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| Anna Gibowicz |
What nicer person to interview this Mother's Day weekend than my own mother, Mrs. Anna Gibowicz of 47 South Railroad Avenue.
Mother was born in Shenandoah but moved to Frackville as a young bride. She has lived here fifty-two years.
Our house was built by Mr. Wonn, then sold to the Rupert family, and then to my mother and dad in 1923.
They were very happy to buy this particular house because it was one of the few houses that had an open stairway, a bathroom, steam heat, and a garage!!
She remembers getting her first permanent wave with electric rods attached to her hair from Miss Zetuski who was one of the first beauticians in town. This beauty shop was located in the Zetuski Building which was later known as the Berkshire Building.
Our family doctor was Dr. Berk who had his offices at 1 North Nice Street. Dr. Thomas Hale had his offices there later, and it is presently occupied by Dr. Leon Meyers and family.
Mother told me about our first car which was a Hudson with celluloid flap windows that snapped shut. Our second car was a beautiful black Essex. This is the car I remember.
On special Sunday afternoons dad would treat us to a ride down to Schuylkill Haven to get an ice cream cone and to see the " Indian Rock." He was so proud our car could go 25 miles an hour!! The irony of this story is I now drive each day to the Schuylkill Campus and pass this very same Indian Rock!
My father, Joseph Gibowicz, was born in Poland and came to America as a young man. He was a citizen of this country only a short time when he was called to the service in World War I. He was proud to serve for two years in the U.S. Army even though he could not speak English fluently.
Mother reminisced how dad used chains on four tires of his car when we went to visit relatives because the snow was so deep.
She talked about the Polish Day picnics which were held the first Sunday in August each year at Lakeside Park. It was a day of fun, laughter, Polish food and music. It was a reunion of all people of Polish nationality in the County. Children saved their money all summer so that they could enjoy the rides in the park.
Father was a contract miner with his partner and friend, George Nielubowicz, at Draper Colliery. A tragic accident occurred when both men were working side by side when a rush of coal fell and killed his partner. This was the most tragic event in my father's mining days.
My father passed away, a victim of miners asthma, when I was seven years old. Mother remembers how nice the people in town were to her at that time.
Gus Heine was Commander-in-Chief of the American Legion and heard of my father's death and, knowing that he was a veteran but not a member of the Legion, he offered to give my father a military funeral with guard of honor and an American Flag to be draped over his coffin.
He helped my mother during this very trying time, and she has never forgotten him. She presented the flag to Rev. S. J. Garstka of St. Ann's Church, and for many years it stood within the altar next to the flag of Poland.