PAUL HORN INTERVIEW- PART 2

 

PAUL HORN INTERVIEW PART 2 Paul Horn Interview- Part 1   THE CHENEY MANSION, HILLBILLIES AND THE MOVIES I was lucky enough to be invited back the Horn house a few weeks after my initial visit, to talk more about those old Jersey football days. However much to my surprise, there was very little football discussed. Today would instead be filled with stories about the Cheney mansion and those who inhabited it. Prentiss Dana Cheney for one or better known to his friends as simply P.D. There was also talks of selling insurance and running movie houses and even playing "Taps" for memorial services. For my second interview, I was once again escorted by my friend Tom Goetten, who was gracious enough to set it up. When we arrived at the Horns, we were taken to the back of the house where Paul and his wife Ginny waited eagerly for us on their sun porch. I couldn't help but notice that they were both dressed as sunny and vibrant as the sky that surrounded us. Horn, who turned 94 in October was ready to talk about football and a lot more. For every question that I fired at him concerning his days as a member of the Black and Orange Jersey Township High School football team, he would respond quickly and then move onto another story. We talked about old teammates, Ivan Heiderscheid who was really his one good friend after his football days were over, to his cousins Harold "Chick" Ballard and Carl Ballard. Carl later met and married a former Miss Maryland who  went on to become the first runner-up in the Miss America pageant. We also talked about Harvey "the Ripper" Woods who was the first African-American football player for Jersey in 1924. Paul stated "I remember there were racial problems, but it didn't seem to bother us because we were kids". Paul was an award winning member of the city band and played for the Lions and the VFW. "I always played "Taps" for Memorial Day services", Paul said proudly. "I would play Taps at the location of the service and would have Cheney (P.D.) play on the other side of the grounds as my echo. I remember one time when I slurred a note I walked over to him and yelled Why in the heck did you slur that note? , to which P.D. responded "Paaaul, it was an echo" . The Horns were also very involved in the movie theatre business. "We owned 3 movie houses at one time", Paul reminded me. Other than the one in Jerseyville, which was located in the building now occupied by Fran&Marilyn's, they also had one in Girard and in Edwardsville. Paul's wife Ginny was also very important and involved with the business. "We were in the theatre business for nearly twenty years until 1965". At one point after a fire destroyed their movie house, they had to rebuild it. "Back in those days you had to be hillbilly minded to succeed in running a movie house", exclaimed Paul. "We had Skeets and Frankie Hillbilly show, and back in those days everyone had to yodel. We ran 3 shows on Sunday to a full house". The entertainment line-up also included the likes of Grandpappy Jones and Shucks Austin. Ginny described how their success was copied by the local competition. " We gave away cowboy hats and had Saturday serials, we also had Buffalo nickel matinee's and milk top shows and midnight shows". Paul then interrupted " We were almost too successful with the milk top promotion". The Horn's had worked out a deal with Medal Gold Milk to supply anyone a free movie pass who purchased a bottle of milk. Back in those days, a movie ticket sold for 10 cents and Medal Gold paid a nickel for every bottle sold. Needless to say the place sold out on milk top day. One day Paul met Roy Rogers at Republic Studios in St. Louis on Olive St. and bought him lunch. "Roy was a great guy" Paul included with a smile. Eventually with the stress of running the theatres and also working in the insurance field, the Horns had to give up the movie chain. "But it was a very good business for us because we used our head" Ginny ended with. Later on that night as I sat and listened to my tapes of the interviews I suddenly remembered that I forgot to ask all those questions that I had written down. What about the car accident that Paul was in when he was headed out of town to a football game with 4 of his teammates? And, what about the time when Paul got a knock on his door from a frantic child with a gun in his hand, and as it turned out the boy accidentally shot and killed his friend while on a hunting trip not to far from the Horn house. Paul would follow the boy to the location to discover the lifeless boy's body on the ground. All of these unanswered questions I have for Mr. Horn the oldest living football player in Jersey history. Well I am betting Paul will be around for another interview.... that is, if he will have me! by Mike McInerney   (The 1929 Jersey Football team photo. Horn is second from the left on bottom row).