My Dad Ed MacNicoll Salutes The Police Athletic League
Mike had a picture of the old Trenton 2nd Precent Station that
covered Chambersburg. It brought back memories I like to share.
In thinking of Chambersburg, I remember well, as kid growing up
and going to Immaculate Conception church during the war years
in Chambersburg, there was another group of great men and women
that came into Chambersburg to help us boys while many of our
fathers and men we looked up to were far away in other countries
fighting for us. I see no one else remembering this group and
I want to since I know sincerely that they had a great effect
on me. These folks were members of the Trenton Police Athletic
League known was PAL.
I hope that others will remember also. I remember them taking us
to all types of sports functions, to see the old Philadelphia
Athletics' seeing Connie Mack, Joe D, Ted Williams all the other
hero's of us kids. The took us to see the Harlem Globetrotters,
Boxing matches are the area on Stockton Street, first time I saw
Ike Williams, remember Gorgeous George and Argentina Rocco.
They got us membership to the YMCA and the Boys Club. They took
many of us kids from the Burg on our very first long bus rides,
and the bought us hats, soda's and stuff. They made us laugh.
Yes, these cops had a love for us kids when we needed them,
they had a belief that us kids here in the Burg and everywhere,
if reached early enough, could and would develop a strong,
positive, attitude towards police officers in their journey through
life towards the goal of adulthood and citizenship. Like the church.
The (PAL) is a recreation oriented juvenile crime prevention
program that relies heavily on athletics and recreational activities
to tighten the bond between police officers and kids in the community.
They had a great show, an every at the Trenton War Memorial very
year called "Anything May Happen" they would bring in a top star
and all of the Trenton Police themselves would act, sing, dance
and do crazy stuff to entertain us. This was a fund raiser.
Does anyone else remember this, was the untiring devotion these
father figures a benefit to the youngsters and to the neighborhood
and business community. I remember and I tell you, in my life this
was virtually unmeasurable.
Note : Pictured above: My Dad & Mom Ed & Julie MacNicoll.
1 comment:
Hi Mack & Ed: I would like to comment about the police officers as I remember them back in the 30s. In Chambersburg and Villa Park they had men that walked the beat, I mean every street, and we knew them by name and they went out of their way to assist everyone that needed help. We hung around corners in large groups and knew to behave or we would hear about it. The scary thing they did was tell us our parents would hear about it. That was enough for us to fear. I don't recall seeing police cars, only motorcycles. Best rsgards.
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