The "Something Else I Learned That I Never Knew!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to find out if one of my favorite TV shows from the 1950s, as well as my favorite comic strip from the same era, Dennis the Menace, is on our local "Oldies" TV station, MeTV.  

Mr. Hank Ketcham

Dennis the Menace was the creation of Hank Ketcham who was a former Walt Disney animator.  While doing a "Google" search, I came across something I never knew until the moment I hit the "enter" button on my MacBook Air.  Seems that there were two Dennis the Menances and both were created in March of 1951.  Along with the Dennis created by Mr. Ketcham, there was a Dennis created by a British cartoonist by the name of David "Davey" Law.  As I read the article it told that neither had any knowledge of the other's Dennis until both debuted in the same week.  Ketcham's character appeared in the funny pages of 16 U.S. newspapers at the same time that Law's character appeared in the venerable and anarchic British weekly "The Beano." (As I sit here typing this I wonder if another English favorite, Mr. Bean, had any ties to Mr. Law's character).  

Mr. David Law

Each "Dennis" carried on for decades, both leading to TV shows as well as theme-park attractions.  Both Dennis characters were mischievous and rowdy who turned the adult world on its head.  The American version of "Dennis the Menace" was a bundle of energetic trouble, but an adorable little tyke who pestered his neighbor Mr. Wilson to death.  He said and did the darndest things which endeared just about everyone except Mr. Wilson.  As far as his British version, Dennis was much further along the mischief spectrum, being a disturbed maverick, a bully, a nemesis and a persecutor of "softies" such as Walter, his very own Mr. Wilson.  He was more a vandal whom the authorities had to tame from time to time.  

USA's Dennis the Menace (click to enlarge)

U.S.A.'s Dennis was blond with a cowlick,  round face and short, hand-like forearms of a "Peanuts" character while the British Dennis had a canine buddy and was a knobby-kneed and low-browed, gleefully scowling under a head of black, unkept hair.  He carried a peashooter, water pistol and catapult that almost always led to some type of punishment.  Along with his dog he had a disgusting pig named Rasher.  The American Dennis radiated the irrepressible energy of a young boy while the British Dennis was a form of transgression that didn't even exist in the United States.  To British children he was a punk-rock hooligan who was the tough guy on the block with the iron muscles and tiger stripes.  

Britian's Dennis the Menace

U.S.A.'s Dennis was a daily syndicated newspaper comic strip which debuted on March 12, 1951, in 16 newspapers and was distributed by Post-Hall Syndicate.  It is now written and drawn by Ketcham's former assistants, March Hamilton, Ron Ferdinand and son Scott Ketcham.  It is distributed to at least 1,000 newspapers in 48 countries and in 19 languages by King Features Syndicate.  The comic strip was so successful that it became a TV show, both in real-life as well as animated and several feature films.  Mr. Ketchan died on June 1, 2001 at the age of 81.   Mr. Law's character first appeared in "The Beano" issue 452 on March 17, 1951.  It is suspected that his Dennis hit the news stands the same day as the American Dennis.  Mr. Law was taken ill in 1970 and his comic strip was taken over by artist David Sutherland.  He died in 1971 at the age of 63.  I never had the chance to see the British version of Dennis the Menace, but the American version of Dennis was one of my favorite comic strips and the TV show is still a hit with me.  He comes in a close second to "Leave It To Beaver."  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

USA's Dennis the Menace Television cast with George Wilson
and his wife Martha in the back row, Dennis in the middle and his
parents Alice and Henry Mitchell.

The "Comic Book Heroes And The Artists Who Drew Them" Story

An early favorite

It was an ordinary day.  Trying to remember all my favorite comic book characters from my childhood.  One of my favorites was Archie who went to Riverdale High School and who had a crush on Veronica Lodge.  One of Archie's best friends was Jughead while another friend, Reggie battled him for Veronica's heart.  Could hardly wait for the next Archie comic book to come out on the news stand at the Lancaster Train Station which was a few hundred yards from my home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Archie first appeared in Pep Comics in 1941 and was drawn by artist Stan Goldberg.  I began reading it when I was in elementary school in the early 1950s.  

Another favorite

Another favorite was Superman who was a fictional superhero created by Jerry Siegel and drawn by Joe Shuster.  The superhero first appeared in Action Comics on April 18, 1938.  It was also on my list to buy at the train station while an student at Brecht Elementary School.  Now, I tell you this since I recently had the chance to mat and frame a collage of photos which featured Stanley Lee who recently died on November 12, 2018.  He too was a comic book writer, editor and publisher who was active from the 1940s to the 2010s.  He wrote and illustrated comics for Marvel Comics with characters such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk being a few of his comic book superhero characters.  A few weeks ago a customer brought a photo of his son standing next to Mr. Lee as well as an autographed photograph of Mr. Lee and a photo of his son impersonating Mr. Lee to Grebinger Gallery.  The customer wanted all the photographs matted and framed along with a lanyard that his son had from his meeting a few months before with Stanley Lee.  I'm sure it must have been exciting for the young man, but just as sorrowful for him when his hero passed away.  I have added photos of my matting and framing project to show you what was brought to Grebinger Gallery in Neffsville, Pennsylvania and what I did with them.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Stanley Lee with young man.

Autographed photo of Stanley Lee

Letter of Authenticity for signature.

Lanyard for a signing event.

Double mat I had cut with opening for the photos and lanyard.

The frame which was chosen ready for assembly on the under-pinner.

Final result.  Perfect memento for a true fan.

The "Favorites From Days Gone By" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with a friend from my old neighborhood about the good old times we used to share when I lived in the 900 block of North Queen Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  My parents weren't wealthy, but they did manage to give my brother and me all the things we could have ever wanted to pass our time while growing up in the 1940s and 50s.  Certain items and events stick out in my memory that were my favorites from that time in my youth.  Thought I would pass them along to let you know what children in that era enjoyed as well as utilized.  For those who grew up at the same time, I hope I haven't missed too many of your favorites.

• 1 cent candy was one of my favorites at a few corner stores around my neighborhood.  

  

  Candy cigars

  A quarter, or even a dime or nickle, would give me a small bagful of candy that would last the day.  At times I would buy candy cigarettes and pretend I was smoking like my mom and dad did at the time.  Also tried a few of the bubble gum cigars, but they cost a nickel.  Matter of fact, most everyone smoked in the 40s and 50s.  My favorite store was on the corner of Clay and Queen and was known as Eli's.  He remembered my name every day I walked in with money in hand.

Tinkertoys and Lincoln Logs

• One of my favorite toys was my container of Lincoln Logs that I used to build replicas of ranches so I could use my toy animals and toy figurines that looked like cowboys.  Did have a few Indians mixed in with the set.  Another neat building toy was the container of red and white bricks that I had.  They were something like the Legos of today, but at the time were smaller and easier to build.  They made neat houses and buildings for the train yard my dad would set up right after Thanksgiving.  I also had a big cardboard tube of Tinkertoys, just like every other kid in the neighborhood.

• I had two Lionel train sets; one was the Sante Fe passenger train while the other was an Alaska freight train.  I did have Plasticville buildings, but my plastic brick buildings which I made myself looked as neat as the others.

Hubley cap bun and caps

• Naturally every one in the neighborhood had a metal cap gun.  Mine was a Hubley that was made in Lancaster.  My dad actually worked at Hubley as a young man, making toy guns.  The caps made a great noise and I loved the smell of the sulphur after firing the gun.  Also enjoyed a variety of comic books that you could read at the Lancaster Train Station soda-shop and return to the rack after reading them.  My favorites were Archie and Jughead as well as Superman.

• Some of the outdoor items I had were at first a neat tricycle and eventually a Schwinn two-wheeler.  Had to take a few of my baseball cards and attach them to the rear wheel to make the bike sound like a motorcycle when the cards hit the spokes of the bike.  Also enjoyed racing cat's eye marbles on the rubber mat on our front porch.  

  

  My Schwinn bike

  The porch was sloped toward the street at just the right angle to allow the marbles to pick up a little speed in the 12 to 15 feet they had to travel.  But, out of all these activities, baseball with my brother and all the neighborhood kids was still my all-time favorite activity in the parking lot behind the house or at the nearby railroad station.

• Another toy I loved was the couple of wooden gliders that I had.  We made one of them when I was in Cub Scouts.  I also enjoyed flying kites, but had to have my dad take me to nearby Longs Park to fly them.  When I tried at home they would get caught in the trees and power lines. As I became a teenager I enjoyed sledding with the guys in the neighborhood.  

• 

  My nut-cracker sled

  We would walk the couple of blocks to the train bridge over the Lititz Pike to ride down the nut-cracker while my friends on the west side of the neighborhood, such as my good friend Jere, would hit the bridge over the Manheim Pike to do much the same as we did.  Often had arguments as to who had the scariest nut-cracker.  I leave it to your imagination as to why we called it as we did.
• One item I really enjoyed was my paint-by-number set.  

  

  Who wouldn't love a Paint-by-Number

  Actually had a few of them.  Made great presents for me when needed.  I was a fanatic about staying inside the lines when I painted the artwork.  At least I thought it was artwork.  Funny, but when my mom was in a nursing facility, I would buy her the same thing and she just loved painting them.  I would frame them for her and Moravian Manor, where she resided, would hang them in the halls of the place.  At the same time I enjoyed building plastic model cars.  Revell was my favorite model kit to build.  Both my sons also enjoyed building models.    
• One final item I loved throughout my childhood, and even in to my teens, was the pup-tent that my Aunt Doris gave me as a gift one Christmas.  

  

  My pup tent

  I slept in it, played Army in it and even made it into a printing shop by using the lead slugs from the Linotype machine that was in the factory next to our house.  Pretended to print my own newspaper, but the lines never made any sense since all the lead slugs were from a variety of stories that the printing company had printed.  
• My last few items of remembrance you may remember if you are old enough.  I enjoyed pasting the S&H Green Stamps in the books for my mom, talking on the party-line telephone and mowing the grass with the push mower. 

Life in the 40s and 50s was something like being on the TV show "Leave It To Beaver".  Matter of fact that was, and still is, one of my all-time favorite TV shows.  So, what do you think.  Bring back any memories for you?  Make some of you glad you never had to grow up without electronic items?  Hey, that's what life was like in the good old days.  And, we survived!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "My New & Fantastic Christmas Tree Ornament" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just put the finishing touch on our small Christmas Tree we have in our family room.  Now, there is some background you need to know before I tell you about the ornament I just placed on the tree ... so here goes.  While growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania I lived near the Lancaster Train Station.  Matter of fact I lived about 100 yards from the four or five sets of train tracks that ran through the terminal.  I spent many a day during my summer vacation as well as many weekend days and afternoons during the school year at the station.  

Photo of the Lancaster Train Station from April 27, 1929.

Loved watching the trains, playing football ad baseball on the grassy areas next to the station, sliding down the brass railing inside the station as well as visiting the soda shop where I usually had a cherry coke and read a comic book which they sold there.  My longtime friend Jere's father worked to the west of the station at the Railway Express building and the two of us would stop by to see his dad as well as raid the Coke machine.  

The Lancaster Train Station as it appears today.

I still have fond memories of my childhood time spent at the Lancaster Train Station.  Well, yesterday I opened the Lancaster Sunday News and there at the bottom of the front page of one of the sections was a story telling of a special holiday ornament that was being offered for sale to help benefit the community of Lancaster.  This is the 10th year the LEADS non-profit organization has offered an ornament.  

The concourse leading to the platforms.

Lancaster Central Market, Watt & Shand department store, Old City Hall and the Fulton Opera House are a few of the other ornaments that have been offered in the past.  Some of the things that LEADS has accomplished in Lancaster is hanging flower baskets from the lampposts during summer months, decorating the same posts for the holidays and decorating the large tree in center square at Christmas.  

The main stairwell.  Spent many a day
sliding down the brass railing shown here.

This years ornament features the train station.  The station opened in 1929 and was constructed of red brick in the classical revival style of architecture.  The building featured a center block flanked by recessed wings.  The main entrance was at ground level in the center block with a large glass and metal marquee.  On the second level are concrete columns which frame three tall, rounded windows while the parapet above showcases a clock.  Inside is a second floor main waiting area which leads to a long waiting area with staircases on both sides that lead downward to the platforms.  Antique wooden benches line the waiting areas, some with initials scratched into them from...well, guess who.  

The old soda fountain which still exists today.

The building was at one time owned by the Pennsyl- vania Railroad, but is now owned by Amtrak.  The station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the Lancaster City Historic District.  There are to be 500 ornaments of the Train Station which are naturally 3D and crafted in solid brass and plated in 24-karat gold.   Well, I just had to have one to hang on the tree.  They are offered for sale at a variety of places with some of those places being: the Visitor's Center on Penn Square, Lancaster Galleries in downtown Lancaster as well as the Turkey Lady stand on Lancaster Central Market.  The selling price is $20.  By 2:00 PM the first day they went on sale I was the proud owner of two of these really neat ornaments; one for myself and one for a good, longtime friend of mine.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

My new Lancaster Train Station ornament that looks great on the tree.

My friend Jere's HO train yard features a reproduction of the Lancaster Train Station.

The "Comic Tales From The Past" Story

The "Comic Store" at 28 McGovern Ave. in Station Square.

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with Joe Miller, the owner of the "Comic Store" on the corner of North Queen Street and McGovern Ave. in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  In the 1940s and 50s I lived in the last house on Queen Street, not more than 50 yards from the "Comic Store" which opened in 1989.  

One of my favorites as a young boy.

As a young boy I would walk to the nearby Train Station to get a cherry coke and look over the racks of comic books that were offered for sale for a dime at the small restaurant that sat along the east wall of the station.  All my favorites, such as Archie, Little Lulu and Superman, could be found on the racks and I made it a habit to buy one whenever I had an extra dime in my pocket.  Even traded with many of my friends in the neighborhood who also purchased their comic books at the Train Station.  Eventually the restaurant closed and I drifted away from the comic book craze, but when I saw that a new comic store had opened in my old neighborhood, I knew I had to make a stop.  My first couple of trips were just for looking, but then I eventually bought a car model kit for my grandson.  

Joe Miller, owner and operator of the "Comic Store"

And then, today, I finally got a chance to meet Joe, the personable owner.  Found out that Joe lived a few blocks from my childhood home while growing up, but being that we lived in different school districts and were eight years different in age, never met.  Joe led a storied life, having gone to Iran in the mid-1970s with his wife where he taught Jr. High level in an English-speaking school while his wife taught younger children.  Eventually, in early 1979, when Ayatollah Khomeini took control of the country, Joe and his wife returned to the States and after a few years of social work, bought the "Comic Store" in 1985.  Had a few different locations until in 1989 they moved to their current location at 28 McGovern Ave. in Station Square, Lancaster, PA.  

"Pop" miniatures are a big seller

The store is very interesting with something for just about everyone.  Comic books are naturally the featured item, but they also have t-shirts, posters, role playing games, dice, miniatures, maps, science fiction items, baseball and other trading cards, models and "Pop" which are miniature figurines that seem to be a current fad.  

Variety of items for sale in the "Comic Store"

Well, we talked for some time about comics, past and present, and then I just had to ask him the question that I'm sure had been asked many times before: "What effect has the show 'The Big Bang Theory' had on your business?" I asked.  Seems that females are more apt to make a visit to the "Comic Store" than in the past because of the acceptance of the "Comic Center", run by Stuart, in the TV show.  And, women are more apt to buy 1st edition comics and favor Wonder Woman as their super hero.  

"Fubar - War of the Roses" comic book which
Joe gave me a copy.  Very interesting and well
done, but not the comic book of my youth.

A few weeks ago there appeared a story in the local paper about the "Comic Store" commissioning a local artist, Jeff McComsey, to come up with a comic book about the War of the Roses (Lancaster being the Red Rose City and nearby York being the White Rose City) in which the Houses of Lancaster and York are embroiled in a 30-year war.  They requested he zombify the battle in the new comic book.  I asked about the new comic book and before I knew it Joe had given me my own first printing of the new comic.  After a few photos, I thanked Joe for his hospitality and headed to the car, wishing that maybe I had saved some of my old comic books instead of getting rid of them years ago.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.