By Annlia Hill
To keep the neighborhood of the Alley Kids informed of past and future events, Edith Hill and Frankie Price produced a newspaper, “The Neighborhood Gossip,” with all the news fit to print. There were reporters, editors, typists, illustrators and publishers of the society, club and sports events, movie theatre showings and surf reports. “The local newspaper went over in a big way when the first edition came out July 4, 1935. Several complained of not having their names in the paper but they did hardly anything worth getting it in…All the editors wish to express their sorrow.”
Later, Frankie and Edith set up a beverage stand along Gaviota Drive and sold “Bug Juice,” a Kool-Aid concoction. As “It is bad to gossip,” they renamed their paper “The Bugjuice Bulletin” “We know that each and every one of you is simply de-e-e-lighted to see that these two famous BUGJUICERS, Frankie Price and Edith Hill are at it again. We have decided to make it a bulletin instead of a newspaper. To delight you more we are pleased to inform you that it will come out twice a week. Isn’t that just wonderful.”
To delight you, present readers, here are a few sample reports from the Bugjuice Bulletin:
BIG FIGHT: Two dogs had a fight on the beach. A Fox Terror and a Duetch Hund. It was a thrilling fight. The Fox Terror finally ended with the victory.
NOW & THEN WOW: Drink Bug Juice. For free sample of the “Amazing Health & Muscle Builder” send in one stink bug.
FISHING: Mr. Gooch went fishing out on the rocks July 5 and caught two enormous little fishes both of which were sand perch. He almost lost his reel and pole but after a period of time he recovered it and decided to call it a day.
NOTCE: The Neighborhood Gossip is going to put on a carnival for this vicinity. There will be many interesting entertainments, and maybe the famous Bug Juice Band can be persuaded to play for you and to see the goings on. The date and price have not as yet been announced so keep your eye pealed for further news of it.
BIG FISH STORY: “Patience for fishing” says Mr. Gooch who just the other day pulled in three huge fish, which were so large that he had to cut them into small pieces to get them up his house to cook. Mr. Gooch who just celebrated his 65th birthday is still the best fisherman in these local waters. (Fish story is right.)
HONOR MERT THE SQUIRT: Monday June 27 Mert Hill passed from an infant and became a man. In honor of this grand and glorious occasion a wiener roast was held. Under the classy supervision of Walt Hill and Nelson Price we had a bang-up time. First we had a wiener roast and then after high tide we all went to the show (all but Mom Hill, Ma Price an Auntie Coolidge). We saw Viva Villa.
SWIMMING REPORT: Sat. Swimming terrible. Moderate temperature. Good shooters.
BATHING SUIT: Cute bathing suit boughten in Laguna. Light blue. Worn by Lillian Alter.
PRIZE WINNER: This is an announcement of the contest winners sponsored by The Neighborhood Gossip. The prize went to Mrs. Price… The judges had a hard time deciding but hers finally came out on top… We want to thank the thousands that sent in and we are sorry that everyone couldn’t get the grand prize of a 1¢ succor. The prize winning essay of Mrs. Price was “The Neighborhood Gossip presents the neighborhood news in a clear concise form. It emphasizes only the good. It is non-partisan. The reader draws his own conclusions.”
CANDY SALE: In about two weeks the club members are going to have a candy sale. Frankie Price is going to make penuche & Lillian Alter & Edith Hill are going to make fudge.
SCOOP! Exclusive!!!!: Has every one seen these fitting, fetching, flashing, flops, these Chinese red slacks of Miss Margaret E. Hill who is junior at the University of California just recently receiving her Junior Certificate. If you have not seen this atrocious garb by all means do so at once.
!!!MONEY!!!: We find it very necessary to buy materials for this wonderful BUGJUICER, therefor we would appreciate greatly if you could contribute a cent or two each week.
Annlia is a 50-year resident of Laguna Beach and married to a fourth-generation Lagunan. Having walked nearly every street and alley in town, she has observed firsthand the artistic charm and imagination of residents. More about the Alley Kids can be found in Annlia’s previous column, published in the July 7 edition of the Indy.
