Growing Up in Laurel
Robert has lived in Laurel all his life, starting from his birth at the Laurel General Hospital. The Polson family lived in the West Laurel neighborhood, a nice, though not too wealthy area near many of Laurel’s lumber mills at the time. While the Polsons were not necessarily members of any church, Robert attended West Laurel Methodist Church with his Boy Scout troop. Within his neighborhood, everyone was particularly close, with neighbors supporting one another. This is especially the case for Robert, as the older boys of the neighborhood looked after him after his father died.
Robert would get around Laurel using the town’s streetcar system, and he would board for five cents at a stop on the corner of 13th Avenue near his home. For his primary education, he attended Prentiss Elementary, then receiving instruction at Central and Fifth Avenue. For middle school, he went to Jones Junior High, and finally enrolled at Gardiner High School.
After the death of his father, Robert moved with his mom away from 214 North 14th Avenue to 325 14th Avenue.
Robert would get around Laurel using the town’s streetcar system, and he would board for five cents at a stop on the corner of 13th Avenue near his home. For his primary education, he attended Prentiss Elementary, then receiving instruction at Central and Fifth Avenue. For middle school, he went to Jones Junior High, and finally enrolled at Gardiner High School.
After the death of his father, Robert moved with his mom away from 214 North 14th Avenue to 325 14th Avenue.