ON ICE: Kristie Bentley of Grayslake, Ill., writes, “When we
were growing up on Gilbert Lane my parents would take us ice
skating on the pond at Willowdale cemetery.”

“When we were quite young we had double-bladed skates and then
as we grew we received single-bladed skates. One weekend, we took
our cousin who was about 5 years old. She did really well until she
tried to stop and then would land on her heinie, arms and legs
flailing about. But she always clambered back to her feet for
another go at it.

“When I went up to the car to get warm I discovered my parents
helpless with laughter from watching our antics as we learned to
skate.

“All these skating memories have me wondering if the high school
sophomores still grab their assigned skates and walk over to the
Callahan park rink for gym class in the winter? Everywhere I’ve
traveled people find it interesting that we learned to ice skate,
snowshoe and cross-country ski for our gym classes.”

Betty Hobbs of Port Allegany writes about skating on Graham’s
pond: “I went there with my older sister, Marjorie, and her
friends. This was in the early ’40s.”

“I loved skating with the older kids except when they did the
whip. I didn’t like that very much. I was a scrawny runt and
usually the weak kid.

“We did our sled riding at night when there weren’t many cars
out. We started at the top of Kendall Avenue at the red light and
coasted down toward the railroad tracks.

“Sometimes a car would come, and the older boys would hitch on
the back bumper and ride back up the hills to the red light.

“How many kids today would call that fun? Enough memories from
an old lady.”

ON CURLING: While we’re still on the subject of winter sports,
we couldn’t help voicing our enthusiasm about the prospect of
curling at Glendorn. In case you missed it, the new owner has
already begun transforming the pond into a curling arena and hopes
to hold games there next winter.

This year’s Olympics reminded us what a fascinating game this
is, sort of like bocce ball on ice.

Not everyone, of course, has warmed up to this sport. As one
woman told us, “It’s the most I’ve ever seen a broom in a man’s
hands.”