The Wright Family is blessed with an extraordinary collective sense of humor. It is in this spirit that this skit – and all others that will be published – should be read. There is tongue-in-cheek and, by today’s standards, some political incorrectness – but never, ever any mean intention toward anyone. I have no doubt you are going to enjoy the works of our talented author. She is a family gem and the love she feels for our family shines through her words.
DOWN MEMORY LANE
A Skit written by Mary Wright Grochowski
for our Family Reunion
in 1980Narrator: At this years 13th annual Wright’s reunion, “The Mighty Wright Players” want to take you on a stroll down Memory Lane. We will take you back to the beginning of our family which, believe it or not, is 101 years old this year – from the birth of Pop Wright on January 14, 1880 to the birth of Launi Smith in 1980. We will bring you down through the years of all our lives – the happenings and events that were joyous and sad, crazy and mad. We lived them and will always remember them. Now everyone sit back, close your eyes (for a second) and remember……..
Chorus hums “Memories”
Opening Scene: Mom and Pop looking down on the reunion:
Mom: “Jim, will you look out there at all those people? Can you ever believe that we are
responsible for that lot?”
Pop: “Yes, we are, and I remember them all – from our Jack to our baby, Rea. From Jack Hughes to Timmy Wright, but there are so many new faces there. You’ve got to admit
they are a handsome bunch. I wish I knew who they all belong to.
Let’s just sit here on the front porch and watch them for a while - maybe we can recognize the older ones and get to know who all these young ones are.”
(1880-1904 ) - Rutherford B Hayes - 1877 to 1881
James A. Garfield - 1881
Chester A. Arthur - 1881 - 1885
Grover Cleveland - 1885 - 1889
Benjamin Harrison - 1889 - 1893
Grover Cleveland - 1893 - 1897
William McKinley - 1897 - 1901
Teddy Roosevelt - 1901 - 1909Narrator: Our Pop Wright was born in Tipperary, Ireland on January 14, 1880, the youngest of six children born to Granny and Daddy Wright. He came to America in 1887 with Granny, Aunt Biddy, Aunt Maynie and Uncle Mike to join Daddy, Aunt Johanna and Uncle Dick who had come over earlier. The family settled on Railroad St. in Larksville. Mom Wright was born on February 2, 1881 (Groundhog Day) to Timothy and Ann Brennan who were two generations removed from Kilkenny, Ireland. They settled in Schuylkill County and then moved to Plymouth, Pennsylvania where Mom and Pop met.
Mom and Pop were married in 1900 and made their first home on Carver St., Plymouth where some of their children were born. Jack was born on August 29, 1901, the year President McKinley was shot. Teddy Roosevelt became our 26th President.
(Teddy Roosevelt appears)
Nance was born November 22, 1903, the year that Orville Wright became the first man to fly a heavier than air machine.
(Orville Wright appears)
Tim was born June 26, 1904 and on November 8th, Teddy Roosevelt was re-elected.
(Teddy appears again)
Jack was a favorite of Granny Wright and he used to spend a lot of time at her home on Murray St. One day a tramp came to her door while Jack was playing in the yard. “Are ye hungry, bum?” she asked “Yes, Ma’am,” he said. “Well, quick, Johnny, get in the house before he eats you”, she yelled.
Mary came along next on July 22, 1906, the year the Panama Canal was being built, and two years later on June 20, 1908, Peg was born. This was the year the Model T Ford was introduced at $850.
(1910 -1920) Teddy Roosevelt - 1901 - 1909
William Howard Taft - 1909 - 1913
Woodrow Wilson - 1913 - 1921Jim Wright, the sixth child born to Mom and Pop, was born on St. Patrick’s Day – March 17, 1911. What a “green” letter day that was. A year later the luxury liner Titanic struck an iceberg and sank.
Dick was born September 11, 1914 when Woodrow Wilson was president and the year Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Uncle Dick said he was so surprised at his birth he didn’t talk for a year after!
Bill was born June 22, 1916 and on April 6, 1917, World War I began and the famous dogfights.
(Planes appear.)
In 1919 Jack Dempsey became the heavyweight boxing champion.
(Jack Dempsey appears)
(1920 - 1930) Warren G. Harding - 1921 - 1923
Calvin Coolidge - 1923 - 1929
Herbert Hoover - 1929 - 1933Now we are in the decade when not only Mom and Pop’s family expanded, but their older children began to marry and have children, too. Mike, who was always called Bud, was born January 14, 1921 – the year Jack Dempsey retained his title by knocking out Carpentier in the 4th round.
(Dempsey re-appears)
Fidelis was born April 24, 1923 and in 1924 Jackie Hughes, the first grandchild, was born to Nance and Gene Hughes. In 1925 Jimmy Wright and Nanny Yosh came into the world. By now you would have thought that Mom and Pop were going to settle back and enjoy their grandchildren but, low and behold, on June 3, 1926 they attached a caboose to their train and baby Rea was born.
In 1927 a great catastrophe hit the Wright family – Prohibition began. Of course they managed to brew a bottle or two of home brew and many a Saturday night Rea’s bath was missed for need of the “bathtub”. Also in 1927 Charles Lindbergh flew the Atlantic Ocean in 33 hours and 39 minutes
(Lindbergh appears)
and Babe Ruth hit his record 60th home run. 1927 was also the year Tom Wright, Jack Yosh and Dick Hughes were born.
In 1928 Herbert Hoover was elected (everybody boos) and in 1929 Joe Sheridan, Nancy Hughes and Gerry Yosh were born. Last, but not least, Philip Herbert became the 8th grandchild in the Wright family (everybody boos). Naturally that was the year the Depression began. Phil could depress anything.
(1930 - 1940) Herbert Hoover - 1929 - 1933
Franklin D. Roosevelt - 1933 - 1945(This is where Aunt Mary directed the show from notes, so what you will see now are just that – notes. Still very interesting, though.)
1930 – Mary Wright, Butz Herbert born
1931 – John Wright, Peggy Hughes, Jim Yosh Born
1932 – Lindbergh baby kidnapped – Wright kids ignored
FDR elected (everybody cheers) WPA begins (everybody boos)1936 – Nancy Kay and Ann Wright born and Prohibition was repealed (everybody cheers)
1937 – Nancy Dick was born
1938 – Skip Yosh, Mickey Wright and Phyllis Wright born.
Remember:
The “Club” and the parties. Aunt Fidel’s fudge and how she made you beat it.
The Weanie roasts in the field
Street car rides when it was your turn to go to town.
The old Studebaker and when it was your family’s turn to go to Pernse’s Marsh
Dickie Hughes singing “I Wish My Pa was a Janitor Man” at all the family parties
Having to go to Kushky for the “commodities”
The Grand Theater and the Saturday chapters.
The first night when Mae West charged you adult price at the Lark
The old mud hole Mom Wright called “Bare Ass Beach”
Sneaking a swim in the Boston Colliery water tank
Floyd Davies motorcycle and Emil Carol’s white pants
Bob Jones coupe and the rumble seat
Chooch, Tom, Phil and Jacko used to drive their foot mobiles to high school
When Uncle Jack ran against Danny Blaine and Dicko Fisher & Dolly Shultz marched in our campaign parade
(1940 - 1950) Franklin D. Roosevelt - 1933 - 1945
Harry S. Truman - 1945 - 19531940 – Pat Lou and Bobbi Jean arrive. President Roosevelt gets elected to second term
The Johnstown Flood occurs1941 – Butch Jones and Rhody Wright are born
1942 – Buddy Wright and Timmo Herbert are born. World War II begins. Uncle Bill,
Uncle Bud, Uncle Phil, Jackie Hughes and Jimmy Wright in the fight1943 – Richard Wright Born
1945 – Paul Wright, Billy Yosh, Peggy Ann Jones born
1946 – ? More grandchildren born:
Judy Wright, Kathy Wright, Janice Jones, Peggy Jane Wright, Patty Wright,
Billy Wright, Nancy Jones. Timmy Wright was the last grandchild born.1947 – Great Grandchildren begin to arrive. (Mary Wright is first)
Remember:
V E Day and V J Day
Wright’s Victory Parlor
Getting thrown out of the Lark by Kogie
Betty Grable, Roy Rogers, Vita Ann Borg and the Andrews Sisters
(Andrews Sisters appear)
The Green Candle mystery
Bare Naked Harry.
Mickey’s Gardens and Brunon Kryger
(1950 - 1960) Harry S. Truman - 1945 - 1953
Dwight D. Eisenhower - 1953 - 196125 more great -grandchildren born
1950 – Korean war begins
Butser went to Korea to fight. Phil went to Germany to drink. Rudolph Fender in the Air Force. Timmo made the world safe for democracy in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Viet Nam War – Bill Ritsick, Jeff Christiana, Bill Yosh and David Antall in fight
Remember:
Elvis Presley
Poodle Skirts
Pony Tails
(1960-1970) John F. Kennedy - 1961 - 1963
Lyndon B. Johnson - 1963 - 1969
Richard Nixon - 1969 - 1974More great-grandchildren
1960 – Kennedy elected.
1963 – Kennedy assassinated
Hippies1968 – First Wright Reunion
1969 – July 20. Neil Armstrong first man to walk on the moon. One small step for man,
One giant leap for mankind.
October 9. Aunt Mary Yosh died
November - Nixon elected(Nixon appears)
(1970 - 1980) Richard Nixon - 1969 - 1974
Gerald Ford - 1974 - 1977
Jimmy Carter - 1977 - 1981More great-grandchildren born
Great-great grandchildren begin to arrive
1972 – Annual Wright reunion washed out by Hurricane Agnes. Hughes family most affected
1972 – Nixon re-elected
(Nixon appears)
1972 – Nixon “I am not a crook”
1974 – Nixon resigns – Ford in
1976 – July 4th – Wright’s 8th Family Reunion
As we begin another decade of our lives and as we enjoy this 13th annual Wrights reunion, let’s hope that all the happy moments of the past are remembered with joy and the sad ones remembered with understanding and love. And let’s hope that all our lives are enriched with love for one another.
PEACE!
At this particular reunion, it rained and our family was forced to have their party inside the legion. The play was still performed but on a much more limited basis. The cast was as follows, but I’m not sure each cast member got to perform to the best of their ability and talent. As you read their names, it’s easy to imagine what their performances would have looked like and we can enjoy the thought as much as the memory.
THE CAST
Narrator…………………………………………………………………… John Wright
Mom………………………………………………………………………… Peggy Blaum
Pop…………………………………………………………………………… Bud Blaum
Jack …………………………………………………………………………. John Wright
Nance ………………………………………………………………… Nancy Oldziejewski
Tim …………………………………………………………………………… Phil Herbert
Mary …………………………………………………………………………… Pam Yosh
Peg ……………………………………………………………………………… Nancy Jones
Jim …………………………………………………………………………… Jimmy Perkowski
Dick …………………………………………………………………………….. John Fender
Bill ………………………………………………………………………………. Billy Wright
Bud …………………………………………………………………………… John Grochowski
Fidel …………………………………………………………………………….. Peggy Ann Jones
Rea ………………………………………………………………………………. Mary Herbert
Teddy Roosevelt …………………………………………………………….... Jack Richards
Orville Wright ……………………………………………………………….. Billy Smith
Model T Drivers …………………………………………………………….. Phil Herbert
Chooch Fender
World War I pilots …………………………………………………………. Phil & Chooch
Jack Dempsey ……………………………………………………………….. Bill Smith
(shorts & boxing gloves - stuffed plastic bags)
Charles Lindbergh …………………………………………………………. Billy Wright
Babe Ruth …………………………………………………………………….. Stephen Antall
Bob Jones car ……………………………………………………………….. Phil & Chooch
World War II pilots………………………………………………………… Phil & Chooch
Andrews Sisters …………………………………………………………….. Peggy Ann Jones,
Patti Wright
Kathy Wright
Elvis Presley …………………………………………………………………. Tim Herbert
Teenie Boppers ……………………………………………………………… Mary Herbert
Pam Yosh
Hippies …………………………………………………………………… Lizanne Grochowski
Rhody Wright
Neil Armstrong ……………………………………………………………… John Wright
Richard Nixon ……………………………………………………………….. Pete O’Konski
Hughes Family Flood Victims ………………………………………….. Peg & Bud Blaum
Muppets ………………………………………………………………………….Pam Yosh
Mary Herbert
Chorus ……………………………………………………………………… Chooch Fender
Phil Herbert
Peg & Bud Blaum Billy Smith Billy Smith
Ann Wright
Kathy Wright
Patti Wright
Peggy Ann Stuart
Bill Yosh
Jack Richards
John Wright
Pam Yosh
Note: President’s names were added for consistency. Original document did not list all.