By SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

For Schnecksville kids in the 1950s and ’60s, wearing a costume and going door-to-door for treats was known as Halloweening.

Children were on their own to go out whenever it suited them. There was no official trick-or-treat night or trunk-or-treat event which we have today.

The town at that time was so safe, no one seemed to be concerned about young people roaming around after dark and knocking on doors.

Schnecksville was a friendly community where most people knew everyone else, so it didn’t seem dangerous to ask for candy at other people’s houses.

Traffic wasn’t nearly as heavy as it is now, so kids didn’t have to worry about waiting for an opening to get across the street.

Rumors were heard about older boys engaged in mischief on Halloween, but the most trouble any of us caused was throwing a handful of field corn kernels at people’s doors, then running away when they approached to open them.

Nearly everyone had a jack-o’-lantern with a face carved out of a pumpkin from a local farm.

A candle was set inside and lighted for the evening.

My most memorable Halloween occurred when I was in grade school and my friends and I knocked on the door of the Schnecksville postmaster.

He was a very pleasant person who knew all of us and who lived with his family in a house on Main Street, Route 309.

The postmaster invited us into his living room, told us to have a seat, and said he would be right back.

When he returned from the kitchen, he had an ice cream sandwich for each costumed kid.

This was an unexpected treat which we ate right then and there, while he chatted with us in a kindly manner.

I will always remember this nice gesture.

At other stops, we were given candy, coins or apples which we placed in a paper bag.

We didn’t have the colorful, plastic Halloween pails which became available later.

Halloweening was an unusual night out for us kids who were typically at home doing school work.

What seems most different in comparison to 2020 is the feeling of safety, the comfortable sense of familiarity with most people in the town, the unstructured nature of the holiday, and the absence of concern about crossing Route 309 which is a challenge now.

Just as it is for children today, Halloweening was great fun for Schnecksville kids decades ago.