DOROTHY'S EARLY YEARS

 

Bobby and Dotty in 1929

 

Grade school Christmas programs were the highlight of each school year. We put on short playlets, singing and, of course, a visit from Santa was expected. The week before the program the school board (all farmers living close to the school) brought planks and cement blocks with which to erect a stage. The teacher would hang curtains on wires stretched across the stage from one side to the other. There was a gift exchange among pupils and teacher and finally lunch – sandwiches, cake and coffee.

At the end of each school year we had a picnic with much food and fellowship as well as ball games and other games for the smaller children. The teacher usually provided ice cream to go along with the pies and cakes.

Grade school days were fun and we did learn a lot, even though (perhaps because of) all grades were in the same room with one teacher. Bob and I usually walked the three-fourth miles to school except when it was too cold. Then Dad would take us. We had it figured out that if we planned it right we could catch a ride with the Ubben kids. They lived a mile and a quarter from school. They seldom walked.

 

Mabel Peters and I were in the same grade from the second through the eighth grades. We remained good friends even after grade school, but she went to high school in Chancellor. In our seventh grade we had a man teacher (unusual for a country school). Mabel and I both had a crush on him. My brother was the only boy in his grade for several years.

 

One of the things I remember about grade school picnics was the time a rain storm came up during the afternoon. No one seemed concerned at first, but when it was time to go home, we couldn’t get there. The creek west of the school was well over the road. The men deemed it not passable, nor was the south road. Water everywhere! What to do? We stayed with Wes and Irene Johnson until the next morning. All the farmers had cows to milk as well as other animals to care for. The cows had to wait until morning to be relieved of their milk.

 During these grade school days my Dad sang in a quartet with three of his cousins. Bob and I liked to go to the various homes for the practice times. I don’t remember going to any “concert” of any kind. I think they supplied various churches with special music at their services. This was the beginning of my love for quartet music. That was one of the things I loved about my boy friend/husband who was a member of a quartet. He sang bass.