REFLECTING BACK...
 

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION PARISH COMMUNITY

EAST GERMANTOWN

PHILADELPHIA, PA.

 

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Friends of Immaculate

"Reflecting Back....."

 

A Friends of Immaculate Reunion tradition, launched with the 2008 reunion, is for a longtime and/or long-ago alumni and parishioner to share their wonderful memories of growing up in and/or living in Immaculate Conception Parish and Germantown.  This memory sharing is published in the keepsake Reunion Program Booklet given to all attendees.  It will also be published here, after the reunion.  Many thanks to these folks for sharing their special memories and experiences.  Very much appreciated and surely will be enjoyed by all that read them.....

Enjoy the memories!  

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Dorothy Hamilton Klotz

(from the 2008 Friends of Immaculate Reunion)

 

 

My name is Dorothy Hamilton Klotz.  I was born in Germantown in 1919. My family (Dad, Mom and three brothers) lived at 1385 Rittenhouse St and belonged to Immaculate Conception Parish.  In his early years, my Dad played professional baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics.  Later, he owned the Stenton Garage at Stenton Ave & Wister St.  He also owned the miniature golf course and a house that were adjacent to the garage.  When the depression hit, my family lost everything.  Jimmy Leech bought the property and turned the miniature golf course into a junk yard.  With WWII, the junk yard made a lot of money for him.  In later years, the junk yard was turned over to his sons and was known then as the Leech Brothers junk yard.  Anyway, along with the businesses, we also lost our house at 1385 Rittenhouse St.  We then rented a house on Haines St, on the other side of Stenton Ave, from Jimmy Leech.  Those years were hard times for my family.  I recall, sadly, going with my mother to the bank at 21st & Chelten Ave only to find the doors locked.  There was a man inside the door who informed the many people waiting outside that the bank would not be opened until further notice.  This was around 1932 or 1933.  Not only did my parents lose everything, but so did many other folks.  It was a very hard time for many. 
 
At the time, I just started 8th grade at Immaculate Conception School.  But, because we moved to the other side of Stenton Ave, I had to go to St. Benedict’s School.  After that, I went on to Wagner Junior High, then to Germantown HS and then to the Helen Fleisher School of Dress Design.  During WWII, with my sewing skills, I made uniforms for the Marines.  After WWII, I met my husband, Art Klotz, who lived nearby and we married.  We bought a house at 1356 Rittenhouse Street, across the street and down from the house my family lost during the depression.  We had two sons, Art and Fred, who both went to IC School.  While my sons were in IC, I was a den mother and worked with the cub scouts for 6 years.  In 1963, we moved from Germantown to Warminster, because my husband’s employer moved from Philadelphia to Hatboro. 
 
Misfortune aside, my years in Germantown were very happy ones for me. Germantown was a special place to live and grow up in.  Awbury Park was near where we lived and the East Germantown Recreation Center was not far.  I recall all of Germantown’s theatres, but the two I remember most were the two that were closest to me – the Allen and the Chelten, both located at Chelten Ave & Anderson St.  The Allen was a small theatre and the cost of admission back then was a nickel.  The Chelten was so fancy compared to the Allen, and cost alittle more.  I also did a lot of skating back then, at the Skytop Rink, located on the 2nd floor of a building on Germantown Ave next to the Colonial Theatre.  I remember all the trolleys that ran along the streets of Germantown.  I remember too when many of the streets were still cobblestoned.  Back then in Germantown, you felt so safe.  Even when raising my own children, you could let them play on the sidewalks and not have to worry about them.  Such a wonderful neighborhood!! 

My years at Immaculate Conception School were very happy ones for me.  I was heartbroken when I had to transfer to St. Benedict’s in 8th grade.  But, our move to the other side of Stenton Ave put us in that parish, so I had to go there.  My good friend from IC, Anna Maguire, was so helpful to me at the time with her encouragement.  Plus, the 8th grade nun at St. Benedict’s was a wonderful person, so that helped with the transition.  The IHM nuns at Immaculate Conception were very nice.  Some were no-nonsense.  I remember one in particular, Sr. Savarah, who taught me in 5th grade.  She ran a very tight ship.  Remember the sliding blackboard partitions between some of the classrooms in the school?  I remember, if somebody didn’t obey, Sr. Savarah would yell ”If I were down there, I’d throw you through that board!”.  She was known to carry through on her threat.  The boards rattled and vibrated and we learned to obey real fast.  In the 6th grade, I was taught by Sr. Tarsisius.  She was an angel.  She received a very disciplined class from Sr. Savarah!  Her classroom was next to Sr. Savarah’s.  When we heard that famous exclamation coming from Sr. Savarah in the next room, the sweet, lovable Sr. Tarsisius would stop teaching until the storm was over.  When the boards stopped rattling and vibrating, Sr. Tarsisius would resume teaching and you could tell she was trying VERY HARD not to laugh.  The sound of Sr. Savarah carrying out her threat was one I knew from both sides of that partition!  Another thing I remember, chewing bubble gum was a very big NO NO.  I once got caught and had to wear it on my nose all day!  Still, I mostly remember the good sisters as so nice and caring and my days at Immaculate Conception School as happy ones for me. 

Fr. Higgins was pastor during my years at Immaculate Conception School.  The only thing I really remember about him is that he looked very old to me.  When I look at a picture of him now, he doesn’t look that old at all.  But to a young girl back then, he looked very old. 

Many may remember the school nurse, Miss Harkins.  She was actually there when I started first grade in 1925.  I was surprised that she was still there when my own children went to Immaculate in the 1950s.  I understand she retired from Immaculate in 1971. 

I also remember Paddy Neilan, the hall custodian, mostly from bowling in the hall basement bowling alley.  The bowling alley was manual.  Boys would be hired to set the pins up.  I loved bowling there.  One thing I remember, if you got a gutter ball, you were pretty much assured of knocking down the end pin!

Germantown and Immaculate Conception, such wonderful and special memories for me!!!

  

Dorothy Hamilton Klotz

October, 2008

 

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