Eloise East Rudloff
Wharton, TX
Memories of Alexandria begin for me in the early 30s. We lived on the outer edge of town where the streets were still dirt. In the Summertime dust was terrible so the city would send water-wagons morning and afternoon with sprinkler pipes to wet the streets down. We children had a great time following as close as possible, wetting our bare feet. Another wagon we enjoyed following was the ice-wagon. As the Ice-man broke the large blocks off for the customers small pieces would fall free and he would let us have them. Money was scarce so instead of toys we made our own amusement, playing Kick-the-Can, Red Rover, Dodge Ball, etc.
Another memory is the sound of paper-boys going up and down the streets singing "Ti-imes Picayune-Shreveport Times" on Sunday mornings. I guess the Town Talk didn't print a Sunday edition then. If you wanted a paper you went out and called one of the boys. I always looked forward to those papers because they had paper dolls that could be cut out. We girls all had a cigar box filled with "Tillie the Toiler", "Dixie Duggan" and others along with the clothes for them.
Then around 1940 the government decided that Louisiana was ideal for Army Maneuvers and began building camps. Camp Beauregard was there (left from WW I). Camp Claiborne, Camp Livingston and Alexandria Army Air Base were built. Alexandria was the largest town in central Louisiana and having more places of entertainment it became a magnet. We had several theaters, a bowling alley, Jimmy's Skating Rink, cafes, USOs, etc. The town became almost wall-to-wall soldiers, especially on weekends. I became a volunteer at the Salvation Army USO. We would have hay-rides, picnics with swimming out at Valentine Lake, Bingo with prizes of 3-minute calls to home. (This was a favorite.) As wives began to arrive to be close to their loved ones, housing became scarce. People who had space to spare started to rent it out. Our quiet town had become a different place.
Growing up I worked at several places during Summer and Christmas Break. I worked at Alexandria Steam Laundry, the magazine stand at the Train Depot, Schwartzbergs and finally at W.T. Grant where I worked after graduating from Bolton High. I moved to Houston in 1948 and continued to work for W. T.Grant until I married.
