MOVIN ON AFTER WWII

Finally the War is over and in 1946 to 1948 my father takes a job with Maritime Service as Head Chief Engineer laying up ships in Decatur, AL after they returned home from the war. This contract was with Ingalls Ship Building and the Government. These are my first memories of what's going on when I am about 4 years old and we are living in the Garden District on Prytania Street in New Orleans. My mother is still mostly on her own, while her husband is still laying up ships after the war while others are returning home.


So it is time to start telling some things about myself. One of the big things I am missing is a life with my Dad. But things being as they are, I seem to find things to do. One thing my mother would do once a month is she would take all of us, my brother, sister and myself for a treat. We would walk over to St. Charles Ave. and take the street car down to the French Quarter to Cafe Du Monde which was established in 1862. They are world famous even today for their square french style doughnuts called Beignets sprinkled with powdered sugar. I think it was also a nice break for her to. This was one of my best things to do and counted the days for the next treat. The house we were living in was one of those old looking Victorians with a arrow head armor iron fences surrounding the property. My Dad was making decent money but still gone, so my mother had a Nanny to help her out with kids and everything. My Dad and I had the same first names and when he would come home occasionally my mother would call for one of us but we never knew who she was calling. So after many callings, I was nicked named Butch and thus called Master Butch by the Nanny.


As every one knows during the forties and fifties segregation still existed and drinking fountains and bathrooms were labeled for individuals. Nanny had a young boy about my age, but we were not allowed to play together. Well, one day when he said he had a watermelon at his house and would I like some, of course I could not refuse. We both took a good scolding and spanking for that. Even after that we would find ways to play together, but very secretly, so we thought, little did I know that this would soon come to an end. One day we were playing and to our amazement there was a monkey, yes a monkey in the tree in front of my house. My Nanny's son Samson was so amazed by this he decided to climb up the fence to try to get to it, not a good idea. When he got to the tree he lost his footing. When he fell his leg landed on one of those sharp arrow head armored edges on top, going through his calf of his leg. Now what do I do, knowing I am going to get into trouble playing with him. Knowing this I ran for help anyway and was the last time we ever played together.


Being 4 years old, little did I know something bad was going on with my health that was starting to show significant signs, (Asthma). New Orleans is very damp and being below sea level this is a good for breeding and development for this disease. I would have furious attacks and could not breath. My mother would put me on her lap and pound on my back to try to help me breath as I would be turning blue. Finally after my mother taking me to the doctor many times there was a small white pill she was given that would help, but never really helped to stop the attacks. The doctor told her that I would be like this as long as we lived in the New Orleans climate and my future life would be questionable. Now with this development playing became difficult, especially any vigorous activity or running. Now I am in Kindergarten at McDonogh #14 and having problems at school due to my health but advance to First grade. My health plus a little luck will effect our family later.


My father continues laying up many ships from the war and returns to sailing in the Merchant Marines until 1949. This of course is not going over very well with my Mother and she finally gives him the ultimatum, come home or there will be no home. Very harsh words, but considering all that she has foregone and the war being over for some time, I can't really blame her. Of course my father concedes to her demands and calls it FWE, "finished with engines". Everyone is happy that he is home but will have to find work. We have now moved to a small shotgun house on Manderville Street, where the dividing line for segregation of blacks and whites has been established. I am now in First grade at Annunciation Grammer School. While living in this home I remember going barefoot most of the time. We did not have much of a back yard and what existed was mostly old boards and junk. One day I was playing in the yard with no shoes and stepped on a board with a nail sticking up and ran it all the way through my right foot. Off to doctor, tetanus shoot and lots of soaking. Finally back to normal I was told not to go in the backyard anymore, so being a young boy, I decide to investigate what had happen to me anyway. Barefoot again as luck would have it I stepped on another nail in a board and ran this one almost all the way through my left foot. Knowing I would get into trouble, I hobbled back to house, with everyone in disbelief but actually felt sorry for me, same routine again! Needless to say that was last time I ever played in that backyard.

When living here our back yard butted up to the blacks back yards, which was the segregation line. So sometimes the white kids would run around the block as fast as they could and yell bad names at the black kids on that side of block, excluding me due to my Asthma. The black kids put up with this for a long time until one day they finally got tired of it, came across the "line" with all the white kids crapping in their pants. All the white kids were running into their houses as the black kids went running by calling them and me all "white trash". I thought this was funny and was a first step towards Desegregation. We then move again to Karfoot Street and finish my second time as a First Grader at Saint Agnes School. My parents now find out my Dad is not considered a Veteran from WWII, thus no GI bill and we are eating lots of beans and "Movin On".