Duration
| 00:56:00.008 |
Abstract
| Pappas discusses growing up as one of five sons born to Greek immigrants who settled in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He details his work life and the downtown business environment. He also describes running the Elite, the candy shop and luncheonette his parents started in 1913. Also discussed are the following topics: Pappas, Paul, family background -- Father immigrated from Greece -- New York, to Chicago, to La Crosse, 1905 -- Imperial Ice Cream Shop, 1912, moved 1913 -- Elite Candy Shop at 412 Main Street -- childhood, Greek Food -- siblings -- Albert Lee School System Operation -- moving around La Crosse, influence of mother, family dynamics -- church, religion -- morals, dating, sports oriented -- married at 36 years old -- high school, playing pro ball -- academics, accepted to School of Chemical Engineering, 1947 -- War years, drafted September1943 -- basic training, Camp Campbell, Kentucky -- 110th General Hospital in England, June 1944- July 1945 -- 500 employees, Quonset huts, high survival rates -- the draft, physical, 1A, 4F -- return to US, Fort McClellen Alabama 1945 -- discharged, 12 May, 1946 -- started working at the store at 11 years old -- partnership, 1949 -- returning, train station -- travel in America -- modes of transportation -- first car, after war, 23 years old -- living with parents, after war -- moved to YMCA, a $1 a day, 1949 -- father died -- typical day -- customers -- creation of the mall, low business -- competition in business -- first refrigerator in store, 1949 -- first refrigerator in home -- television -- friends -- television's affect on La Crosse -- opinion of atom bomb -- people were satisfied -- Korean Conflict -- McCarthyism -- presidential elections, voting -- voting for local office -- following parents example -- Vietnam, "God Dam mess" -- Civil Rights Movement -- wife, married 1961. |
Interviewee | Pappas, Paul G. |
Interviewer | Zeimet, Teresa |
Owner | University of Wisconsin-La Crosse |
Type of resource
| sound recording |
Genre
| sound |
Genre authority
| marcgt |
Publisher name
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Oral History Program |
Place of publication
| La Crosse, Wisconsin |
Date published
| 1987 |
Date captured
| 2017-09-10 |
Language
| eng |
Subject topic | Pappas, Paul G. -- Interviews Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Oral history Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Oral history -- Wisconsin -- La Crosse Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Interviews -- Wisconsin -- La Crosse Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | La Crosse (Wis.) -- History Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Greek Americans -- Wisconsin -- La Crosse Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Restaurants -- Wisconsin -- La Crosse Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Family-owned business enterprises -- Wisconsin -- La Crosse Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | Central business districts -- Wisconsin -- La Crosse Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | La Crosse (Wis.) -- Social life and customs Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | United States -- History -- 1945-1953 Authority: LCSH |
Subject topic | United States -- History -- 1953-1961 Authority: LCSH |
Content | 00:00:50.4— Pappas, Paul, family background, parents |
00:02:21.0— Father immigrated from Greece, 15 years old |
00:02:55.8— New York, to Chicago, to La Crosse, 1905 |
00:04:00.0— Imperial Ice Cream Shop, 1912, moved 1913 |
00:04:58.7— The Elite Candy Shop at 412 Main Street |
00:05:37.3— childhood, Greek Food |
00:06:55.6— siblings |
00:08:26.3— Albert Lee School System Operation |
00:09:01.4— moving around La Crosse, influence of mother, family dynamics |
00:10:05.1— church, religion not important |
00:12:31.2— morals, dating, sports oriented |
00:14:03.5— married at 36 years old |
00:14:18.3— high school, playing pro ball |
00:14:49.9— academics, accepted to School of Chemical Engineering, 1947 |
00:16:13.4— War years, drafted September1943 |
00:16:36.2— basic training, Camp Campbell, Kentucky |
00:16:57.9— 110th General Hospital in England, June 1944- July 1945 |
00:17:51.0— 500 employees, Quonset huts, high survival rates |
00:18:51.2— the draft, physical, 1A, 4F |
00:20:19.3— return to US, Fort McClellen Alabama 1945 |
00:21:14.7— discharged, 12 May, 1946 |
00:22:38.9— started working at the store at 11 years old |
00:23:38.4— partnership, 1949 |
00:24:15.6— returning, train station |
00:25:32.8— travel in America |
00:26:49.7— modes of transportation |
00:28:26.8— first car, after war, 23 years old |
00:31:54.6— living with parents, after war |
00:32:42.7— moved to YMCA, a $1 a day, 1949 |
00:33:49.6— father died, moved home |
00:34:26.2— typical day |
00:35:36.5— customers |
00:36:46.9— creation of the mall, low business |
00:37:53.5— competition in business |
00:40:51.4— first refrigerator in store, 1949 |
00:42:50.6— first refrigerator in home |
00:43:31.3— television |
00:44:04.7— friends |
00:44:48.5— television's affect on La Crosse |
00:45:14.6— opinion of atom bomb |
00:47:05.2— after WWII, people were satisfied |
00:47:27.1— Korean Conflict |
00:48:10.9— McCarthyism |
00:49:51.6— presidential elections, voting |
00:51:37.3— voting for local office |
00:52:32.0— following parents example |
00:53:44.0— Vietnam, "God Dam mess" |
00:55:54.2— Civil Rights Movement |
00:57:05.0— wife, married 1961 |
Source note | Part of the La Crosse Urban History Project. |
Use and reproduction restrictions
| This material may be protected by copyright law (e.g., Title 17, US Code). For more information about the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Murphy Library's copyright, fair-use, and permissions policies, please see https://digitalcollections.uwlax.edu/. |
Collection
| UWL Oral History Program Collection |
ID
| aa172543-df64-469f-9585-15a8bb4e56e4/wlacu000/00000018/00000083 |
Doi | 18-0083 |