OUR NEIGHBORHOOD THE WAY IT WAS

This 1922 photo was taken during reader Mabel Lawler's visit with Santa at Batterman's department store in Brooklyn. As we have seen over the years, a submission by one reader can spur others to write a letter or send an email. This week, we a few such contributions to share.

In the "Our Neighborhood" column that appeared in the Oct. 2, 2008 issue of this newspaper, we presented a letter from Barbara Schmitt Py of Sewell, N.J., a former resident of our neighborhood.

In her letter, Mrs. Py shared her remembrances of Christmastime in Ridgewood during the 1940s. Among them was an account of the time she and her younger brother—at ages 8 and 5, respectively—had been photographed with Santa Claus at the W.T. Grant's five-and-dime store on Myrtle Avenue.

While the holiday decorations for 2008 were packed away weeks ago, we do have a nice letter from reader Mabel Lawler (nee Von Hugel) of Howard Beach that our readers— especially those who cannot get enough of Christmas—should enjoy. Her own visit with a department store Santa preceded Mrs. Py's by two decades.

As a child, Mabel Lawler was more at ease standing on the running board of her father's auto than sitting atop a department store reindeer. Mrs Lawler writes: "You inspired me with the Christmas story in the Oct. 2 issue of the Times Newsweekly.

"I was born on Mar. 3, 1918. I lived in Ridgewood at 1924 Himrod St. in a cold-water flat, upstairs. We had a so-called 'front room' where we put up our Christmas tree with real lit candles in little tin clip-on holders to put on the tree. The room was closed off, so to see our tree we had to put on our coats, it was so cold in that room.

"My one and only Santa Claus at that time was at Batterman's at Broadway and Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn.

"I am enclosing a photo of me (at age 4) and Santa.

"If we had company visit on a Sunday afternoon, we lit gas heaters to heat up the room. We kept our coats on until the room warmed up.

"Our fridge was a window box that hung outside the kitchen window used in winter.

"The bathroom—rather, the toilet closet—had a bowl with a pull chain and water tank on top, no sink, tubs or anything. We had to use galvanized double sinks in the kitchen to wash up, bathe or whatever.

"A big coal stove was in the kitchen for cooking and keeping warm, along with a day bed for rest between cooking, etc. When we took out ashes, we picked out unburned pieces of coal and put them back in the stove."

Old Timer's note—In looking at photos of children posed with Santa, it's common for people to comment on the appearance of the person representing the North Pole's bestknown resident. We will leave it to our readers to decide what they think of the Santa in Mrs. Lawler's photo from 1922. She has admitted that at the time, she was "scared stiff."

We also have a 1921 photo of her looking much happier as a child, standing on the running board of the car that belonged to her father, who was an auto mechanic. The family moved to Springfield Gardens a few years later.

As for using "real lit candles" on a Christmas tree inside a home, it may have made for a pretty sight many years ago, but we doubt that any firefighter would recommend the practice.

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The "Our Neighborhood" column that appeared in the Oct. 30, 2008 issue of this newspaper focused on some of the bake shops, such as Menninger's on Myrtle Avenue, that once operated in the Ridgewood/Bushwick area. Remembrances were provided by two former neighborhood residents, William Metzelaar of Ocala, Fla. and Art Holmes of Milanville, Pa., whose parents had owned a bakery on Knickerbocker Avenue at Woodbine Street.

We subsequently received some comments via e-mail from reader Fred Moehring, who resides in Glendale and is a member of the Farmers Oval Civic Association.

In his message, Mr. Moehring states: "When I was born in 1935, my parents owned a bakery at 2027 Gates Ave., at the corner of Fairview Avenue.

"The telephone company was in the building diagonally across the street.

"My mother told me that when I used to be outside in my carriage, the ladies from the phone company used to come across for coffee and cake and talk to me in the carriage.

"When I got a little older, I used to go into the Gottscheer Club House and the bartender would give me pretzels off the bar. I also went to a delicatessan on Gates and Grandview avenues and used to get American cheese which my mother was eventually charged for.

"We were in the bakery until 1941 when the bakery was sold and we moved to Cypress Hills.

"On later trips to the old neighborhood, we saw that it had been converted to an apartment or apartments.

"My dad then worked in the Oxford Bake Shop on 104th Street in Ozone Park until he retired in 1969."

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We also received an e-mail from Peter Koch, a former resident of our neighborhood, who now resides in Dobbs Ferry in Westchester County.

In his e-mail, Mr. Koch states: "I read your article [on bake shops] with great interest. I 'know' Mr. Metzelaar from a fansite called 'Bushwick Buddies.'

"For some reason, I am drawing a blank on Menninger's, although I lived nearby, from 1955 to 1991, on Cornelia Street between Wyckoff and Cypress avenues.

"I do remember Stahl's, on Putnam Avenue near its southeast corner with Myrtle Avenue, next door to where Carl's Army and Navy clothing store used to be. My parents used to get me their mocha layer cake every year for my birthday, up until around 1983 or whenever Stahl's closed.

"I also remember Rudy's Konditorei on the northeast side of Seneca Avenue between Catalpa and Myrtle avenues, between Ridgewood Eats (formerly the Bank restaurant) and a Chinese restaurant. I think Rudy's is still there.

Regarding Art Holmes' recollections, which I enjoyed also, I would refer to Knickerbocker Avenue between Woodbine and Decatur streets as Bushwick, rather than Ridgewood.

"I very much enjoyed your 100- year anniversary issue and showed it to my father, who enjoyed it also. It brought back many fond memories. I especially liked that photo of Urdang's Ladies Wear store. I remember it well."

Old Timer's note—Rudy's Pastry Shop remains an active business at 905 Seneca Ave.

For those who may not remember Urdang's, the clothing store and specialty shop was located at 56-38 Myrtle Ave.

If you have any remembrances or comments that you would like to share with our readers, write to the Old Timer, c/o Times Newsweekly, P.O. Box 860299, Ridgewood, NY 11386-0299.

To send a submission via e-mail, our e-mail address is Old Timer@timesnewsweekly.com.