Wilmette Public Library Local History Digital Collection

Frederick William Waidner (1909-1989) oral history

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Track 5, Transcript p. 17-23: Track 5, Transcript p. 17-23
Transcription: Track 5 RA: You had a job? FWW: Well, it was during the Depression era. Well, let's see p.18 I started working in 1929. RA: When it came in. FWW: Yes, I was working with Curtis Wright Air Field which is now.... RA: Ohio? FWW: No. It's Glenview Airport now. RA: Oh, for heaven's sakes. FWW: You see Curtis--Wright .had fields all over the country. RA: I didn't realize that. I knew of the one in Ohio. FWW: Well, it was probably the main, base, but they opened this one up here and then, of course, during the war the Navy took it over and it is still Navy now. RA: I see. FWW: But I worked there in 1921. It was the first job I had.... RA: And what did you do? FWW: ....outside of music because 1 had been playing.... RA: Yes. FWW: ....music. all the time. RA: Yes. What did you do? FWW: Well, I was - like the secretary to the boss. For some reason he didn't like girls or something (Laughter) and I could type and take dictation.... RA: Yes. FWW: . . . and so I got the job. RA: Oh, that was.... p.19 FWW: So it was a good experience. Then I went to Sky Harbor Airport because he went up there and I worked for him.... RA:Oh, yes. FWW: ....for about a year. Then I went to work in an insurance company for my Dad for about 5 years until I couldn't - stand it any longer and then I got into music.... RA: I see. FWW: ....full time. RA: Yes. Now how did you - your father came up here as -- or was it your grandfather FWW: Grandfather. RA: ....who was in the pickle business and then your father.... FWW: No, no. My grandfather was in the insurance business and he caine up and he worked for an insurance company. Then my father and my uncle got into insurance by themselves. RA: I see. FWW: And one uncle stayed in the pickle business, but the two other ones got into insurance and then they had an insurance agency for - until they both died. RA: Oh, yes. FWW: And I worked for them for 5 years, but, I've been.... RA: Music has been your life though. FWW: ....traveling around. Yes. RA: Yes. Well, are you a lyric buff? Have you played with the Lyric Orchestra ever? FWW: No. I've played with - I know quite a few of them. I've p.20 played with them.... RA: Oh, yes. FW: ...but I've never played opera particularly. RA: I see. FWW: I think I played one opera thing one time, but that's.... RA: Oh, yes. FWW: ... .kind of dim. I've sort of forgotten about it. RA: Their 25th year this year has been quite.... FWW: Oh, the Lyric Opera. Yes. RA: …successful, I guess. FWW: Yes. RA Yes, it has, but what was the musical life within the community. Always there's been the Chicago Symphony and - to draw people into town, but what about the Village itself and.... FW: Well, I'll tell you about the Waidners in Chicago. They lived right around Chicago. My Dad was in the Chicago fire. He was three years old. RA: Oh. Your father? FWW: Yes. And they had to -- they wheeled him out of the house with the silverware and everything (Laughter) in the baby carriage and their house didn't burn, but.... RA: I see. FEW: ....they weren1t too sure. RA: Oh, yes. FWW: So then they - that was on Wendell Street which was near p.21 North Avenue. Then they moved somewhere else and then they moved to Chicago Avenue. RA: I see. FWW: That house was still there about 15 years ago and they tore it down finally. RA: Oh. FWW: It was one of those big four story things. RA: Yes. FWW: Narrow house. The kitchen was in the basement and they had the dumb waiters and. RA: That went all the way up through - oh, yes. We had one of those in my childhood. FWW: Well, when they were kids they had - they all played. There were five in that family, and they all played and they had the Waidner family orchestra.... RA: Oh. FWW: ....around Chicago and they played for different things. Not professionally, particularly, but in church things and picnics and so, of course, when we were -- when our family started going, why -- my dad played cello and so we had our own little orchestra and we would play at the church. We'd play like for Sunday school and different things. RA: Oh, yes. FWW: We'd get some other people with us. RA: In the Methodist church they didn't dance. p.22 FWW: No, they didn't dance, but we played hymns.... RA: Oh, yes. FWW: . . ..for like, you know, Sunday school. RA: And no card playing.... FWW.: No. RA: .....in the church. FWW: No, nor even outside. RA: I know. I struggled with that in my youth because I liked card games...(Laughter) FWW: Movies. No movies on Sunday either. RA: Oh, yes. And what were some of the other forbidden things on Sundays? FWW: That's all I can think of. RA: Were you allowed to roller skate? FWW: Oh, sure. RA: Oh, were? I wasn't. FWW: I went to the movies one time and, gee, I never saw my Dad so mad and I couldn't figure it out (Laughter) because I went around with quite a few Catholics who went and it didn't bother them. They had gone to church and they could do anything they wanted to. RA: Sure. FWW: But I went one Sunday afternoon and I got bawled out for it. RA: A good Methodist didn't do that in the early.... FWW: So we played around - we also played at the Congregational p.23 church -- you see not only the Methodist church, but we played over there, too. We had like two orchestras. RA: Oh, yes. FWW: Sometimes we'd be over there. Sometimes we'd be at the Methodist church. RA: I see. FWW: But I know before -- I don't even remember this, but I remember my Dad and Mother talking about it. There was a Wilmette Country Club.... RA: Yes. FWW: ....which was later turned into the Shawnee Country Club and is now Michigan Shores. RA: Yes. Now talk about that country club. It wasn't a golfing club, was it? FWW: Oh, no. No. It was just a social club. RA: And where was it?
Creators: Waidner, Frederick William, 1909-1989, Interviewee; Adler, Rhea Saul
, Interviewer
Media Type: Audio; Image; Text
Item Type: Audiocassettes
Description: Interview with Frederick Waidner by Rhea Adler in Wilmette, Illinois on December 6, 1979.
Place of Publication: Wilmette, Illinois
Date of Original: 6 December 1979
Subject(s): Churches
Musicians
Boy Scouts
Oral histories
Wilmette (Ill.) -- Residents
Personal Name(s): Waidner, Frederick William
Local identifier: R977.31 WA
Language of Item: English
Copyright Statement: Protected by copyright: Uses other than research or private study require the permission of the rightsholder(s). Responsibility for obtaining permissions and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Copyright Date: 1979
Copyright Holder: Wilmette Public Library
Copyright Holder Contact Information: 1242 Wilmette Ave.
Wilmette, Illinois 60091
U.S.A.
Contact: Wilmette Public Library
Email:refdesk@wilmettelibrary.info
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