backTalk shop had placed their garbage on the sidewalk in front of their shop. We proceeded to fill up the truck. Each time we cleared a sidewalk area, we tapped on the truck and Moose moved on to the next pile. The truck had a swinging door up high on the side, which we used for loading some of the nearby garbage. Near the end, after giving the usual tapping to tell Moose to move on, we had forgotten to shut the side swinging door. Before we could get Moose to stop, the door had decapitated three very decorative French Quarter light fixtures— leaving the poles still standing. The police officer said, “Keep on going!” We delivered the truckload around noon, and called it a day. … Later, we each received a certificate from the City saying “Thanks” for the help. Roy Johns, A ’48 Monroe, La. SON-IN-LAW’S ADMIRATION I noted with interest the 1946 photograph of the Tulane student standing next to the garbage truck (facing the camera): John I. Neel (A ’48). At the time of this photograph Jack was dating Sophie Newcomb student Laurelle Fillmore. The Tulane Photo Service photograph was picked up by the AP wire service and seen by Ms. Fillmore’s parents in the Atlanta Constitution. I think their concern was that a “DKE garbage collector” wouldn’t amount to much as an architect! Thankfully, Jack finished first in his class, and the courtship culminated in marriage. By all accounts, Jack became a pretty good architect. They had a beautiful daughter, Laurelle Neel (NC ’73). Laurelle and I were married in ’78. James I. M. Williams Monroe, La. Note: Jack Neel and Roy Johns established an architectural firm partnership (Johns and Neel) in Monroe, La., in 1952; Heuer, Johns, Neel, Rivers and Webb (1971, merger); and Architecture Plus (1983). BOURBON STREET BEAT For the record, I was a student [who participated in collecting garbage in the French Quarter in 1946]. …
Each garbage truck had a policeman assigned to it. Our cop had Bourbon Street as his usual beat. Accordingly, he knew all the bartenders there. When our truck got to Bourbon Street the sidewalks were piled high with garbage. As we picked up the first pile, our “protector” suggested to the bartender in the adjoining establishment that “his boys” be taken care of. Beer was produced for the “boys” and something stronger for the driver and the cop. So it went as we moved down the street. Our truck was full (as were we!) by the time we were half way into the second block, so the driver took a side street en route to the collection depot. In those days cars were parked on both sides of the side streets. While the truck did not go as fast as one would at the Indy 500, it must have broken the speed limit for a narrow New Orleans street—and then some. I still recall the sound of smashed fenders along the way as we “boys” hung on to the rear of the truck. When we arrived at the central garbage yard, the garbage in the back of our truck was ablaze, apparently caused by something smoldering in one of the boxes of garbage. A fire engine was called and, in due course, put out the fire. However, that ended my Garbage Collecting 101 class. I can also report that at no other time during my six years at Tulane was a libation offered as part of my work in class! Jack Weinmann, A&S ’50, L ’52 New Orleans CRESCENT BOX CONNECTION Your article [page 40, spring 2010 Tulanian] on the Ford Meter Box Co. crescent box caught my eye. Edwin Ford was my great grandfather on my mother’s side and I have always identified strongly with this branch of my family tree. You also might like to know that Edwin Ford had five sons, born in Indiana, one of whom died in childhood. The company was eventually established in Wabash, Ind., and all of the Ford brothers, including Richard V. Ford, my grandfather, worked for the company, which continues to produce waterworks brass, meter boxes, repair clamps and numerous other products. Currently,
Ford Meter Box still has a Ford as company president, has sales in all fifty states and numerous foreign countries, and is among the largest producers of waterworks brass in the United States. As a student at Tulane in the 1970s, it was a source of considerable pride to step over the crescent box in the streets and yards of New Orleans and remember that my grandfather had a hand in building this great city. Thank you for giving me a chance to recall this aspect of my college years. Paul Aruffo, A&S ’80 Bellaire, Texas PHOTO APPRECIATION I just received my Spring 2010 Tulanian. The pictures on the back cover are beautiful. I am interested in the details of the photographs; who took them, what camera, what lens, etc. James V. Reuter III, E ’78 Baton Rouge, La.
University photographer Paula Burch-Celentano photographed irises on the uptown campus with a Nikon D3 camera with a 70-200 mm lens at ISO 200 1/500 @ f/4. We’re happy to announce that Burch-Celentano has received grand gold and gold medals from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education for her photography, including the portrait of Tulane professor and “American Routes” radio show founder Nick Spitzer in the winter 2009 Tulanian.
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