White Plains

At the age of two the family moved to White Plains, New York. A company owned by Charles Schole, offered Clarence Sr. a position in the speedometer department. Schole rented the Coogans the upstairs apartment of his home just offWestchester Avenue near the armory. A beautiful 15 foot stone wall with matching stairs placed the armory at the upper level - looking down on the Schole home. Numerous large oaks and elms became a perfect play ground for the Schole girls and Clarence at the bottom of the wall - of course.

The tranquillity of relationship was shattered one evening when I threw a toy airplane through the living room window. My parents visiting downstairs at the time heard the glass break and ran up stairs thinking that I had gone through the window. Much to everyone's relief I was setting in the middle of the floor.

"Why did you do that", demanded my father.

"The damn airplane wouldn't fly up through the roof, said I. I don't remember getting a spanking for it. I do know I was on the Schole's poo poo list from then on. Years later Mom took the credit of the autogiro invention from Igor Sikorsky and gave it to me.

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