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Speak. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. I'm very glad that you are taking your time to come and share with us information about, uh, Westport, and on behalf of many, many people, I wanna welcome you to this production and to this, uh, sharing session. Now I know who

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you are, but I'd like for you to tell me your name. And something about Westport. Your family My name is Mary Virginia Johnson Stone. And uh Your other question? Well, tell me about, uh, the Stone family or your family, uh, and about, uh, growing up or

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living in Westport. Now, first, I grew up before I became a Stone, so I'll tell you about. Westport, OK? So, um, I, my family moved to Westport in 1929. No, I was 2 years old, so I guess. Do the math on that one and, uh, Um,

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Just a wonderful, quiet little neighborhood. You know, I can't say enough good things about Westport. Um, I guess as, um, All the neighbors were very friendly, beautiful homes, a little hidden village that very few people knew that we were there. And, uh, going to, um, Penn

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school was just the biggest blessing that I know of, that I can remember so many wonderful things about Penn school and about my teachers. And uh Many friends. Well, well, tell me, uh, now, where did, uh, uh, your, your, your parents come from? Kansas City, Missouri.

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They're all. Oh, they grew up? Yes. They were born in Kansas City. Yes, on the west side. On the west side. Which was not Westport, but it's the west side. Right. And, uh, do you remember, did they tell you what hospital you were born or at

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home? I was born at home over on, uh, 2828 Bell in Kansas City, Missouri. And uh now there are two churches in in Westport, one, the, uh, African American Episcopal Church, AME, and then there was Saint James. Were you and your parents connected to either one

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of those churches? Well, during my early childhood. Uh, my mother was a Baptist and then my mother and dad both were Baptists, so, obviously, we went to Saint James Baptist, which then was located over on Mill Street right off West Fort Road. And uh so we

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attended there and um When I was about 9 years old, 11 Sunday morning, my brother and I decided we didn't want to go down to the Baptist Church. It had, however, moved and it was down on, um, Uh, where, where it is now on, uh, Forty-third

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and Washington, we decided we want to, we wanted to go up to the Methodist Church, so we got our heads together and went up there. And, uh, because there were, uh, the pastor then at that time, Reverend LP Parker, and he had come here from Mississippi

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and he had brought his children. And so, uh, Lornell had become, my brother had become acquainted with, um, 11 of the boys and so he wanted to go up my head with the girls and so we went up there. And uh so I joined um. Saint

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Luke at a very early age. Now, now, you mentioned that you went to Penn school. Uh, did you have brothers and sisters who went? No, I had two, I had three brothers and all three of us went to Penn school. OK. And, um, uh, I know

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we, I know we're gonna talk about the teachers a little bit later, but, uh, what were some of the play activities for kids, uh, at this time, um, playing in the park or, uh, you mean at Penn school, at Penn school and in the neighborhood. Well,

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There really wasn't a park, uh, that we could go play in. Uh, my brother and I used to walk down. To the plaza, uh, and because that was our, another little downtown for us, and, uh, so we would, mother would let us walk down there and,

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uh, after we got all dressed and, and, and there was a park down at, uh, Forty-seventh in Pennsylvania and there was very few buildings on the plaza at that time. And there was a few swings and, uh, so my brother and I would go over and

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he had put me up in the swing and he would push me and we enjoyed that so much because it really wasn't any swings, only on the playground at school and, uh. We would play down there until we saw white children coming over and then we

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would leave and go. One day, a very nice little lady said, your children don't have to leave. You can just continue swinging and, and we were so happy, you know, that we could stay down there and swing even with uh her children. That was, you know,

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a very nice person. And, um. But other than that, the only swings that I can recall in Westport was the swings, homemade swings that um some people made or at the swings at school. Now, now you mentioned, uh, this uh nice white lady. Yes, what was,

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uh, uh, was Kansas City segregated, uh, very much at this time, and, uh, oh yes, definitely segregated. Were there places you knew that your parents told you not to go or you thought you couldn't go at this time? Well, I mean, you just at that time,

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you just knew the places that you could go and, you know, without a bother, you just didn't go there. And now, what kind of work did your mother and father, uh, what was their employment like? Well, my mother was a housekeeper. Uh, she was a housekeeper

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at the Riviera Hotel, apartment house at that time, and, um, my father was a janitor at Standard Oil. OK. Now, now, uh, now, in, in the neighborhood, you mentioned it was quiet and nice. Oh, lovely neighborhood. Uh, uh, do you recall some of the, uh, neighbors

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to your left of your home and to the right? Yes. And maybe across the street? Yes. Oh, my. Such memories. Of course, I, I do. Uh, to the left of it was my godparents. Uh, Marguerite and Forrest Smith and their daughter, Bernice, and Professor Griffin lived

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on the corner, right at the very corner of Steptoe, and, uh, to the right was white people. Because white people began there and went on down to the plaza. OK, now you mentioned, uh, the word steptoe. Yes, Steptoe was a street, was a street, OK. And

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you mentioned Professor, Professor Griffin, yes, and, and we was, uh, professor, uh, teacher, yes, up at Lincoln High School. Oh, now, um, who were some of the people in, in your class at Penn School that may have gone on to, uh, Lincoln High School and maybe

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college? Oh, a number of them. Uh, A number of, um, Harlene Anderson, for one, was, was a very good friend of mine during uh grade school, and, uh, Basil Phillips. And my goodness, I, you know, it's just been a number of, uh, people that I really

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can't recall right off, But just a number of them. You know, I'm, to, to, I would really, because I know I'm gonna miss some, so I, I, I really, uh, but a number of people in, in my class that, that went on, William, um, A Luther,

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um, and, Or assault a number of children dead. Uh, well, now, uh, for example, uh, Westport, uh, this community was a fine, safe place, uh, good memories. Now that meant that, uh, and you know, parents were working. What, uh, were some of the, um, uh, job,

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uh, that people held. Uh, the parents and people who are living in the neighborhood. Well, where do they work? Well, most of the, um, uh, jobs were, uh, working in private family because, um, I've been told this, I'm not sure if I've ever seen this written,

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that um Uh, the area was. Uh, created for chauffeurs and maids of, um, of the wealthy people, you know, and they wanted them to work near them. Uh, but I'm not, and, uh, you know, I'd like to see that documented. I don't have it. Probably we

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do have it upstairs. I just really can't tell you for sure. But, um, uh, we had professional people that lived out there. Now, uh, Saint Luke's, uh, Hospital was, uh, was, uh, a, a large institution or growing at this time? It was a pretty good sized

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hospital at that time. I used to ride my bicycle in the parking lot when everybody was gone, uh, but it was a pretty good size, certainly not like it is now, but, uh, it was a pretty good sized hospital. Uh, did, uh, very many people from

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the community work at Saint Louis? Oh, I think. Probably half of the women worked there too. OK, so it was a, a sort of an institution in the neighborhood for job opportunities. Most definitely. For, for men and women? Yes, yes, I think so. Um I think

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so. OK. I think mostly women, but, but I, you know, I, Well, uh, now what about, um, uh, I would say you went to Penn School, then Lincoln or, or RT Coles and Lincoln, OK, and, and who inspired you to further your education and to, uh,

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advance, you know, maybe to, to college, or, well, I, I didn't go to college. I went to Johns Business College, uh-huh, but I, I did not go to. Um, the other schools, I got married and, uh, so I, I didn't, but, uh, I did go to

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John's Business School. And did you meet your husband in, in Westport or? Well, my first husband I did. He lived there? Yes, he was a Reverend LP Parker's son, and his name was Leonard Parker Jr. Now I understand the connection to going to the church. No,

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but maybe yes. OK, OK. OK. Now, did, did you all have, uh, uh, children, um I had two children with my first husband. OK. Um-hum. And, and, uh, now, you went to business college. And what was, uh, his profession? Uh, he went on, Um, and, and

00:13:07.330 - 00:13:28.145

got a job in Washington DC during our marriage because I moved up there for a short while and, uh, he worked, um, as a supervisor. He was promoted. He went there as a page, but he was promoted to a supervisor in In the Senate recording office

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and uh he was there 40 some odd years he went from from Westport to a page in Congress. He did. My goodness. He did. Well, that's outstanding. Uh and uh what about um your children, they're Uh, I, my, my two oldest children, but my first with

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my first marriage, I lost my son 3 years ago, my oldest son, uh, James Paul Parker, and, um, my daughter. As she's still living. And then I have another son with my first, with my second husband. Uh, now, when we think about, um, uh, Westport and

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we think about the two schools and the, uh, and the churches and the wonderful families, um, do you recall, um, you know, any connection. What two schools, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, two churches. Yes. The two churches. Uh, you, you called, uh, you know, maybe the, a

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newspaper boy from the Call newspaper or doctors or, uh, did you go down to 18th and Vine, 12th and Vine? Very rarely. Uh, we didn't go down in, in that area, at least I didn't. My brothers did. But, uh, uh, yeah, we had call boys. We,

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we did have, uh, call, uh, because they delivered the paper. Every Friday. And, and I do recall that. Now, you mentioned that your brothers went down to. Yeah. Went down there. Yeah. Uh, what, uh, uh, your brothers, uh, they became what in life? Well, uh, they're,

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they're all government workers. Uh-huh. All my brothers worked for the government. Um, And, uh, at the postal, post office. In the post office? Um-hum. Right. Uh, now, going back to, um, uh, West Porch, uh, you mentioned that your first husband, you were married there. Um-hum. And,

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um Married in the parsonage up at, uh, Saint Luke Church. OK. Um. And we're so sorry that they, uh, you know, it's been torn down. I'm very sorry too. It grieves me every time I pass there. Well, that's across, um, it seems like there's going to

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be a lot of good development and happening for the area, but it's it doesn't. Well, um, I, I would think, I would think not, uh, but, um, uh, you mentioned, uh, Penn school and we're gonna be talking. Did you have a favorite teacher at Penn school?

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Well, you know, I loved all my teachers, um. I only had Miss Goss for 1 year and that was the 1st grade, and for the 2nd and 3rd grade I had Ruth Bardwell. And, uh, and of course, Mary Elle Waters made the great impression on me

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because, um, Uh, I was just very fond of Miss Watters. She was just, uh, A very dear friend of mine. Uh, no, we had, uh, one person to mention, uh, you know, going to different parts of the community, maybe to, uh, Swope Park, uh, out to

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Montgomery Ward, Sears. Uh, what was your memories of the street, uh, street buses or streetcars, uh, streetcars, streetcars at that time. They were just clanky clank things, you know, but that was our only way we could get there, so that's what we, we took out, I

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often think about the, the, uh, the streetcar drivers having to get out and, and, and retract the, The trolley when it jumped off, you know, just took up a whole lot of time. I remember that. I, that was not a good memory. Well, now there's some

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good memories, uh, Saint Luke's, uh, church, um, what were some of the, uh, Sunday activities or midweek activities at Saint Luke's? Well, uh, there was always prayer meeting and of course, choir. Uh, practice in which I always sang in the choir, choir, and I did like,

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I love choir practice. I love choir, period. And, um, Sunday school, but, uh, other than that, we didn't have a lot of mid, midweek activities, no. It was just mostly on Sunday. And then, now, uh, uh, you mentioned going to RT Cole's and then to Lincoln.

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Uh, did you have, uh, did you go by streetcar or was it by bus? Did they have? Well, you know, uh, my, my, uh, godsister lived right next door to me and she was a, uh, teacher at, um. One of the schools, um. Over here And

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so I carpooled with her. She would drop Harlene and I and Mariah Talley off at, uh, Arie Cole's and pick us up. And then when Bernice couldn't do it, then we would catch streetcar. And many, many times we walked home just for the fun of it,

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so we could have, stop and get candy and Boston baked beans and peanuts and, and walk home. Now, uh, what about, uh, now there were movies in on the 18th and Ban, 12th and Bionary, uh, the Gym, the Lincoln, uh, The Princess, uh, what about going

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to movies? Well, oh, we went down to, uh, the Lincoln Theater. I never liked the gym, but we went to the Lincoln Theater, my friends, and when Mother would let us, and, um, That was very nice. Now what about the, the monarchs were playing uh baseball?

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Was that a part of the Activities? Well, when I was small, I didn't go, but when, uh, I got older, I went to, to the baseball games, yes. What about Fairyland? Oh, Fairyland, that's a joke. I was always afraid of the rides anyway, but we only

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got a chance to go once a year, so, you know, that didn't impress me. Well, now, uh, the, the reason why, uh, African Americans could go only one day was because of segregation. Were you, were you aware of, uh, not being able to go to white

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schools or to go into, uh, oh, we got a chance to go to a white school once a year. Uh, Mrs. Watters was very, very good about seeing that we performed at Allen's school once a year. And, uh, she got us all ready and, and, and,

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you know, we did it right because the one thing she'd say, now you know where you're going and you know what you're gonna be thought of, so you're gonna do this thing right and, and we did it right. And it, it, it, it was nice and

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we did go once a year. Now we have a picture of where uh Charlie Clarker is a um among the students at uh at Penn School. Hm. That was before my time. That was before your time. But uh again, Penn School was a, a, a, a

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great place to go to school. Oh my, yes. My, yes. Uh, uh, my godmother taught there and, um, her mother was a teacher there. And, uh, There It's too bad that everybody didn't have the experience in our little two-room school. It, it was, it was just

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fabulous. And you're talking about conduct, we lined up for everything. We, everything was precision. It was Law and Order all the way, and we loved it. You knew when you stood up, you were gonna get in line. No one had to tell you to get in

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line, you just did it. And, uh, It, it was just wonderful. Well, now, was, was, uh, law and order, I'd like that, but, you know, it may be called discipline now. Uh, well, it was discipline then. OK. But, but I grew up the same way, law

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and order. Absolutely. Now, was it the same way at RT Codes and Lincoln? I mean, this, this, this whole thing? Absolutely, absolutely. Mr. Ellison saw at Lincoln that you were going to walk the tall, tall and straight and narrow line and at RT Cole's too. Um,

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Earl Thomas was, uh, the principal down there when I was there. And, and it, it was just, it was A lot different than the schools now. Well, when we think of the schools now, you think a little disciplined, uh, maybe, uh, pride in self. Seems like,

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uh, people who lived in Westport had pride in community, pride in their block, pride in their home. Is that correct thinking? Yes, definitely. We were taught that and, and you know it wasn't rigid teaching. We just did it. We just did it, um. Our parents all

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knew that it was such a neighborhood. And so if you were naughty, uh, mama knew about it by the time she walked past. Uh, Ms. Higbie's porch, then she knew, she knew exactly what Mayor of Virginia had done down on Forty-third Street, so I knew what

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would happen. Mother would come in and she wouldn't say anything, she'd throw her head back. And I knew I was in trouble, but, you know, that was mostly my brothers. I was always pretty good. Well, now, you, you mentioned something now, uh, many people, uh, have

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patios in the back, and this, and during the time you're talking about, it was front porches. It was front porches. Was, was that, uh, you know, uh, people sitting out on a hot day? Well, yes, but always in the evening. And we could never go to

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the front because we lived on Forty-third and Pennsylvania and the passageway for people working downtown to go to the plaza would be what few cars was out there. It wasn't a bunch of cars. What few cars was out there would, uh, come right past our house.

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We never went to the front. Unless we were. All dressed. In the evening, you took your bath and you got dressed to go to the front because you're not going to be out there looking any kind of way. OK. Now I'm laughing because I couldn't sit

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on the front steps. I'm laughing because uh in the 60s, in the 60s uh Uh, when I, I used to go out to the plaza, the pooches. Um-hum. We used to dress up. Right. Really dress? Yes. I mean, I, I can imagine the times, but, uh,

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so this, the kids were not, uh, you know, playing out in the front of. Oh Lord, no, and, and, and not even out in the street. Not in the street. Um, Uh. And the street was really about the only, they had alleys then and, and our

00:25:41.949 - 00:26:00.750

house sit right on an alley and of course, the alley was all grassy and everything. Mother was so grassy in the alley, you know, and um the, uh, my brothers played in the alley. And uh we played in the backyard and we didn't have, they, they're

00:26:00.750 - 00:26:20.150

not as, especially at my house, there was not great big backyards, nothing compared to the way it is now and, uh, but we stayed in that backyard. We didn't come to the front until we were all cleaned up and dressed and our hair combed and, and

00:26:20.150 - 00:26:37.449

everything, then we could come out front. Well, well, tell me, on a hot day like we're having this summer. You stayed in. We stayed in. But now, what about, uh, uh, drinks, uh, Kool-Aid, lemonade, uh, what was refreshing, uh, for you. Didn't have Kool-Aid, lemonade, lemonade.

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Lemonade? Lemonade. OK. Uh, what about home, uh, uh, cranked ice cream? Homemade ice cream. Every now and again, that would be really. On Sunday? Mostly. Mostly on the weekends because our parents were busy working. They didn't have time to crank ice cream. OK. Uh, now, um,

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let's see, what, what are, um, some of, I would say, I, I'm gonna ask this question maybe once again. Your most fond and favorite memories of just uh growing up in uh Westport. Well, so many of them, so numerous, um, to recall. Just so many. Uh,

00:27:35.500 - 00:28:10.719

you know, um, for what, during the summer, and this was really fun. We had, uh, Saint Luke always sponsored a, uh, street dance. And, um, They had closed off Steptoe from Forty-third. And Pennsylvania to Forty-third and Washington. And we would have street dances and, uh, uh,

00:28:10.829 - 00:28:34.630

then, um, Do Dora Smith and her family, who were prominent Saint Luke members, they would, uh, uh, serve, uh, sell hot dogs and, and, and the cranked ice cream and, and, uh, and, and the good old red drink. I forgot what they made the drink out

00:28:34.630 - 00:29:00.189

of, but it sure was good. And, um, And that was wonderful, and we looked, always looked forward to the street dances and, and of course, as I. Got older, there was the tax parties and uh we would have those. Now, tell me about tax parties. Um,

00:29:01.439 - 00:29:24.290

Someone would have a tax party at their house and, uh, may, I can't really remember the exact, um, money exchange, but maybe something like was no money, so it's probably, uh, a quarter, if that, and to pay to come in and dance and, and then you

00:29:24.290 - 00:29:43.660

could have, um, Um, I think they had served hot dogs or something and a drink. And dance. It, it, it, it was a lot of fun. Well, now. So we stayed in Westport and had a lot of fun. Well, now, I, I'm from the South. OK.

00:29:43.780 - 00:30:05.050

But Kansas City is a jazz town. Yeah. Was the music, the dances, was it, was it blues, jazz? Uh, uh, both. OK, yeah. OK. Oh. Well, now, now, now this, this, uh, right now it's summertime. Yeah. And the living is easy. But what was the fall

00:30:05.050 - 00:30:24.150

and Christmas time like in Westport? Beautiful. Just beautiful, because we were, we had the best of both worlds. Of course, we had the beautiful plaza that we walked through every day, so, you know, the lights still are, are nothing exciting to me. Uh, because we, we've

00:30:24.150 - 00:30:42.630

been seeing the lights for all my life, and, uh, so we had that and 39th and Main and Westport Road, that was all decorated and it was, it was just real nice. Westport Road is certainly not like it is now because I don't think there was

00:30:42.630 - 00:31:01.709

maybe but two nightclubs on Westport Road at that time. So it, it, it, it was just really nice. Well, what was the night? What was the, uh, what was it like the night before Christmas at your home? Just, uh, a lot of fun, you know. Um,

00:31:02.050 - 00:31:20.300

for the longest time, I believed in Santa Claus. I think I was probably 12, when my brother finally said, get over it, sister. There's no Santa Claus. So, you know, it, it, it was, it was wonderful. Mother stayed up and, and, uh, because she worked so,

00:31:20.500 - 00:31:40.260

you know, every day, but I remember the night before Christmas, we had, she had always, they always sent me to bed and, uh, she'd be up cooking and, and wrapping gifts and it just, uh, It, it was just fun. We just had a wonderful time. Now,

00:31:40.380 - 00:31:59.479

uh, did you say your, uh, mother worked, did private duty work, uh. Yes, yes, she did. OK. Now, uh, let's, did she ever tell you how she might have been treated by the employer, um, You know, my grandmother worked and she got a chance to go

00:31:59.479 - 00:32:17.780

with uh, she called up her white people to different cities. Uh, what was the relationship of your mother to her employer? Well, my mother, uh, being the type of person she was, she got along with everybody and everybody really loved mother. Her name is Ophelia Johnson

00:32:18.079 - 00:32:45.020

and so She really got, didn't have, I don't ever recall her, uh, telling me any stories about, Anything, um, Speaking, OK, you mentioned that your mother, uh, did, uh, first domestic work, and you got an opportunity to go and visit, uh, and help her on the

00:32:45.020 - 00:33:09.439

job. Uh, was the place, uh, where she worked, uh, this lady's, uh, home on the plaza or elsewhere? Oh, you see, um, for the most part, uh. The country club for the Jewish people and mother mostly worked for Jewish people, um, was Old Rock Hill Road.

00:33:10.319 - 00:33:37.489

And, um, So I can't remember going any farther than about Fifty-eighth and Rock Hill Road where Ms. Wardell lived and uh And uh That, that, that was just about the extent of it. Now, uh, let's see. You mentioned Wardell? Warner, her name was Wardell. OK. Is

00:33:37.489 - 00:33:57.780

that the, the street name. No, no, Warnell. Daddy. OK. OK. Daddy worked for the Warno family for many, many years. And, uh, he worked for Westport Bank and, and the Warne family for many years. So the connection between Warnell and the Westport Bank is the same.

00:33:58.180 - 00:34:23.418

Well, one and the same, one and the same. Uh, now you mentioned that your mother went on to supervise a staff of 40 people, yes, at the Riviera Apartments. OK, um. What, um, Is your um Uh, Well, the question about Westport and, and Steptoe, uh, some

00:34:23.599 - 00:34:45.069

people have mentioned it as step toe living on steptoe or in steptoe, and some say Westport. uh, what is your, um, Uh, thoughts on that? Well, I, what I know is a fact is that Steptoe was not an area. It was a street. And, uh, I

00:34:45.069 - 00:35:07.040

stood on step toe many, many, many times and, um, It, it does bother me to see, uh, the words Westport step toe. I, it just has sort of annoyed me, but then, you know, Uh, but the fact is Steptoe was a street. Steptoe was a street.

00:35:07.120 - 00:35:40.889

It was a street, and it was about, um, 4 or 5 blocks long, and then they changed it to 43rd Terrace. And the whole Westport African American community was how big? Uh, about 4 blocks, about, about 4 blocks. Uh, I'd say from 43rd. No, from 42nd.

00:35:42.239 - 00:36:16.489

And Boone. Over to Forty-fourth. So, and that, that, that was You know, from where I sit, because we lived at, on 43rd in Pennsylvania. Well, if I went for a walk in Westport, I could circle the whole neighborhood within 10 or 15 minutes. Because it Westport

00:36:16.489 - 00:36:46.439

was just a small area. Now, it, it stretched from Um, I'd say Jefferson. Uh, Summit, there were some black people that lived up near, uh, Summit on Steptoe, Steptoe and Summit, and then down to, um, Forty-third and Broadway. But you see, there was a mixture of,

00:36:46.610 - 00:37:17.030

of, uh, it was the, the neighborhood was not all black. We had, we were really racially mixed. Because there was, um, up and down Forty-third Street from Forty-third and Pennsylvania, um, Uh, down to, uh, 40 West 43rd, which is a street that goes, um, East and

00:37:17.030 - 00:37:38.800

west, uh, there was a number of white people that lived down there. For many years. Now, uh. They didn't take white flight. And they stayed there a long time. Uh, when did you move out of the Westport area? In 1972. In 1972, and, uh, I, I

00:37:38.800 - 00:38:00.989

think you mentioned you remarried and No, I, we, I, we married in 1952. 15 and we lived in Westport. Oh. And um uh from 52 till the time you moved out, uh what would you like to say about that? Well, there was a lot of changes

00:38:00.989 - 00:38:22.209

being made. Um, we, we, uh, bought a house and, and we stayed there for several years and, uh, Saint Luke Hospital bought the house and so we had to go. Uh, but, uh, it, it, it, it, it was really getting to be, uh, a lot of

00:38:22.209 - 00:38:45.280

change because when the homes began to sell on Broadway, Uh, I think those were the first homes that were sold in Westport was on Broadway, and, uh, little by little, the neighborhood began to change because Saint Luke Hospital bought them. Well, Westport and the African-American community

00:38:45.280 - 00:39:12.320

in Westport is about to vanish. Uh, what, uh, would you like to leave as sort of a message of legacy about the community and, uh, uh, where we should be thinking? About the likeness of that community. You know, I made a very, very bad mistake. My

00:39:12.320 - 00:39:37.370

husband wanted. After we moved, he loved Westport. He didn't know it existed, but once he found me and he moved there, he he he loved Westport and uh Uh, he wanted one day, uh, to go out and take pictures of all the houses. And I wouldn't

00:39:37.370 - 00:39:56.949

let him, and I will always be so sorry for that. It was one big big mistake amongst many, but that was one of them, because that would have meant so much because they were lovely homes and, and the area, you know, it, it was just like

00:39:56.949 - 00:40:18.979

a little country club above country club. That's the top of the hill. So you would like for the community to be remembered as a country club above the country club. Oh, I think, I think it deserves that. I think it deserves that. We, we were, we

00:40:18.979 - 00:40:48.510

were. Kind of special people out there. And uh. I really remember. Um, one day, um, It seemed as though after I moved from there, the only time I'd see anyone from Westport was at a funeral. And uh so we had gone to Basil Phillips' mother's uh

00:40:48.510 - 00:41:08.719

wake and, and Vera Roulette was there and I told Vera, I said, Vera, it's very sad, you know, that we never get a chance to, to communicate and, and unless we're at a funeral. And I said, why don't we have a Westport reunion? And she said,

00:41:09.260 - 00:41:37.989

Mary, that would be great. And hence, The Westport reunion was born. And uh so Vera and I got together and um Um, Had the Westport reunion along with the help of Mary Louise Hanton. And her expertise and uh it was such a success that we went

00:41:37.989 - 00:42:00.179

on to have uh two other Reunions and they just grew in size. It was just really nice. And, and after, uh, we retired from it, um, it, it just kept going on, and, you know, somebody else picked up the ball and, and, and, but it was

00:42:00.179 - 00:42:24.719

really nice because that reunion, the first one we had was at Luce Park. And uh we thought, Vera and I got together and talked about this probably at the end of June and we set the time for September 17th, I believe that's the correct date. And,

00:42:24.770 - 00:42:54.379

um, It was just an overflow crowd. And we got our teachers there, Marielle Watters and Lillian Orm and GW Shelby. And so many of the older people. Got a chance to attend and again, see some of the friends that they that had moved from Westport. It

00:42:54.379 - 00:43:18.040

was a really a wonderful, wonderful affair. And uh now, again, uh, I, I, do you have a chance to, I know this uh Hinting that is here. Yes. Uh, uh, some other people that you mentioned, um, You get a chance to talk on the phone? Uh

00:43:18.040 - 00:43:41.580

oh, yes, yes. You know, it's just, um, A beautiful thing to you. You can always make new friends, but not old ones, and, um, The old friends that you know, you really cherish. I know I do. And so I do, I call, I have the time

00:43:41.580 - 00:44:03.379

now to call and check on them and, uh, and I enjoy doing that. There are several older people that are still a part of my life. I'm one of them, uh, you know, uh, now, it's not. Oh, I like to talk to elderly people. We're all

00:44:03.379 - 00:44:26.419

elderly. And, uh, so I do enjoy calling and talking to my friends from Westport, and they really are. Lovely friends from Westport and it's such a pleasure to be able to call and, and speak with them because I've lost many, many friends from there. Uh, now,

00:44:26.590 - 00:44:46.310

all the, all your children are doing, doing fine, and your husband is here. Yes, and is there something really that you would just like to say, um, as to where we are now and maybe where we ought to be based upon your memories and experiences in

00:44:46.310 - 00:45:07.050

Westport, yes, we're something. I don't know, because there's nothing we can do. Our hands are so tied at this point and there's really nothing we can do but just drive through it and reflect. And uh the, and, and just on the fond memories of that because,

00:45:07.300 - 00:45:25.500

you know, I'd like to say hocus pocus and it would be right back there again with all the lovely families and all, but that's not to be. And, uh, so I can just, uh, Say, I wouldn't it be great to be able to be sending my

00:45:25.500 - 00:45:52.110

grandchildren to Penn School, knowing they'd be safe in a lovely little community like Westport, that can't happen. And so, You know, I, I, I tell my children and, and, I, you know, we talk about it. Um, my youngest son, who is 54 now, and he, uh,

00:45:52.689 - 00:46:13.030

he lived out there and, and he wanted to come today because Westport meant so much to all of us. It's just, uh, was a wonderful place to raise our children. Wonderful place to raise your children. There should be a lot of little Westports around because it

00:46:13.030 - 00:46:37.360

was a wonderful place. Penn School was a wonderful place. Uh, is there anything you think the city and maybe, uh, Saint Luke's Hospital could do to help memorialize the Westport community? I think Mary Lou has a lot of, uh, uh, ideas. I'd like to wait nears.

00:46:37.479 - 00:47:08.270

Um, I Really don't know. We worked. Uh, Mary Lou worked very hard to memorialize Penn School, and, uh, that was torn down and, and all that. I don't know. I think this is a wonderful thing. I think what you're doing today is a wonderful thing. And,

00:47:08.429 - 00:47:27.520

um, When your, I know you mentioned your youngest son thinks it was a beautiful community. Oh, yes. And where is he living now? He lives here in Kansas City. OK. Um. But not in, uh, of course. People live in Westport. Well, you know, uh, he moved

00:47:27.520 - 00:47:44.429

back to Westport after he was divorced. He wanted to go back to Westport and he went back and lived in an apartment out there for about six years. Yeah, Westport means an awful lot to Westport people. We, we love Westport. Uh, one thing I forgot to

00:47:44.429 - 00:48:07.429

ask you, did, did you belong to any, uh, social clubs or, you know, we, uh, again with Vera Roulette, um, we organized the Westport West Burdettes. And um it was a social club, uh, for, uh, the women in Westport. We had a wonderful club. I think

00:48:07.429 - 00:48:32.780

we had probably about 28 friends and we met, um. I can't say exactly. I think it was every other Saturday. That was really fun. I was president for all the years that was there and that it was in session and, uh, it, it, it was a

00:48:32.780 - 00:48:53.320

wonderful club. It was just all Westport women and we had a lot of fun. And I that were y'all dressed in white one time, uh, no, those are missionaries, the missionaries from, uh, Saint Luke AME. OK, and I was a part of that too, the missionary

00:48:53.320 - 00:49:22.189

work, yes, uh, well, is there something that I have not mentioned that you would like to add to your story? No. No, I can't think. I think you've done well. No. Thank you. Thank you. Bring my wheelchair and let me get out of here, can I?

00:49:22.879 - 00:49:22.889

I.