Courtney Pollack and Adele Pollack

00:03 I'm Courtney Pollack. I'm 39 years old. Today is Saturday January 16th 2021 and I'm calling in from Somerville, Massachusetts and my conversation partner is Adele Pollack and she's my nana.

00:21 So Nana, can you say your first and last name?

00:26 My name is Adele Pollack, and I'm in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

00:31 And could you say a your age and today's date?

00:36 Today, what is today?

00:40 Today January 10th and 16th

00:44 When is it the 16th and 16th of January 16th, and I have excellent and you say my name and your relationship to me.

01:04 I'm talking to Courtney Pollack, and she's my granddaughter great. Thank you. And one reason that I wanted to have this conversation is because I remember when I was a kid you used to make recordings of me all the time when I was playing a piano or would you were just recording us talking and so now I guess I'm turning the tables on you.

01:34 Oh, thanks a lot. I learned this strategy from you. So I'm curious. How did you get the idea to do that? What made you think to do that?

01:48 Well, I just felt it would be wonderful to look back on memories and it was just a normal thing to do. I've been doing that for a long time ever since my children were born and have a recording and everything that I like. I could you remember her by remember them by.

02:13 Oh, so you did that with Dad and and you know all of your other children too. Well, what we did in those days take movies because we didn't have recording at that time recorders weren't you popular so, you know this is going way back.

02:32 In the early fifties. We took movies.

02:40 Oh.

02:42 Do you still have them or yes I do.

02:49 Someday, we'll have to go through them yet. Did you go back and like watch watch those movies? You asked her dad and my aunts and uncles grew up. So absolutely I'm putting this place together by 400.

03:18 CW of them and yes, we have them here and next time you're here. You'll have to go through them Center in recordings of us there recordings with Rachel Rachel all you guys do really

03:46 I'll have to find a tape player.

03:50 Okay, I'll buy you one about that. I was to spend so much time with you while I was growing up, you know at your house or I'm at you know, the store our family business. So I'm interested to hear more about your relationship with your grandparents. Did you know them? Well, well I lived we live with my grandmother and my mother side didn't know my grandfather. He passed away my other grandparents lived further up in the in the city and so we would visit them now and then but that was about it. We would see them on the weekends generally.

04:40 I say what were they like?

04:42 Well, they were from Russia originally and so very homey and very busy at trying to make a living in those days. It was difficult that was in the thirties and I guess the twenties when they came here 20 years maybe even earlier and so they were busy making a living.

05:06 So that was my upbringing with with them. We were close, but we would save him about once a week once every two weeks and visit.

05:15 What did you do with that when you saw them but mainly I was a kid so parents would get together and they would have conversations. We kids we just play around and and as we grew up if they grew up passing their homes, for example, when going downtown after school, I would wave to them so it wasn't an everyday kind of thing. So.

05:48 I see when you are playing with your with your siblings or other other kids. What did you what did you do then like with your siblings when you were growing up with your parents? Well, my sibling first one was five years younger than I so we didn't have much in common, but normally I would just be playing with girlfriends from school. And that was about it. We were very we're all very close.

06:21 Yeah, what kind of things did you do already? What kind of things did you do? Well, in those days we are kids so, you know, you'll do the normal things and that was about it cuz it just what the normal activities would be when you're a kid skating like roller skating more like ice skating roller skates.

06:53 Did he write did you get into trouble at all? Throwing up? No, I did. Did your siblings Uncle Allen or Uncle Richard? Did they ever get into trouble?

07:13 You know, I really don't I don't think so. Really, you're pretty pretty good Kidz, Bop. Did you spend time with like what other relatives did you spend time with? Will I have a favorite cousin who used to come over all the time? He in fact his birthday was yesterday turn 90. What did he turn 95, I believe 96 and we were very close to my mother's sisters would have children to bring over and so that's who I really ended up with most of the time and that lasted up until I got married. We were very close.

08:01 So it was like a family affair. Yeah. Can you say who he is in a little bit about him your close cousin Mike Rose cousins. Well, he's not doing too well these days but as I said, he had a birthday yesterday and are there two elderly one with he and his brother are there in their 90's still a little older than I am but

08:39 Yeah, I did you like you said you were maybe making a video for him for his birthday. Did you do that? We did that. Yes, we did that last night and sent it out. You guys just wish him a happy birthday at play piano forum.

09:00 It was a little Productions. That's great day. Just about every day play piano. And and I do my yard work as well. Have you been getting back to doing some artwork in recent weeks? I know sometimes you're in very moody to get back to us water colors. I have to be inspired. So that'll take a little bit of work. I think.

09:43 Yeah, I thought so but that's what I've been doing lately.

09:48 I don't think I've ever asked how when did you learn to play the piano and and start doing watercolors?

09:58 Well

10:00 I have to go back to tell you how I got into piano. I was in Vaudeville when I was 4 and 5 years old dance and from there. I went to another dancing school after my initial teachers moved away.

10:21 And my mother was tired of hearing me cap. So she brought a piano without my knowing.

10:31 And when I came home from school, but she told me that she's going to start my my dancing lessons. And of course, I was very unhappy about that. And as a matter of fact, I wouldn't talk to her for about a week and one day I walked came up with school and there was a piano and I wouldn't look at it.

10:54 And then after a while I started when she wasn't home. I started Tinker with us.

10:59 Very quietly and very secretively and then eventually I started to play piano. So that's that's how that's started.

11:12 Courtney I just said wow, that's that's so interesting. Yeah, and then from Dara and I started to play and play and shows put on shows and

11:26 I would be accompaniment. I was a company has for an opera singer for number here is who is my friend?

11:35 And then I went on to business after I got married so I have about five different lives.

11:45 Yeah, what's up? When all this was happening when you were a kid near the Vaudeville work that you were doing and getting into piano and then eventually transitioning into business. I mean as a kid, what did you think that your life would be like when you were when you got older?

12:05 Were you know, I really didn't think about it because I was busy with everyday, you know, when you're busy doing things everyday, it's hard to imagine what you really want to do. As a matter of fact when I was out of high school or almost out of high school getting ready to go to college. I really didn't know what I wanted to do until one of my cousins that I was talking about said to me you are to take ours and I never used to do it just for fun never even paid attention to it and I thought well, I'll try it but I really don't know anything about it except that I'm doing things at home. So when I have an interview in college, I decided in fact I was kind of talking to it.

12:58 Two major in art and minor in music. Well, when I went to college the dean said to me, you can't you can't major in my it you can't I wanted to major in 2 Things music and arts and she said you can't major in 2 things because we don't have it at this college because music is a minor and I said wasn't I can't go to school here sister. It was a Catholic school and she said well, let me see what I could do. So she said will okay, you can take music and I took all of it all the courses and major would take and she said but we have to call it in minor because it's not allowed so I took two majors.

13:44 But in name I had to call it in minor got started.

13:52 And went to school about so I don't know how many hours a day because I was taking the two majors start at 8 and went home at 5:30. So I really have a heavy schedule those days. But that was the the beginning of the video the art and the music.

14:14 Yeah.

14:16 That's so interesting. So during that time ordering, you know when you were young and when you're kind of into emerging adulthood there were actually a lot more difficult societal challenges that were happening at that time. You know that you're the Great Depression and then after that World War II and the Holocaust and I'm wondering what was it like for you to live through those times? Well, I was too young about the earlier years. I was immersed in

14:59 The win the war took place in the early forties. We were pretty scared about that. You know, we have blackouts and you couldn't we had trying to think of some of the things that we did in school. We had the age that happened and so-called are raised and so it was a pretty scary time. That was 1941 when when we were we declared war.

15:36 And so that's what happened during the teenage years. We actually didn't have much to concern ourselves with actually, but it was a scary time. We had sent all kinds of rationing.

15:52 For example, my mother couldn't get nylon stockings because they're using the nylons for I guess parachutes.

16:00 And so we went through a very peculiar time at that time.

16:09 Interesting something that you said just a couple minutes ago when you were talking about.

16:18 Playing the piano and eventually transitioning into businesses that you feel like you've lived three or four different lives and see what these different lines are. I'd love for you to talk a little bit more about them.

16:36 Well, what happened is when I learn how to play the piano course. I got involved with the guy said the opera singer and I was doing all kinds of musical putting on shows and those shows were basically to raise money for the veterans veterans hospital. And so did that for about five years and that was to the Jewish War veterans organization. We got them involved as well. I would write write subscripts and have plays and all that kind of thing. And so that was one phase of my life and eventually when I was in business with my with Papa my husband's Morty in the bakery business, it was involved in that and so we always had problems in our downtown area

17:33 Because of parking and other things that would affect business and so I got involved in the city complaining about the lack of parking and just for spite I think the mayor said willing to put you on the parking authority and besides that the musical people came after me the community concert people came after me because I was putting on all these shows and have me join that and I did their complicity for about I think about 20 some years.

18:15 We had all the concerts that would very famous people coming to Scranton. And so that was another phase of my life with the the music and the trip and did I talk to you about the crippled children's Society my uncle got me involved with that. He wanted me to get involved with with their organization because I think there was trying to separate themselves from another organism another complex organization. I can't get into bed, but

18:50 I need how I got on that board and did all their publicity got involved with the newspapers. They all were helping me out theaters and getting all the information that they needed. So between the community concert the musical end and the crippled children and that started with the newspaper stuff.

19:15 And from then on the mayor got a hold of me because I was on the parking authority to contribute to some other organizations within the within the city. So he put me in about three different other organization to other I should say committees that we're trying to further the downtown area and so is your involved with the Chamber of Commerce to that and so all these organizations kept popping up that would say they were kind of related in a way.

19:56 Because one problem led to another such as do another organization and so one thing led to another and that's how I got so involved.

20:08 I was I was almost never home which was not good because I had five children as you know, and so that was another phase in doing carrying on our business was keeping me busy during the day. So

20:29 I was a busy bee what did you do for the newspaper? I didn't know that you were working with the newspaper. Well, I wasn't working with them and they were working with me. I was doing all the publicity for crippled children and Community concerts very heavily. I was your PR person and they were very very nice to me third page coverage on my stuff. We're really be along the way and the social area. So I had a good connection, you know, when I have good connection with the photographers and and the editors so that was a fun time, but it kept me busy.

21:14 So, let's see if I'm counting. You know, you were acting as a business woman you are doing publicity for several different organizations. You were involved in a putting on shows as part of New Year music part of your careers. You were doing the parking authority downtown and you were raising a five children. So how was it possible? And how did it feel to just wear all of those different hats?

21:49 You know, I really never thought about it because one thing led to another I was just get up and go to a meeting and after work or even take off a little time or it just chilling place. I really don't know how it would I look back. I really don't know how I did it. It just it was like a normal thing one thing. I was just busy.

22:15 Just busy busy.

22:18 Yeah, one of the other things I know that you've in recent years have taken up doing is thinking about writing a memoir. So I'd be interested for you to talk a little bit about what inspired you to start that process.

22:40 Well, I guess because I was so involved in things and I was hoping that maybe my kids would look back on and what I had done and maybe they would be inspired to get involved in community and you know, everybody's busy doing their own thing, but if it never hurts to get involved in and offers to volunteer, and I really don't know why it's just just to keep track of what I was doing and

23:12 For some reason I thought maybe it would be a good idea for all of you every one of your kids to see what I have done and

23:19 And have something to remember me by it's nothing else. Do you think about getting involved in some of those activities still today?

23:32 Well, you know I have I had done so much that I I felt that it was time to retire and that started when I lost Papa left my husband and that I should concentrate more on the business and you know, one thing leads to another after a while. I think that you've done enough you want to go on to other things and I concentrated more on the business because he was gone and we had to keep it up and sell your dad and I just stuck it out.

24:12 And when he when he passed away, we just had to pick up the pieces and go on with it. And so I figured I'm going to stop doing all the organizational work and concentrate on business and that's how that happened. And that was back in 1979 1989. I did keep up with a couple of organizations because they wouldn't let me go but it was the parking authority mainly and so I stayed involved with that little longer, but I wanted to concentrate on the family more.

24:54 And so that's where we are.

24:57 Yeah, and she'll are tragic fire can take over around that time from 1879 1980 time to take over with Dad, you know start really devoting so much time to our family Bakery and Restaurant.

25:23 Yes, well at first it was difficult, but I had been working right I'm at the store. Anyhow with the papa and so it wasn't sure it was not new to me. But we still had to pick up the pieces because it was it was very difficult. But we knew what we had to do and your dad was very young at the time. It is early twenties. And so we just had to go over everything that Poppy used to do and pick up the pieces as I said and go on with it and then your dad was such an innovator he would do things his own way and and turned out to be wonderful and so we just went in another Direction and things grew.

26:17 And so we work together very well. I became all of a sudden I have a decorator besides being in the the front part of the business. And so we just carried on the way we had to you have no choice.

26:34 Yeah, I remember learning how to decorate a new teaching me and Aunt for teaching me. She was you know also decorating and it was my first job working in that Bakery and and a big part of my life too, specially growing up. You mentioned that you were prioritizing that role in your life until the fire. Can you say a little bit more about that? Yes. Well, we worked at remodeling the store and dad was a very big part of that dad and his and the Karen his wife. We went another Direction and concentrated more on weddings. For example instead of an all-around Bakery.

27:30 And and so we decided that we would take over a very big project and do our building over remodel it and

27:43 So we we just went in that direction.

27:47 And it was fun. It was difficult, but fun. And of course the downtown was a challenge because the innovation of the mall which is about 325 miles away from downtown took away a lot of our business or businesses in downtown I should say and so it was a struggle to keep up the downtown to be a habitat be active the way it was before we had a wonderful downtown but businesses were going over to the mall and so we had a challenge and we had to go look at our business and going other directions. We took we concentrated more on weddings and that was very successful. But again, as I said, it was a challenge to be downtown

28:41 And keeping up all the businesses from from the whole area was a challenge as well. Just attracting new businesses was difficult because they were all going to the mall but we had a very successful business until one day or one night. We got to call and there was a fire going on and destroyed the whole building and so which was very heartbreaking and that's that's hard to take when all of a sudden I'm forced into retirement because I can't go in decorating a cake or handle things in the front of the store. It's it's a whole new lifestyle that you have to take over now.

29:26 Sorry that takes over you. That's that's where her ass and the fire was I don't know how many years ago and it seems like yesterday. But yeah, it's about it was in 2009, right? So a little over and I feel as if I want to get up in the morning to go to work. So it's it's still very

29:58 Just sits right there with me. Yeah, how do you

30:05 You know, how do you think about that Ur? Well it's a sad thing. I don't like I don't like to think about it, but we had all those wonderful years in business since 19 when we think now I 1947.

30:24 It's 1947 and all of these years went by and we were a major Bakery and we were very grateful for that that we had a wonderful the wonderful following but it's just it's difficult. I still think about it and it it's hard for me to get used to even to this day.

30:46 So

30:49 Nothing, I like about you much.

30:53 Yeah, I think about it to still I have a couple of bricks that I took from their own the building on the building here the letters from our sign and a couple of bricks, but I keep a different places. I've lived them carry them with me. All these different yard is a memorial we've made a walk with bricks. So we have something to remember it by.

31:41 Right now

31:43 But now, you know, it's time to do other things and so I'm concentrating on music and art

31:51 Yeah, they've been such a Mainstay for you.

31:56 Scranton has been such a such a strong presence throughout your whole life.

32:04 Music and art. Yes, that's that's really been the main focus. Although I've done a lot of newspaper work there with all the publicity that I was thrown into. Those are the three areas but life goes on and you have to make a come along and

32:29 And that's what make like makes life interesting. I'm interested to hear take it as it comes and you do forward you what you need to do and so evens for a conversation, you know there have been some.

32:48 Unanticipated times and so I'm wondering how has your life been different than you imagined that it may have been.

33:02 I'm not sure. I just take one day at a time and whatever comes along you you just do what you have to do.

33:14 And job

33:17 I just don't find anything in advance actually, so whatever comes along you just handle it the way you had you just fly by the seat of your pants actually don't know planning because you don't know what's really in the future. So just take it as it comes and handle it that way. I think that's I think that's a good way to be actually, I think my my last question that I had for you is kind of coming full circle and thinking about all of the recordings that we did when I was a kid with you and the opportunity that now we'll have together or that I'll have to listen to those and I want us to imagine that their future generations of our family who are listening to this many years from now.

34:14 Is there any wisdom that you'd want to pass on to them or what? Would you want them to know?

34:21 Well, I think probably just be true to yourself and treat your family as you would want to be treated yourself just have a loving relationship. I think family is the most important thing. You could always do outside work to help other people, which I think everyone should do everyone should have an experience to help help others without okay to help others because I think that's what life is all about and that's about it. I think that's a loving your family and and looking at helping them. Whatever it takes to be a good parent is just all you can ask for

35:08 Solon

35:10 I just think being a good person listen to others more than you speak. Just listen to others and help out the best way you can.

35:24 That's about all I can say is that.

35:28 Be kind throughout your life and you will reap rewards in the end. Yeah, I think that's really nice on the other side of my phone, which is you well, thank you and thank you so much for having this conversation with me. It's so special to me that we get to have this and that we have this recording together.

36:00 Well, I appreciate it and I hope that we could do more even on our own time and you'll get to hear more of the the details that is difficult to talk over the phone in the the time that's a lot of but we'll get together and we'll talk about old times and some of the things that you don't even know about.

36:27 And we have something to look forward to yes. Absolutely. I really do. Look forward to that.