I don't recall ever doing any activity that wasn't somehow connected with the church. I don't know if folks were really any more spiritual than they are today it is just... that was the culture of the times. EVERYONE belonged to a Protestant church, a Catholic parish or a Jewish synagogue. And all our activities were around the church. As a little kid I don't think I was even aware that there were any other faiths beyond Christianity and Judaism. You not only went to your particular church on Sunday (or Saturday if you were Jewish) but you belonged to church social groups, played on church sport leagues, attended church sponsored clubs and activities etc. As a kid I do not remember there being "megachurches" like there are now. Instead it seemed that almost every square mile there was a small local neighborhood church
School lasted until the end of June in Chicago. We could not wait for school to end and summer vacation to begin. The summers however could be long and hot and I am sure, just as my kids did, I and my siblings bothered Mom with "what can we do?". My mom got a great idea. She signed me up for various Vacation Bible schools. A friend of Mom's was the pastors wife of a Covenant church a few blocks south of us. I went to Vacation Bible school there. Two good friends lived across the street from the Methodist church a few blocks west of us. I went to Vacation Bible School there. Our own Evangelical Bible church, a short car ride away, also had Vacation Bible School and of course I went there also. One year I even went to a Lutheran Vacation Bible School! Mom was probably okay with that since all her relatives back on Norway were Lutheran. Mom warned me though not to get any "liberal crazy" ideas. "You know the Lutherans, they think they can live it up and enjoy the world and still go to heaven." Sounded like a good plan to me.
Actually all the Vacation Bible schools were about the same. For a week we had somewhere to go and play games, sing songs, drink "bug juice", eat home-made cookies, make projects and listen to flannel board Bible stories. I especially loved the craft-time. Coloring, cutting and pasting a Bible story based project that went home to sit proudly on top of our piano. Or give to grandma...she loved that stuff.
Once we moved to the suburbs in the 60's there was the park pool and swimming lessons, sports teams, summer school, music lessons etc. all for a price. But in Chicago in 1958? There was Vacation Bible School. It was fun, all the Protestant neighborhood kids were there.... and it was free.
Good memories,
Good memories,
