Trumpeter

me m o r i e s
by
Lillian Rostkowski Rogowski
The year was 1925 and St. Stanislaus Church was a hub of religious and social activities for the Polish immigrants
as they settled in Fells Point. Due to the custom officers, clearing
the Poles as they came through Locust Point, Fells Point became
congested and fully occupied so they moved East, along O’Donnell
Street to Canton. Therefore, another parish was planned to accommodate
them. The sister church was named St. Casimir, however, as
the new Parish expanded, Father Benedict Przmielewski, the pastor,
who was a very talented artist and sculptor received many awards from
his architectural design for the beautiful church which proudly stands
on O’Donnell Street from Lakewood Avenue to Kenwood Avenue. A
magnificent structure, with a unique front entrance, which is at street
level. As the church was being built, the school children marched along
Boston Street to St. Stanislaus School. After daily Mass, in the old
church, which is currently the Church Hall, for our classes. My sister
Dorothy and I marched to “St. Stan”, until the St. Casimir School was
completed. Two years for me and one year for Dorothy.
During the second grade at St. Stan, we participated in a Christmas
Pageant, the Piaselka, at the St. Stan school Hall. We were “angels” in the Nativity Scene which was the finale
of the program. I was selected to deliver two lines in Polish, “Hark, I bring glad tidings, the infant Jesus was
born!” As it happened, my lines were not delivered.
Suddenly shots rang out and pandemonium reigned. Our parents grabbed us and we left the hall in fear. It was a
lovely clear cold night in December [28] as we rushed home, in costume and our angel wings.
A crazed woman [Julia Tyma] shot the organist (from St. Casimir)
[Leopold Sendrakowski] as he was playing Kolendy, Polish
Christmas Carols, as she ran up the aisle.
That was my first experience to witness murder and I was only
7 years old. This tragic performance caused the last Piaselka to
take place. Eventually, the hall became very popular for wrestling
matches, as my father and his cronies arranged to see the
famous Polish wrestler, Stas Zbyszko, as well as dances and
English classes were conducted and many other activities. Bingo
was unknown in those days.
Personally, as a child, I was full of curiosity, as we marched, two
by two, with the nuns. There were much to observe. On one side
of Boston Street was the American Can Company and many canneries and packing houses with the loud, shrill,
whistle alerting the Polish ladies work was available. On the opposite side was the Blue Danube and the Pink
Elephant who kicked up his legs in neon lights at night and other bars along the way. Yes, the scenery is much
different at this time as the area became gentrified.
Memories is a new feature that will appear from time to time as we invite our members to share their reminisces of events, people and
places in their life. Essays should be 250 words or less and the editor reserves the right to edit for content and space.
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