LETTERS: CHILD'S MEMORY OF A YOUNG LIFE ON INDEPENDENCE

To the editor:

Here I am. I'm 68. What was my first memory? Of the Woods Building?

We moved to the Woods Building at 605 Independence when I was 4 or 5 years old. "Independence" was the first word I learned to spell. The building was owned by "Uncle Billy" Woods. His son, Willie, live there with him. I don't think he had ever been married, but he loved to talk about The War. World War I. We lived four places on the third floor. The best was at the back with the big porch.

The Frederick Street end had the hanging fire escape. Uncle Billie and Willlie lived on the second floor. It was a big building, and it never dawned on me that there were several rooms on the second floor they didn't use. Poker games went on regularly in the front room in full view of anyone going to the third floor. I think they had a business going, but that is just guesswork. There was never any disturbance, and I was totally oblivious. I loved living there.

I went to first grade when I was 5. Mom and Dad were both working. But it didn't work. I was sent home for not being old enough. That was a disaster for me. The new Lorimier School had just been built, and the first grade had a bay window. I survived. But to this day I can sit in that window and look at the house with the fence all around and remember the stories of someone who died there.

GEORGIA STEVENS

Kansas City, Mo.