Originally Published December 23, 2015 by Steve LeClaire
Back in the days of the early 1960’s kids had paper routes. The Worcester Telegram, and the Evening Gazette were the daily papers. One in the morning, and the other in the afternoon. Kids delivered on their bicycles, or on foot with a canvas bag full of papers slung over their shoulders. You could get one of these coveted routes only if the current delivery boy gave it up. Kids were able to start routes when they were as young as ten or eleven years old.
My brother John and I took over the route sometime about 1967. Either Charlie Havener or Danny Kaminski had it before us - those years I don’t recall. Andy Smith had it before that, giving up the route when he was a junior in high school in 1962. My mom told me that when I was a toddler in the outdoor playpen we had, I’d scream and cry whenever Andy Smith came into the yard to deliver a paper. I’ve no idea why, Andy was a nice kid. Andy had taken over the route in the late 1950’s from Andy and Gary Rivers. All of kids with bikes, dreaming of what we’d spend our tip money on.
When Andy had the route, it stretched the length of Boston Road from the easterly point of Hovey Hill on Boston Rd to the westerly point of Freeland Triangle. By the time we got it, the route had been pared down to about half its original size. I think when we started our deliveries, the paper cost 50 cents per week. We didn’t deliver the heavy Sunday paper. We had to keep a ledger book, and a careful accounting of who paid and who owed. Every Friday, we had to knock on our customer’s doors and announce, “I’m collecting”. Some customers left an envelope out between their screen door and main door. We had to reconcile with Pete Gonya’s distribution center in Millbury. We learned good math skills.
I can remember each and every stop on the route, clear as day. I remember who tipped and who didn’t.
Heading towards Sutton center on Boston Road from our house, we started with John & Grace Brigham’s house. John was retired from the Postal Service as a letter carrier. He’d been a farmer before that, before the 1953 Tornado flattened his house and barn on Leland Hill. Grace was always home, and made wonderful apple pies. She was a good friend and neighbor of my grandmother. Old John had a walk-behind Gavely snow plow that I found fascinating. He cleared his driveway with this rig, wearing his long wool mailman’s coat and fur ear muffs. He looked like the mailman in Norman Rockwell’s painting. He often used his plow machine to clear snow from the ice on the little mud hole across from our house so we kids could skate.
Pendleton & Laura Havener lived next door to Brigham’s. The Haveners had kids our age, and some older. ‘Penny’ coached little league, most often the Pleasant Valley franchise. Penny was fairly handy and helped his oldest boy Charlie build a go-cart out of an old lawn mower and some plywood. That go-cart was so cool. The Haveners moved to South Carolina shortly after we got the route, and I lost my best friend Henry, the middle son.
Next on that side of the street were the Kallio’s. They got a paper. They were a retired couple whos son Eric had grown up and moved out but left behind his beagle “Wimpy”. We inherited Wimpy. Wimpy used to jump in Lynnwood Eaton’s milk truck every morning and ride around town with him, before being dropped off back at our house an hour or so later.
On the other side of the street were St. Mark’s Rectory, and Lewis Sherman/Dudley Perry’s farm house. I don’t recall leaving a paper at either place.
Up the street from Kallio’s were Henry & Helen Kaminski, and their son Danny, who was a few years older than John and I were. They got a paper. I remember Henry Kaminski drove a giant green Chrysler, and worked at a factory down on Howe Ave in Millbury. Helen Kaminski was usually at home. She’d been a Klewiec, and grew up in town on their family farm. Danny had altered his banana bike into a sort of circus bike about eight feet tall. He changed the handle bars to accommodate a real steering wheel from a car. We thought that was the coolest thing we’d ever seen.
Next up the street was a hay pasture owned by Eddy Lacross. We hayed that field with Morrice Perry. Years later the field became where Harry & Angela Baily built their home.
Next to “Eddy’s field” was Kelton & Beverly Johnson. I don’t remember them getting a paper. The Johnson’s may have actually moved in their after we had the paper route, but I don’t remember who lived there before them.
Next up from Kelton Johnson’s was Ellery “Bucky” Smith and his wife Faith. She had been a Freeland. Both of them born and raised in Sutton. Bucky was our fire chief after his brother Tighe retired. They got a paper. That’s where paper boy Andy Smith had grown up. Bucky’s son Raymond was head of the highway department. His daughter Hope taught gym at the school and had been a star athlete.
Across the street from Bucky was the two family home owned by Morrice Perry and rented out. It’s gone now, but sat directly in front of Donald Perry’s current barn. “Mr & Mrs West” lived on the 2nd floor – we had to go up the stairs on the east end of the house, and leave the paper at the top of the stairs, and collect the money for the paper there too. The West’s daughter Mary married “Bunk” King, who drove the school busses for the town. Morrice Perry’s mother-in-law, Edna Hughes lived on the first floor. She got a paper, and was usually at the door to collect it as well as pay on Fridays, collection day.
Next door to the two-family was John & “Beth” Gifford’s place. I remember Mr. Gifford as being a custodian at the schools. Mrs. Gifford was usually home to get the paper in person. Nice elderly lady. She drove a little tiny Ford Falcon.
Next to Giffords was Bill Orne ( Ohrn?) I think he got a paper but was never home, and always left the payment out in a little envelope. John Perry had lived there. That’s Keith Downer’s house now.
Next to Orne’s was George & Dorothy Graham. I think George worked in Worcester. The Telephone Company? Not sure. Dot Graham was usually home. They got a paper.
Next to Grahams was Harlan “ Lanny” Goodwin, his wife Barbara and all their kids. I don’t remember them getting a paper, but was in school with the oldest daughter Becki. They were pretty girls. Barbara had been queen of the 1954 250th anniversary parade, and rode in a brand new Corvette convertible.
Across from Goodwin’s was Wilmont Hastings. I don’t think he got a paper. I don’t recall if he lived there during our paper route years either. It seems he would have been earlier. That was the old farm house owned by Thomas & John Hancock and stood next to the stone walls of the little “Town Pound”, and the ‘Hearse House” for the cemetery in Sutton Center.
Across from Hastings was Jim & Belle Smith’s small cottage, one of my favorites on the route. Jim was Bucky’s younger brother. Both he and Belle were retired, although Jim worked part time for the cemetery commission mowing lawns. Bell was usually home, keeping the white picket fence and yard tidy. Their daughter Joyce’s old basset hound Sophie could always be found basking in the sun on the sidewalk. Joyce would be our biology teacher at Sutton High School later on.
Next up from Smiths on the North side of Boston Rd was the little red cape house owned by Ben MacLaren. Ben was born in town and was one of the last to graduate from the old Sutton High School next to the gas station. His family got a paper. Ben worked at a variety of odd jobs and wasn’t home too often when the paper got delivered.
Next up the hill from MacLaren’s, was “The Beehive”, the apartment building on the corner of Boston Rd & Singletary Ave owned by Al Beaton. We delivered newspapers throughout those apartments. Amongst the customers were Howard Bottomly on the first floor, and Benny Oles on the very top floor. To reach Mr Oles was a climb up a couple flights of stairs. He rarely came to the door. We left the paper in front of his door, and collected the pay envelope from the same place. Benny was one of the original ‘collectors’ when St Marks Church was built. The Michelsons lived on the middle floor, along with others. Over time, so many couples starting out rented appartments at the Beehive. Andy Smith lived their when he first got married. Nicky & Penny Nunnemacher. Penny’s brother Ken & his new bride. Mark & Audrey Brigham.
Our route didn’t go down Singletary Avenue. I don’t recall going up Uxbridge Road at all either, or around Church circuit.
On the other side of the Common, and heading east on Boston Rd, across from the Church was the Brick Block/Polly’s Antiques. We didn’t deliver papers to any of the tenants there. We didn’t deliver to the Congo Church parsonage next door either. Nobody at either place subscribed.
Continuing up Boston Rd on the north side, next was Alvin & Emily Swindell’s house. Al Swindell was retired, but worked as the head of the cemetery commission. He used his own red Ford pickup and Snapper riding lawn mower to mow the common and the cemeteries. Emily was old Lewis Sherman’s daughter. Their daughter Janice was a schoolteacher. Emily was generally home to get the paper and pay on Fridays.
Next door to Swindell’s lived Morrice & Florence Perry, and their boys Donald & Jeff. Morrice grew up in town on The Maples dairy farm, and was a truck driver for the town of Sutton highway department. Every summer, he came to cut the hay in our fields for his herd of Hereford cattle. Florence ran the local chapter of the 4H. Morrice always left his pay envelope on the front porch, with exact change counted to the penny. Never a tip. But, he was still our hero and a man held in awe because of all his tractors, farm machinery and old trucks. Morrice chewed tobacco and spit. He smoked a pipe too.
Next from Perry’s was Frank & Beatrice Paine’s house. Mrs. Paine was our piano teacher. Frank Paine had run the grocery store in the Brick Block. Both were retired.
Across from the Paine’s house was Arthur & Helen Ordung. Mrs Ordung was always home. She was a retired seamstress in the men’s department at Ware Pratt in Worcester. She was often home sewing or braiding rugs from scraps of wool. She had a loud personality, and we were a little afraid of her. Later, we learned what a sweetheart she really was. Born in Sutton, she was a Silun. She got a paper, and was a decent tipper. She always had good treats at Halloween.
Wally & Shirley Johnson’s big farm was next to Ordung’s. Wally was a carpenter/farmer, World War Two veteran. He was sometimes home during the day, most often in his fields or on a roof in town someplace working with Bill Crosby’s framing crew . Shirley and her sister Doris Humes were most always home. Shirley often gave me milk and cookies or something good when I came by with the paper. The Johnsons & Doris Humes were good tippers too.
Across from Wally’s was Nick & Peg (McGovern) Johnson’s Farm, the former “Charlie Putnam” farm. The McGoverns had package stores in Worcester, and every Christmas Nick Johnson brought a gallon of hard brown liquor to our house as a gift. My parents didn’t drink hard brown liquor, but accepted the gift none the less. In the summer he brought us huge plump tomatoes from his garden. Nick grew the best tomatoes.
Starting down “Hovey Hill” after Nick Johnsons, was Victor & Lois Karacius house. Vic was another World War Two vet. Lois was the head librarian when the library was in the General Rufus Putnam Building. Vic & Lois were instrumental in the Sutton Players group, putting on plays in the old town hall. Their son Dave was one of the best drummers to come out of SHS in the class of 1968. Dave played in the rock band “The Untouched”, and my brother John idolized him. John used his paper route money to buy his first set of drums in 1968. Vic had been a saxophone player.
After Karacius’ house was Charles & Martha Graveline’s house. Charlie Graveline worked as a caretaker down at Purgatory Chasm State Park. He had a nifty 1925 Ford AA truck all restored in running condition. The truck had reportedly hauled lumber out of Purgatory after the Hurricane of 1938. His son in law Jim Brigham still has it. Martha Graveline worked as a cafeteria cook at the school. They were decent tippers. Their daughter Nancy married Jim Brigham who grew up across the street from our house. Jim & Nancy still live there. Charlie & Martha were regular tippers. That’s as far as our route went down Boston Road.
Once that end of Boston Road was complete we headed back down toward our house and the schools, to do the little bit of Putnam Hill Rd. Starting at the intersection of Boston & Putnam Hill Rd, on the left was Professor Rudolph Nunnemacher and his wife Sylvia’s house, “the Blue Blinds”. They didn’t get a paper on our route. Their son Robert, called “Nicky” would often come skate with us on the little mud hole across the street from our house. It’s my understanding that Dr. Nunnemacher had created that small pond for biology experiments. He was a professor of biology at Clark University.
The next four houses were all on the same side, and all got papers. Stanley & Millie Bostwick lived in the one story ranch rouse across from the little league field. They got a paper. Next was Albert & Nancy Johnson. They had several daughters that were in school with us. Albert worked around town as a carpenter. He was another World War Two veteran.
After Johnsons was Stanley & Marjorie Knapp’s home. Stanley had been in the Air Force in World War II, with the 532mf bomber squadron. He worked in Worcester before retiring and working on the Cemetery Commission with Al Swindell and crew. Stanley was a quiet man, always smoking a cigarette with a 2 inch-ash on it. How he kept that long ash intact I’ll never know. Stanley and Marj tipped modestly.
The Kortekamps lived next to The Knapps, and were the end of that spur of our route.
Back on Boston Road at the high school, heading west, we delivered papers to Harry & Agnes Davagian. They had built a newer home across the street from their farm on the corner of Merriam Lane. Harry’s dairy farm stood across the street. We helped Harry cut corn in his fields, which are now the Simonian Learning Center and elementary school. His large barn and silo stood right about where the tennis courts are now. Agnes was the Sutton High School home economics teacher for years. Harry’s cows looked back over the stone wall of right field of the high school baseball field. Sometimes they got loose onto the school grounds, to much excitement.
Next to Davagian’s was John & Evelyn Newton’s home. Mrs. Newton was an art teacher in the high school. She directed wonderful plays, and was universally loved by all the students.
We pedaled our bikes down Merriam Lane for the last spur of the route. First, on the left was old Marie Sieberth. She lived alone, but got a paper. I never knew too much about her, her family or where she came from, but she was nice. She tipped.
Next to Sieberth was George & Marie Chabot’s luxurious home. George owned Chabot Motors in Millbury. Marie stayed at home with her little white poodle dog that yapped incessantly when we peddled into the yard. Mrs Chabot was one of the best tippers. When the paper was 50 cents, she’d be good for a whole quarter. Sometimes a dollar on holidays. In times when most of the tips ranged from 10 to 15 cents, that was pretty generous.
Down the road a piece and on the other side lived Rod & Florence Lavallee. Florence was one of my favorites on the route. She was a good friend of my grandmother. She was the best tipper of all. When the paper was 60 cents, she tipped an extra 40 cents, paying a full dollar a week. That was big money! Florence was art teacher Evelyn Newton’s sister. Her three sons Rod, David & Kenny were grown and gone when we were paperboys, but Florence talked about them all the time. David was in the marines. Kenny was an artist. She was very proud of her boys.
The last house at the end of Merriam Lane was owned by Orrin “Randy” Robbins. His son Randy was a bit older than us. I remember when he was badly burned from a flashback with a can of lighter fluid while lighting a charcoal grill.
My brother John and I eventually outgrew our paper route and moved on to other jobs. John worked on the grounds crew at Pleasant Valley, and I went to work for Joe Pelis at Colonial Orchards. The paper route had taught us responsibility and reliability. We also got to know our neighbors. I doubt 10 year olds could get a route now, with child labor laws as they are. But it was a great experience I wouldn’t trade for anything!