Halloween second part

My husband, Ray, had a different kind of Halloween than I did when he was a kid. He lived in the south part of Topeka. That was near the Topeka Country Club so it was sort of in the country and some people had outhouses. The older boys who were strong liked to push them over on Halloween. I know his mother told me she used to follow him on Halloween, sort of hiding behind trees. He said he knew she was there. At that time Topeka had trolley cars and they went to the edge of town. The big boys one year were able to get the trolley wires off the wires when the operator was turning the trolley around. The operator had called the police and they were waiting for them. Ray was watching and they caught Ray. He had not done it but they took him off to the Topeka police station. His mother saw what they did and she had to figure how to get there to rescue her son. I expect she took the next trolley to the police station. It was at Fifth and Jackson those days. and she was coming from 19th and Buchanan. In Topeka the streets are named after the presidents. Except for one--Pierce. Topeka did not like Pierce as he gave Kansas trouble so they named his street Clay. They stopped at Lincoln and went to other street names. I lived about 8 streets west and lived on Jewell. It was handy in history class when you needed to know the President's names. Ray lived on Madison in his college years when I was dating him.

Halloween

With five children Halloween was a big occasion. They did not get a lot of variety in costumes. Sometimes they were clowns for a few years, sometimes they were cowboys and cowgirls, One year they were ghosts. We handed out candy each year. I went through their sacks carefully each Halloween when they came home. I threw out any homemade cookies and washed any fruit they received. They never liked people to give them fruit as it broke their candy. One Halloween Scott, the youngest was ill and could not go so they took a sack around for him. Now children go to malls and churches have "trunk or treats" where the children just go to church and walk around the cars. Our neighborhood used to get school buses full of kids. The kids would get off the buses, which were generally parked in front of our house, and divide into small groups and go around to houses. When I was growing up they were pretty boring unless you went to a Halloween party as people never had treats. I know one activity was throwing corn at people's houses which was pretty boring. However, I did meet my husband to be at a Halloween party and I did win 12 cents in a Halloween costume contest. I hope Halloween is good for everyone.

Art work for holidays

When I was in the 8th grade I had a delightful art teacher who taught me things like how to make beaded bookmarks and other useful things. At that time, cheese came in wooden boxes just right for a loom. Later you could buy metal looms that were easier to use. I think our children were artists also as they made many things besides the green rock Scott did. In the sixth grade Susan had a teacher who at Christmas had them bring a couple of hangers and she taught them how to make a decoration for the holiday which I still use. It hung from the front room chandelier and was and is lovely. Now I hang things every holiday but have purchased them. Cindy went in for wreaths for the front door. Sally's teacher had them make a large candle, I think in a Crisco can. I know our Christmas tree has many things they made. They were made mostly at the church Advent family gathering. I have one granddaughter, Holly, who has given me a collection of M and M decorations. That is my initials. I even have lights that look like M and M's.

Polio Pioneer

When our first child started to school, he had to ride a bus and go into regular Shawnee and attend Flint School, which is now a museum for children. He had to teach us how to be parents. Kansas was having an experiment with Polio vaccine. They asked the parents at Flint School if we would allow our kindergarten children to try out their new vaccine. We attended meetings and decided our student could participate. I went to help. They had huge needles I thought. When the vaccine was available our family would be eligible to receive the vaccine thanks to Steve. Some children got the vaccine and some got just a shot. It proved successful. Later we got a letter to say it worked and if we would go to Shawnee Mission East on a Sunday the whole family including Steve would be vaccinated. After church on the date they gave us we went to the high school and got our shots. Steve got a little pin saying he was a polio pioneer, which I gave him for his 40th birthday. I'm surprised I found it.

Crayon apron

When our children were growing up they were invited to many birthday parties and that gets expensive, especially on a newspaper reporter's salary and with five children. I learned to make crayon aprons. It took very little material, was fast to make and I only needed to buy a box of crayons and a color book and the birthday person seemed to like them. It had a large pocket divided in 16 little pockets at the bottom where you put the crayons, One afternoon Ray and I were invited to a party for Thomas Hart Benton. I think at Randall Jessee's (a member of WDAF news team). At that time Ray wrote the noon newscast before he went to his regular job at the KC Times. The KC Star owned WDAF. The invitation was at the Jessee home. It had a PS that said it was some three-year-old's birthday. I knew I could not attend as I did not have a baby sitter. At the last moment before Ray left he stuck a crayon apron in his pocket (unwrapped. When he got to the party he gave the thre-year-old the crayon apron. He was the only one who had brought her a gift. She was very happy.

Car wash bath

When I was in the nursing home they gave you a shower every four or five days. I understand that is a state law. Anyway you went into the shower room and un dressed. When my leg was in a cast they put a plastic bag over it. Then nude you were on a chair with wheels and were shoved into a shower stall. They adjusted the temperature to what you liked and then like a Buick you were washed from all sides. I understand some nursing homes don't do that they just let the patients get dirty but at least Shawnee Gardens on the rehab side did it. When I got moved off that wing they did not so I told them it was a state law so I got showers but they shower person was mad at me most of the time. I made them mad a lot. They told me I got up at night too often and un-plugged my call light so I would not bother them. Old people in nursing home need to go often so I know that night shift was suppose to do it. They did not like to be bothered. Most of the night shift were students at the Junior College on a scholarship and were earning money that way. There were some who were very good but most of them just worked weekends. The women were better than the men. I kept a diary of my time there and I was not happy. Especially after they took oatmeal of the breakfast menu and only had Cream of Wheat I do like oatmeal for breakfast.

Cindy and the Mumps

When Cindy was in kindergarten she was going to be a duck in the kindergarten Easter program. She came down with mumps on one side. There was still lots of time. The doctor said she could do anything she wanted as long as she stayed in bed. She wanted us to bring her trike in so she could ride around on top of the bed. The time came closer but the night before the performance she got mumps on the other side. So no kindergarten play and no ducks for Cindy. Sally wrote her a nice poem.
To Cindy Morgan
I hope you get well soon
Easter Poem
Easter eggs
Are you a megg?
Lovely Easster
She wrote her an Easter story also but I will save it for another time.
Nice Easter

The green rock

When my son, Scott, was in kindergarten he was told to bring a rock from home. He found a nice one and took it to school. In art class that day they were to paint it. He painted his rock green. It must be very good paint for it has never worn off. It has been a door stop, a paper weight and just handy. Right now it is in the kitchen by the sink. In my yard there is a smart chipmunk that has found a way to get into my kitchen and eat my dog, Buster's, food. I do not like chipmunks in the house. I have locked each door with a screwdriver in the handles but have one other spot and there I have the green rock. It works. I wonder what kind of paint they used?

The weddng of a TV Star

At Nieman School where our five children attended was a gifted music teacher. She had many good ideas about show business. She had a daughter who was trying to break into Broadway. The daughter fell in love with another actor and she wanted to be married in Kansas City. They were married in the Presbyterian church in Westport. The Nieman principal and his wife were invited and our group. It was cool that day in March and Scott had a jacket on. Somehow he got the zipper stuck and Mr. Walden rescued us as he had lots of experience with stuck zippers. The wedding was very nice, The couple went on to Hollywood. He changed his name to Wayne Rogers and was in the early MASH shows. They stayed married for about 20 years.

corrwection on Easter Bunny

The year Scott was in kindergarten he was the Easter Bunny. My bog is the following year. Scott was a GREAT EASTER BUNNY. This is a report from the real Easter Bunny. Sorry Scott

The Kindergarten Easter Program

On the street just south of our house is a row of houses. In one of them at the time Scott was in kindergarten lived the kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Swain. Just two houses up from us lived another kindergartner. When Scott was in kindergarten Mrs. Swain told all the new students to bring a favorite toy. I'm not sure what Scott took but the boy up the street took his slippery slide. His father took it in his pick up truck. He did not get to leave it at the school although the other students would have liked that.

Come Spring time they put on an Easter program. Scott was an Easter egg. The morning of the program Mrs. Swain called and asked for my help with the Easter Bunny. I found when I got there I was in charge of him. He was dressed in a bunny outfit but was not a happy Easter Bunny. I took him back stage. The auditorium had a door on the south side that went to the parking lot. The bunny told me he did not feel good. I opened the door as I thought air might help. It was raining. The bunny looked a little green. I told him to stand on my shoes so he would not get his bunny feet wet and he did. Then he threw up. He felt better after that and the rain washed things away. I did not get to see Scott but Ray said he was a good egg. The best for that matter.

Measles

One Sunday morning they asked me to teach in the six-year-olds, which was Cindy's class. I went off to church with my group. The three older ones went to their classrooms and I took my two-year-old to the nursery. It was being run by two fifth graders. I did not think they were qualified so I took Scott with me to teach. The class was nice but one little boy was not feeling too well. About ten days later Cindy was feeling bad so I made an appointment with Dr. Leigh and taking Scott along we went off to it. Dr. Leigh took one look at her and said she had the measles. Then he looked at Scott and said that he had the measles also. It seemed the little boy who had not felt good at church gave the whole class a gift--measles. The other bout we had with measles was when Steve went to kindergarten he brought the measles home for Sally and Sue along with chicken pox. I used to think kindergarten was to get rid of those two diseases before they got in regular school. So much for saving my son from the fifth graders.

White rose for the Christ child

When my daughter, Sally, was in kindergarten the teacher put on a Christmas program. I'm not sure what Sally's part was but she was to give the Christ child a white rose. I went on the search for one. I thought I would just get it from the florist but the teacher said it had to be artificial or it would fall apart at the wrong time. I went on the search among plastic flowers--no white rose buds or otherwise. Finally I was in a store looking and a woman asked me what I was looking for. I told her. She said she had one at home and she would mail it to me. She did and Sally had her white rose to give the Christ child. People can be so kind.

TPing the Walnut tree

When Cindy was in high school she dated a boy who liked to TP the walnut tree in the front yard. I noticed going to Prairie Village that they are still doing that. At first it was a bother but we learned to light the paper and it would go up the paper and burn. Do not do that on a fir tree but on walnut trees it works very well. It was always the sign of some celebration. I generally did not know what celebration but then it was not for me and the one it was for always knew.

Indian Headdress

In Nieman School, where our five children attended, they had traditions like the third grade always put on an Indian program. When Susan was in the third grade her teacher asked me to make an Indian headdress. She sent it home with the instructions and lots of feathers. When my son, Scott, was in the third grade I hoped he would get to wear the headdress but his teacher was angry with him. I went to the principal and stated my case that I had made it and I thought my son should get to wear it. The principal agreed. That did not gladden the heart of the teacher. I talked to her and told her that "Headdress better be on my kid." I went to the program. The teacher put the headdress on Scott on one side of the stage and then ran around to the other side of the stage and took it off of him immediately so when the children sat down in front of the stage after their part he was bare headed while the others had headbands with a feather stuck in them. I guess she won. She was removed from teaching after that year. She should not mess with the wife of a school board member.

Showers

I have been to many "showers", baby and wedding. I rather enjoy them but sometimes the games are hard. Two I would like to mention. When Ray and I decided to get married my brother and his wife wanted to give us a shower. I told them no games and they said they would just feed the group. They borrowed a picnic table for their backyard in Topeka. It had one problem that since it was borrowed it was not anchored. Some of my friends sat down on it not thinking it was not anchored and the first four set on the same side. Needless to say the table went over along with all the food that was on it. The party had been a little stiff and that really broke the ice. The rest of the party was fun.

The second shower was a baby shower in Lawrence for a grandchild who was about to be born. I guess Kelly did not like not being invited but instead decided her mother should have the baby. So while we had the party with refreshments and games, we found out that the baby was a girl and doing well at the Lawrence Hospital. After we heard the news it sort of broke up the party. It should tell you to have the party earlier or later.

Hofstra and the Fairy Princess

One November Ray had a high school friend of his, Harry Middleton, ask him to come to Hostra, which is a university in New York on Long Island, as there was going to be a meeting of all the people involved in Nixon's downfall. Ray and I went and we saw C L Schuzleburger, H. R. Holderman, Tom Wickers, Harry Kissinger, Chuck Colson, Roger Morris and some others. Some had been in jail and had served their terms but they all seemed to have written books, which of course Ray bought everyone. I remember one had found religion. They all made speeches and explained their part. Nixon was not there but we had seen him several times over the years. It was an interesting few days and Ray loved it. Tom Leathers let him write about it after we got home. I also remember that the hotel did not have oatmeal which made me a little unhappy. I survived. When we got home, Sally and Cindy met us at the airport and we went to see the Fairy Princess, an annual occurrence. We only had Morgan and Hayden as Stacy was home with the chicken pox. When we got there, there was a long line which we stood in. We noticed that Morgan was breaking out with the chicken pox and we hoped the Fairy Princess had already had it.

Ray and the Kansas Lottery

After Ray was retired he stayed very busy. He made many speeches, was on the radio and TV a lot, and in 1986 Governor Hayden made him a Lottery commissioner. Kansas had made gambling legal and they first put in dog racing tracks at Wichita and Leavenworth. They had their own commissioners. When they organized they voted themselves salaries. When Hayden named the five Lottery Commissioners from different parts of the state, they decided not to have salaries but would have traveling expenses. After it had been in existence they decided to have a TV show. Fred Broski was the master of ceremonies at Channel 5 in Fairway. It was to give some of the losers another chance. Since Ray lived in Johnson County he represented the Lottery--no traveling expenses. I took my mother-in-law and any grandchild we had for the day and we attended. I never trust game shows and applause as there was someone with a sign telling me when to clap. I always did. As the years went by Ray would be reappointed and we represented the Lottery commission at meetings at Las Vegas and at Disneyworld in Florida. They let him take me along but I always paid my own expenses. At Disneyworld I got to go underground and see how they did things and learned the names of Daisy Duck's three nieces--April, May, and June. They were only in one movie while his nephews were in many.

As the years went by he kept getting reappointed by other governors. Finally it reached the point he was to be appointed in charge. The appointment to question him turned out to be the same day we had a William Allen White Day in Lawrence. Mrs. Docking (the first Docking) went with us places as she knew the same people. I told her we had to go on to Topeka afterwards and she said that was fine as she had not been there for awhile. We took her with us and she and I went along with Ray to the room he was going to be questioned by the Democrats. She and I sat in the back of the room but the Democrats suddenly did not want to ask Ray any questions as Mrs. Docking was still considered an influence in Kansas.

I have many things around the house with the Lottery on them like cups, measuring spoons and things they gave out at the fairs. One you are on the lottery you can not buy tickets so I have yet to buy any. I have liked the people they hire to be in charge for the state. I remember one who had a wife who was a great cook and she invited us to their house often for meals.

Books

I have a house full of books as my husband, Ray, loved books and liked to own them. He did not believe in libraries for him. Most are worthless for the general public but he loved them. If one of my family saw one they liked I gave it to them unless it was one of mine. I like westerns and mysteries. I don't think Ray ever read fiction. I have one shelf that has books that are autographed by his friends or acquaintances. When he worked at the KC Star he shared an office with the humor writer--Bill Vaughan. I was very fond of him because thanks to him I finally got a dog in the house and not just a canary for a pet. He gave us Pogo. Bill wrote a book. I think the name was "Bird Thy Never Wert". I'm not sure. When it was published the group in the newsroom went to a bar to celebrate. Ray had bought a copy of the book. He asked Bill to autograph it. Bill was pleased that he bought one so Ray took the book back and put the cover on again and asked him again. Bill was very impressed that Ray bought two copies. It was only one copy but it is autographed back and front. I gave the book to my daughter Sally for I did not want it lost in a dumpster or library sale.

Celebration of a 60th birthday

When Ray turned 60 in 1982 he wanted to celebrate. He had t-shirts made for everyone with 60 on one side and Morgan on the other. He hired a trio. He had a wonderful time. Even the Thompsons came up from Wichita, the Jensens from Topeka and Arkansas. The weather was good and the next day we all went to a Royals game. The Fourth of July was coming up on Sunday that year so he volunteered for Children's conversation at church. He arranged for a band and had a parade with the kids around the church and in the church. In later years Ray had a permit for fireworks but that year we went to see the one beside the Prairie Village swimming pool. Sally and Howard lived close so we parked there and walked up to the pool. We took chairs and got ready but the same thing happened that had happened on the Hudson River at the New York World's Fair. The first fireworks fell into the fireworks waiting to be shot. It was great. No one was hurt but the display was wonderful.

Pictures by the Star photogrhers

Ray worked with photographers a great deal. I know one I especially liked because he was tall and I could find where Ray was when I was with him. Ray liked to take the family along with him when he could on a Saturday. I have many pictures on my hallway of stories with either Ray or the kids in. One picture we were at the auto show and we all got into a convertible. The photographer told the city editor it was the only group he could find. The editor ignored it but the photographer gave Ray a copy of the picture. I have one with the group and Walt Disney and, the second time we were at Disneyland, with the stars of a show. Ray has pictures of him with President Nixon, Truman, McGovern when he was running for President. One of Sally and Ray with Mr. and Mrs. Bob Kennedy. We had our exchange student with Sally and Susan at Lawrence when the Kennedys were there and Ray asked the photographer to take our exchange student with them but the photographer always thought Norwegians were blonde so took Sally who was blonde. Ingrid had dark hair.

Every Christmas we sent out a card with the children's pictures. For awhile we had a friend who was a good photographer but he left town so we tried ourselves. One year just before Christmas the doorbell rang and one of the Star photographers was there and he said. "You take terrible pictures of those kids. I am here to take the Christmas picture." He did it for a few years. One year he took them on the staircase at the Star.

Along with those pictures we have our brides and graduating grandchildren. I have one with Ray and Eisenhower in Abilene but it had never been framed and Sally is framing it for me.

Topeka, Meadow Acres and Big Bands

One of our big entertainments in Topeka while Ray and I were dating was Meadow Acres. It was located just south of Topeka near the Topeka Country Club on U S Highway 75. I have lots of pictures of Ray and I attending because our friend Bill Furlong took pictures there. We saw Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey to name a couple. Also Xavier Cugat and Woody Herman.

A Topeka Couple had brought the land and built this huge dance hall. The couple who were responsible were Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Sperry. They brought a pasture and erected a modernistic ballroom. We heard Stan Kenton, Claude Thornhill, Henry Busse, Cab Calloway, Hal McIntyre, Gene Krupa, Carmen Calvallero. We never had Kay Kyser or Harry James. Mrs. Sperry handled all the business details of the dances and supervised the night's activities. Mr. Sperry made the contacts and then spent the night of the dance wandering around bleary eyed, Pictures were in Life magazine but mostly showing liquor in dry Kansas. Kansas was one place you could always get liquor.

What's in a name

You should watch what you name children. My oldest sister was named after my mother's twin. So her name was Ethel Bessie. She did not care for it and went by Bess. My second sister was a name my mother just liked so she was Helen. My brother was Junior after my father and I was named after one of my mother's sister so was Mary Grace. My aunt never used the Mary but was called Grace. When I was small they use to say "Mary Grace has a dirty face". Which was probably true. When I was dating a newspaper man and we played poker a lot it was "Bet the Ace Mary Grace." I liked that better. One of my granddaughters is named Grace and I should ask her if it gives her a problem. I don't think I have ever seen her with a dirty face. One granddaughter has the Mary which nothing rhymes with so she is safe. One granddaughter has my maiden name for a middle name. Her name is made up of the two grandmother's maiden names. The other grandmother had a better last name. I do have one who has my first name for a middle name, My oldest daughter has my first name for her name so I feel I am remembered. Our oldest son has the first name of my husband and the second son the middle name.

Feed sacks in the closet

My two oldest daughters were growing up but I was still putting them in dresses with bows in the back. That is what my mother-in law liked and she always gave them clothes for their birthdays. My sister Helen lived across from a Junior High School and she would sit on her front porch and watch the students pass by. None of them had bows. She is very good at sewing and she had her husband bring home feed sacks from where he worked in a feed store and she made them new outfits that were more grown up. They were very pleased. They liked looking like the rest of the girls in their class. We saved bows for dress up but they soon did not want them then either. Over the years my brother in law continued to give us feed sacks. I loved the prints.

Exchange students

The first year Susan was in high school she went to Shawnee Mission North and loved it. Johnson County was growing and we had already added Shawnee Mission East. They had built Shawnee Mission West and we were assigned there. Susan had such a good time at North she did not want to change but Ray says when the bus goes by you go to the school it takes you. He had been writing stories about the American Field Service and we thought maybe if Susan and Sally had an exchange student it might be a help. (Our neighbor was going to drive their son to school for the next two years.) We applied. The committee came out to interview us. Everyone in the family was required to be there. We had a new dog since the last one had died of "sheer joy" on our front porch. This one was named Snoopy. We were all in the living room with the committee. Snoopy came in and played the piano (he liked to stand on his hind feet and play the keys) then he went over and threw up in front of the committee so we thought we had not made it. However, the committee thought we were interesting and passed us.

We rearranged the back two rooms with bunk beds. Sally and Cindy in one room, Scott in one by himself, (Steve was in college) and Susan and Ingrid in the other. She was required to have her own desk. When it came time we got Ingrid early. The American Field Service had always brought the students by ship and while they were on board had trained them about America. The European kids met in Amsterdam to board the ship. The ship blew a boiler and could not sail. They sent all the students to Paris and flew them to the U.S.

Ingrid arrived with only the clothes she had on so we went shopping and brought her a skirt and a blouse and a nightie and other things we won't mention. She loved her outfit so every day after school I would wash them ready for the next day at school. She was a delightful young lady and we all liked her. We could tell when she was getting upset as she always switched to British English which was the English she learned in school. Later I will tell you other adventures like on a camping trip being surrounded by Buffalo in Oklahoma.

We ended up having four students--Norway, Jamaica, Turkey and Argentina along with a temporary one from Germany. We enjoyed having the students and visited some of them later in their own countries.

One exchange student guest at dinner

When our children were in high school we were very involved with the American Field Service and the students. We would try to have the students for at least a couple of meals a year. Sometimes more. One year we invited a student from Thailand. During the day I had looked at my dining room chairs and realized they needed a little repair. I got out my glue and glued them. Then I put large rubber bands on the backs to hold them until they were set. In the afternoon we got a call from Susan that they were closing KU early for Christmas vacation as there was too much flu. She was bringing a friend home to stay until she could get a plane out to Chicago so we put a couple more plates on the table. I picked up the student AFSer and told him we were going to have a little larger party. During the mealtime the rubber bands broke on the chairs and shot across the room. It did not bother anyone. The student was listening to Susan's friend explain the "Virgin Birth". He was fascinated. I think he got a little more education that day then he was supposed to. His American host mother told me the next time I saw her that he said he had a wonderful time. He said he would like to come back again.

Ray Beautifying America

One of the things Ray enjoyed was being one of 500 on Mrs. Lyndon Johnson's Committee to Beautify America. He went back to Washington and learned how Mrs. Johnson wanted to make the roads of America more beautiful. He was serenaded by both the Air Force and the Navy bands. He learned how she wanted them all to go back to their states and make the roadsides more attractive. While he was there he also attended Vice President Hubert Humphrey's birthday party. He had to hurry home because our oldest son, Steve, was graduating from high school.

On the political trail

When Ray wrote for the Star, during pre-elections he used to travel around Kansas. The year he drove the racing car on Labor day and the axle broke on his racing car he was not in good shape to drive. He had a broken shoulder where they pulled him out of the blazing car. My mother-in-law was living in Shawnee now as she was a new widow and wanted to live near her son. After Ray was in the hospital for a week he was home but could not drive and our family doctor thought he needed to get back to work while he healed so I became his driver. We traveled around Kansas with me driving. I think we visited every town. I know Ray always headed for the barber shop as that was the best place to find out how the town felt. I would get sleepy driving so he would give me chocolate squares. At many towns they gave us a box lunch for our noon meal. Senator Carlson was with us and his driver was a former Highway Patrol person. He did not like the lunches and always gave me his and he went off to a restaurant to eat. I remember in Western Kansas Bob Dole would speak. He was very good and funny but sometimes I was the only one laughing and Ray told me to laugh quietly. We attended the State Fair in Hutchinson. We went to Wichita for Goldwater. We went to Hutchinson for Miller as he was running for vice-president with Goldwater. Sometimes Ray went with Jim Pearson and I stayed home. Finally Dr. Leigh had to give me some green and white pills because the election was making me nervous. President Johnson went into Wichita but I did not go to that. Hubert Humphrey came in Topeka on a hot day. Humphrey was speaking on the state house steps and a lady fainted. He just kept on talking.

Kleenex

When I was growing up I always had a nose that ran and it was embarrassing to take toilet paper with you, My uncles Percy and Fred were druggists as their father was in Topeka, Kansas. One lovely day my Uncle Percy turned up with a box. He told me "I have found something for your runny nose." I met Kleenex for the first time. It was actually invented in 1924 and movie stars used it to take their make-up off. I've loved it ever since. In 1928 they invented the pop-up boxes. They surveyed their buyers and found more of them used it for disposable handkerchiefs then makeup so they have aimed at that audience ever since. I stopped having a red nose all winter as Kleenex is softer. When I went to China in 1979 with all the travel agents, you could not get Kleenex there and the travel agents that were with us always had the pink toilet paper that seemed to be in our hotel rooms. It made me realize how much I missed Kleenex. I am still very fond of it.

The Pieta

I hope I spelled that correctly. In 1967 New York had a World's Fair. Every state was honored. When Kansas was honored Ray was going back to cover it. He took us with him. We camped on the way but stayed at the Statler Hilton in New York City. It has since been torn down (the hotel not the city) for the Madison Square Garden. There were many nuns staying in our hotel and I know when my beads broke they ran across the floor and under the nuns' outfits. They all tried to help me but the beads only cost $2.00 and were not worth it.

At the fair Italy had brought The Pieta and they wanted the crowds to move so they had moving things you stood on so you just went across and did not dwell. Cindy has now seen it in Italy so it got returned. There were many Japanese at the fair and Scott had very blond hair so they were always taking his picture. He turned seven while we were on our trip but celebrated at Niagara falls when we were back in a tent.

^ Bronze baby shoes and five kids

On a high shelf in my bedroom is lined uo six pairs of bronze baby shoes. I don't know if they do that anymore but we use to bronze the first pair of shoes. One set is my husband Ray's with his picture, When our first child, Steve, was born we had his first pair bronzed and his grandmother wanted a pair also so she bronzed the second pair. I hope my children some day will like to take their pair and they won't end up in a dumpster. I think I have a great many things that will need to go into a dumpster but would hate to see the shoes end up there.

My desk

I was the youngest of four. I had a brother 10 years older, a sister, Ethel 7 years older and a sister Helen three years older. Along with that I was cross-eyed and always had a cold. My dad made me a neat desk with a drawer. He did not try to make a chair. He bought that. I used to sit there and color. I had great crayons in the desk drawer. I didn't bother any of my older relatives. It was in my mother's sewing room by the window at the bottom of one set of stairs. At Christmas the chair held my Christmas gifts. My mother did not wrap gifts. You had brown sacks with your name on them. I did not find out about wrapping paper for family gifts until my brother started going with his future wife and she wrapped gifts. They were so pretty I used to stare at them for awhile before I unwrapped them. The desk still sits by the window and my sister Helen's great grandchildren play there, I hope.