History Blog: "Aunt Elsie Page"

In the 1920s, 30ss and 40ss, the Oakland Tribune had an "Aunt Elsie Page" for children and some of the material was reader submitted. Children from both Alvarado and Decoto contributed to the page. Children submitted art and writings.

The page was so popular that Aunt Elsie clubs were formed in Alvarado and Decoto. The Decoto club children provided entertainment to the seniors at the Masonic Home; "A two-act play featured the entertainment; Dorothy Bettencourt and Beatrice Silva presented a dance, Jewel King a piano solo, Josephine Seoane a violin solo, and Bernice Neves a tap dance. Vernon Vargas played the saxophone, Nadine King sang, Marie Bernard presented an accordion solo and Mary Cortex gave a comedy playlet. Mary Cortez is the chief witch of the chapter. She delivered the farewell address on the program. The club has 55 members."

The Alvarado club was formed in 1932 with the following members; "John Accinelli, Leonard Silva, Eva Soares, Marian Ziegler, Alvina Santos, Lloyd Silva, Richard Munger, T. Akinaga, Helen Pilkington, Cyril Flores, Jim Wasley, Wilma Martin, Edward Martinez, Robert Avilla, Irma Borges, Mary Hinkley, Caroline Amaral, Olivia Nieto and Bernice Lezand. The chapter will be under the guidance of James C. Wasley and Mrs. Laura Orelli."

Most of the stories written by the children were true tales of their childhood, both entertaining and revealing:

I was digging for gold when I felt something hard. I dug some more but still couldn’t find anything. The boy that was with me told me to dig some more and what do you think I found? I found a penny!

BY: Simon Martin, 10 years old, Decoto, May 7, 1933

Sister told me not to wear my new ribbon to school. Taking her advice, I left it at home. At night in came my sister wearing it herself. I shall not take any more of her advice about wearing my things.

BY: Dorothy Duarte, 12 years old, Decoto, June 18, 1933

One day, when I used to live up in the hills, I decided to take a walk. I took my dog with me. We were about two miles from home when all of a sudden it became foggy. The fog was so thick I couldn’t find my way home. I whistled for my dog. I whistled for him because I though he would show me the way home I started to walk, but when I stopped walking the dog stopped too. I stopped because I thought the dog would go and I could follow him. Then I came to a road. I walked up that road. I got excited when I saw my dog was walking down another road, so I followed him. Soon the fog began clearing and I saw the smoke from the chimney of my house. My dog and I reached home safely. From that day on I never went up in the hills unless my dog went with me.

By: Laurence Roderick, 14 years old, Alvarado, July 24, 1932

One night on the way home from the house of a friend I had a terrible fright. I was thinking of the ghost stories we had told, when suddenly in the path before me appeared something in the dark. It looked as if it carried a great white sheet, which it waved first on one side, then on the other. I stood as still as a post trying to think of what to do. The ghost stood still also. Finally I got enough courage to throw a stone. The ghost bounded away, waving it white sheet faster than ever, but a familiar bawl let me know that I had nothing to fear. It was my own calf with a handkerchief tied to its tail.

By: Tony Fields, 12 years old, Alvarado, June 26, 1932