Taking a Look Back
Sometimes the hardest thing to do is just getting started. After all, it has been almost two years since I last wrote an article in my series “Historically Speaking.” Although, maybe the title for this column should be “I remember” or “Not That Long Ago.” The decision to write of more recent historical and cultural events in a reminisence style and somewhat less formal in character has actually spawned this article. Since it is that time of year we celebrate the traditional harvest holiday of Halloween, I’m often reminded of how the ghosts and goblins day has changed. I was exceedingly fortunate to grow up in Uniontown in the 1950s and 1960s. It seems as though it was a magical time to be a child. But, then again, I’m sure the same could be said for most communities in the United States of America back then. Of course, I really did not know what all of the marvelous metropolis of Uniontown was like as I was a child and my range of adolescent activities was limited to the western end of town, also know as “Pea Ridge.” This was a safe place, a place that my friends and I knew well. We knew the streets, the alleys the natural features and of course all of the people who called the West End “Home.” These were the most specific items of interest if you were a child in an urban setting in the 1950s and 60s, especially at Halloween. After all, if you were going to go “trick or treating” you had to know your way around and more importantly who gave out the best stuff!
As I recall, it seemed as though only small children were accompanied by adults. This was of course in a time before it wasn’t even remotely thought of to place pins and poison in candy.
So, finally the day would arrive when you would go from home to home to collect your bounty of sweets. It was usually on Halloween night, unless it was a Sunday or the night of the great Halloween Parade, which was held in downtown Uniontown. Again, it was exceedingly important to know where to go. After all, some of the residents would give out really lousy items such as apples. There was nothing worse than carrying around a dozen or so apples, those stupid apples were so heavy and took up valuable space for such precious commodities such as Reese Chips and Hershey Bars. MMM, MMM, MMM, I’m already starting to hunger for some chocolate.
Oh well, back to the story. By the way, most costumes of the time were home made and were used year after year. I actually recall being a pirate (the Johnny Depp kind, not the Pittsburgh type) for more than one Halloween. Only a few of the children had the store bought, plastic garbage bag type suits with a thin, hard plastic mask that never seemed to conform to anybody’s face.
Speaking of plastic bags they were unheard of when considering what would be the vehicle by which to transport all of the anticipated harvest of candy. The bag of choice, especially for the serious candy seeker was the extra large, double thick, brown paper, Kroger or A&P super market type with the real genuine rope handles. You could actually double the bag just to make sure you were able to handle a full night of trick or treating. To be honest, I think you could have carried a concrete block or two in those bags, even if they got soaking wet.
A full night of trick or treating could actually yield a harvest of candy that would seem to last (with proper pacing) all the way to Christmas. Of course, that was the plan, as it seemed as though there was always enough “Redstone candy” at holiday time to last until Easter. Wow, that’s almost six months of candy!
Oh well back to Halloween. It was so important to know where to go, as some people were never home, or so it seemed. I distinctly recall seeing activity in some homes and after numerous attempts at door knocking and yelling “trick or treat,” still receiving no response. It would have been better for those who chose not to participate in the “giving out of candy” to simply respond by informing us they did not participate in the holiday festivities, were all out of candy or could not afford to do so; as retribution was normally in the form of a childhood prank commonly known as “racking.” “Racking” usually involved throwing a handful of corn at a window or door to achieve the “what the heck was that” effect. Applying some soap to a glazed surface of a home or automobile, or even worse the “tipping” over of the “we’re not home, go away” owner’s garbage cans in the alley. Again, I did say these were childish pranks, and better left for another article to explain.
But, when considering great places to visit, one at the top of everyone’s list was not even a home at all. It was in the form of a business known as Puglia’s store. Puglia’s, which was a “mom and pop” type grocery store, was located at the corner of Downer Avenue and Boyle Street, which of course was conveniently located directly across from Boyle Elementary School.
Mr. Puglia was an elderly, silver haired gentleman of Italian decent, diminutive in statue and someone everybody seemed to know, respect and admire. Although, Mr. Puglia had a somewhat gruff personality sometimes, which of course was well warranted and quite understandable. You see, Mr. Puglia would tirelessly wait for all of us children to endlessly make up our minds (and change our minds quite often) as to how to spend our entire worldly fortune of three, four or five cents purchasing penny candy.
But, on trick or treat night Mr. Puglia was indeed quite a different person. Mr. Puglia became the Santa Claus of October. As was the transformation of Mr. Puglia’s demeanor at Halloween, so was his store. Mr. Puglia’s store was not normally open in the evening and it was quite intriguing for a child to see the store fully illuminated. Not only was the store a glow with light but also so was Mr. Puglia, as it was quite obvious he enjoyed opening his store for the children and giving out penny candy. Until supplies lasted Mr. Puglia would give out small, five cent bags (huge in the 1950s and 60s) of Snyder’s Potato Chips, which by the way was the greatest prize of a child’s nightly yield. Needless to say, Mr. Puglia’s store was on the top of all everyone’s “to do list” on trick or treat night.
It’s kind of funny, I really don’t recall all of the candy and the subsequent stomach aches, but I sure do remember the smile on Mr. Puglia’s face. After all, it was indeed a great town and quite a magical time to be a child.
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Robert Adamovich is the owner of Adamovich Design, a comprehensive design service specializing in hand drawn residential, light commercial, landscape and historical preservation design as well as historian, historical artist and lecturer. Robert may be contacted at 724-439-3711.