Comments Johnstown Journal

By   jbuettner@atonementfriars.org

A friend of mine sent me the web site for the Johnstown Journal and

I read some of the memories of Johnstown.   Reading these articles brought

many experiences and a feeling of home sickness.   I would like to share

some of my history of life in Johnstown.

        From 1935 to 1940 I would visit my grandparents in West Taylor

Township all summer vacation and then return to Cleveland for school in

September.   In 1940 our family moved from Cleveland to my grandparents home

in West Taylor Twp. after my grandfather passed away.
  

        I attended Immaculate Conception School in Cambria City and then

graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1950.   In 1951 I resettled

in Cleveland.   Our family moved back to Cleveland in 1952.   In 1966 I

entered a religious community The Franciscan Friars of the Atonement in

Garrison New York and have been here ever since.

        Growing up in Johnstown was the best experience of my life.   I have

never forgotten the small town atmosphere and I'm sure I never will.   I

think when were young we need to make a life for ourselves somewhere away

from home because the grass always looks greener on the other side of the

fence.   It's not, we only think it is.   It doesn't take long to realize

what we have given up.   Unfortunately we keep moving ahead and never look

back until we get older and then we find out life somehow has passed us by

and we realize just how much we have missed of what we have given up for the

greener side of the fence.   It's a story so many of us could tell the

younger generation but then it falls on deaf ears.   When were young we just

don't want to hear that we have and live in the best part of the world.

        Well I'm beginning to ramble now.
 

        I never went back to Johnstown because I felt I would lose all my

memories.   My father would always say to me "Joey if you go back you will

lose your memories.   Hang on to your memories."   I am 75 this year and I

hope I will someday return to Johnstown just to walk through the city

streets, visit the incline, the Point Stadium, visit Central Catholic High

School (Now Bishop McCourt High School), Immaculate Conception Parish, St

John's Cathedral and all the other wonderful places in Johnstown.

        I just want to thank you for your web site and the memories you

shared with me.

        Just one last thing, the motto "Cleveland is the best location in

the world" is not accurate "Johnstown is the best location in the world" at

least for me.