Cheerleader's Filling

Our oldest son Steve went to Shawnee Mission North High School, Susan went one year there and then she and Sally went to Shawnee Mission West. Cindy helped open up Shawnee Mission Northwest. The had a principal with definite ideas about school. He had three semesters instead of two and he had 12 cheerleaders instead of the usual eight. He said that eight thought they were the BEST but 12 would be part of a crowd. Cindy was one of the 12. Before events the cheerleaders would have meals at each other's houses. One cheerleader had a wonderful dessert and when we asked for the recipe she said that she could not share it as it was a family secret. After Cindy graduated from KU Journalism School she went to work as a reporter on the Parson's Sun. One of her projects was editing the annual recipe section. What would turn up but the Cheerleader's filling.
This is it. It is great on Boston Creme Pie or Cake Roll.
Cheerleader's Filling
2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 cup milk--mix in saucepan on stove, stirring constantly until thick--cool
In mixer
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup oleo
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat at high speed for four minutes(exactly). Add cooled milk and flour mixture. Beat 4 minutes. Unroll cake roll, remove wax paper, spread filling and roll. If Boston Creme Pie put between the two layers. You never have leftovers so don't plan on it.

Keeping Freddy after school

When I was teaching school I had 14 pupils. Thirteen of them walked to school or rode their horse but one--Freddy--had a mother that drove him to school. He was a cousin to one of the families in the school and was a little spoiled. He did not always behave. One day he was just awful and I needed to punish him. I could keep the other kids after school and they never needed it but Freddy was another problem as his mother was always on time. On the day he was especially bad I told him I was keeping him after school. While the kids were out at recess I changed the time on the schoolroom clock. I let the kids out all but Freddy and he sat at his seat very surprised. At the correct time his mother turned up and I let him leave. I never had trouble again with Freddy.

Ray in the movies

For one of Ray's news stories he went to San Francisco on the anniversary of cross country flying. He flew out in the "Tin Goose," an original TWA plane. Of course on the way out he had some exciting experiences like going down in a wheat field in Concordia, Kansas and having the gas spill out down the aisle while they were flying but he did make it to San Francisco. After they landed he was flown to Los Angeles to be in a movie with Jane Fonda. The movie was "Sunday in New York." He rode up an escalator in the movie so we took the group with us to see "Daddy in a film." When we got to the theater it turned out it was x rated and children not allowed. The theater made an exception and we trooped in with our five. It was x rated because they mentioned sex before marriage in the movie. When Ray came on he was a shadow on an escalator. We applauded. He did get to meet the stars of the show but his movie career was short.

correction on doll parade

I sent the parade in the wrong direction. It started in the parking lot of the Mission Bank on Boardmoor and went east to Nall where it ended. The Mission Bank has moved three times.

The telephone

In our house the phone was very important but our children did not like to answer it. That was because we had a woman who called everyday to talk to Ray and if you answered the phone she talked to you. She had worked in the Wyandotte courthouse and discovered they had voters registered living in the Kaw River. She kept the records and buried them in her yard and wanted Ray to expose the machine in Wyandotte County so called everyday to check. The Council dondemened the area she lived in so she had to dig up the records and move them to her new residence which she did one night. I think they finally removed the names but I'm not sure. I think Ray just threatened them with that he would write a story. I think when ashe died I remmeber attending her funeral but I'm not sure. Our children outgrew not answering the phone but it took awhile. Most calls Ray got that were tips came at three in the morning so we had a phone beside our bed installed.

Another parade

When Sally and Susan were Bluebirds, the Campfire organization had a parade in May in Mission, Kansas. We were assigned topics. One year we were assigned Hawaii so the girls dressed their dolls in grass skirts and we went to Mission. We started on Nall and marched west. It seemed long but it probably was only about six blocks. Cindy found out that if you marched, at the end you got a Popsicle. She was not old enough to be a Bluebird but she was going to march in that parade. I have a picture of her clinging to my hand with the group and with her short little legs she made the trip and got her Popsicle--which she had earned. Later she was a Bluebird and got one but I bet the one she got that time was twice as good.

American Royal Parade 1995

One weekend in the fall of 1995 we had a guest for the weekend. Our grandson, #12, came to stay while his parents were on a trip to California. Saturday morning we had an urgent call from the Welsh Society that the child who was to represent the Welsh Society in the American Royal Parade could not be in it. Taylor said he would not mind. So we went to the parade. When we got there, the Sister Cities float was a large flat bed truck with straw bales of hay. Three Chinese children were there and and an assortment of others. Taylor was to be on it but he decided he did not want to unless I went along. They had a conference and decided they needed an adult on the float also so I climbed on and sat on a hay bale. Taylor joined me. We were just in front of three Chinese children. We watched the parade form and saw llamas walking around. I'm leery of llamas since one bit me in Chile. The Sister City had a large balloon globe of the world on their float. The parade started and I was surprised at how many people take their dogs to parades. They would tell us when to smile and wave as cameras would be on us. There was a Swiss flag that kept blowing in our faces. Taylor was very good and waved a lot. At the end of the parade they had a bus to take us back to the start. The group with the balloon globe of the world had trouble getting it small enough to get on the bus. Taylor did a good job. I wonder if he remembers his trip in the parade now that he is a sophomore at KU.