We usually visited family whenever we went on trips. We visited Daddy's brother, Chan. He lived near Raymond, KS, on the farm where he and Daddy and all their siblings grew up.
We had to drive across a short, wooden bridge that rattled as the car drove over it. That rattle always scared me. So I think I always sat on the floorboards of the car so I couldn't see the bridge or the creek it spanned.
Usually there would be quite a family group who got together on the farm at Uncle Chan and Aunt Mae's. There would be my parents and brothers, Uncle Chan's kids, and other cousins with their parents.
We also visited Mom's sister, Ruby, in Wiley, CO. It was a very small town. I think it was smaller than Ness. There would be Aunt Ruby (my Mom's youngest living sister) and Uncle Darryl and their son and daughter and our family. One time we went there for the son's wedding. I am not sure I had ever been to a wedding unless it was my twin brothers' weddings.
We visited California where Mom's parents, brothers, and sister lived with their families. I remember the trip in 1942; I think we went out on the El Capitan streamliner. I know we went out in 1953. There may have been one other trip but I am not sure.
We didn't take family "vacations" where we went some place to see the sights. We always visited family. We saw what sights there were to see on these trips.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Society in a Small Town
I believe that most small towns had a "caste" system when I was growing up. Those who have money and/or social standing were the elite - my Mama referred to them as "the 400." The rest of the people were considered "common."
My family was not rich and, as far as social standing, - well, you could say we were members of the common folks. There were lots of folks in this group.
Sometimes a person could see that "the 400" and their kids were treated differently than the common folk and their kids.
Some school teachers were homegrown. They returned to teach in their hometown after they got their teaching credentials. Some were fair and square to all their students. Other teachers played "favorites" and their favorites came from "the 400." I can think of one elementary teacher in particular.
The only year Ness City High School didn't have a validictorian was the year I graduated. Those in "the 400" were not the very top students. So the school board (who were very aware of who was society and who was common) decided they would honor the "top ten" students in the class. The "top ten" were listed alphabetically on the graduation program.
This favored behavior often showed up in other areas, too. It sometimes happened with merchants who wanted to be sure that the common folk didn't have exactly the same "stuff" as "the 400." The more exclusive the store, the more it was visible. This behavior often caused bad feelings.
Even with the "caste" system, my little hometown was still a good place to grow up.
My family was not rich and, as far as social standing, - well, you could say we were members of the common folks. There were lots of folks in this group.
Sometimes a person could see that "the 400" and their kids were treated differently than the common folk and their kids.
Some school teachers were homegrown. They returned to teach in their hometown after they got their teaching credentials. Some were fair and square to all their students. Other teachers played "favorites" and their favorites came from "the 400." I can think of one elementary teacher in particular.
The only year Ness City High School didn't have a validictorian was the year I graduated. Those in "the 400" were not the very top students. So the school board (who were very aware of who was society and who was common) decided they would honor the "top ten" students in the class. The "top ten" were listed alphabetically on the graduation program.
This favored behavior often showed up in other areas, too. It sometimes happened with merchants who wanted to be sure that the common folk didn't have exactly the same "stuff" as "the 400." The more exclusive the store, the more it was visible. This behavior often caused bad feelings.
Even with the "caste" system, my little hometown was still a good place to grow up.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Friends
I have been thinking about friends lately. After Daddy died, I observed Mom and her friends. They were either married ladies or widows. They were all close in age to Mom.
I watched as she outlived each of her friends. It was then that I decided it would be wonderful and very wise to have friends of all ages.
People interest me. I like to get acquainted with many different people. I got acquainted with two ladies at the water department when I paid the bill. One lady became a friend and confidante. I believe she saw herself in me. I called her my Iowa Mom and spent many hours sitting on her sofa visiting with her. She enjoyed those visits and so did I.
I'm blessed with friends my age from my school days. It is fun to get together and talk about "old times."
Another lady and I taught school at Ft. Riley from 1955 through 1959. We often ate lunch together, played piano duets during lunch hour in her kindergarten room and sometimes went to movies. We have remained friends over all the years between then and now. She lives in Las Vegas; we have visited her there twice and she has been to our home.
Then there are those friends who were Patti and Tony's classmates. Some still call me "Mom Weber." They spent many hours in our home or else working with me in Band Boosters.
There is one more friend I'd like to mention. I've known him since high school. He had no sisters and I was very honored when he told me one day that if he had a sister, he'd want her to be just like me - and he calls me "Sis" to this day.
I am so blessed to have many friends. The younger ones help keep me young at heart and those my age keep me grounded. The ones older than I are a blessing still.
Friends come into our lives to fullfil specific reasons. Some walk beside us in the difficult times. They encourage us to hang in there and to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Some share joyful times with us. Some come into our lives and stay for a while and leave. Perhaps they move away and the connection is broken. Maybe I moved away, either emotionally or physically.
The blessing is that friends love us, pray for us, and offer wisdom that we may or may not heed. They don't get angry and give up on us because we disagree.
We have childhood friends, work friends, church friends. Some of these areas overlap. The best thing about friends is they accept us as we are and invite us to become better. They love us even when we stumble and fall. They give us a hand so we can stand up again.
Friends are blessings, indeed.
I watched as she outlived each of her friends. It was then that I decided it would be wonderful and very wise to have friends of all ages.
People interest me. I like to get acquainted with many different people. I got acquainted with two ladies at the water department when I paid the bill. One lady became a friend and confidante. I believe she saw herself in me. I called her my Iowa Mom and spent many hours sitting on her sofa visiting with her. She enjoyed those visits and so did I.
I'm blessed with friends my age from my school days. It is fun to get together and talk about "old times."
Another lady and I taught school at Ft. Riley from 1955 through 1959. We often ate lunch together, played piano duets during lunch hour in her kindergarten room and sometimes went to movies. We have remained friends over all the years between then and now. She lives in Las Vegas; we have visited her there twice and she has been to our home.
Then there are those friends who were Patti and Tony's classmates. Some still call me "Mom Weber." They spent many hours in our home or else working with me in Band Boosters.
There is one more friend I'd like to mention. I've known him since high school. He had no sisters and I was very honored when he told me one day that if he had a sister, he'd want her to be just like me - and he calls me "Sis" to this day.
I am so blessed to have many friends. The younger ones help keep me young at heart and those my age keep me grounded. The ones older than I are a blessing still.
Friends come into our lives to fullfil specific reasons. Some walk beside us in the difficult times. They encourage us to hang in there and to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Some share joyful times with us. Some come into our lives and stay for a while and leave. Perhaps they move away and the connection is broken. Maybe I moved away, either emotionally or physically.
The blessing is that friends love us, pray for us, and offer wisdom that we may or may not heed. They don't get angry and give up on us because we disagree.
We have childhood friends, work friends, church friends. Some of these areas overlap. The best thing about friends is they accept us as we are and invite us to become better. They love us even when we stumble and fall. They give us a hand so we can stand up again.
Friends are blessings, indeed.
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