Remembering V-J Day in Denver
Words spoken by Winston Churchill: “the signal for the greatest outburst of joy in the history of mankind” and “Weary and worn, impoverished but undaunted and now triumphant, we had a moment that was sublime.” He was speaking of V-E Day in Britain, but it could have been said of Denver later in 1945 on V-J Day, August 14.
A 5-year-old boy stood on the corner of 8th Avenue & Sherman Street watching the world go mad. He lived in the corner house at 791 Sherman St., and stood between his mother and father outside along the curb. On 8th Avenue, the traffic was bumper to bumper in both directions (8th became a one-way years later) but barely moving, and car horns drowned out most conversations. The boy was mystified, and maybe even frightened a little, as the streets during those war years were rarely, if ever, busy with traffic, certainly nothing like this insanity.
Drivers and passengers were exiting their cars and shouting happily at folks in other cars. They’d shake hands, hug the girls, and drink from bottles that were being passed around. The boy understood that somehow this was a celebration, like a super birthday party, as it seemed to fill the whole world in every direction as far as he could see.
That boy was me!
A man approached and handed Dad a brown colored bottle. Dad took it, tipped it back and drank deeply. I must have smiled or something as the man then handed it to me. Mom suddenly was standing between us as she shouted at him, and he quickly retreated, bottle in hand. Mom was sure mad about something.
Specific details of that day fade beyond that specific, albeit brief, moment for me. I know the party went on until well after dark, as after I was put to bed, the racket and bright headlights reflecting around the pulled shades kept me awake for a while. Thinking back, I must have been quite happy because everybody was so enraptured. Eventually, I dozed off and likely had pleasant dreams of cake, balloons, and ice cream.
V-J Day was the most vivid memory I have of World War II, and I’m glad it was of such an exciting, joyful moment in our history.
Harry Puncec, Lakewood
Thoughtful, thorough work on bond package
Re: “Council OKs bond package for November ballot,” August 5 news story
This spring, I volunteered to serve on one of five subcommittees composed of community members and Denver City Council representatives evaluating potential projects for the Vibrant Denver bond. My subcommittee focused on recreation centers, libraries, and housing.
I am a high school student in Denver Public Schools. It was an honor to represent young people in important discussions about Denver’s funding priorities. We reviewed projects proposed by the city council and the public and sorted them into three tiers of importance. We considered existing infrastructure and areas of highest need. We reviewed how usable the current buildings were. We submitted our recommendations to an executive committee that determined the projects that would go in the final bond.
I have heard criticism that the process was rushed and did not sufficiently involve members of the community, but I disagree. The majority of projects in the final bond proposal were originally proposed by the public. Over six weeks, we saw what people across the city wanted. In many cases, we were able to rank their proposals highly. Projects rated in the top tier by our subcommittee were more likely to be selected by the executive committee, which suggests that our input was taken seriously. In my experience, the subcommittee meetings allowed community members a chance to share their thoughts on each project and provide their own perspectives.
This November, Denver voters should pass the Vibrant Denver bond. It will provide the city with much-needed improvements and no raise in taxes.
James Scott, Denver
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