The Quiz Kids

The Quiz Kids were on the Blue Network on Sunday evenings. What was the Blue Network? It was a spinoff from NBC, which eventually became ABC. But this wasn't TV, it was radio. There were many very bright kids on this show, including Joel Kupperman, bottom left, who was able to do amazing calculations in his head. He now teaches philosophy at the university of Connecticut.

The Quiz Kids show was on the radio from 1940 until 1952. People were invited to send in questions, and if your question was selected, you received a radio as a prize. If your question was not selected, you got a postcard like this one, with your address typed on the card by a secretary at the Blue Network. I can't imagine anyone getting a reply at all these days.

The question weren't easy either. Here's a sample:

1. What popular American dessert would you get if you joined up the last name of a 1948 pitcher of the Cleveland Indians with the nickname of the 1927 third baseman of the Pittsburgh Pirates? 

2. What three explorers' last names begin with "La, De and Da?”

3. Arrange the first letters of the four major meatpacking companies so as to spell a branch of the United States armed forces.

4. Why would Pennsylvania and protactinium remind you of the third Sunday in June?

5. What fish spelled backwards is the name of a famous general? 

Let me know if you are able to answer these. I'm going to try spelling fish names backwards to find that general's name...Nomlas? Tuort? Hcrep? Elos?  Tubilah?

More Rudy

Last week, I recounted the tragic story of Rudy along with some pictures. Here are some additional photos of Rudy during his school years. The first photo shows him in the graduating class of Jarvis Street School, which must have been an elementary/middle school. An earlier post showed a circus parade by students at the school. Rudy may be in that picture too, but I couldn't tell you for sure.

Rudy is in the front row, wearing the JS jersey. He doesn't look nearly as tough as the fellow in the second row wearing the same jersey. Some of the boys look very refined with their neckties, but a few look a little rough around the edges.

Here's another picture of Rudy, this time at Binghamton High School with his wrestling (?) team. He's number 7.

Be sure to check out Sepia Saturday for lots of classroom photos and other treasures. If you want to know more about Rudy, check out the previous post with baby pictures, letter etc.

Santa Cruz, California

Most people don't think of casinos when they think of Santa Cruz. Instead, they might think of the boardwalk, hippies, UC Santa Cruz, Birkenstocks, Monterey Bay, the earthquake, etc.
But back in 1904, when the casino was built, it was a main attraction. There was no boardwalk; that was built later around the new casino. The original casino (shown below) burned down in 1906. Work started on a new one in 1907.  As far as I know, that building is still part of the current boardwalk, although there is no gambling there. You can read more about the casino and see a picture of it in flames on the Santa Cruz Public library website., along with some pictures of the new casino.

Here's the back of the card, sent to Ida Schack of Chicago in 1905.