Allen Thrower

In early August 1950 we moved to Bridgman, Michigan where we we lived in our 8′ X 26′ mobile home. It was parked on property owned by Clarence C. Croft, on the edge of his private but defunct airfield. His airplanes were still in the hangar except for one that was out in the weather. But, that’s another story. Bridgman was just a mile east of Lake Michigan, and about fifteen miles from the southern tip of the 400-mile long lake.

Mr. Croft lived in a 28-room house all year long, farming all his land. In the summer his wife and two children were there, but during the school year they lived in Fremont, Nebraska where Mrs. Croft was a school teacher. She and the two teenagers were excellent musicians, Mrs. Croft on piano; the son was my age and about my ability on clarinet, and the older daughter on flute and piano. I liked and appreciated every member of that family very much; and, they all befriended me. They were all well educated people, and were very nice. Also, they were generous with everybody I saw them in contact with. The names of their children are on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t spit them out. The Crofts seemed to be a happy family, always enjoying life with one another. But, I never learned how Fremont, Nebraska fit into their lives.

One day, after hearing her son and I playing clarinet together, Mrs. Croft invited me to perform at some dinner at a private club on a pier out on Lake Michigan. I don’t know what the occasion was, but it was for a lot of very wealthy people. Mrs. Croft was to accompany me on the piano, but we never got a chance to practice together; so, I performed unaccompanied. I played a number called “In the North; In the South.” It was a difficult piece of music, and I was really surprised at the enthusiastic response of the patrons.

Somehow the Crofts determined that Peggy and I were two of the most polite young people they had ever known, and told us so. I think we were just shy. Nevertheless, they invited us to accompany them for a day at “Deer Forest” where the deer were so tame they would eat out of our hands. Food for the deer was available in little machines that accepted a dime for a large handful of food. It was an enchanting day for me. A pleasant day to remember. The Crofts brought a picnic lunch from home, which was quite elegant. The meat was fried chicken, and their fried chicken was boiled before frying. It is some of the best fried chicken in my entire memory. I’m not sure, but I think Mother and Pop were with us that day, too.

How could I ever forget people who treated me as the Crofts did? What wonderful experiences we had together! There were other incidents that I could add, but this tells enough to remember them by. I’ve always had great respect for that family and I’ll remember them forever with warm and kindly feelings.

The Korean War began that summer. We got a letter from Jim stating that he had joined the Navy. Tears welled in my eyes, knowing he was going to be fighting the Communists in Korea.

The automobile factories in Michigan began making tanks. There was a train track near our home, and several times every day we saw long trains carrying tanks to California. Every train had over a hundred flat cars–some over 150–all carrying tanks to the West Coast. It was a heavy feeling. I don’t recall seeing any flat cars with automobiles on them; I suppose those were carried to their destinations only by truck.

(Written 8-28-1998)
Bridgman, Michigan; population about 1,000.
I was a sophomore in high school. We were Baptists, but there being no Baptist church in Bridgman, we went to the Congregational Church. Most of the kids at Bridgman High went to church there. (There was a Catholic Church and Catholic High School in Bridgman, too.)

Hallowe’en night was very special. We had a party at church. We played games and had apple cider and doughnuts for refreshments. I recall that we drank last year’s cider so they could put up the this year’s juice in the same containers. They grew lots of apples in that area. I think I ate a broomstick of doughnuts, too.

The last thing we did was to have a scavenger hunt. There were three or four people on each team. I forget what the prize was, but we had to go out into the town to do the hunt. One item was a dime of a certain year. Another was a lump of coal, and so on. The dime we got at the first house we went to. Also, the lump of coal. I was really impressed with the coal. I had never seen coal before. I was fascinated with it.

Anyhow, we got everything gathered up in just a few minutes and went back to the church. We were the first ones back, so our team won the scavenger hunt.

The kids there were very special. They were all so friendly and so good looking,–boys and girls alike. They were fun to be with and invited me to other parties in their homes. Though most of them lived on farms, I was unfamiliar with the quality of lives that they led. All so civilized and proper.

After the church party, almost everybody went to the party sponsored by the city of Bridgman. It was a carnival with lots of games and dancing. There was also a talent show.

At the talent show I played “The Glow Worm” on the clarinet (a difficult arrangement) and won first prize. Doing so was one of the highlights of my entire life. It was my first time to solo in public, and the crowd’s response was uplifting to me.

The thing I remember best about that Hallowe’en was that I had such a glow about me. Everything was so nice and wholesome! The people were so caring for one another; and they included me.

I have had many friends over the years, and had some really close ones in Texas before moving to Michigan. But, the ones in Michigan had an air of refinement and culture that I was not familiar with before that.

To this day I recall the quality of life I learned to appreciate in Michigan. That was my favorite Hallowe’en.