In the summer of 1945 my parents moved from Los Angeles, where my father had been studying film making, to Springfield, MA. He was the new pastor of St. John’s Congregational Church, an historic African American church. During their trip across country they stopped in Detroit to see their families. A trip to my Uncle Louis’ cottage in Idlewild was included. More photographs from that trip can be seen here – Idlewild 1945.
I enjoyed all the photos; everyone looked so relaxed. It must have been a welcome stopping off point on the trip.
I’m sure they took the train and I’m sure it was a welcome visit home. They had been living away for over 2 years at that point, with no visits either way.
We have a vacation home on a lake, but I’m not fond of wading in it except in areas where a “real beach” has been created, complete with sand.
When we lived on Lake Idlewild or went to my uncle’s cottage before that, we had a sandy beach. The whole place was sandy, if grass grew up it only had to be rototilled to bring back the sandy beach.
The video is such a great find for this theme. I’m afraid “Wade in the Water” is one of those worm songs…it’ll be playing in my head for days. I’ve dug out a fan I bought in Vietnam so I can fan along with the ladies while watching!
With your mother & her friend Lillian outfitted in swimsuits, I’m guessing they did more than wade after they got used to the water?
I know my mother did. I don’t think there is a photo of Lillian actually under water.
I wondered about the horn on the boat (bottom right corner). What is visible, does not look like a rescue boat so I am wondering why there was a horn? Yep……my brain works differently to most!
I think it was used as … a horn. It’s not a rescue boat but I think I vaguely remember it still being in use in the 50s. You know, tute, tute, here we come? Maybe not 🙂
Excellent photo and song choice. I suppose you knew all about the meaning behind the words there, as La Nightingall mentioned in a comment on the song in another blog.
I never heard that story about the song being a message to wade in the water to confound the slave catchers. I’m skeptical about that interpretation. I don’t believe in quilts as secret messages for runaways either. For one thing, she was not singing out there on the road as silence was necessary to keep hidden. Folks would already know that you went in the water to throw off the dogs, if water was around. You wouldn’t need a song for that.
Found another analyses here http://blackhistory360.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/decoding-wade-in-the-water/
I grew up knowing about Harriett Tubman and also hearing this song. I think it’s much deeper, spiritually than instructions for running away.
Very interesting, thanks Kristin.
You have such a treasure trove of photographs. Beautiful.
Beautiful rendition of the song and goes well with the pictures. I love congregational singing and how everyone participates, even those of us who sit quietly meditating.
I do too. I like singing too.
I like the reflections in the water and the way your mother and her friend look almost like mirror images of each other.
I enjoyed all the photos too. And the link. I’m going to have to come back to hear Wade in the Water .. my husband is napping in here and I had to turn down the sound!
Such a wonderful rendition of the song.
And your mom and friend look like passing boats heading in different directions.
Two lovely ladies – so elegant – especially the hair styles – makes you wonder if they went under the water at all.
I thought my mother did, but now I note she is wearing sunglasses, so probably she didn’t.
Is that a swimming cap I see in her hand? I’m intrigued by the horn too.
I can’t tell about the hat. The horn, I think was used as a horn.
A interesting composition, with the two of them facing away from each other.
Above average photographs! Not the usual box camera snaps, a real photographer was a work here with a real camera. Fine post!
Yup, the family was full of photographers ready to take a photo at the drop of a hat.
A very artistic photo and a perfect song to accompany it. I’m guessing it was a small print that is now improved by being enlarged and framed on your blog.
The original is 4 x 2.5 inches.
Beautiful memories ! I also have of Idlewild, Michigan in 1957 with Helen Findlay and Arlene Carter. We motored from Columbus, Ohio, in Helen’s Nash Rambler, which took about 5 hours, and stayed in the Cottage of Catherine and Robert Higgins.
What ever happen to the Resort?
Idlewild is still there. It’s not as flashy as it once was but people still come up for more usual north woods kind of things – swimming, fishing, jet ski’s (shudder) and sitting around on the deck/patio.
I’m wondering where your father might have gone to film school in L.A. Could it have been USC or UCLA? I can’t think of any other place that long ago where there would have been a film school. Very interesting. Did he want to be a filmmaker?
Nancy
Ladies of the Grove
It was UCLA. He toyed with the idea of making religious films but after he got a church, he was forever totally immersed in that. Much later in his life, he was in his 80s. I asked him if he regretted not ever making a film and he said he wasn’t that good anyway.