Esther Schlinger
Esther Schlinger came to Dallas with her family in 1906, when the city was still small and its population numbered around 92,000. She remembered growing up in what was then called North Dallas, a modest neighborhood where many Jewish families lived close together, including on Caroline Street. One of seven children, with three brothers and three sisters, she recalled that her grandparents had already passed away before her time and that her household was made up of her immediate family. She indicated that her father may have been a rabbi in Dallas, though she was uncertain about the details of his work and congregation.
In 1916 Esther married Henry Schlinger, whose family had deep Texas roots reaching back to the era of the Republic. Her husband's forebears had landed in Galveston and lived in the Brownsville area near Matamoros, Mexico, and his grandfather was born in Petersburg, Virginia, before the family returned to Texas. Her father-in-law built a home in 1906 at the corner of Pennsylvania and Harwood in South Dallas, property Esther held until she sold it in 1960. She and Henry lived in South Dallas for some twenty to twenty-five years. Her husband first worked at Dun and Bradstreet and later took over his father's grocery store, which handled many orders by telephone and delivered goods first by horse and wagon and later by truck.
Esther and her family were affiliated with Temple Emanu-El, and she recalled Rabbi William Greenberg from her childhood, as well as the temple's moves from an earlier location to South Boulevard and eventually to Hillcrest. She remembered that services used mostly Hebrew, that worshippers did not wear hats, and that formal religious schooling was limited in her youth. Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur were the central observances in her home, with the Passover Seder always kept. Active in the PTA after her children were born, she reflected on the social distinctions among Dallas Jews and on how Jewish families tended to move together as neighborhoods changed over the decades.
Full Transcript
It's February the 8th, 1976, and I'm talking to Mrs. Henry Schlinger, who's been in Dallas for many years. How long have you been here, Mrs. Schlinger? A long time. Since the 20s? Oh, long before the 20s. Since the teens? Yes. Oh, I was... Oh, I was... Teen. 1910, 1911? 1906. 1906? That's wonderful. How old am I? I'm not even still in the back of the... 1910, I think, we've been... You don't have to mention it. Well, how is it you happen to come to Dallas? I don't know. My father decided to come, so we came. Did he have any particular reason for coming? No, I don't think so.
No, we lived... See, my husband's folks came to Texas when Texas was still a republic. But I don't know why he came out. It never occurred to me last time. Where were your husband's folks from, and how did-do you know how- That's what I mean. My husband's great-grandfather came to Texas when it was still a republic. He came from-well, you know, that street-my granddaughter goes to Oxford in London, you know, And she said that she had two weeks, so she took the travel. And she said she went to Vienna. And she said she looked up because she knew that they came from about there. Your great, great, great grandfather came from there.
And she said she looked up in the phone book and there were 20 slingers spelled exactly like our name. So that's where he came from. That name sounds like it too, you know. Yes but you don know why he decided to come to Texas during the time of the Republic He never said You know I was there with my son the other day I said it a shame we didn get to ask Grandpa more things about because he remembered the Civil War He was five or six years old when the war started and then he was 11 when it ended So he could have told us so many things.
I don't know why we never thought, you know, of asking him. Sure. Are you being taped? Let's see, what was Dallas like as you remember it when you were growing up? I remember the population was 92,000. Hey, I don't want to. I may be long. That's all right. That's all right. Go ahead. I remember that. I remember the pair when I was little. And, uh, uh... I just don't remember anymore, but... Was there a religious school? I remember Dr. Greenberg. Dr. William Greenberg. This was a temple? Temple of Manu? It was a temple, yes, a Temple of Manu. Where was Temple Emanuel when you were a child?
Do you remember? It was in, I don't remember where it was, but I know afterwards they decided to build a new building, and they were having, you know, they didn't know just where or what. The church on Irvey Street, let them use Friday night and Saturday, let them use their Christian church. I thought it was very nice of them to know that. And Dr. William Greenberg was the rabbi then. Was that before when they moved on South Boulevard? Was that just before they moved to South Boulevard building? Yes, that's right. That's right. And then they moved to South Boulevard, and oh, they were there quite a few years, and then they built this, they built the temple on, by the city park.
Yes that building by city park was that perhaps the temple on Irby Street before they moved to South Boulevard This temple at the city park, I don't know if it was a city park, was before it? Yes, before it. We thought we were set on the boulevard. And then the neighborhood just deteriorated, just like everywhere else. And people moved away, and then they built... where were you at? After South Boulevard, then they built a temple over here on Hillcrest. On Hillcrest. When you were very young, when you first came to Dallas, where did you live? We lived what they called North Dallas. Now North Dallas is Halland Park, you know, but in those days it was just a small town.
What street? Do you remember the street? I think on Carolina. Were there a lot of Jewish people in that area? Yes, you know, usually Jewish people claimed together. And they most, that whole neighborhood was made up of Jewish people. Were there people that mainly went to Temple Emanuel, or did they go to Sherath, or to Ferath, or whatever? I'll tell you, it was a small Jewish community, and for that reason there were those. But, it's the old saying, you know, the Dutch Jews were fancy, and the Orthodox poor people, you know, where they were. Like Dr. Lefkowitz, oh no, Rabbi Olin was telling us the other day, oh, about a year or so ago, He said, you know, the Gentile people, you know, he said, you know, the Jewish people, the Reforms are the well-to-do people.
And the Gentile, the Episcopalians are the wealthy people. And, Chris, I don't want that. Well why don you tell me about the people the Jewish people that lived on Caroline in that area Well I do know that Tabloski lived on Caroline Probably, they're probably gone, because that was a long time ago. And I think Ida Tabloski probably was one of them. Was there any Jewish day school or religious school at that time? No, I don't think so. Not that I knew of it. And I really don't believe so. It was a case of, I don't want to be... That's all right. I don't want to do...
because there may be wrong... there were... what were we talking about? Church schools. Oh, no. We didn't have a Sunday school. I don't think we did. And the kids didn't go. I know we used to go to shul. Not to shul. We went to a temple, but on Roshul and Yom Kippur. And that's about the extent of our religious training. What about Passover? Oh, that was observed. You know, that's strange. They may not want to be considered, the Reformed, may not want, but they observed Passover. And of course, Roshini and Yom Kippur without, goes without saying. But I noticed that all through the years, Passover was always observed.
Big, big fuss made over it, you know. Was there a lot of English used in the service at that time, or did they use some Hebrew in the service? They used mostly Hebrew. They were. Yes. Did they wear any hats in the temple? No, no. No, they didn't wear. They didn't. And now the shul did. Yes. Of course they, uh, they still do, you know. Certainly. If they don't wear hats, they wear those little... Yarmulkes. Yarmulkes. Yes. As far as the religious training then, was that always in the home? Or was that later? Or was there another school? What they had, what religious training they got.
It wasn't anything like they had now. They had no confirmation. And I don't think, now I don't know, but I don't think they had to teach Hebrew like they do now. Of course, now the Orthodox, of course, I don't know, but I'm sure that they did. Well, as far as your own experience, then you had no religious school at the temple. No. Do you remember when the religious school started a temple, or what they made you? I don't know if it was one, but if I'm not mistaken, it could be Dr. Liskwood started. Okay. I don't want to... Well, we can check that. That's no problem.
Because I think that Dr. Greenberg was wishy-washy, Rabbi, you know. Yes. I think it was the beginning of the reformed Judaism, and they didn't know just how it's supposed to go. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, Dr. Greenberg dropped. He didn't... and he took up some kind of... I don't know, some kind of... was it... not a dentist or something... oh, I think he sold insurance when he passed away. So he left the ravenant later. Yes, I think so. He was, you know, I shouldn't, I don't want to, it doesn't seem that it shouldn't be repeated. He, young Kemper, you know, he fasted, I guess.
And he wanted to go. And, you know, poor fellow, he'd get up and he'd get things, you know, and he'd come up to the foot of where the pulverine was, and he'd say to somebody, will you assist me? This person would go out and help him go in and he'd faint or give him a glass of water. It was hard for him to fast. Yeah. Did most of temple people fast in those days I doubt it I doubt it The older people did Uh I think they still do But as far as I knew, none of my brothers and sisters and all would have been fast.
Were the services longer or shorter than they are? You know, the Saturday service now is an hour long. The Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services are maybe several hours. They're not a long, you know, like throughout the day for Yom Kippur. It lets out, you know, the temple lets out. Were they a longer service then, or do you remember? I remember that Mrs. Lefkowitz used to come without a hat, and she prepared to stay, spend the day. I guess they still do that, don't they? Not for Yom Kippur. They don't? No, my understanding is that they do not. No. What were some of the Jewish observances that you had at home, besides Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?
And then the first Friday night and Saturday, and the Seder was definitely... You did have a Seder? Yes. They still do. It's a strange thing how people still do, because they... It's one holiday that is observed by all the Jewish people. Yes. Yes. Have you only been affiliated with temple? Yes. There was no other affiliation as far as synagogues or temples were concerned? No. What about your activity as far as civic groups were concerned? Perhaps the PTA or Red Cross or just general services? No. I don't think people took much interest. I never heard of the PTA and those things until I was married and, you know.
Yeah, yeah. Well, now, were you active in PTA? Yes When my children came along I was Yes but I was active Yeah yeah Parent and Teachers Association Yes What about any were there any Jewish groups I don't think so. I think they were all, PTA was considered, uh, both the, you know, Jewish and the, you know. When were you married? 1916. All right, at that time, was there a brotherhood and a sisterhood at Temple? I don't know. Okay. Were you ever involved in any of the activities at the Temple? No, I was so young that I just didn't know. Well, I knew that I was getting married.
I really don't. What was the wedding ceremony like then? Was it different than what it is now? Did they use a chuppah? Did they use a canopy? I don't remember. I think they did. Yeah, I think they do. They still do. Even now they use a ho-po. They're the horn, the temple uses. Well, some have, and I understand some have not used a ho-po. Well, I noticed in, was it in a magazine? Oh, I've got a book that's interesting, Only in America by Harry Gold. Yes. And he was talking about how the ho-po used to be such a big to-do. That's the most interesting book.
And he said that now they have the Hollywood type, you know, the big to-do, you know, Hooper, not like they used to have. Yeah. What are some of the changes that you've seen in the Jewish community? When did you move to South Dallas from Caroline Street? Do you remember? Oh, I think two, three years later. And where did you live in South Dallas? Oh, I married and moved and my husband owned that whole section. My father-in-law owned, we lived on the corner of Pennsylvania and Harwood. Okay. And we lived there for oh we lived there for 20 years 25 years You married in 1960 so you lived there until about 1941 42 Yes uh Did most or did many other Jewish people move from Caroline down to the South Dallas Yes, oh yes.
Farther south? It's a funny thing. Yeah. When, when the neighbors started losing out, you know, the culture, everybody moved. Yes. And they all moved in the same section, like the same section of South Dallas. Of course, South Dallas was then the fanciest part of Dallas. Right. Until it started deteriorating and... Do you happen to know when your husband's family came to Dallas? Oh, yeah, in 1906. Oh, okay. But they were in Texas before... Oh, yeah. Or since the revolution, since the 1836. Yeah. Grandpa Slinger was born. See, they landed in Galveston. Okay. And Grandpa Slinger, and then they lived in Matamoros in Brownsville. Was it Brownsville?
Right across from Matamoros, Mexico. Yes. He used to always tell us about man work. And then they moved to Petersburg, Virginia, and that's where Grandpa Slinger was born. He was born in Petersburg, Virginia. And then they moved back to Texas. Never lived in Texas. I see. When you moved to South Dallas, what did you do? What did your husband do? What type of business? He was at Dun & Bradstreet. I see. He was at Dun & Bradstreet. And then, when we married, and we were married a few years, he took his father had a grocery store, and he took it over. I see. And that's what it was.
I see. What was it like running a grocery store then? Well, I'm just like the fancy Jews when they say that only my husband has the most ex- the richest Jewish like Florence, Fred Florence, Dr. Lefkowitz, Brombergs, all of those people. He, you know, that's the kind of He had. I'm not bringing him, just saying. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. We had a lot of people that dropped in and just... Mostly telephones. Mostly telephones? Yeah. How would they... What would the procedure be? Well, they would call and get turned in their... Their, uh... Yeah. Hey, that's not going to be broadcasting all over the country. No, no, no, no.
But they called in what they wanted and then you would prepare the order? Yeah, he prepared and then he had it delivered. He had several trucks, you know, they delivered. I remember when we married, they didn't have trucks. They had horse and wagon. And then, of course, later on it became trucks. About when did they start using trucks for delivery? Do you know? He married in 1916. He went into residues probably 1922, and soon after that, probably 1925. Now, did the Jewish families that went to Temple, were they the first group of people to move out of the area of Caroline Street, Old North Dallas?
Or did all of the Jewish people move about the same time? Well, they slowed, just like they did here in South Dallas. Everybody didn't get up on the mosque and move. Right But as soon as the people started coming in then it deteriorated to the extent that all the Jewish people lived in that Within that Anybody who had any any descents at all wouldn live in that neighborhood It's like they wouldn't live in South Dallas now. Have you seen South Dallas? Have you ever lived in South Dallas? Yes. I grew up in South Dallas. Yeah. And... And where did you live? On Park Row. Oh.
We lived on Harwood, Pennsylvania. We owned both sides of the street, Harwood, Pennsylvania. And it was, it wasn't so bad. In fact, you know, that Grandpa Slinger bought a, um, a, he built his home in 1906 on the out of Harvard, Pennsylvania. You know that I just sold it? It was 1960, and I just sold that property. Well, now, when- Are you sure you begin here, if I put my hand on it? No. No. I have what? I forgot my question. When the Jewish people from North Dallas moved down, though, like a lot of the people that lived in South Dallas, a lot of the Templeites may have moved first.
I don know exactly why they followed There no way of knowing whether they moved they move from North Dallas to South Dallas Do you have any idea Well it was a poorer neighborhood and then they got to where they could move And the neighborhood deteriorated, so where they lived, but we all moved. Really, everybody moved. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. What-when you moved from Dallas, you moved in a single home rather than a community. Well, the idea is that when you moved from one place to another, chances are you moved with another-you know, a lot of Jewish groups, you know, other Jewish people moved, so it gives us some idea.
So, when you moved from South Dallas then, did you move to Highland Park? Did you move up here? You don't know? I can't remember. It wasn't too far up going. Too long ago. I'll come to you later then. That's it. What about the, your own group, family group, as you were growing up? Did your grandparents live with you or just your extended, you know, your immediate family? No I didn know my grandparents They were all gone by the time I came along Oh I see Did you have other brothers and sisters Yes I had three brothers and three sisters They all alone I the only one left Oh, sorry.
Were there any aunts or uncles that lived with you and the family? No, no. It was just your immediate family? Just the immediate family. Did many of the families that you knew as a child, did they have their relatives living with them? I wouldn't know. I don't know. You don't know? No. You mean, what did you say, Melanie? When you were growing up. Yeah. Were there a lot of bordering houses where you had people that were just coming from Europe that would stay? I don't think so. I really have no idea. I have no idea. Boarding houses were mostly poor. What type of occupation did your father have?
I thought he was a rabbi. Was there ever? Was he here in Dallas? Yes. Died in Dallas. What was his congregation? I don't know. Did your father teach? I don't know. You don't know? Was he affiliated with Temple? I don't know. Okay, do you have anything that you can tell me that you'd want to add? No, really I don't. Okay, okay. I'm just a little dubious about the whole thing, you know, that I said, you know.