I guess we did well, candy bars, a lot of "penny" candy, some popcorn balls, home made. I remember more the event rather than the goodies I got. I remember one house, on Chestnut Street, a big brick home, and an older couple, they gave a "penny." We thought they were the riches people in the world to give a penny.
We collected our "goodies" in a pillow case of a grocery bag. I remember decorating the grocery bag to look more impressive.
There were some house that I was afraid to go to, we heard "stories" about them. I remember a few housed that didn't have anything to give, and their kids didn't go out because they couldn't afford to, so we gave them some of our candy. I remember one year we even took some canned goods to one family.
Times were different then. I still remember one little girl, in a tattered dress, holding on to her Mom's leg, and they told us they had nothing to give us, and they apologized. We all chipped in and gave her some of ours.
No X-rays, no Dentists paying for our candy, no "incidents" that I recall. Didn't even need an adult to walk around with us. Those days are gone forever.
I kept those pennies for a long time, considered them "special" .... coming from a millionaire, or whatever he might be, we knew he was rich, to give away pennies, they were special.
I think my last year of "going out," I had my Mom take me to a store in Dayton that sold, blue jeans, the pants that the poor wore then. I bought a pair and went as a "hillbilly." If your wore those, in those days, you were poor, and probably from Kentucky and came to Ohio to work for GM.
They were good days though. "Backward, turn backward, oh time in thy flight. Make me a boy again, just for tonight."
