Know what I miss about Rushville of my youth? I miss the old corn fields that were right up to our yard at 13th and Main. That was where the hospital is now and we were the last house on that side of the street, and there were three or four further north on the other side of the street.

I miss the busy, and I do mean busy, Saturday nights in Rushville. That was the day everyone in the county it seemed came to town. I miss the Castle and Princess movie houses. I really miss the smell of coal smoke that permeated the air all winter.

The coal-fired steam engines that roared through town with their whistles screaming were pure ecstasy.

The Greek’s in downtown Rushville was the greatest of places for a teenager to go and enjoy themselves. And there was no booze, no rowdy actions, no loud (well, not too loud) parties going on.

The Peppermint Lounge, which was part of the Boys Club and open to high

school students only, was really great. The Boys Club had wood working,

photography, ceramics and many other interesting and enlightening things to

do, and it was almost free too.

I miss the police chief taking the grade school students home after school. And the police, all three of them, knew everyone in town and treated them according to how those people treated the policemen.

Life was much more open and easy then. We didn't feel like it was necessary to be loud or rowdy to be popular. Really, it was the opposite. Most

teenagers were generally pretty well behaved young people. They knew that it

was not right to be mean or nasty to others. They also knew if they stepped

out of line Mom and Dad would show them the error of their ways and

immediately put them back in line.

The neighborliness of everyone was something I really enjoyed. One could walk down the street and if someone was out on their porch just rocking go on up and join in. It wasn't necessary that you knew the person, just behave. Want to check out that new house being built down the street? Great, go for it. No one, not the neighbors, police, owner or passersby, would bother you as long as you don't cause damage. In fact, the builder or owner might well be happy to show you around. This was a huge investment for the family, possibly as much as $5,000 for that house, so enjoy it.