Music • Photography • Writing
Childhood
Robert Louis Poltevecque was born September 2, 1919, in Chicago, Illinois. (Actually, at this time his father Louie still went by the name of Padbury, his mother's second husband's last name. I will use Poltevecque here to avoid confusion.) This is the first known picture of him, taken when he was just a few months old. At the end of his life he went back to this hairstyle.
Louie and Louise sprang for a deluxe wicker baby carriage, with a fold-down top, rubber wheels, and grips on the handle. It's hard to tell if he's feeling smug or just needs burping.
Chicago is not always the most infant-friendly climate and Louise took no chances with her only child. Somewhere inside this mass of swaddling, Bob is toasty enough to sport a big smile.
When Bob was about three, Louis and Louise paid for a portrait of him in a sailor suit. The curly blonde hair didn't last much longer. Note the high top buttoned shoes and short pants with high stockings, which were traditional garb for children at the time.
While the tradition of having a child's picture taken with Santa hasn't changed, Santa's evolved over the years. The log cabin, the mule deer, the tinseled sleigh, the glasses and ratty beard have long since disappeared. This presumably was taken before Louis took on the persona of Santa for all the neighborhood children.
In 1922, the Poltevecque family reflected the big-city styles of the Roaring Twenties. Bob was still in a sailor suit and short pants. Louie's suit was sharp with ironed creases and his hair slicked back like the Chicago toughs of the day. Louise dressed formally in black with pearls and satin shoes.
By age five or so, Bob had earned his diploma. While that sounds impressive by today's standards, back then even graduating grade school was something of an accomplishment. (Louie never attended high school, for instance.) Here, Bob holds his first grade diploma. He wears shorts with his nice suit and a shirt with a wide collar.
For a kid who had already earned his diploma, Bob found plenty of time for just plain kid stuff. Here he rides a tricycle with just one foot on the pedal. The trike has solid rubber tires and the traditional running board on the back. In any case, he looks mighty pleased in this picture.
The Poltevecques often spent time outside the big city of Chicago, visiting nearby parks and even driving up to Wisconsin. Here, Louise drapes her arms affectionately around Bob's neck. Despite the maternal affection, this is the last picture of him in short pants.
This more formal portrait of Bob represents the end of his childhood. His hair has been freshly cut and pomaded down and his starched shirt collar is neatly tucked under his coat. His firm expression shows his growing confidence. This is a young man with an agenda.