Living the Good Life in Shaker Heights

In March, 1963, Cosmopolitan Magazine - and this is the Cosmos before Helen Gurley Brown - did a feature story on Shaker Heights called "Living the Good Life in Shaker Heights."  I actually had to go to eBay and buy a copy.  Having read the article, I am aghast at some of the statements and how they made me howl with laughter:

"....North Park Boulevard and South Park Boulevard are the two poshest streets, however if you live on South Woodland Road or Shaker Boulevard you needn't feel ashamed..."

Having spent 1968 through 1972 on South Woodland, I can tell you that I felt no shame at all.  And I didn't need Cosmo to free me from that tsoris of not living in those huge house on North or South Park, either.  And let me tell you, most of the houses on Shaker Boulevard were nothing to sneeze at, either. Many of the big old Tudors came with third floor ballrooms, or elevators.

And the country club life style?  Please, only if you were WASP.  Neither Canterbury County Club nor Shaker Country allowed Jews to be members, and even when 25% of the population was Jewish, if you wanted to invite a Jew into your golfing fore-some you had to let the club know in advance.  If George Szell wanted to join a country club, he went to Oakmont in neighboring Cleveland Heights where the members were (whispering, and looking around to make sure that I am not overheard) "Jewish".

Looking at the article today, it reads like pure bullshit, but in fact, this was the world that I came from, albeit a bit more from the modest corners of town.

Said a friend from the old neighborhood on South Woodland Road "The day after the article was published and the magazine released, Ritchie Berger shows up at the bus stop wearing a ascot!  Our indoor pool was referred to the bathub."

Anyhow, enjoy - it really is a hoot.