The Bubble Gum Riot
Well, it wasn't quite a riot actually. Somewhere near 115-117 S. Jardin Street across the street from the Methodist parsonage where we lived, there was a candy store that was known as "Penny's". I'm not sure if that was the woman's name who ran the store or if that was the price of most of her candy. I believe that the store was the first floor front room of a simple row house that had been converted into a store front.
In addition to penny candy, pretzel rods and such, she also sold frozen Kool-Aid ice cubes in various flavors during the Summer and these were presented to the purchaser in a fluted paper cupcake cup. There were punch boards, both the illegal gambling kind and a larger variety in which the punch through was made by one's finger to produce a chewing gum ball. If the ball was a certain color then the winner would have the chance to try another time for free.
For whatever reason, Fleer's Dubble Bubble gum disappeared from store shelves during the war years. Not that it was rationed, it just wasn't available. One day in 1946 or 47 the word spread throughout our section of Shenandoah that Penny's was selling bubble gum again and a huge crowd of boisterous boys converged on the little store. There was much hooting and hollering, pushing and shoving, all of us trying to get a place in line in order to enter the store and purchase the one or two peices of gum that each of us was allowed to buy.
Soon the treat was readily available and there was never an excuse to have such a "riot"again.
Click HERE for a link to the History of "Fleer's Dubble Bubble" gum.