Notes Courtesy of George Lally
Lutheran Property
"The school building shown, built for the Lutheran Home, was used as housing for 'displaced persons' after WWII. The DP's as we called them attended Avon public schools (the children among them that is) as did the regular Lutheran Home kids, and had a 'total immersion' introduction to English. That is they were just placed in classes a year or two below their grade level. They learned English very rapidly, became our good friends, played sports in Avon etc. On good Friday 1952 the Gifford school (which housed 1/2 the town's elementary school children and the entire junior and senior high school) burned down in a spectacular fire. The elementary kids were placed on double sessions at the Littlefield school (now the Avon VFW post) and additional classes were held in the Avon library and in the basement of the Baptist church. The town was then allowed to use the Lutheran Home school for the junior and senior high schools. They were there for 4 or 5 years. The AHS classes of '52, '53, '54 '55 and (I think) '56 graduated from this building."
"The Home itself was comprised of dormitory space, kitchen, dining facilities, offices, etc. and was contained in a main building and two additional buildings immediately behind it. The main building was at the top of a horseshoe driveway, lined with pine trees, facing North Main St. about 75-100 yards back from the road. Incidentally, the picture I sent w. orphans and staff and the other picture that you already had, show the Southerly side of the main building. The 'home kids' as we called them were attending Avon public schools when I entered first grade in 1948 and my siblings also had 'home kids' for classmates and friends. I think the Lutheran home population had dwindled from an earlier peak and before the 'displaced persons' arrived around 1949 or '50 I don't think there were more than 25-30 'home kids', if that. Also the regular 'home kids' were a somewhat different population from the 'orphans' of the turn of the century. That is they were more likely to be there due to family problems than from the death of a parent. When the DP families and children arrived the Lutheran home reopened the old school and used it for temporary housing for them until they could be learn rudimentary English, obtain jobs and find homes. Later, when the Gifford school burned down and the town was allowed to use the Lutheran Home school, I believe the remaining DP's were accommodated in other Lutheran home buildings. The school itself was a very large building with many rooms and an auditorium/gymnasium.It was located approximately 200 yards behind the dormitory buildings with it's front facing in a southerly direction. For whatever it's worth the online history incorrectly stated that the Lutheran Home school building housed grades 9-12 after the Gifford School was destroyed. I was there for my seventh and eighth grades (1954-55 and 1955-56) and I loved it as it was only about 300 yds from my East high St home. My siblings and I would go out our back door hop over a stone wall cross a field, hop another wall and we were on the Lutheran Home grounds about 100 yards from the entrance to the school."
Soldiers Monument
"This view of the soldier's monument looks southwest towards the present municipal parking lot and Pratt St. except , as you will notice Pratt St. has not yet been extended to Main St. (The old Pratt St made a right angle turn near the bottom and ended at West High St.) I believe Pratt St. was extended to Main St around the beginning or just before WWI."
Bows Mocassin Factory
"I found this picture at an antique show a few years ago. On the back of it is penciled : " Elisha McNutt, Wm Bows Jr., Walter Ketch and Fred DeRoche at Bows Moccasin Company." Attached to the back was an undated obituary for William A. Bows indicating that he established the Bows Moccasin Company in 1909 and retired in 1958. He died at age 85 in Brewster MA. and His father was also named William A Bows as was his son. This is important because the PICTURE says Wm Bows JUNIOR and the obituary says that the deceased was SURVIVED by his son William Bows Jr. However, the obit. also says that the deceased was joined in the family business by William Bows Jr. in 1946. and it's pretty clear that this picture is much older than that. My inference is that the founder of Bows Moccasin Co. was himself called William Jr. in his younger days and that the photo was taken when he was still a young man and the company was newly established. Hence the estimated date of about 1910. The obit also states that "The Penny Loafer was started by Mr. Bows in 1936 and sold under the name of 'Pronto' " and that he is buried in St.Michael's cemetary, Avon. I think that Bows Moccasin closed in the late 1950's or early 1960's because the factory, on East Spring St, was subsequently bought by George Hatch who re-located his garage there from Goeres Sq. in the early 1960's."
Avon Little League in 1952
Coach: Rufus Self.
Back Row (L-R): John Capozzi, Jack Dombrowsky, David Mottau, Ed Lavalle, Jack Lally, George Lally, Joe Crowley.
Front Row (L-R): David Adams, Arthur Olson, Bill Noyes, George Baltusis, David Lake, Clem Martineau, Jerry Parks.
