Group photo: United Polish Societies Drum and Bugle Corps

Until I started working on this blog, I had no idea that Ambridge once had so many bands!

The United Polish Societies Drum and Bugle Corps was created in 1938. The corps made its public debut in that year's Halloween Parade, dressed in mummer's costumes. Later that year, they marched in their corps uniforms in the Armistice Day* parade in Beaver Falls.

United Polish Societies Drum and Bugle Corps
on Laughlin Memorial Library steps
circa 1938
25th Anniversary Program
United Polish Societies of Ambridge

The United Polish Societies 25th Anniversary Program identifies the band members as follows:

First row: Alfreda Ryzowicz, R. Giska, E. Gadomski, A. Barszcz, S. Barszcz, L. Grzegorek, D. Gadomski, A. Gause, H. Wolicki, R. Tomaszewski, L. Topolski, W. Ryzowicz, J. Lojek, F. Skindzier, Vaclav Klimek, instructor.

Second row: E. Terlewski, E. Kalinowski, F. Jankiewicz, G. Sulkowski, R. Makowski, L. Ostrowski, H. Urbanik, G. Lipinski, S. Gruszczynski, S. Malinowski, A. Kokoszka, D. Rubel, John F. Tomaszewski, president.

Third row: S. Kowalski, I. Bialorucki, R. Lojek, W. Swiniarska, G. Kokoszka, D. Wagner, D. Topolski, E. Pokryzwnicki, D. Tomaszewski, R. Szczepaniak, H. Wisniecwski.

Fourth row: W. Janicki, W. Bajek, H. Barszcz, J. Kosinski, A. Sowa, E. Rubel, V. Janicki, P. Lewandowski, R. Kasper, A. Janicki, H. Kowalski.

Drum Major First Half: Alfreda Ryzowiecz, Second Half: Dolores Tomaszewski. Flags donated by: Stanley Ference, Frank Ference, Stanley Jurkowski, Jr., and J. C. Smalling.

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There are a lot of familiar Ambridge family names on that list. I had to laugh, because my spellchecker was really busy, marking all the last names but one as misspelled. The only name my spellchecker approved of was "Wagner."

Vaclav Klimek taught music and led the Ambridge Community Band, Ambridge Symphony Orchestra, and Sewickley Symphony Orchestra, although he made his living as a home builder.

My mother's maiden name was "Gause. My sister who does genealogy is checking to see if the "A. Gause" in the photo might be related to us.

*****

The United Polish Societies of Ambridge was founded in May 1930 with the aim of working in the interest of all Polish people in Ambridge and keeping Polish language and customs alive.

Ambridge's Polish National Alliance, Gr. 1013, and Polish Falcons Nest 182 were the most prominent groups in United Polish Societies. I'm not sure which other Ambridge Polish groups were officially part of the United Polish Societies, but the 25th Anniversary Program has photos of members of the following groups:

Polish-American Citizen Club of Ambridge,
Polish Women's Alliance, Gr. 300,
Polish Army Veterans Post 60,
Women's Auxiliary of Polish Veterans Post 60,
St. Stanislaus Gr. 889, P. R.C.U. (Polish Roman Catholic Union),
St. Stanislaus P.T.O.,
St. Hedwig Society, Gr. 47,
St. Joseph Union, Gr. 58,
Queen Wanda Society, Gr. 2193,
Rosary Society (of St. Stanislaus?).
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* Now Veteran's Day

Golden Jubilee: The Battle of Borough Park

Last summer, I started a series of posts about Ambridge's 1955 Golden Jubilee. I was just about done, with only the final day of the celebration to write about. And I left the last post I wrote, about the historical pageant "Frontiers of Freedom," with a cliffhanger:

The Golden Jubilee wasn't over yet. Monday, July 4, was "Armed Forces" Day, featuring a "Mock Battle" in Borough Park. Eighty members of the National Guard would shoot 7,000 to 10,000 rounds of blank ammo, and dynamite charges were to be placed to simulate mine explosions and cannon fire. What could go wrong with that?

And there I left readers hanging because I got distracted by another topic, "Oh, look, Davidson's once had two stores!" And then another, "I have the names of the boys at the Greek Coffee House!" And...now here it is a year later, and it's really about time to wrap up the Golden Jubilee series with the events on July 4. And just as the celebration began with a bang, it ended with one too.

Armed Forces Day, as with most of the Jubilee celebration, was packed with activities: an Armed Forces Exhibit; guided tours of Old Economy; the final judging of the Brothers of the Brush beards, the Sisters of the Swish costumes, and the talent hunt; the final performance of "Frontiers of Freedom," capped with fireworks. Oh, and that mock battle in Borough Park,* scheduled for 2 P.M., which the June 29, 1955, Beaver Valley Times anticipated would involve "plenty" of shooting and land mine explosions.

The July 5, 1955, Beaver Valley Times reported that about 1,000 spectators watched the battle involving Company B of the Infantry Battalion, Pennsylvania National Guard. The object of the battle was for the attacking force to cross the park's baseball field to take the hill on the opposite side, held by 10 men. At intervals during the battle, previously placed charges were set off. It must've been quite a show.

I never found any mention of which side of the battle was victorious.

Machine gunners
mock battle at Borough Park
July 4, 1955
Beaver Valley Times
July 5, 1955

Times caption:

DEFENDERS -- Machinegunners of the 110th Infantry Battalion, Pennsylvania National Guard, New Brighton, defend a hill in their mock battle in Ambridge Borough Park Monday. The demonstration was a part of Ambridge Golden Jubilee.

The article noted that "A Beaver County Civil Defense first aid team stood in readiness," along with fire trucks from Ambridge and Harmony Township. It pays to be prepared.

Sgt. Edward Harker, 12th Marine Division, Pittsburgh, put on a flame-thrower demonstration after the battle.

Sgt. Harker was "wounded" when the wind shifted, sending the flame back at him. He suffered first degree burns of his right hand and wrist and minor burns of his arm and face. 

Members of the Civil Defense first aid unit treated the sergeant.

After all that excitement, the fireworks that ended the Jubilee might have felt rather low-key and on the quiet side.

If you want to read the previous posts in the Golden Jubilee series, here are links:

The human pirohy

The Big Train Robbery

Brothers of the Brush, Sisters of the Swish

Let the celebration begin!

Old Fashioned Bargain Days

Old Fashioned Bargain Days ads

The "mammoth spectacle" parade

Golden Jubilee Program

"Frontiers of Freedom"

Ambridge trivia: Did you know...? #8

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* Now called Walter Panek Park

Ambridge trivia: Did you know...? #8 Wooden coins

For Ambridge's 1955 Golden Jubilee, merchants handed out not just wooden nickles, but also wooden dimes and quarters.

I've never seen one of the Golden Jubilee wooden dimes or quarters, have you?

Examining wooden coins
Ambridge Golden Jubilee
Beaver Valley Times
June 22, 1955

Times caption:

WOODEN NICKELS INITIATED -- W. L. Cain, president of Ambridge Economy Bank, and Kay Kokoski, "Miss Ambridge Golden Jubilee" who is a teller in the bank, examine wooden coins, official money of Ambridge Golden Jubilee. The money will be handed out by merchants in the form of change. It is redeemable in Ambridge, Economy and Mellon National Banks. It comes in three denominations, nickles, which are red; dimes, which are blue, and quarters, which are green.

A photo of a Golden Jubilee Wooden Nickel is in the July 17, 2015, post "Golden Jubilee: Old Fashioned Bargain Days."

Swimming lessons at Ambridge Borough Pool

While I practically lived at the pool during the summers, I detested swimming lessons which were always given in the morning before the pool opened for public swimming. The air was cool; the water was cold. Not too long after I'd get in the pool, I'd be shivering. And by the end of class, my teeth might be chattering and my lips blue.

Swimming lessons at the Ambridge pool
Daily Citizen
late 1950s ? *
news clipping courtesy of Borough of Ambridge

Citizen caption:

FISH FLOAT -- Joseph Strano, the swimmer, going through the "Jelly Fish Float" at the Ambridge Swimming Pool as the first of two classes completed their "scooling" (sic) Friday morning. The instructors are Richard Lebec, left, and Jerry Hochevar, right.

By the time my mother signed me up for lessons, I was already a fairly good swimmer and a champion floater, thanks to the hours I previously had spent in the pool. But during the lessons, I did learn the breast stroke, and the not-in-the-Olympics -- but with modification, useful for lifesaving and Navy Seal training -- side stroke.

I'd walk to the pool for the the dreaded lessons. Then I'd have to walk home, only to walk back to the pool again after it opened later that day for swimming that was fun.

In 1958, swimming lessons at the pool were free, but registration for lessons was $0.50. By the 1960s, the registration fee had been raised to $1.00.

Ambridge borough swimming pool
early to mid 1960s**
Beaver County Times ?
news clipping courtesy Borough of Ambridge

original caption:

BEATING THE HEAT - Ambridge swimming pool had one of its busiest days Tuesday when 1,000 persons took a dip in order to beat the heat. Steve Solomich, pool manager, announced that new swimming classes will start Monday and conclude next Friday. A class for children aged 9 - 11 will be conducted from 9 to 10 a.m. and children seven and eight years of age will receive instructions from 10 to 11 a.m. Registrations will be accepted at the pool Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. The registration fee is $1. Parents must register their children. No registrations will be accepted by phone. Similar classes are being held this week.

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* The Borough news clipping was dated only "1960." I don't have the date this photo was published in the Daily Citizen, confirmed by the "DC" watermark. But the Citizen stopped publication on June 30, 1959, so this clipping cannot be from 1960 or later.

** This Borough news clipping also was dated only "1960," and its source was unidentified. The Beaver County Times is my best guess, but I've been unable to find the photo to confirm that. Steve Solomich, mentioned in the caption. was pool manager in the early and mid-1960s, which helps narrow the years the photo might have been published.

Group photo: P. J. Cauls baseball team, 1925

P.J. Cauls baseball team
1925
courtesy Laughlin Memorial Library archives

Sorry, I have no information yet on the team or the identities of the players in this photo. If you know anything, please leave a comment.

The photo appears to me to have been taken at the field at American Bridge Company's Park Road park.