Hello, Central High School Classmates by Mike Baldridge

It is Sunday morning and I am sitting here watching “Sunday Morning” on CBS. There was a story about the “Clock Tower” shooting in Austin, TX, which took place fifty years ago; we were seniors in high school. I do remember that event, but had let it slip to the back of my mind.

This brought me back to other personal memories that will last forever; moving off the farm near Northville, SD, to the big city of Aberdeen (1957); getting to know my new neighbors, Carole Tonigan, Daralin Nelson, David Moen, Gary Carlson; beginning Sophomore year at Central and seeing Jan Gesinger in chorus class; hanging out at the Melgaard Park concession stand while Jan worked there for the owners (Terry Gesinger and Tom Daschle); later that summer, my first kiss with Jan; working at the Orpheum Theater; joining the US Navy; Wedding day in Pensacola, FL, with my lifelong sweetheart; going to Viet Nam, and coming home; the birth of our two sons, Chad and Todd; and many more.

Mike Baldridge: U.S.Navy in Vietnam

 
In 1974, I was hired by the Federal Aviation Administration, as an Air Traffic Controller. I was trained as a controller in the Navy and this led me in that direction. It was a terrific career, with many more personal memories. This flashback series of memories, spurred on by the “Clock Tower” story, brought me back to a historical event that many of you know about, but probably don’t think about. 

This past Wednesday, August 3rd, was the 35th anniversary of the Air Traffic Controller strike. A short time after that day in 1981, President Reagan fired 11,000 + controllers, and busted the Union known as the Professional Air Traffic Controller Organization (PATCO). This was a major event in US labor management history.

At the time, I was the Manager at Foss Field Air Traffic Control Tower, in Sioux Falls, SD. As a manager, I did not have to make a choice as to whether to strike, or not. I still do not know what choice I would have made, had I been a controller. We as managers across the nation, rose to the situation and developed a very strong camaraderie. We resolved to make it all work, even though the vast majority of our workforce was gone. With the full support of the aviation industry, and our dedicated managers/supervisor’s/staff, the air traffic system was restored. It took a number of years to build back to a normal workforce of 14,000 + controllers, but the system never faltered. 

At Foss Field we had 14 controllers, two supervisors and myself. All 14 controllers went on strike. I choose to believe that that was not a result of my management style, it was just the emotional challenge that the controllers were going through with their Union. The two supervisors, Ed Formiller and Dick Neish, and I, were able to keep the control tower open and conducted air traffic operations for a month until others arrived to help us out.

Mike Baldridge 1966

When the Federal Government advertised to hire controllers, over 250,000 people applied for the more than eleven thousand controller positions. The interesting part of this long term hiring process was the dynamic change that took place in our workforce. Prior to the strike, our workforce was predominately male and former military. After the strike, the workforce became a mix of male and female, college educated, and some former military. This dynamic change created a challenge for our managers and supervisors; change from a military management style to a more human relations oriented style. Yes, this was an interesting time in US history, and in my personal career. 

Jan Gesinger 1966

Twenty years later “9/11” happened. I was the manager of all NM and West TX Control Towers and Radar Approach Control facilities. On that day I witnessed all airborne traffic, evacuate the sky and land at the nearest major airport. Thousands of aircraft were controlled to their landings, within 75 minutes of the order to proceed to the nearest major airport. This orderly transition was another first in US history, and another significant memory of my career.

Jan and Mike: 45th CHS Reunion

Throughout my 33 years in the air traffic control industry, Jan and I moved to many different locations. Jan was an X-ray Technologist and was able to continue her career wherever we lived. We retired to Surprise, AZ in 2003, and enjoy our life in the active adult community of Sun City Grand. I started a new career as a REALTOR, in 2004, and am creating a whole new set of memories. Those stories will be for another blog after I have retired again.

A VISIT TO ABERDEEN ON DECEMBER 5, 1935

"Looking Back, Vol. II" by Sue Gates)

Life in Aberdeen in 1935 was much the same as it is today. Residents shopped, enjoyed a variety of entertainment offerings, and searched for housing and jobs. They could find all the information they needed

to plan their schedules in the local newspaper, which they received by home delivery each evening and Sunday morning for $6 annually. Here is a look at some of the news on Dec. 5, 1935.

A small notation on the front page of the Thursday, December 5, 1935, issue of The Aberdeen Evening News reminded residents that there were only sixteen shopping days until Christmas. Yes, the math is correct; stores were not open seven days a week back then.

 
Advertisements within the paper listed many gift ideas for those who had not yet completed their holiday shopping. At Sudow’s, a women’s clothing store, a fur-trimmed winter coat was on sale for $12.95 (reduced from $19.75-$22.50); and a wool sweater, a pair of leather gloves, or a satin pajama and robe set were only $1.98 each.

Those shopping for children’s gifts could find bargains at the Gamble Store where a set of aluminum doll dishes was only 79 cents. A Union Pacific windup train set with 103 inches of track was also available for 79 cents.

Weekend specials at the McDiarmid-Slater Grocery Store included two cans of Libby fancy pumpkin for 25 cents, three cans of Libby tomato juice for 25 cents, a five-pound pail of fresh honey for 49 cents, hamburger 10 cents a pound, lutefisk just 8 cents a pound, and beef short ribs 9 ½ cents a pound.

Area entertainment schedules were very busy prior to the holidays. Several dances were planned for the upcoming days. Carter’s Hall was featuring a Blue Ribbon Club Party Dance on Thursday evening, and Wally Erickson and his 11-piece orchestra would be providing dance music at the Trianon on Saturday evening. Friday night dancing scheduled at Savo Hall featured music by the Rainbow Kids.

For those preferring movies to dancing, the Orpheum was showing Black Fury starring Paul Muni; tickets were 15 cents each. The Capitol was showing Bright Lights starring Joe E. Brown. Grand Exit was at the Lyric while In Old Santa Fe was at the Time. The Man from Gun Town was playing at the Majestic.

Two homes were listed for sale in the want ad section. One was a five-room bungalow with a full basement, hot water heat and a garage on paved road available for $2,750; the other, an eight-room house on pavement with hot water heat in southeast Aberdeen, was priced at $1,850. Ten rental homes were listed with monthly payments from $12.50 to $40.

Gene Autry Visits The Orpheum Theater

In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, Hollywood western action heroes such as Roy Rogers, Rex Allen, Tex Ritter, and Gene Autry made personal appearances before their young fans at small town movie theaters across the U.S.  This was true at the Orpheum Theatre in Aberdeen on Saturday mornings.   The picture with Gene Autry and Mike Guttmann was taken sometime between 1947 and 1953.  Thanks to Paul Guttmann Solomon, we get to recall this interesting story.  Paul remembers that local dairies sponsored these visits and children were encouraged to collect as many milk carton tops as possible.   He also recalls that one of these stars rode his famous horse across the stage of the Orpheum Theater!  Could that be Trigger or Champion?
 
Paul welcomes hearing from classmates who also recall those Saturday mornings.  What years did those appearances take place, which stars do you recall seeing, and what other memories about these cowboy stars can you share?  

Please share your memories by posting below:

Rory King Remembers the Orpheum Theatre

By Rory King        Email Post 

I have some great memories of the Orpheum theatre.  I grew up about two blocks away, on Kline Street (right across the street from Roosevelt School—where Miss Mortrude tried to teach kindergarten to quite a few of us terrorists!).   

In addition to the wonderful movies (I never missed an Audie Murphy movie—he was the Congressional Metal of Honor winner who became a movie star and starred in his own biographical story, “To Hell and Back”), the Orpheum had the best buttered popcorn in town.  

My Dad would give me an extra dime if I would walk down to the theatre and buy him a box and walk it back home.  One night, I strolled in to the house and handed him an empty box.  I had tucked the box under my arm, munching on the box of milk duds my dime had purchased, and the box had come open and all the popcorn spilled out on my way home.  Shades of Hantzel and Gretl! 

When our community theatre group was looking for a new home, we really wanted to purchase the Orpheum.  Both the stage and the house were better suited for community theatre.  We just couldn’t get the job done, and the Orpheum was sold and torn down.  We then settled on the Capitol, and were able to raise the money and launch the remodeling project.

There was also a question asked about our first “kiss.”  No, it wasn’t in the balcony of either the Orpheum or the Capitol! My first kiss was a stage kiss—Dianne Evenson (Rest in Peace) in “Wonderful Town” at the Civic Theatre—where, incidentally, I also smoked my first cigarette-- in Tennessee  Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie.”  Like Bill Clinton, I didn’t inhale!   Theatre can give rise to all sort of vices! 

Rory King.

Remembering Going To The Theater in 1966?

Aberdeen had many great theaters one could attend, including the Capitol, the Orpheum, the Lyric, and the World.  Unfortunately, they have gone away except the Capitol remains on Main Street, as strong as ever.  Who can forget Paul Guttmann Solomon’s father, Michael Guttmann, running the Orpheum Theater and Mike Baldridge was a fixture there as an Usher.  Let’s ask Mike Baldridge to share his memories from the Orpheum with us!

Orpheum Theater

Lyric Theater

Capitol Theater

Michael Guttmann

Mike Baldridge