The Great Allentown Fair

The Morning Call website is hosting an archive of Fair Pictures from over the years. Being a fan both of fair pictures and black and white photography, looking at the 111 photos presented was a treat.

The photo shown above, which I will get back to, reminded me of one of my unique fair experiences. In previous posts, I have discussed that both my father and myself had stands at the fair. While my father learned that you couldn't sell hotdogs near Yocco's, I learned that drunks leaving the beer garden loved to buy printed T-shirts.

But today's post has to with George Kistler, long time City Clerk during the 1950's and 60's. George loved the fair, and loved sharing his fascination with a large group of people. I was fortunate enough to be invited several times. The routine was always the same; Dinner at a local stand on the eastern side of the fairgrounds, followed by the wrestling show. I remember photographing Andre The Giant.

The Morning Call fair picture above is none other than Jim "Super Fly" Snuka, who was recently back in Allentown, for a most regrettable reason.

MOLOVINSKY UNIVERSITY
A presentation, summary and discussion of a circa 1930 map of Allentown's business district, showing the leading merchants of that era.

The session will be held at the Coffee Shop Without Limits, located at the Alternative Gallery, on 4th Street, just north of Tilghman.

The short session will begin at 2:00 pm this coming Wednesday, September 7th.

Fly Me To The Moon From The Lehigh Valley Airport

Believe it or not,  I'm trying to become less acidic in my criticism of public officials, both elected and appointed.  While the elected ones have been submitted to some public scrutiny,  the appointed ones are usually the wrong people in the right place.  Among the most useless of the boards may be the Airport Authority.  While just bailing themselves out from a two decade mistake,  they embark on another unjustified expansion.

If the local airport has any advantage, it is that it is easy.  While it's essentially expensive flights to nowhere,  at least it's easy.  When you enter the arriving baggage area, the car rental desks are right there.  If you want a cab,  merely go through the doors and look left.  I suppose all that was too convenient, because the LVIA will now build a separate Transportation Hub.

If this seems like just another unnecessary fix to something that isn't broken, it gets worse.  Several months ago,  I questioned one of the most informed authority members about this proposal,  and he knew nothing about it.

Molovinsky University

I own several historical maps of Allentown. In the first session of Molovinsky University, we discussed a map of the former railroad spur routes throughout Allentown. The second session will analyze a map of center city merchants. Although the map is undated, I estimate it harks back to the very late 1920's, or very early 1930's. City Hall and the police are still located on Linden Street, and the art deco Post Office has yet to be built. The number streets, as is Linden Street, is packed with merchants of all types. Dating this map will be exercise for all Allentown history buffs. This upcoming session, as was the first, will be held at the coffee shop off 4th and Tilghman, again at an inconvenient time to limit participation. I like history, people, not so much...

Place: The Coffee House Without  Limits, Located at the Alternative Gallery, Northeast corner of 4th and Tilghman Streets.

Date & Time:  Wednesday September 7th,  at 2:00 pm

Bonus Friday;  A second post, on the Lehigh Valley Airport, will appear at 11:30 AM today.

Taxing Allentown's Arena

A headline in Monday's Morning Call lamented that taxpayers spent $84K challenging the Arena Authority for more school taxes.  Sy Traub, the Authority chairman, commented,  They wasted our money and theirs. Very frustrating.  Personally, I was frustrated that the school district decided against appealing the decision. I was further frustrated that the arena legislation was amended to codify the arena's position.

The legislation was not written on a mountain, and chiseled into a stone tablet to guide mankind forever more. It is imperative that such laws be tested, and submitted to reasonable scrutiny.

The Mighty Atom

Years ago, at the Allentown Fair, as one would push through a sea of carney delusion, tucked back by the 4H animals, was an island of reality. There, in an old battered truck, an ancient Jewish strongman performed incredible feats of strength, to sell only homemade kosher soap. Standing on a platform on the rear of his truck, flanked by photographs from his performing youth, he would bent horse shoes and bite through nails. Many years earlier, my mother as a little girl in Bethlehem, saw him pull a truck uphill with his hair. Even as an old man, like a reincarnation of Samson, his grey hair was still long.
In the summers of 1964 and 1965, myself and a friend,(Fred Schoenk, retired Allentown art teacher) made and sold printed tee-shirts at the fair. We had the honor to know Joseph Greenstein(The Mighty Atom) and his wife. For those interested, there are various articles on the Mighty Atom and even at least one book. Enjoy the fair!

reprinted every year since 2007

A Crime Against Allentown's Treasure

Readers of this blog know that I was very offended that the Wildlands Conservancy demolished the small dam by the bridge at Robin Hood, in Lehigh Parkway.  To add insult to injury, they piled the smashed dam ruble around the stone piers of the bridge.  While previously the stone piers rose majestically of the water, they were now surrounded by ruble.  That ruble has now accumulated silt, and tall weeds and brush now grow around the piers.  Furthermore, this accumulation has now completely blocked off the flow of water from under one side the bridge.

I call upon the Allentown Park Director to insist that the Wildlands  remove this ruble at their expense.    They were, unfortunately, given permission to remove the dam, but they were never authorized to depreciate the bridge or stream in such a way.

The banks of the stream are so overgrown by the bridge, that the creek can no longer be seen.  The WPA water fountain that sits on the edge of the weed barrier is a reminder of how beautiful the park used to be.  Robin Hood is really a disgusting mess now,  and this blog will tolerate no environmental rationalizations as an excuse for the abuse of this former treasure.

When the classic postcard shown above was made,  the stream bank provided both access and view to enjoy the Little Lehigh.  

Charter Schools, Educators or Tenants?

I received a call from promoter and underground videographer Imantrek.  He is upset about the Morning Call's contention that they do not know who paid for the controversial mailer about drugs at Liberty High, despite that their associated Tribune Direct Mail produced the piece.  My hunch is that they're protecting that divisions privacy policy.  Although, I find that internal Morning Call situation mildly interesting, another aspect of this story interests me more.

As this controversy surrounding the Innovative Arts Academy newspaper ad and mailer developed, one common denominator with several other charter schools is the landlord,  Abe Atiyeh.  Atiyeh has not only been the landlord, but is active in getting these charter schools approved.  As taxpayers,  we would like to think that these schools are educationally innovative, and providing a unique learning opportunity, not available in the public schools,  which fund the charter schools within their district.  It is becoming more and more apparent to this blogger that the schools are designed first and foremost as tenants, or real estate business opportunities.

Charter schools have become fashionable, as public schools are perceived as dysfunctional victims of urban poverty.   School systems are now more inclined to approve charter school applications,  with Harrisburg's tendency to go over the head of local school boards anyway, and grant approval.

In reality, many parents looking for a better educational option for their children, may be sending their child to an under-equipped alternative.

Allentown's State Of The Arts

Today, in the Morning Call, a member of the Art Museum's Auxiliary asks the reporter to spread the word about the museum. The museum recently added an addition. Across the street, the Arts Park extends past the Baum Art School, to the rear of Symphony Hall. Then, across 6th Street, the Arts Walk has been extended through J.B. Reilly's Strata Village, to 7th Street. There is even a steel archway announcing the artiness of it all, by the former Shula's Steak House. With art this, and art that, why does the museum need a plug in the Morning Call? In Allentown, there's a large gap between the hype and the reality.

In reality, the city is allowing J.B. Reilly to smash Symphony Hall in the knees, by using its parking lot for a new apartment building. The lot is actually owned by the Allentown Parking Authority, which is supposed to act for the betterment of Allentown and its residents, not a private business interest. About 25 years ago, I went to see the late B.B. King perform at Symphony Hall. Today, with the competition from the Sands and Steel Stacks, and another half a dozen places, I doubt if Symphony Hall would attract such an act. Apparently, the power structure in Allentown also finds the old theatre expendable. There is a message in that for the Art Museum;  Business before art.