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MAY, 2010

WELHISCO MEMORIES
 by: Dorothy (Holland) Dahl | Class 1954

Ken (Dahl '53) and I just read the online Welhisco Flashlight…. What a pleasure to read all the fond memories you all have. We’ll add a few more, if that’s OK.

First of all, Sandy Gibbons mentioned the taxi stand……… it was at the corner of Easton and Irving Ave. I, Dot, lived on Irving and passed it every morning on my way to school. The drivers were really flirts, so you had your choice; them or the gang of young guys (mostly dropouts), some were in the “Wellston Gang: that hung out on the other side of the street at the Deluxe Café and the county bus station.

After high school there were five of us  grads who work upstairs at Household Finance Company at the corner of Easton and Irving. We were Martha McFall, Pat Wicks, Bobbie Weber, Rosella Werremeyer and myself. I mention this work crew because our boss said “I have never had such a gabby and fun loving group working for me before, but I’ve never had them knock out as much work as your girls". We were all good friends picking up each other’s loose ends so nobody fell on her face.

 When the weather was nice, the windows on the Irving side would be open and our desks were lined up on that side. Those guys would give us catcalls most of the day until our boss would either look out the windows angrily at them or close the windows.

 The café later became Rolla’s where we stuffed ourselves with burgers, etc. Downstairs was the Mavrakos candy store which we patronized much too often, but no one could beat their heavenly hash and turtles. At that time, we were young and in shape so we got by with it.

As I mentioned living on Irving Ave., our apartment faced the Masonic Temple and backed in to the Hodiamont tracks. This was interesting that you could sit on the back steps and watch the winos who sat or lay on the tracks at all hours. It was just up a little ways up from the ‘loop”.

In the loop there was Ellerbrock’s bakery and a very good cafeteria, but I don’t remember the name of it. Also on that side of Easton at Hodimont was Floyd Hecklel Florist and Leona’s Hat Shop. That lady had utmost patience when we young girls, without a penny to spend, would come in and spend an hour trying on the hats. Just imagine trying that today!

You could purchase anything on Easton, from formals to shoes to housedresses.      There was John Albert’s, Bakers Shoes, Burt Shoes, Saffren's, Busy Bee, the Emporium, Libson Shop, Mode O’Day and J.C. Penney, just to name a few. Our crowd made the trek every Saturday (after a Coke at Bennett’s, of course) to pay off Exmoor sweaters and Ship n’ Shore blouses we had put in “will call”. We only had a dollar or so each week so it took quite awhile to get your item out of hock and actually wear it to school. Our parents would have had a stroke had we mentioned ‘charging’ anything. This period was before the first shopping center was opened at Northland. It was also when we were still ‘on foot’ and the Wellston shopping district was one of the nations’ best.

Another commodity readily available was junk food. I mentioned Mavrakos, but on the way to high school each morning you passed two bakeries and most mornings I would sit in homeroom and scarf down a couple of cherry Danish. Between that and afterschool French fries at Bennett’s I was able to keep my weight UP. At Bennett’s, the girls BOUGHT, and the guys ATE most of our food and played pinball if they had the nickel, but many just observed the scene due to the lack of money.

It was a ritual to attend the Wellston Show on Friday nights with the ‘girls’. Sometimes getting a little rowdy and being asked to ‘pipe down’ by the usher. (They were soooo handsome in their uniforms). My guy, Ken Dahl, never had any money so he met me outside after the show and walked me home. That was our Friday night date. Then he would jump off my porch and run home to Chatham Avenue, almost to Page. 

The rest of the story:

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MAY, 2010

The prospect of losing the ability  to think, reason and remember people, places and events strikes fear into the hearts of everyone as they age, and rightly so. Dementia is on the rise, every seven seconds a person’s future is forever altered by the diagnosis. In the US ,an estimated 4.5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease (AD),  the most common form of dementia.  Experts expect that number to quadruple by 2050, when the last baby boomers turn 90.

 Genetics Doesn’t Dictate Fate.  A growing sense of helplessness has emerged as the evidence mounts that AD risk is influenced by your genes.  The most recent evidence of this is from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, who looked at the genes of 100 healthy 90 year olds living independently and found they all had genetic profiles that protected them against AD.

But is senility an inevitable result of aging for everyone else?  Not at all. Heredity accounts for relatively few cases of dementia, even AD.  Moreover, there’s plenty you can do to help maintain your brain for years to come, which conveniently includes the same things you do to prevent heart disease and stroke.  Here is some advice for staving off dementia.

Protect Heart and Head.  Vascular dementia results from small strokes (transient ischemic attacks also known as TIAs) that alter blood supply to the brain, crippling cognitive ability. To reduce the risk of TIA’s, control blood pressure and blood cholesterol with a healthy lifestyle and medication as needed:

·                         ·  Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to boost your potassium intake.

·                         ·  Limit processed foods to reduce sodium intake.

·                         ·  Limit saturated and trans fats by eating less meat and more fish, whole- grains, nuts, seeds and low-fat dairy.

Mind Your B’s.  People with AD tend to have higher blood levels of homocysteine, a rogue amino acid that increases the risk of dementia. Getting enough of the B vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid (folate) keeps homosysteine in check:

·       Eat fortified cereals, nuts, legumes, lean meats, seafood and eggs.

·       Take a daily multivitamin supplement that provides at least 100% of vitamins B6,  B12 and folic acid.

Feed Your Head. Fruits, Vegetables and whole grains contain nutrients that stave off brain cell damage:

·       Include at least three servings of whole grains plus five to nine of fruits and vegetables every day as part of a diet low in saturated and Trans fats.

Fish for Omega-3s One fish meal a week was enough to reduce the risk of AD in the Chicago Health and Aging Project, which followed more than 800 adults for about four years; consuming even more omega-3s from foods further reduced risk.

·       Eat fish instead of meat and poultry at least twice weekly.

·       Include plant food rich omega-3s, such as walnuts, flaxseed, and soy and canola oil, in your diet regularly.

Move It, Don’t Lose It.  A  recent study that followed more than 1700 healthy people  65 and older for six years found that those who exercised a minimum of 15 minutes at least three times weekly had a 32% lower risk of developing dementia that those who were less active.

·                        ·     Participate in moderate activity for at least 15 minutes three times a week (ideally, for 30 minutes on most days for cardiovascular and other benefits).
           
                 ·  Break of Cognitive Sweat. Exercise our brain to ward off decline; people who do mental gymnastics run a lower risk of AD.

·                        ·  Read the Morning paper.

·                        ·  Visit a museum.

·                        ·  Take dancing lessons.

·                        ·  Solve puzzles. Try the challenge of The New York Times crosswords.

                 ·  Stay Engaged. Older adults with a rich network of friends and who participate in social activities tend to preserve brain function better than those who don’t socialize.

·                        ·  Visit with family and friends.

·                        ·  Schedule social events regularly.

·                        ·  Talk to new people.

 Control Diabetes.  You’re more at risk for dementia if you have diabetes,  especially if blood glucose  levels  are not in control.

·                                    ·  Maintain a healthy weight.

·                                     ·  Limit refined grains; emphasize whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

·                         ·  Be active every day. If you can’t get outside, walk up and down stairs.

·                         ·  Take prescribed medications regularly.  Love,   Love,

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MAY, 2010

Wellston High School Flashlight shining a light on our traditions,
our history and our future

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MAY, 2010