When children are left to their own imaginations, adults can watch and gain insight to who they will be when they grow up. In the case of two enterprising young boys from a large prominent family, their precedent as adults is a reflection of how they were raised — enterprising. A very heavy paper bag was delivered to The Daily Iberian earlier this month containing the lead plate from a newspaper ad and two small U.S. soldiers. Pierre Schwing had a story to tell.

“My brother and I inherited a mold to make soldiers. Two sets, the American Army and the English Army, that was 1938 and ’39. For some reason the paper was only printing once a week,” said Pierre Schwing. “In the back part of the corner of St. Peter and Julia, this (plate) was left over. It was chipped so they couldn’t put it in. We didn’t use it because it was a full ad. We collected the broken pieces they would throw out the window in the back.”

The surplus lead would pile up and each week the boys would scavenge the discarded piles and retrieve the lead. Previously they tried to use plumber’s lead but Schwing said it only lasted a short time before the soldiers started collapsing. They weren’t stiff enough. Paul suggested to his brother that they look behind the newspaper press building. On one particular occasion, among the broken pieces was the full size plate with just the corner broken off.

“I’m a historian; I love history. This plate is part of your history at The Daily Iberian. It’s an advertisement for The Weekly Iberian,” Schwing said. “I’ve got three generations of historical collections from my family. I’m also involved with the homeless shelter and I’m still working with the St. Peter’s Church Cemetery. I thought y’all should have this.”

Pierre and Paul Schwing were between 8 and 10 years old when the newspaper office was at the corner of St. Peter and Julia streets, not far from the new location facing Main Street.

“We were very disappointed when the paper moved from the corner about 1940. We kept looking behind the new building at Bridge Street, but they never threw anything out so we had to stop making the soldiers,” Schwing said.

Manufacturing into Merchandise

Before the lead supply ran out, once a week the boys collected the lead, started melting it and poured it into the molds.

“We used a little pot like the plumbers used to melt lead, with a torch. It would heat a portion and then we would pour it,” Schwing said. “I was 9, Paul and I were two years apart. We would take them to Morgan and Lindsey on Main Street, downstairs at the Gouguenheim.”

Mr. Robicheaux, who managed the store, had a boy about their age and the boys would play together. He saw the soldiers and had an idea.

“No sooner did he put those (soldiers) out and people began to buy them. We couldn’t keep up,” Schwing said. “He would call us and say, ‘You got any more soldiers?’ We didn’t have any. Lead was getting hard to find. In 1938 and ’39 everybody was still recovering from the bank closures and everybody had to do what they could do.”

Schwing’s father was a banker and also was having a hard time. The boys used the money they were making to buy Christmas presents for the family.

“My sister would take them and make sure the fine points were filed off and there was nothing to prick you,” Schwing said. “This was easy to make as long as we made it outside. Momma didn’t want us in the kitchen. We looked for different lead but the newspaper plates was the only thing that would hold up.”

The boys were very young when they used to do this manufacturing project. Schwing said with 10 children, everyone in the family had to do something, including pick pecans in the yard at the house on Weeks Street.

“We’d sell pecans all season from September to October and split the money between all of us that picked,” he said. “Then Paul got old enough to go into the service. All the men went into the service. I was too young. By the time I got out of school in 1946, the war was over.”

The boys figured one day, someone would want the advertisement.

Keeper of the Families

The family picture of the Schwing siblings sits near the recliner where the retired brother from Teche Lumber & Building Supply sits and sifts through boxes of history. Three siblings died before the picture. Of those 10 siblings, 45 children were born and they produced 125-something grandchildren, he said.

“Mom and pop married in 1890, and every year there was a baby. Paul and I did everything together. He was born in the flood of 1927. He loved the Boy Scouts and collected stuff. Now I have all his things to sort through plus Mama’s family,” Schwing said. “My sister is 96 and I just turned 90. We’re the only ones left.”

Always serving the church, Schwing said one day he got a call from the Rev. Dische who had a job for the enterprising man. There were 1,000 people waiting for his leadership, Dische said. After rushing to the church for the new assignment, Schwing discovered the lifetime ministry that continues.

“I’ve been watching over St. Peter’s cemetery more than 30 years —1,000 burials spots. We finally made a listing where everyone is buried. A great number of people did not know where their ancestors were buried. We would get calls all the time from relatives all over the United States looking for their people,” Schwing said. “I didn’t realize how old 90 was until I turned 90. I’m keeping my feet moving.”