On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

A friend of mine, Jeanette, who reads this column, recently gave me one of her prized possessions to look at. It was her Somerville High School basketball team scrapbook from the early 1950’s.

It is full of yellowed newspaper clippings of those glory days when Somerville dominated the region and enjoyed many Tech Tourney victories. There are numerous photos of the infamous Perry brothers including Walter, Ronnie and Alfred. There are also great shots of my former Western Junior High School gym teacher, hoops superstar John (Johnny) Nunziato. Also pictured were Leo Cronin, Roy Peterson, Bill Fasciano, Joe O’Callaghan, and John Sussenberger. Great Somerville names!

My gym teacher from Somerville High School, Mr. Vin Cronin is also in a lot of the photos because he was the team’s coach. The photos of the cheerleaders really struck me too. The pom-pom gals back then wore uniforms that were long sleeved and very conservative compared to today’s.

The basketball team was so popular that after one winning season, three Somerville theaters showed highlights of the Tech Tourney wins. As I was looking at all these great pictures and stories about victory after exciting victory, I couldn’t pass up the chance to share some of the interesting classified ads and TV listings that were in the newspapers of the day.

First of all, the television listings were few and far between. Maybe that is because there were only two stations in 1950 (kids today would freak out!). The stations were WBZ channel 4, and WNAC, channel 7. Here are some of the shows Somervillians were watching: Shopping with Louse Morgan, Fireside Theatre, Stage Door, Kukla Fran and Ollie, Howdy Doody, Hoss Opry Playhouse, Small Fry Club, Original Amateur Hour, and The Life of Riley. Shawmut Bank sponsored the news and weather and there were many song hits shows. The top songs from 1950 were Mona Lisa, Goodnight Irene, Music, Music, Music, and Harbor Lights.

The classified ads that appeared in the paper were pretty interesting too. Here are a few: There were two music schools offering instruction to the aspiring musicians of Somerville. One was Frank P. Baker on Holland St., and the other was Henri Butler on Hall Ave. Butler’s phone number was SO-6-7645. One ad featured a store for rent. The cost was a whopping $35 a month! White Sewing Machine Repair Company located at 73 Holland St. would come to your house and “oil and adjust” your sewing machine for one dollar. The Singer Sewing Machine Company at 243A Elm St. sold “electrified” sewing machines for $17.00.

If you needed a new refrigerator, Bay State Appliance and Refrigerator at 93 Holland St. would come and take your old fridge as a down payment. Louis W. Goodrich and John H. Driscoll were electricians offering their services, and if you needed bookkeeping help, R.N. Peak was your man. For insurance, notary services or appraisals, Harry Van Iderstine was in Union Square for your convenience. For home renovations specializing in “masonite tile”, P. J. Fenochetti on Cherry St could handle the job. For roofs, it was Hiltz and Sons. If it was plumbing and heating help you required, you could call R.W. McMillan. For siding, gutters and windows, J. A. Bergeron was your man. Do any of these names ring a bell? Some do for me.

Ah,the good old days of Somerville. Don’t you wish you could go back to 1950 and just take a walk through Union or Davis