Philly Tales Blog

My first recollection of Cramp Elementary was kindergarten.  I would have been five years old, which by law you had to be to go to kindergarten bac...

"Spring has sprung," my grandfather, Pop, used to say. It was a time for celebration for him because he could go fishing again. Every April the 15t...

I woke up early this morning thinking about Jerry Blavat. May he rest in peace. Somehow, I don’t think he is resting but rather hosting rock and ro...

It‘s hot, almost oppressively hot, in the crowded schoolroom. You wipe the sweat from your forehead as the teacher gives final information about ho...

When I grew up in Philly during the 1940s and 1950s, my family was not particularly religious. My dad was a nonpracticing Catholic, and my mom was ...

All images are from 1930 to 1980 and have been colorized.

Did you know that the term “I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream” comes from a song written in 1920 by Howard Johnson, Billy Moll, and...

Atlanta, the city I live in now, is famous for being very hot and humid during the summer months. For instance, today, August 10, the temperature i...

When we look back at our childhood years, we tend to remember the best parts. This is why we feel that it was our golden era. Not everyone has an i...

1953 to 1957 – Ages 9 to 13 – Summer The siren's sound was deafening as our teacher quickly guided us to the hallway and told us to put our heads b...

Memorial Day celebrates all those military men and women who gave their lives for our country. To me, however, it also includes civil servants such...