insect
and bird, it was utterly quiet. I am sure it has been razed by now.
Perhaps Doug can hear the echoes of long lost laughter in the spring air
stroking his forgotten playground. Perhaps many of you contributed to that
nimbus of the past that your own memory touches, if only glancingly.
Joe
Joe, That was such a delightful read. I couldn't help but share it with a friend. Thank you so much.
Stu
OK, now for the rest of you cougars. How could this have happened? Was this a misappropriation of school property? Was it sold at auction? Was it acquired by some school official for a family member? Has the statute of limitations for prosecution of this heinous crime run out? Well, certainly times have changed. Do they still have merry-go-rounds on school property, or, has the fear of injury and litigation overridden a child's desire to just have fun? Stu
The question below was posed to me today. I must have CRS so if anyone knows the answer, let me know and I will pass it on.
Doug
Remember the old F-4 (or maybe it was an F-6) Navy fighter plane that was on the AHS campus after WWII? All the neighborhood kids used to play in and on it (much to the chagrin of my mother and others). It started out on the north side where the band building is now, and then moved over to the west side when they built the band building. Then it disappeared. Of course the HS building disappeared too. Maybe it was at the same time. Got any idea what happened to it? Probably just turned into scrap aluminum. Doug
Joe,
A good friend of mine here in Sacramento is a freelance writer/producer. Her primary focus is on medical and nature documentaries. She has won several Emmys for her work. I knew that she would appreciate your gift. And, she did. Here's her response.
Stu
Gosh. Please tell me that your friend Joe has been published. Where can I pick up one of his books/memoirs? This is just beautiful! I think I was just transported to that old abandoned playground. What a treat, to read this. Thank you for sharing, Stu! :))
Good Lord. Thank you, and thank your friend! The only things I have published are technical studies, articles and papers. They make for thunderously boring reading (Connections on the Square of the Tangent Bundle, Conflation of the National Bridge Inventory and the National Highway Planning Network, An Assessment of the Logistical Supportability of OPlan 4112, and stuff like that). And, of course, the tons of e-mail a Government analyst is required to generate in order to appear productive. No books. No memoirs. But perhaps I should write that novel that each of us has germinating slowly and ineffectively, somewhere deep within us.
Joe
Daddy and Mother built that house on Stockton, across from the High School in about 1954 and I don't remember an airplane anywhere on the campus. The old high school was torn down sometime in the 70's wasn't it??? My memory is so bad these days. Know what I mean!!!!!!!
Zuda
Speaking of novels, did you all know Bill M. was working on one? I have it in my computer; Benny may have it, too. It was called "Table Dancer" & he had at least 9 chapters written. The main character was an ex-Marine, & was a combination of action & character-study - set in Austin, I believe.
Nancy
Ask our classmates if they know what happened to the steam train that ran around Glenwood park in the 50's. Seems like the little amusement park was across the street on the south of Glenwood school.
THANKS,
JON
I love all the talk about Washington grade school. When I have a little more time, I will share a couple of my memories. Doug, the house a little west of my house, where you saw the merry-go-round:
"If you drive to the west end of King's Road, past Janet's house, you come to the end facing a house that has been there forever. You then have to turn left, then a quick right. As you make the right turn, you can see into the side/back yard of the house. You will see the merry-go-round back through the trees."
Carole Jo may know something about how the merry-go-round came to be there. Her grandparents lived in that house at the very end of 25th, which you referenced as "been there forever". What say you, Carole Jo?
BTW, when I was growing up our street was called 25th. My address was 900 West 25th. I don't know when it became King's Road, but he (the king) must have moved there after I left Ada! ….Janet
Janet,
For some reason, King's Road was always called that, even when I was in grade school and lived on Stockton. I suppose if I would have noticed, it was the street after 24th, so logically would have been 25th. So, the King must have lived there in secret somehow. The house that I referred was originally a farm house, as I understand it, and was there before any other development. When I was pre grade school, or in grade school, I am fairly sure that the parents of Lewis Watson lived there and had for many years. Of course, they were long gone before the Merry-go-round found its way there
Doug
Doug, I remember my parents referring to it as King's Road. Perhaps a family named King lived there when it was a dirt road or cow path many moons ago.
Michelle
I thought it was called King's Road because several of the Fittstown oil field developers built mansions there such as Delany. I think I read this in one of the handouts we received at one of our reunions about the history of Ada. They were called Oil Kings. Fred
I think you're right and thinking about it, I think it was referred to as King's Row. Also, it seems to me that if you turned left there was some kind of building down there. I remember it was supposed to be spooky. (but,of course, that may be from one of the Nora Roberts books I read)
Michelle
For whatever reason, I always assumed Kings Road was name so because that's where all the wealthy people lived. There was a lot of oil money on that street. Remember the Delaneys and their Bentley? Or, was it a Rolls Royce?
Stu
It was a Rolls. I have a story about that but we don't have room or time tonight. He also had a Continental Mark II and at least three other cars.
LeDon
Carole Jo could shed some light on her grandparent's house that you are refering to. Louis Watson was Carole's mother's brother and their parents lived in that farm house.
I looked in the book Cabin in the Blackjacks by Roy S. McKeown and found that during the oil boom W.A. Delaney and B.C.King began building homes on King's Rd.(named for I.M. "Ike" King, early Ada attorney and county judge)
.
Mary Ellen
I’d always understood the name to be King’s Row, and the socio-economic implications of the name to be similar to those of the Bellamann novel (and 1940’s flick with Ronald Reagan), if rather less grim. I used to drive it now and again, in orbit around Janet’s house, as a smitten and more than slightly ludicrous teenager. Ah, youth!
Clumps of memory,
Joe
OK. I'm going with Mary Ellen's researched answer as to how West 25th was nicknamed King's whatever - row/road. All those mansions are on the East end of the street. I lived on the West end, far, far, away from the King's castles! Perhaps the name changed from Kings Road to 25th at the point of which the Rolls & Bentleys ended?! I know for certain that the street sign at the intersection of Oak & 25th said W 25th. I also know the Baber mail, sent and received, had the address of 25th. …Janet
Does anyone recall taking tonette classes in the fifth grade at Washington? I remember going to the auditorium and sitting down front waiting for the maestro to show up. Does anyone remember who he was? If any of you Washingtonites still have your tonettes and wish to perform at the reunion ........duh......just a thought!
Love to all you tonette tooters,
Danny
Danny,
We had tonette lessons at Willard in 5th or 6th grade also, and I've wished a few times I still had mine. Was the instructor Mr. Kidwell? I think the purpose was to interest us in joining the band in junior high school. I loved the tonette, but didn't join the band, because we had to choose between that or vocal music.
Surely someone in our wonderful class will still have one, and will start practicing immediately for that November performance!
What about the autoharp? Any of you girls remember being in the select few who got to play it?
Musical hugs,
Judy
I vaguely remember tonettes, but at Horace Mann, we had the college music instructors. Mrs. Hawkinson was our music teacher, I recall her having us listen to symphony music of Peter and the Wolf and teaching us how to listen for the story told through the music.
Sandy Smith Wilson's dad also taught instrumental music at EC and I took a violin lesson or two from him, but decided to go back to piano. He made me promise I would take piano lessons or he wouldn't let me drop the violin. Sandy's family was so good to me, I spent a lot of time at her house.
Holley
Hey Danny,
Yes, I remember going to the auditorium with Mrs. Holmes for tonette classes. We were so excited about it. I don't remember having the tonette though, or what happened to it. Maybe I failed the class.
Hugs,
Marilynn
I can't remember what grade the Willard bunch took tonette, but remember taking the lessons. I found mine when we cleared out Mother's things when she died in 1990. Havn't a clue where it is now.
Love,
Ben
I recall taking Tonette lessons at Washington Grade School but I was thinking it was when I was in the fourth grade. Mrs Holmes taught the lessons. I seem to recall a man selling Tonettes coming by the school and doing a presentation to encourage the kids to bug their parents into purchasing one.
I think the Philharmonic Orchestra felt threatened by the grade school Tonette orchestra and lobbied to have the program killed……….Bill
After watching both videos, I have to correct CaroleJo on one thing. When the police spotlight started across the yard between the Jr. & Sr. High buildings that night, I hit the ground and you all went running North towards your house. I waited until the police car left and then got up and if I remember right went to your house. But I do remember hitting the ground and yelling at you all to hit the ground also. OOHH WELLLLL!! Lots of fun and great listening all the stories!! Love you all, Zuda
I enjoyed watching the Dallas Lunch Bunch video. Had no idea that Benny and Doug were so wild! Benny insisted that they were innocent and it was a mistake that they were thrown in jail, but I am thinking that it is no wonder I didn't know these "bad boys" in high school. Well, no matter what they were like in high school, they are great now and I love them both. One great thing is that we can all redeem ourselves at our reunions. Back in the 50's I would have been shocked at them getting into trouble, now it is just funny, really funny!
Sidney
That's right Sidney, we were "bad to the bone"......... yeah right. We were good boys. ;=). We also sold the London Bridge on the side for spending money. Glad you love us now cuz we love you too.
Love ya,
Doug
Boy, did that video trigger some of my memories.
Remember the Contnahoma wire hanger drives we had? Knocking on doors and asking for wire coat hangers, which we in turn sold to the dry cleaners. As I remember, it was a pretty good fund raiser. How about standing on the street corners getting donations for various charities.
Then there were the MYF hayrides and Mary Jo Ruggles wearing those platform heeled shoes.
Can't forget skinny dipping in Mr. Richardson's pool (Judy B's grandfather) and finding that Richard Guinn, Bob Taylor and others were watching.
There was the time that Ann White and I were in charge of making the punch for the Student Council Christmas Party. We had one of the guys get us a bottle of Vodka from the bootlegger and we spiked the bottles of ginger ale (or whatever) so no one would know. We very carefully took the tops off a couple of bottles, poured some ginger ale out and replaced it with the booze and put the tops back on and firmed the tops with a pair of pliers. At the party, Mrs. Mowdy said it was the best punch she'd ever had.
I don't remember if it was 9th or 10th grade when Ann and I decided that we should decorate Janet's front yard. She was on vacation with her folks. So, Ann conned her dad into driving us all over the place while we searched the roadside for bottles. When we decided that we had enough we very neatly placed them in Janet's front yard ( it was dark, of course). We found out later that Janet and her parents had returned home early and were home when we decorated. They never heard us.
Does anyone remember TPing? We would either swipe a roll from a gas station or knock on a strangers door saying we were on a scavenger hunt and needed some toilet paper.
I can't forget the fun we had at choir or Capers.
Michelle
All of those brought back memories. I remember someone "spiking" the punch at the Christmas Student Council our Senior year. I also remember the skinny dipping our Senior year because I found out several guys were watching, some older than us. I didn't get to go in the water that evening because my mother had just put a permanent in my hair and I couldn't get it wet. I sure don't miss those smelly things!!!.
Keep 'em going!!!!
Love ya, Zuda
Here's the one I never told...Jackie Hankins made sandwiches out of cat food for an after the football game party at one of our area churches. She told me about it and I was going to pull them from the table, but before I got to them every last one of them was eaten. I guess it didn't do any damage...everyone is still around.
Judy B.
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