Auer, Evelyn Keuchler

Our first house was just north of the railroad on Stewart Avenue (Vitali's). we then moved to Central Avenue (called Main Road) then to Harrison Avenue (this house is no longer standing). We then moved to another house (now occupied by Billy Auer and family) on Harrison Avenue and I now live next door in a house built by my late husband, Bill Auer.

The early days on Harrison Avenue there was no running water and we had to use a well and pump until about 1923. There was no electricity until that year either. When the trenches were dug for the water pipes we kids, Donollies and myself played in them. Running blocks and no one ever bothered us between our small settlement of McCordville and Sheridan Avenue. Mostly all woods with well worn paths. The woods were great for berry picking, and none of us ever having to fear being abducted or harmed like the kids do today.

The games we played were: potsy, marbles, mumety peg (with knoves), hide and seek, tag, jump rope and double dutch. The summers were long and hot, and a few times we went to the beach (Sea Cliff and Bayville) we went by town trucks and later by buses rented by our church, St. Paul's.

I was taken to Trinity Lutheran Sunday School in Hicksville by Ethel Seitz (about the age of 6). We walked there, several miles. I also went to Sunday School at the Methodist Church on Hicksville Road (the Methodist Church was located where the Methodist Cemetery is located today) until St. Paul's started in Central Park in 1923. I remember seeing the Methodist Church being moved along Harrison Avenue, possibly in early 1920's to its present location on Broadway.

Our school was on Powell Avenue (now the site of the library) had only four rooms and an annex until my 5th grade year when an addition was built. The annex became our lunch room. Lunch was served by volunteers, Mrs. Gifford, Mrs. Madden, Mrs. Klinke and others. Lunches were 10 cents and consisted of spagetti or pot roast and mashed potatoes and peas. We also had soup days. We had no high school so we went to Hicksville by train. Mine was the last high school graduation from Hicksville, as now others then went to Farmingdale High School.

Information provided by Evelyn (Keuchler) Auer in the CPHS NEWSLETTER, November 2000.