by Tad Lincoln
Her name was Helen Bautista, a true friend to the mentally disabled and the high school kids in Bethel from 1967 to 1970. Mom Bautista gave us high school kids the back room, in those years, what was Joe and Alice Mendola’s Restaurant and pool hall where local pool sharks like Elia Sallaffie, Johnny Clark, Jimmy Pete, my first cousin Joe “Manny” Evon, My dad David, among others had a place to play 9 ball.
My first cousin Juanita Treat worked at the Mendola’s Restaurant alongside Alice Mendola. They produced great tasty dishes and pies.
When Alice retired, Mom Bautista took over the kitchen and the back room she designated as Bethel High School students’ hang out, which is the room I began playing with friends like Jack Hopstad, John David, Stan Nevak, and George David.
Mom paid us $25 dollars per band member. When I got paid I treated my friends to hamburgers, french fries, and Coca Cola.
I remembered when Dad passed on in an accident I didn’t have money to buy what I wanted so I treated my friends, whom I know would appreciate it.
When Mom Bautista operated the kitchen and restaurant and designated that back room to students, we really appreciated having our own hangout on weekends and early evenings after school.
The Cowan Hut, as it was known, was owned by the City. We had dances open to the general public on Friday and Saturday nights. Bethel people and villagers from Kwethuk, Akiachak, Napakiak, Oscarville, Napaskiak, and fish camps within a 3 mile radius of Bethel, crowded into the dance hall, creating standing room only. It was easily 1000 people who paid two bucks and gave our four piece rock band “the Strange Tones” the sum of $250 bucks per bandmember and $500 apiece if we played both Friday and Saturday nights for less than three hours. That was great money – a lot of money in Bethel those years 1967 to 1970!!
The dance hall had a rear and a front exit and there was never any restrictions as far as limiting the number of people who could be there in those years.
When Bobby Guinn and his brothers Johnny and Stuffer, and Moses Wassillie, went back to college and service in the military we had the place to ourselves during the winter months.
Both bands rocked and rolled and shook the Cowan Hut with the Rolling Stones song, “I can’t get no satisfaction”, “Louie, Louie”, “Smoke on the water”, “Bully bully”, “Proud Mary”, “Green River”, “A land of 1000 dances”, “Joy to the World”, “Paul Revere and the Raiders”, and “A kiss to remember you by” and our memories live on.
