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Show - 31 - Just a few city blocks further up from the Avenue was the big red brick Portola High School that Vicky and Penny would be attending and beside it was the smaller Robinson Taylor Grammar School. The bus would pick them up just down the road from Gaven House when school sessions began in the late summer. Beyond the schools, the paved streets fanned out in neat blocks. The majority of the houses lining these streets were old Victorian homes, although some new ones were appearing. Most of the gardens and homes were neatly kept up and interspersed amongst them were churches of the various denominations; Catholic, Jewish Synagogue, Baptist and Eastern Orthodox, the Standish's faith. Thepeople living in the area were a mixture of many ethnic groups. Some distance beyond the homes began the vegetable gardens which were owned by the inhabitants of the houses located just off of San Bruno Avenue. Stretching as far as the eye could see were field after field of celary, asparagus, lettuce and spinich. From a distance they took on different shades of green, from deep emerald to a lighter shade of yellow-green. Beyond them the turbulent and wild Pacific Ocean. The girls were quite excited to be on the Avenue. First, they went into the dry goods store and picked up some crocheting thread for their mother and then on to the library. While they were checking out their books the librarian, Miss Hetzler, looked at them inquiringly over her spectacles. "Are you the two young ladies who live in Gaven House now?" she said in a tart voice as she studied them intently. "Yes," answered Vicky. "How interesting," said she. "So. many stories have circulated around the neighborhoold about the old house, I have often wondered how true they are." |