(This story was originally written and recorded for Retrocast #27 – Podcast #222, which was released on July 24, 2024.)
10-year-old Janet Knoski found herself in a bit of trouble on Thursday, August 2, 1951. That’s because the blonde, blue-eyed girl decided to embark on a journey to Honolulu from her home in Highland, California, near San Bernardino, alone.
Somehow, young Janet had managed to travel over 60 miles (~97 km) to the Pacific Electric Station at 6th and Main Streets in Los Angeles. As she stepped off the bus, a special agent approached her and stopped Janet from proceeding any further with her planned trip. (Sidenote: the building is still there but the trains and buses are long gone.)
With $42 (approximately $500 today), she had secretly taken from home – in other words, stole! – Janet planned to board a plane to Honolulu. Instead, she was escorted to the Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau while the police contacted San Bernardino authorities.
As Janet sat upon her suitcase that she had filled with sundresses and swimsuits, she explained, “I heard about Honolulu, so I just decided to go there. Besides, I’ve always wanted one of those grass hula skirts.”
Janet proudly recounted a past trip to Chicago by plane, but upon further questioning, she admitted it had really been a train journey, which was also cut short after just a short distance.
A policeman noted that Janet lived with her mother Ann at 388 E. Patton St, Highland, and that her father Harold was a patient at the San Fernando Veterans Hospital. As he shuffled through some papers, Janet asked, “Are you going to check if I’ve done anything else wrong?”
The press never followed up to see if she did do anything else wrong, but I did. And what I found was that Janet had a rap sheet about a mile long.
Just kidding…
The first story appeared in the San Bernardino County Sun on May 25, 1950. It told of how 8-year-old Janet had been treated the previous day at the County hospital for a snake bite. She had been bitten while playing near her home, and, luckily, the snake was non-venomous.
Four years after her attempted Honolulu trip, Janet was once again in the news. She was now living in St. Joseph, Missouri, where she was born. It was reported on November 12, 1955, that 14-year-old Janet and 13-year-old Emma Brown had left home the previous afternoon and had not been seen since. Their parents said that they knew of no reason why the two girls would want to run away from home.
My guess is that they were headed to Honolulu…
There was no follow-up to the story, but I think we can assume that the two were located safely.
Janet, who preferred to be called Judy, eventually became a traveling home physical therapist. She was 58 years old when she passed away on February 19, 2000. Judy was survived by her husband of 30 years, Jack Lollas, and her two sons.
I just wonder if she ever made it to Honolulu???
