Chapter I: Youth and Grinnell Student Days, A Prodrome of the Future
The Texas-Cajun
At Age 12—‘I decided I was going to BE A COACH’
Irwin Leo Simon was born 30 June 1913 in Abbeyville, LA the son of Leo John and Grace Fae Simon. He grew up at 905 –5th Street in his hometown Port Arthur, Texas. As he was growing up (1925), Irv came to a momentous conclusion:
I decided at 12 years of age that I was going to BE A COACH. Franklin grammar school was a mile and a half from the high school. I had to run that mile and a half every afternoon to make it to my job on time. Next to being mayor, I considered it to be the most important job in the city. I WAS MASCOT, WATERBOY AND ASSISTANT TO THE ASSISTANT TRAINER—FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM.[1]
Irwin Leo Simon, Beaumont Middle School-1925
Irv apparently obtained a nickname—Hot Simone that lasted for some 50 years according to his own admission. In his childhood he was entranced by football but did not play “first string” quarterback until he was in college playing for The American College of Physical Education in Chicago.
Port Arthur TX nestled on the Louisiana Border[2]
As a youth (probably summer of 1936) while living in East Texas, Irv described his personal reflection on the photograph below:
Simon physically fit from the 1930’s
BODY BY PEROGUE [CAJUN CANOE]” (IN) HIGH SCHOOL YEARS [I] NEVER LIFTED A WEIGHT UNTIL I BECAME A COACH. (IN) 3 SUMMER MONTHS [I] LIVED IN THE WILDERNESS OF EAST TEXAS ... OFF THE LAND.. [EATING] FISH, RABBIT, SQUIRREL, ALLIGATOR TAIL, ARMADILLO MEAT, WOODDUCK, MOTHER NATURE PROVIDED US WITH AN EXCELLENT DRINK SASAFRAS. [I] CHOPPED WOOD..BOXER STYLE, HAD A POLE VAULTING PIT, (AND) SWAM SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. WE DRANK FROM A FRESH WATER SPRING. MANY PEOPLE DRANK FROM THIS SPRING [AND ] MOST GOT SICK WITH A FEVER. WE DID NOT GET SICK ..MUST HAVE BEEN THE SASAFRAS. LOCAL MOUNTAIN MEN TYPES TOOK SASFRAS AS HEALTH TONIC, BLOOD THINNER, AND GENERAL CURE ALL. WHEN WE HAD SPECIAL COMPANY, FROG LEGS, WILD TURKEY, AND [WILD] HOG GRACED [0UR] TABLE[3].
Irv loved hunting and fishing with his father Leo and later would regale the Truesdale family (his future wife’s relatives) with stories about the adventures of his youth.
Irv was very proud of his French-Canadian-American heritage and kept a definitional statement about being “Cajun” in his scrapbook. The Bob Hamm definition suggested that a “Cajun” was made up of gumbo, boudin (a spiced sausage), and sauce piguante. The “Cajun” could be as stubborn as a mule and ornery as an alligator. The heritage of these people found great pride in their past, in their emigration from France to Canadian Newfoundland, and then their deportation to the French colony in rural New Orleans in Louisiana and Texas in the late 18th century. The Cajun has moral and spiritual values that provide the basis for an engaging smile, a confident gait, and the joie de vivre—hearty enjoyment of life-- that invigorates the personal soul of each individual. Irv held fast to these values.
Finding Work in the Depression
Irv graduated from High School in 1933 and joined the Great Depression work force as an oil tester for Gulf Refining Company ($120/mo.) in his hometown of Port Arthur. However, by June 1936 he had to find a new job as a truck driver with a salary reduction to $75/mo. demonstrating the variability of wages during the depression.
In September 1935 he enrolled at the American College of Physical Education in Chicago IL. While going to school he worked part time as a life guard for the city of Chicago at $100/mo., and swimming instructor ($65/mo.) at the Sovereign Hotel in Chicago[4]. He graduated from that institution with a Bachelor of Physical Education degree in 1937. In the summer transition (June-Sept. 1938), Simon found work at the Chicago Crippled Children’s Camp in Burlington WI making $50/mo.
Simone Arrives at Grinnell
He entered Grinnell College in 1938 as a transfer student (age 25) working part time as a student-athlete trainer for the College[5].
As a transfer student-faculty person Irv had problems with eligibility requirements (due to hisparticipation in sports in Chicago) particularly in swimming sports. Irv established the training room facilities on campus. He developed a whirlpool tank for treating muscle injuries.
Simone apparently made an impression on his professor, John Truesdale, Athletic Director.[6], as Irv was allowed to assist in collation of the data used in Professor Truesdale’s Master of Arts dissertation at Iowa submitted and defended in 1939.[7] Irv would remember this honor as “being in the right place at the right time” to learn something about research and requirements for a Ph D. dissertation. Professor Truesdale continued his studies at Iowa and defended his Ph D thesis in 1953.[8] These learning experiences would serve Simone in 1964 when he submitted his own proto-type thesis.
The Grinnell squad was swimming in the Big Six Conference against teams from Kansas State University, Nebraska and Iowa State Universities (see Appendix A, Grinnell Swimming Scores in the Simone Era). On 25 February 1939 he was listed as swimming on the freshman team capturing the diving, 40-yard and 100-yard free style events. For his leadership in 1939, Irv won his numerals sweater [class of 1941] with his friend Jack Truesdale, Jack was two years younger than his sister Patricia graduating from Grinnell in 1942.
Valued Diver & ‘Dash Man’
The Scarlet and Black Newspaper informed the reading public that Irv was a valued diver and “dash man” (short sprint swimmer) on the Grinnell team. He did letter in his junior year gaining admission to Men’s Honor G (1940). A truly versatile person, Irv was an Assistant Stage Manager for a play Family Portrait and then Stage Manager for George and Margaret in his senior year at Grinnell. Probably because of eligibility limitations, Irv did not dive for Grinnell in his senior year, 1941, but functioned as a mentor-coach.
He was listed as Irwin Leo Simon during his first two years at Grinnell and changed his name to Simone (reflecting his French-Canadian [Cajun] heritage) before he graduated in 1941.
Courtship in the Making
Susan Simone Truesdale Asinger related the family story of the Simone-Truesdale engagement as follows: Hazel, (John C. Truesdale’s wife), was impressed by dad (Irv), and thought he was an interesting conversationalist and that he was really ‘pursuing’ Patty. She (Hazel) ‘got a kick out of him arriving by horseback and that he even brought the horse up the steps of the house at 1215 Broad Street where they all grew up. I remember the story of him bringing a box of chocolates with one of the chocolates replaced by an engagement ring. That is the family memory of the engagement[9].
Patty Truesdale was a classmate and Business Administration major, who graduated also in 1941[10].
By his senior year at Grinnell, Irv functioned as an instructor in physical education and athletic trainer. He started his life long interest in Red Cross Instructor programs attending a Red Cross Aquatic School in Oconomowoc WI in the summer of 1939. He was at least partly responsible for diving training for Grinnell College competitors. One of his trainees in 1941 was Warren Brooker who won the diving competition against Bradley Tech. College in March 1941.[11]
Marriage & the Army Air Force
Simone graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education in 1941. He began his coaching career at Martin High School and Junior College in Cicero IL 1941-2. Patty and Irwin Simone were married on December 20, 1941 by Dr. Horace J. Bridges, a Unitarian minister, and the father in law of Patty’s sister Mary.[12] The ceremony occurred at the Morrison Hotel on South Clark Street (Chase Tower) in Chicago[13].
Irv was inducted into the U. S. Air Force (1943- February 1946) serving at Fort Logan Air Force Base, Colorado for the duration of the war. The base was the overseas training depot for Air Force personnel going to Europe. Irv was physical fitness instructor and bayonet instructor at the base. He also held the bayonet record for that course and his unit was cited for the highest physical fitness rating in the Air Forces’ Technical Training Command.[14]
The Veteran Returns
Irv Simone, like many of his peers,reentered a civilian world unprepared for the influx of young couples from military facilities. As a result the Simone Family lived at 1215 Broad Street in Grinnell, the home of his “in-laws” Professor John C. and Hazel Truesdale. This living arrangement might well have been related to absence of adequate housing for returning military personnel but also the limited financial reward as an instructor at the College must have been a factor too. The Simones lived at this location for the 1946-48 academic years. Irv left to pursue experience as a physical therapist at the Hughen School and Home for Crippled Children in his home town, Port Arthur TX.
Professor Truesdale’s House as it is today
1002 East Street House-today
When the family returned in 1951 they resided first at 1002 East Street just south of campus by the Congregational Church close to the town business district.
Simone Daughters – 1951
Katie Left and Susan Right
The Simone’s two daughters, Susan and Katie were growing and thriving. They attended the Grinnell public schools. On occasion, Grinnell College students (swimmer Bob Carrothers, Class of 1958, Economics major) would help with mathematic school work. While this house might have been convenient for some aspects of living, the rapid transition to the Broad Street address suggested that close proximity to the Truesdale grandparents was a “family advantage” for the Simone’s.
1205 Broad Street, Simone home near grandparents
A year later 1953-4 they moved to 1205 Broad Street, two doors south of the Truesdale’s. The final move for the Simone Family occurred after the Truesdale grandparents retired to Florida. The Simones moved one block further west to Main Street and one block north which would allow Irv an almost direct walk to his office in Darby Gym.
Last Simone Home: 1958-66, 1310 Main Street Grinnell
1
[1] Simone, Irvin L. Personal Scrapbook, Manuscript Copy in the possession of Mrs. Sue Simone Asinger of Minneapolis MN. Commentary attached to a childhood photograph, of a prepubertal boy most likely from grammar school days. The costume suggested the 1920’s era. Irv Simone had a pattern of writing in the margins of documents in capitol letters assuring the reader that these were his thoughts and ideas. None are dated so that the autobiographic information may have been added at a time distant from events in his life.
[2] MapQuest, Image of the geographic location of Port Arthur in Texas.
[3] Simone, Irwin L. Personal Scrapbook, A personal reflection on a youthful photograph of himself. The free ranging thoughts are modified slightly to complete appropriate sentences. The capital lettering was part of Simone’s autobiographic style. The photograph appears in at least two locations in the scrapbook.
[4] Edgewater History, ( The Sovereign Hotel was built 1922-23 reflecting 19th century French opulence and luxury. The 10-story building had 600 rooms, two ballrooms and the swimming pool where Irv worked.
[5] Grinnell College Archives, Editorial Note: Grinnell College paid Irv Simon 280 dollars per annum for his services as athletic trainer. During the summer of 1939, the College paid Irv $100 dollars a month to manage the Swimming Pool and provide swimming lessons. During the summer of 1940 he worked for the City of Grinnell as waterfront director and swimming instructor at Arbor Lake for $130/month. The records demonstrate the pattern of a student working his way through college. The salaries also demonstrate the Great Depression’s effects upon income. Irwin Simon was fortunate to find consistant employment to support his educational achievements. There is also a subliminal current of energy resourcefully finding employment related to his physical education achievements.
[6] Scarlet and Black, 32 Freshman win Numerals: Seven Transfers will also receive Athletic Recognition, Wednesday, 15 March 1939,
[7] Truesdale, John C. Trends in Some Organizational and Administrative Procedures in Intramural Athletics in Thirty American Colleges and Universities, August 1939, pages 1-72. The master’s thesis, a mail survey instrument reflected an extension of work done at Bradley University as an undergraduate. Truesdale demonstrated that between 1933 and 38 there was a trend toward more intramural sports underwritten by appropriation and student fees, with awards for excellence in competition in the form of plaques or medals.
[8] Truesdale, John C., Measurement of Athletic Intelligence, Doctoral Thesis defended February 1953, University of Iowa Libraries, T 1953,
[9] Asinger, Sue Simone, Electronic-mail communication, 25 Sept. 2005
[10] Editorial Note: One might speculate with only circumstantial evidence that her brother Jack who was a freshman swimmer with Irv in 1939 introduced Irv to Patty Truesdale.
[11] Brooker, Warren J. M. D., Personal Communication 17 June 2005, Dr. Brooker confirmed that he was recruited to dive by Coach Oliver Wagner. He, like many Grinnell swimmers, had no formal experience with diving and learned “on the job” from the coaching staff. Irv Simone was functioning as his “mentor- coach” .
Because Grinnell had no course in embryology in 1941 Warren transferred to the University of Iowa graduating from that institution in 1942 entering immediately into the accelerated World War II MD program. He graduated in medicine in 1945; He ultimately took his Urology Residency with Professor Creevy at the University of Minnesota (1957-61) becoming the first of a long tradition of Urologists who swam for Grinnell College. Brooker was followed in later time by Chuck Hawtrey and Jim Jacobson who also trained at the University of Iowa in Medical School and specializing in Urology under Dr. Rubin Flocks.
[12] Asinger, Sue Truesdale Simone, Email communication 9 November 2005, Mary Truesdale, daughter of Hazel and Dr. John C. Truesdale, is still living and a resource about events related to the marriage.
[13] Bridges, Mary Truesdale, Electronic-mail transcript of telephone communication, 12 November 2005. Mary Truesdale Bridges, sister of Patty Truesdale, provided the details of family history regarding the marriage of Irv and Patty Simone.
[14] Simone, Irvin L. Personal Scrapbook, manuscript copy in the possession of Sue Simone Asinger, Minneapolis, MN. Editorial Note: Simone summarized his military accomplishments during the war effort. The Air Force used his coaching-trainer skills to the advantage of personnel being shipped to Europe.