Remembering Foot of Ferry St

From My Life Story Clarence Allen talked me into applying for the Electrician Mate school. I did not know anything about electricity, but I put it down as my second choice for a school. Clarence and I knew, that our chances of surviving the war was a school. After Boot Camp, Clarence and I were accepted for the Electrician Mate school in St. Louis, Missouri. We were now Fireman Second Class (Electrician Apprentice). St Louis, Missouri - 2000 This map and Photo shows the area in St Louis, MO where the old Naval Armory was located. The photo indicates the old armory has apparently been replaced by some other type of buildings/facilities. We were stationed in an old Navy Armory located on the Mississippi River. The students were stacked four bunks high in the armory. There was no air conditioning and it was very hot in the building. We were assigned four weeks of Kitchen Police duty (KP). We then begin our sixteen week Electrician Mate school. The Navy students would take a bus to and from the Hadley Technical High school, 3405 Bell Ave, located in down town St. Louis each school day. Clarence was smarter than I and did well in school. I really did not know what I was doing in the Electrician school. I had to take night school to keep up. I remember enjoying the swimming. We played water polo every day. One day, I dove off the diving board and hit my head and ear on another swimmer in the pool. This caused a perforated ear drum. I volunteered for the Submarine Corp, but the accident and my grades kept me from being selected for submarine duty. Liberty Town St. Louis was the best liberty town that I would ever see during my tour in the Navy. Every one in town would treat you like a hero. You couldn't go into a bar without someone buying your drinks. There was a place called Tent City where a GI could spend the night without charge. There was a dance hall called TuneTown which featured the latest big bands. The local USO's would fight over the priviledge of having you as their guest. The Summer and Fall of 1944 were an upside down crazy world. I will never forget the girls and the kind people, that I met in St. Louis. Dancing to Louis Prima's Music. Louis Prima was not as popular in 1944 as he would later become after the War. "BeginTheBeguine" ArtieShaw

Remembering Hadley Tech
"Coutesy of
stlouis.missouri.org/neighborhoods/history/yeatman/schools27.htm

Hadley Tech http://www.builtstlouis.net/vashon.html Vashion High School (originally Hadley Technical High School) Technical High School Hadley Technical High School began in the old Central High annex in 1929 and in November, 1931 it occupied a large industrial type school structure at 3405 Bell Avenue. It was named for Herbert Spencer Hadley; a former governor of Missouri. A gymnasium and auditorium annex was added to the school in 1955. Later, the building became the home of Vashon High when that school was relocated from its former building on Laclede Avenue. Hadley has been superseded by the O'Fallon Technical High School on Northrup Avenue west of Kingshighway, which was opened in the late 1950's. From: ABJordanjr To: Sandscraper3 My dad taught Automechanics at Hadley from about 1930 until 1950. At that time he became Assistant Principal at Hadley Technical H. S. He held that assignment until about 1960. Then was principal at Central High School, and later Beaumont High School. I graduated from Ofallon Technical H. S., successor to Hadley in1957. Warren My dad may have taught you either during the day or at night.  He had many military training books, pamphlets.  They are long gone, now.  During the 1940's he was the night school principal.  He was a block air raid warden, on Riverview Blvd north of West Florissant, across from the Calvary Cemetery, during the war.   That is where our home was.  I do have two wood blocks from the Auto Department floor courtesy of Joe Lieble, one of my dad's former students.  Joe got them when the Hadley Building was torn down several years ago.  I will look for pictures of Hadley.  My wife and I both attended Hadley 1953-1956, then transfered to O'fallon Technical High School for the final year. Al Jordan Hadley Technical High School Date: 6/10/07 From: ABJordanjr To: Sandscraper3 Warren Yes, the address was 3405 Bell. It was one block east of Grand Ave. The new school (Ofallon Technical H. S.) was at 5101 Northrup Ave, West off Kingshighway, south of Manchester. It will be awhile for pics. Al Drum Cadence