Orra Jean Beauty Academy, Erie PA 1952

Chester Wasielewski and Ann Logan, June 1952. Photo ©Debbi Lyon.

The Orra Jean Beauty Academy was located in downtown Erie. Graduates of this school became beauticians, barbers and cosmetologists.

The school was located at 109 West 9th Street in Erie, PA when it was founded in 1941. It was in Rooms 201-207 of the Selina Bldg. The beauty academy was owned by Orra Bolkey, Jean Heubel and Winnifred Lyons.

Jean Heubel married John Foulk on July 4, 1942. Their son Bradley Foulk, the future District Attorney of Erie County, PA, was born in 1947.

Tuition at the Orra-Jean Beauty Academy was $250 for a 1,000 hour course in July of 1949.

Orra-Jean Beauty Academy was located at 107 West 9th St. in 1952, when it was owned by Orra B. Ames and Winnifred Lyons.

The Orra-Jean Barber School was also located at 107 West 9th. It was run by Otto Borgia, John DeBias and Peter Trimbol. Otto, John and Peter purchased the barber school in May of 1949. "The course costs $400 for 1,250 hours of instruction and practice, and usually takes about six months to complete...Students are carefully groomed for state examinations which they must pass in order to be licensed," wrote Howard Jack in the Erie Dispatch-Herald.

Otto Borgia had a heart attack at the Orra Jean Barber School, 1130 State Street, and died on January 6, 1965. He was born in San Lucido, Italy and was the owner/operator of the barber school.

107 West 9th St. is now a parking lot. The Erie Redevelopment Authority demolished all the old buildings on this street. Plaza 9 is just west of the storefront pictured above.

By 1968, the Orra-Jean Beauty Academy was located at 1028 Sassafras Street, and was run by Winnifred Lyons and James P. Rosetto.

Orra Bolkey Ames died April 11, 2003.

"The beauty school was on one half of the building, and the barber school on the other half," said Beverly McCurdy. "I went to Orra Jean Beauty Academy. I went for my operators license and back again for teachers and managers license. I also worked for Louie Rosetto, whose salon was down stairs from Orra Jean's."

You could walk in off the street and get a haircut at a price that was much less expensive than an established beauty shop, because students would cut your hair under the guidance of their teachers. Some were really good. Some, well....

Did you attend the Orra-Jean Beauty Academy? Please drop me a line at Dlyontamer@gmail.com and tell me your story.

Happy Birthday, Chet Wasielewski

Chester J. Wasielewski was born in Erie, PA on July 3, 1925. I knew him as Uncle Chet or Tio. Chet grew up at 445 East 3rd Street in Erie, just a few blocks from the lake and from Downtown Erie, two of his favorite things.

Chet attended the old Tech High School and then served aboard the USS Shangri-La at the tail end of World War II. He then began a long career on the Great Lakes, retiring as a wheelsman on Bethlehem Steel's thousand footer Stewart J. Cort. (The Cort was assembled in Erie, PA.) He had also served on the William P. Snyder, the Steamer Johnstown, the Schoonmaker and a number of other freighters. He was working on the Lakes when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank, and was quoted several times in the Erie Times News reminiscing about that fateful night.

"He paid many visits to the crew in the sports department at the Times Publishing Company. Chet always had conversations in Polish with sportswriter Dennis Michalski. Never could figure out what those two were talking about," said Patrick Lyon.

"I have many fond memories of seeing Chester on the Cort when my sisters and I would go to visit my dad. I have no idea how or when it happened, but when we were very young, we decided that Chester was Santa Claus (it was the beard) and during the 'off season' from Christmas, Santa's 'day job' was sailing with our father. Ever the good sport, Chester played up the nickname for us, well into our adult lives. He was such a wonderful, fun-loving man," said Andrea Coppens.

"I worked with Chester for many years on the Cort. Always an upbeat, friendly man," said Robert Larson.

Chet was a man of mystery. He spent many winters in Texas and Mexico. He traveled to Poland to visit the town where his parents were born, and traveled extensively throughout the U.S. He was very knowledgable about U.S. lighthouses, and judging by his photos, he visited most of them.

Chet could often be seen walking downtown with a newspaper under his arm. He would stop in to visit his friends at local businesses, McDonald's and the public library.

Chet took many of the pictures of Downtown Erie that have been featured on this blog. He almost always had a camera strapped around his neck, and seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

Chet passed away on August 3, 2008. He was buried in Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery.

Young Chet steering the ship.

Chet the Barber at his shop.