Uncle Bernie

Things I learned about your Uncle Bernie.

Bernie used to skip school and go to Tiger Stadium (Briggs Stadium then) and sneak into the ball games. His best method for sneaking in was to go by the loading area when the concession stands were unloading supplies. He would grab a box of hot dog buns and take it through the gate. Put the buns down when he got inside and go sit in the bleachers. As the game progressed he would improve his seating position by watching which assigned seats remained empty.

He said he was doing this from the time he was 6 and I was skeptical about that part. But when I thought about it, before he turned 7 my mother had had 4 baby girls and was way too busy to pay attention to him. (For any of you that don't know, there was another sister named Theresa who only lived for a few days. She was born between Rita and Monica) I'm sure Bernie had to be pretty self sufficient by the time he was 6.

There came a time during Bernie's grade school career that he received 7 U's (Catholic school graded U as a failing grade) The priest announced it from the pulpit, although he didn't identify him by name. My mother cried for days.

Marcel and Bernie attended Ford Trade School for their High School years. It seems they rotated one week of school, one week of farm work (families were allowed to reap some of the rewards of the produce) and one week of shop work. This was a work and learn program that paid a salary. In order to receive the 20 cents per hour, they had to maintain a C average. If they got a B average they got a raise to 21 cents per hour. If they got an A average they received 22 cents per hour. Bernie never got less than A's for the rest of his learning career.

His comment was "Those Nuns just never new how to motivate."