Jack Wooldridge - My Stay at the Lark Ellen Home for Boys - 1947- 1950

My name is Jack Wooldridge.

I was 10 when I went to Lark Ellen on Olympic Blvd. It was a mile away from the Veterans Cemetery Los Angeles County. My laundry Number was 261. I have good memories of the Boys Home. A lot us would watch TV on a 6 or 7 inch screen in the living room.

I fondly remember going to Camp Lion in the San Bernardino mountains. After breakfast we would do our clean up duties. Some us played sports until night and then would play Red Rover till bedtime. In 1950 the Boys Home moved to Azusa. It was even better. Some of us would have races to the top of the Foothills, we went through an old cemetery to get there. I remember eating great oranges.

I was on Lark Ellen Track team, Art Broines, Doug Matheson and one other. We won our share of ribbons. At Lee Jr. High some of us Home Boys played Basketball and Football one hour or more before school. Others besides Home Boys would join in the play. One was Bill Kilmer who went on to play quarterback for the Washington Redskins and eventually won a Super Bowl. I went to Boy State with Doug Matheson in 1955. I met Betty my wife to be in Biology at Citrus High. I have many more good memories. I'd like to hear from any Home Boy.

Contact: Jack Wooldridge at: bigjacklee@gmail.com