Fred Lynch retired in 2018 after capturing images for the Southeast Missourian since 1975, in that time moving from black-and-white to color, from film to digital and to video. The blog title is a nod to an earlier era of news photography and the 4x5 Speed Graphic: It's more important to be there for the shot than to worry about technical details.

Mary Ann Roller Rink

Posted Wednesday, November 9, 2011, at 12:00 AM

March 5, 1951 Southeast Missourian

This photograph shows the interior view of the Mary Ann Roller Rink, 2128 Broadway. The maple floor reconditioned, and other facilities provided, the rink is under the management of Lewis Brown and Babe Meystedt. (G.D. Fronabarger photo)

March 30, 1951 Southeast Missourian advertisement

Attention! Mothers and Fathers

Urge your children to roller skate!

At the Mary Ann Roller Rink.

It provides the necessary relaxation they need. If they want to skate we teach them properly at no additional charge.

Now is the time and this is the place to teach your children the graceful art of roller rink skating.

It is a most pleasant, clean sport that gives complete relaxation. Urge your children to devote a part of their time to this pleasant sport.

Lewis Brown, manager

"Babe" Meystedt, floor manager

Jan. 30, 1951 Southeast Missourian

Klarsfeld Announces Purchase of Rink Here; Remodeling Planned

Victor Klarsfeld, operator of Rialto Theater, and co-owner of Mary Ann Amusement Corp., today announced the purchase of Cape Roller Rink, Broadway and Old Jackson Road, from L. F. Brenneisen.

After an extensive remodeling program, expected to be completed late next month or in March, the establishment will be operated under the name Mary Ann Roller Rink. The floor provides a 50 by 130-foot skating area.

As government restrictions on materials are lifted, the place will be constantly improved, Mr. Klarsfeld said. In the meantime, work is underway. To be completed before the opening date are the erection of a stadium for spectators, installation of new wiring and addition of new lighting effects, putting in a new thermostat-controlled oil heating system, new sound system, covering ceiling with acoustical tile, and expanded rest rooms.

Present plans, he said, are to operate a school for beginners Saturday afternoons, and to keep the rink available for private parties Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Something new to this area, shoe skates will be rented to patrons. Affiliated with Mr. Klarsfeld in the amusement company and theater business is Edward J. Rosecan of Hannibal.

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Skating was the most important social event of my middle school life in the late 50s and early 60s. Mary Ann was a bit too civilized for my taste; I liked Hanover better, even if the amenities were a bit primitive.

Here are some pieces I've done about skating rinks. I was really surprised to hear that Central Principal Fred Wilferth was a partner in the Jackson Skating rink, which opened in 1950.

http://www.capecentralhigh.com/cape-photos/jackson-skating-rink/

A visit to my grandson's 7th birthday party showed me just how much skating rinks have changed - and remained the same.

http://www.capecentralhigh.com/cape-photos/hanover-and-maryann-skating-rinks/

My kid crawled into the attic at his grandmother's house and took a picture of my old shoe skates. That got me thinking about a book a coworker wrote, "The First Book of Last Things

http://www.capecentralhigh.com/cape-photos/first-book-of-last-times/

The premise of the book:

"First times get the glory and the high fives. When you first rode your bicycle without training wheels or got that first haircut without the booster board, the whole world applauded. But what about those last times, as forgotten as a petrified Fruit Loop under the sofa?

"One day you're a kid playing hide and go seek and jacks on the front stoop and next thing you know you've moved on. No more "Ollie ollie oxen-free" and "Onesies and twosies. That changes now. In fact, we here at the First Book of Last Times remember them and celebrate them. And then we kick off our shoes and slide in our socks."

-- Posted by ksteinhoff on Wed, Nov 9, 2011, at 10:07 AM
Never learned to skate backwards there, but I can still cross over and hokey-pokey with the best. Where are today's Mary Ann's - put out of business by the ambulance chasers.

-- Posted by semowasp on Wed, Nov 9, 2011, at 4:05 PM
That's probably part of it. If you read back through the personals and hospital reports of the 50s and 60s, there are lots of briefs that read "Sally Jones, 12, broken wrist from skating accident, treated and released."

-- Posted by ksteinhoff on Wed, Nov 9, 2011, at 4:36 PM
The other place to skate in Cape was the Hanover Lutheran Quanset building.

-- Posted by Yankee Station on Wed, Nov 9, 2011, at 6:05 PM
I used to scate in the mid 1960s in a building on Clark behind the Central Pool. The building is still there.

-- Posted by rockytop10 on Wed, Nov 9, 2011, at 6:45 PM
Had many good times at the Mary Ann Roller Rink. I wasn't a good skater so I hugged the wall a lot at first and kissed the floor a few times too. I found out what happens when you use the front brakes too quickly also, but never broke any bones. One thing that stands out in my mind from skating on Sunday afternoons is the Pepsi bottle with a package of peanuts poured in to it. With every drink of Pepsi, I also got a mouth full of peanuts....loved that about as much as the skating. And, of course, the hokey pokey, the slow skate with the sparkly ball and the lights turned low. The music we skated to still takes me back to those days every time I hear one of those old songs.

-- Posted by darlajune on Sat, Nov 19, 2011, at 7:09 AM

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