Graduation from Washington High School

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Subject: Norma Elsbeth Waswo(age 19).

Date: 1940.

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Occasion: High School Graduation.

Photographer: Unknown.

Relationship to me: Mother.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me.

This was my mother's high school graduation picture from Washington High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you an astute observer, you will see that she graduated at age 19. If you remember from earlier posts, my grandmother pulled my mother from her senior year of high school to work the family grocery store while my grandfather was on his deathbed. My mother always resented this, especially having to graduate a year after her class. Grandmother did not take Norma's brother George out of school. Even in the 1930's and 1940's, the male in the family was considered more worth.  My grandmother wanted George to be a MD and my mother a school teacher. Neither, pursued these careers. George started college and never finished, and Norma never did have the chance to attend college. With grandfather gone, upon graduation from high school Norma joined the work force.

Best Friends

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Subjects: Steve Holasek and Joseph Frank Forrai(age 27).
Date: 1940.
Location: Cudahy, Wisconsin.
Occasion: Unknown.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Father.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me.

This is a photograph that I have of my father and his best friend, Steve Holasek in their adulthood. My father looks a lot happier as an adult then he did as a teenager. They remained friends throughout their entire lives. My dad told the story that Steve's dad was a moonshiner during prohibition. He eventually got caught, and was jailed. This put an economic hardship on Steve and his mother.

The Holaseks did have more money than my father's family. While my father longed to attend and graduate from college, this dream never did come true. Steve, on the other hand, attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison and obtained a Bachelor's degree. I remembered that Steve was married, but I believe they had no children. When I graduated from High School, Steve provided me with a very generous gift that help pay for my college education. Perhaps in a way he felt bad that he was able to attend college, but his best friend never had the chance.

In response to Karen's comment:

Steve Holasek was born July 13, 1913, and passed away in September 1987, 12 years before my father passed away. Steve's life had plenty of ups and downs. He was married and divorced. I remember him as a young adult living in a trailer park because he lost most of his fortune in the divorce. He would visit my father often, and I remember him having dinner with my folks and going out to eat with them.

Joseph Frank Forrai, The Photographer.

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Subject: Joseph Frank Forrai(age 26).
Date: 1939.
Location: Cudahy, Wisconsin.
Occasion: The Photographer.
Photographer: Al Paskowicz.
Relationship to me: Father.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me.

For those of you who knew my father, you will always remember him having a camera in his hand. Photography was his favorite hobby. I think now with digital photography, he would be completely amazed.

Most of you reading this will probably have no idea of what my father is holding in his hand. If you guess camera, you are completely wrong. I will post the answer at the bottom of the page. My dad not only photographed, but also developed his pictures. In the house where I grew up, there was the darkroom designed and built by my father to his strict specifications. I can remember spending many hours observing as well as assisting my father in the making of prints. He preferred black and white, as color photographs manually is quite a labor and time consuming process.

In this photograph is a photometer to determine the light level of the room and subject. On the meter is a 'slide rule' that helped you decide what f-stop and aperture to use. What you take for granted in your digital camera, at one time you had to use your mind and hands to set the camera to obtain the best possible photograph. Photography was more of an art than a science.

My Uncle Al Paskowicz also shared the passion for photography, so my father had an ally for his passion.

Joseph Frank Forrai

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Subjects: Joseph Frank Forrai(age 26).
Date: 1939.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Occasion: Out for a swim.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Father.

Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. This is a photograph from the album made for me.
 
I remember this photograph from my childhood. My father was quite the swimmer in his 20's. He would relate how he would swim in Lake Michigan from Bradford Beach out to the break water. The distance out was 1 mile, so round trip was 2 miles. Regardless of the time of year, Lake Michigan rarely warms more than 65 degrees. It always was too cold for me. I am still amazed that my father could tolerate such cold water for an extended period of time.
 
My father was also a swim instructor at a local pool. He would tell stories about his weekly  swim classes. They separated the males from the females, and he was the instructor for the males.
 
My mother always found it amusing, that all these stories of such a great swimmer, and he never taught his sons how to swim. I attended swim lessons as a young boy and was terrified. It wasn't until college that I took a swim class and actually learn to swim.