Readers Report
My Brooklyn was the Bushwick section. We lived on almost every block from Woodbine St. (where I was born) to Halsey St., from Knickerbocker Ave. to Evergreen. I attended P.S.106, J.H.S. 85, graduating from Bushwick High in June, 1944. There were so many children on our blocks that we didn't have to roam far from home to play. My best memories are on Madison St. between Wilson and Central Avenues. One family there had 17 children. There was a fire house across from where we lived and when the fire truck was out, we kids would run in the house and upstairs to slide down the fireman's pole. One day the truck got back and everyone slid down the pole and ran, but I was afraid to slide down. The firemen returned and I was so scared I ran down the stairs bumping into the firemen coming up. But they never said anything about it. One hot days we would tease them until they fixed a "shower" to the hydrant and we kid would have a wonderful time under the spray. We would never DREAM of opening the hydrants by ourselves!! I could go on and on, but Brooklyn in the 30s and 40s was a WONDERFUL place to live!
I grew up at 180 Irving Ave. between Stanhope St. and Himrod St. My grandfather, Giovanni Signorelli, purchased the property in the early 20s or late teens of the 20th century. I'd like to find out the history of that apartment house and that particular block. My grandfather, grandmother and father all died in that house. If you can point me in a proper direction I'd greatly appreciate it. I miss my home and all those long gone folks very very much.
My Brooklyn is Epiphany Lutheran School on Lincoln Place between Nostrand and Rogers. I've never felt as special as those teachers made me feel. Everyday was a learning adventure and every student, no matter his or her academic ability. For eight years (from 1st to 8th grade), I went to school with essentially the same sixty people. Many of us still keep in touch almost twenty years later.
I also remember the Grand Army Plaza branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. What sacred space. It always felt, to me, more peaceful than church, more moving than any sermon. I fell in love with words in the stacks of that library and it was one of the few places my parents allowed me to travel alone. (We lived on the Brownsville/Canarsie border. Any Jimmerson residents out there?) I've lived in five other states and now live in South Florida (I hate it!). Brooklyn—the corner stores, the hot pizzas and Italian ices, hop scotch and skelly, block parties and blackouts— that will always be home.
Readers' reports continue . . .
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