VACATIONS DURING THE EARLY YEARS
Our family was extremely lucky during the depression when it came to
vacations. You all know that my father’s father was a missionary
in Japan for 40 years before retiring in 1930. Upon his return he bought
three lots in Lake Lucerne and built the sixth cottage at the lake in
1931. Every summer we would spend almost every Sunday at the Lake along
with all my cousins and Aunts & Uncles and once a year each family
usually spent a week at the Lake. In addition my grandmother always had
her grandchildren spend a few days in the summer with her and grandfather
and our folks were not allowed. I stayed with Ted Carleton and Bill Fulton.
They were both older than I was and more than once Grandmother had to
save me from their harassing. Lake Lucerne was then so far out from Cleveland
Heights that we felt we were in Canada and it was a marvelous place for
a vacation. Since Grandfathers house was only the sixth one we had the
beach to ourselves, the far side of the Lake was undeveloped and we spent
hours in the caves, and swinging on vines where now houses stand.
Also once a year Mom and Dad would take us to Put IN Bay. We would drive
to Catawba and take the ferry over to the island. Today that’s not
such a great adventure but in the 30s it really was. Dad worked at Central
National Bank which was the trustee of Cedar Point, which had financial
difficulties at the time, and so once or twice a year we got to go to
Cedar Point, stay in the Breakers Hotel, ride the rides and swim at the
beach. Again not such a great deal today but people could not afford to
go to those places in the 30s so we were exceptionally lucky to have such
an opportunity. So I can truthfully say from 1931 to 1939 we had wonderful
summers and went places more than the great majority of our friends did
during that time.
In 1939 I made my first trip to Cedar Croft with my folks. I will spend
more time on the times at the Cedars but for now I will only mention that
in 1939, 1940, and 1941 I had three of the nicest summers of my life.
Dad had only two weeks vacation the first two years but talked the bank
into letting him stay three in 1941. This was undoubtedly the most carefree
relaxed place ob earth and as young
people at the time it was pure heaven.
There were many teenagers my age at the camp and all came back for the
three years at the same time. I have often mentioned my summer romance
with Lois Manby which lasted three years each summer but I have no idea
what happened to her after 1941. We’ll come back to the Cedars...