Looking for photos of St. Lawrence Parish, 1881-1960

[jeanfern]

Raymond, sure glad to hear from you. First of all, I want to say you weren’t the only Asian in school. Ronnie and I are both Filipino, and there were a few more in other grades. Ronnie did not drop out of school. He was expelled along with Alberta, Ronnie Fredericks, and Carol (Alberta’s sister). Mother Gabriel expelled them one month before graduation. They skipped school one day and Father O’Flynn saw them walking though Duniway Park. He told Mother Gabriel and she had a tantrum. Carol was not with them. Her evil deed was that she stood up in class and said that Alberta was sick. Ronnie finished at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Alberta & Carol at Shattuck, and Ronnie Fredericks went to Failing. What a rotten thing to do one month before graduation.

We had a few reunions: one about 25 years ago at Jerry Caputo’s house, a few years later at Wayne Petrone’s house. The last one about 15 years ago was at a retirement village near St. Mary’s of the Valley in Beaverton. It was really neat to get together and talk about old times. I found out that Mother Gabriel manhandled a lot of the boys, to the point of practically beating them. I just got the rule hand-slap. I heard many stories that made my hair stand on edge. She told me once that I was going to end up in St. Rose school for girls, just because I was caught talking in church.

Gloria Gaudio was a girl you mentioned that lived near school. She was a cousin of Judy Pano, who graduated with us. They lived on 2nd Ave, a few blocks from school. I lived on Meade Street, one block south of Arthur, between 1st and 2nd. House is still there. Urban Renewal did not affect anyone south of Arthur. The Fredericks lived right next door. Patrice was in our grade, after flunking the 7th grade along with my brother, Alberta, Roseanne Gates, Eugene Roberti, and a few others. Mother Gabriel was on her high horse again. You mentioned a Russian brother and sister, that was Marianna and Nakita Zorin. Marianna visited me in the early ‘60s. She was living in LA, I believe going to UCLA. We moved away in the late ‘60s. Too bad because we used to get a lot of visitors: Sharon Samples, Clint East to name a few. Clint died a while ago. Linda Petrella died a few years ago. I was sorry to learn Wayne Leonetti and Jean Pat Cleary passed away. It looks like St. Lawrence alumni are becoming fewer and fewer.

I have some pictures of the reunions I’ll post as soon as I get them scanned, which may take a while. I’m also retired and have all the time in the world.

[roseyrayf]

Jeanette, just came to check in on this site after sending a test note to your email address. You answered some things for me that I inquired about. Holy Smokes! How innocent I was of all the intrigue going on. I do remember, too well, sitting in class, eighth grade. Sister Gabriel was speaking to Ronald just outside the classroom door. It did have glass. All of a sudden Sister Gabriel took a powerful swing at Ronald with an open hand across the face. It almost knocked him off his feet but he caught his balance. He did not cry. I can't say that I was shocked since we had seen some physical abuse during our years there. That anger must have been related to what you described. Geez! What's the big deal about cutting class and a cover lie? That is totally off the wall unreasonable. It sure is a reflection on the nature of God's representatives, at least in that parish. While typing these recollections I sometimes wonder if there are things that should not be spoken of but what the heck. It's fun after all these years. That's what experience is about making for an interesting life, thinking back. At the time it's hell. Ha, ha.

[roseyrayf]

Jeanette, about the ruler on the hand, I was always under the impression that you were one of the goody, goody students that never got that treatment. I cannot recall, at this point, of any girl getting that ruler on the palm punishment. Almost always it was the boys, so I thought. Thanks for reminding me of Ronald Fredericks, another person I forgot and now remember again, thanks to you.

[roseyrayf]

Jeanette, a name that may have come up which I don't recall, Margaret East, have you heard of anything regarding what her status is? Each time I come back to this site new memories crop up. One of them I must think about before putting it in print.

[barbaramg]

Hi Leslie,
I have no idea why I've not checked this site since 2009??? If your brothers are Medici and had a barber shop on the corner then we lived next door to the North. My name is Barbara (Suklis) Green and we were the only Greek family in the neighborhood. If you get this please write back as I'd love to connect.
Barbara

[pmra]

Originally Posted by barbaramg

Oh my Ray....Was it Cottel's Drugstore (sp?) on SW 1st? Used to go there for a milkshake when report cards came out...it was a special treat and luxury spending. I would beg for my very own shake not wanting to share it, but it never happened and my mom was smart enough to know I could never finish one by myself so it went every report card time. I remember sitting on the wood floor by the magazine racks reading comic books or looking at paper dolls we couldn't afford. Loved the feeling in there of the fountain and people...good memory. Also the Lincoln Theater where my mom snuck pepsi bottles and popcorn in her purse so we had to cough when she popped the lid off. Also the Lincoln drugstore where we purchased prescriptions.
The other important store for me was on 1st where I was sent for forgotten items. Italian run, I'd have to walk by barrels of smelly dried fish to get to the counter to pay & decide on penny candy. I was 'brown eyes' to the friendliness there.

love this memory lane stuff.

night all.

Barbara,

The Italian run store on 1st Ave was most likely Cheech and Maria Colistro's little grocery store. If you remember across the street was Mosler's bakery. Up a few doors was a shoe repair shop run by a man named Zohn. I remember these places well as I had been in them many times. You see, I am Ragnone who lived right across Sheridan from Angelo Medici"s barber shop. I was and still am a friend of the Petrella's. And the last time I believe I and Al saw you was about 1962 right after the Petrella's moved to SE Burnside. You were driving by in your car heading east, honked the horn, and asked how Linda was doing, then you sped off into oblivion. We all wondered where you landed all these years.

I heard about this site just tonite by a friend of mine, Carol Santangelo, who actually lived in the house you lived in on 3rd with your mother, I believe her name was Podoah (pardon the spelling). I do not remember your brother. I will post to other people here to fill in some gaps.

[pmra]

Originally Posted by puerco

I lived in your old neighborhood in the mid 70's. On the corner of SW Whitaker and SW Barbur - right behind a Japanese restaurant. Our landlady was an old Italian woman who had lived there for decades. I can't remember her name. That is such a fantastic neighborhood. We referred to it as the Lair Hill neighborhood. I can remember when Portland Center was going up but never knew what had been torn down. Thanks for giving me a peek into the past. It's too bad the 60's was an era of tearing down anything considered to be old . I attended PCC at both Shattuck & Failing.

Puerco,

The Japanese restaurant was called Bai-Sen. Years before it was called the Blue Heaven. The Italian lady was most likely Mrs. Cozzetto.

[pmra]

Originally Posted by zigelda

All you who are reliving names from the past. I went to school at St. Lawrence. And I remember a lot of the names you are mentioning. A-l-b-i was my maiden name. I was the tounger sister of Mike, who was the same age (and who also hung arounw ith) Roseanne and the Leonetti's etc. Father O'Flynn was there and then I think a Father Mosely came after O'Flynn left. I went there until urban renewal and was then bused across town to the SE side to attend another school. I went on to St. Mary's for three years and then moved. So much to remember. Other names......Vollmer, Ragnone, Jachetta - what a neighborhood we had.

Zigelda,

You forgot to mention the name Mickle.....she lived right next door to you on Grant. Your brother Mike reintroduced me to her a few years ago at a gathering. I am the Ragnone nobody in these posts remembers because most of them are class of 57 or earlier. But I still remember a lot of them. Yes, I was one year behind you even when we were bussed to St. Anthonys on 79th.

[zigelda]

Originally Posted by pmra

Zigelda,

You forgot to mention the name Mickle.....she lived right next door to you on Grant. Your brother Mike reintroduced me to her a few years ago at a gathering. I am the Ragnone nobody in these posts remembers because most of them are class of 57 or earlier. But I still remember a lot of them. Yes, I was one year behind you even when we were bussed to St. Anthonys on 79th.

Hi, Pat! So nice to have seen you months ago when you visited down here! It would be great to keep these posts going. Mike just called me and told me how he finally got to this site. I had totally forgotten about it. So many memories from those years. Yes, Leonna and Sharon Mickle lived right next door, as we discussed when we saw each other. I hope to make it up to Portland in the next year or so and will definitely let you know via email when I am planning that.......Judy

[barbaramg]

Originally Posted by pmra

Barbara,

The Italian run store on 1st Ave was most likely Cheech and Maria Colistro's little grocery store. If you remember across the street was Mosler's bakery. Up a few doors was a shoe repair shop run by a man named Zohn. I remember these places well as I had been in them many times. You see, I am Ragnone who lived right across Sheridan from Angelo Medici"s barber shop. I was and still am a friend of the Petrella's. And the last time I believe I and Al saw you was about 1962 right after the Petrella's moved to SE Burnside. You were driving by in your car heading east, honked the horn, and asked how Linda was doing, then you sped off into oblivion. We all wondered where you landed all these years.

I heard about this site just tonite by a friend of mine, Carol Santangelo, who actually lived in the house you lived in on 3rd with your mother, I believe her name was Podoah (pardon the spelling). I do not remember your brother. I will post to other people here to fill in some gaps.

My mom's name was Pota and my brother Sam who was 9 years older so you wouldn't really remember him. I did return to the Petrella house and talked to I think it was Albert at an estate sale following his mothers death. I left my phone number hoping to talk to Linda, but she never responded and was so sorry to hear she died....this was about the late 90's when I had a Resale Shop on NE Fremont.

Mostly I remember playing and getting in trouble with Michael and I remember the friendship of my mother with Mary as they would talk over warm baked bread and cups of coffee at our kitchen table.

Carol and I also played and I was the older bad influence I fear, but always her mother Lizzie was kind. They lived on the other side of the house to the north of us where we kids believed a witch lived. Oh the perceptions of our childhood years.