Volume 10 , Issue 18

Memories of Downtown Alva, OK

"There was a grocery store on Barnes Avenue on the south side and it was owned by the Magnuson family. It was right cross the street from our Lynn's Restaurant and a bit west of Monforts. There were two other grocers, both on Flynn Street, I believe, Safeway and a tiny individual owned store not too far up - down the street. May have been in the building that became the Golden Krust Pastry Shop.

I went to see The Thing at the Ritz Theatre and had to walk home on that dark night. I lived on Davis Street south of the college. I stayed for all the movie. Probably A.J. Wood accompanied me to the showing as we went mostly everywhere together. Walking across that campus and athletic field was pretty frightening, so I whistled all the way and of course nothing can get you if you are whistling. I did increase my footspeed by increments all the way from the Ritz to 1421 Davis Street.

We had open lunch at Alva High and the school cafeteria was at Washington school. Some of us would rush through lunch at the cafeteria and head off to Brands Sporting Goods for a game of snooker before going back to classes. Our favorite treat at Brands was a Pepsi with a sack of Planters peanuts poured in on top.

Things change. One fine Spring day Austin Traverse and I decided at lunch that we would like to go fishing. Mr. Geis, the superintendent, was taking Mr. Korn's place for the day and occupied the principal's office. Austin and I dropped in on the Superinendent and told him that we would like to skip classes and go fishing. He said, "Sounds like a good idea to me. You have my permission to go." We did! I don't remember if we caught fish, but we surely loved the superintendent after that." -- Jerry Crenshaw
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