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PROLOGUE

I am writing a book about "THE GOOD THINGS OF EAST ST LOUIS" which occurred as the outside world was hearing only the bad. Many residents and former residents have warm memories of East St. Louis when it was a thriving industrial city.

Those wishing to relate their experiences and memories or contribute pictures, please mail them to me. Photographs and written material will be copied and returned

Thank you.

Edward English 922 South Meramec Ave. St Louis, Mo 63105

I was born on December 23, 1922, in St. Mary's Hospital in East St. Louis, Illinois. I spent the next 29 years of my life in that city, moving to Belleville, Illinois in 1952. In 1965, 1 moved with my family to Clayton, Missouri. I have always been proud to call East St. Louis my "Hometown" despite the media continually putting my hometown down.
I was born on December 23, 1922, in St. Mary's Hospital in East St. Louis, Illinois. I spent the next 29 years of my life in that city, moving to Belleville, Illinois in 1952. In 1965, 1 moved with my family to Clayton, Missouri. I have always been proud to call East St. Louis my "Hometown" despite the media continually putting my hometown down.

I was born on December 23, 1922, in St. Mary's Hospital in East St. Louis, Illinois. I spent the next 29 years of my life in that city, moving to Belleville, Illinois in 1952. In 1965, I moved with my family to Clayton, Missouri. I have always been proud to call East St. Louis my "Hometown" despite the media continually putting my hometown down.In addition, I mailed 1,100 postcards to various friends, reunion groups, and whatever roster of East St. Louisans that I could put together.

By the end of 1990, 1 had received 577 letters, postcards, books, pictures, telephone calls and even movie films of the "All American City" in 1960.

The response has been overwhelming to my call for writing about "The Good Things of East St. Louis." I am determined to put these thoughts and memories of these many contributors and former East St. Louisans; in book form and will attempt to name all of them in this book.

Please bear with me as I attempt to put these many stories together in a readable sequence of the past two hundred years (1765 to 1990). Some of the story will be some sort of an autobiography, but mainly I want a good book about these wonderful 577 people who took the time and trouble to write to me.
I will forever be grateful to you all -- I thank you.

--- Ed English

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