Then and now: Memories of the crossing guard
The crossing guard shack in South Lake Tahoe still exists. Photo/Bill Kingman
This photo, above, shows then and now. Still standing at the crosswalk on Highway 50 at Lyons Avenue is a telephone booth-sized structure with windows, door, and shake roof. It was the weather shelter for Mrs. Rosie the Crossing Guard.
Rosie Borges worked as a crossing guard for the Lake Tahoe Unified School District and city of South Lake Tahoe between 1974 and 1994. Her son, local chiropractor (and Tahoe historian) David Borges, says she was a crossing guard in San Jose from 1958 to 1965 before the family moved to Lake Tahoe.
That crosswalk across Highway 50 served Al Tahoe Elementary School, the high school (which became the middle school), and St. Theresa Church and School. Rosie was very protective of the kids she crossed. They followed the rules implicitly, and she was dedicated to getting a smile out of all of the drivers that stopped in front of her.
Dave Borges tells one folklore story about his mom when a car tried to go through the crosswalk while she was crossing children. She hit the car with her hand-held stop sign, reported the incident to the police and the driver got a ticket. Drivers and students quickly learned not to mess with crossing guard Mrs. Rosie.
Rosie Borges was a fixture as a crossing guard. Photo/Dave Borges
One record of note is she had 100 percent success for 28 years. No children were injured when she was performing her duties as a crossing guard.
— Bill Kingman
Bill Kingman, Thanks for honoring Rosie. I think the whole Borges family deserves accolades for all they’ve done here in So. Shore over the years. The horse drawn sleigh rides, then carriage rides in the summer, the boys coaching youth sports for years. The dad, Sam, built an electric car at there house on Capri.
I went to school with Dave and Don. We ran with different crowds but they were always nice to me.
A real good Tahoe family!!! I wish there was more like them!!! OLS
Well written OLS!
Nowadays if a crossing guard hit a car with a sign, the driver would have probably had video on a dash cam and the police would arrest the crossing guard. The whole thing would be on the internet and go viral sparking a debate on LTN that would have Dogula ranting about government employees abusing power and Justice blaming liberals for putting a street crossing there in the first place! :)
the comment directly above certainly nailed it!
It is more likely that the ACLU would be the ones up in arms and sueing the city than a conservative.
Why do you lefties always feel the need to project ridiculous behaviors onto people you disagree with, even if (especially when) we have no issue with the story or with the discussion?
Obsessed much?
Why do you do it?
Lets salute the Borges family and for all they have done for our little town! Don’t turn this into a political argument! Over a crossing guard lady?
Man, too much politics injected into everything!
Take care,OLS (who went to the intermediate school long before there were crossing guards at Lyons ave.and 50)
HADDI, SPOT ON
Bill….thanks for honoring Rosie….warmed my heart!!
I wasn’t trying to be political. Seriously folks, it’s humor. The topic was now and then and I was simply pointing out a difference in the way I felt most of the readers of this site would find entertaining.
Dogula, if you feel picked on then don’t put yourself front and center on so many things. Same with Justice.