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