Tuesday, April 30, 2013

1993 MV lauded in Church news - May 3

From the Somerset (KY) UMC church bulletin insert.  Top portion transcribed below.
 
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[5/3/93]
This letter was received in the church office from Albin Whitworth, Professor of Church Music, Asbury Theological Seminary . . . . . .

Thank you for inviting me to do a concert in Somerset!  I had a wonderful time.  Please thank your choir for their hard work.  I am so proud of Mary!  She represents the "best" of our graduates.  Keep up the good work!

With warmest regards . . . . Albin Whitworth

Monday, April 29, 2013

1993 Calvin's postcard - April 29

Calvin writes a postcard which includes the word "descried" – not a word often found on postcards.  Transcription follows.
Great Smokies Cable Mill Postcard - mailed 1993.  
Captioned: John P. Cable Mill, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Just after the Civil War, John P. Cable harnessed the water at the lower end of Cades Cove to power a mill over the years.  Parts of it were repaired, replaced and modified.  Today this demonstration mill is like the "old axe" that's had two new heads and three new handles.
1993 Calvin's postcard - April 29

Natural Bridge, VA  Apr. 29 [postmarked May 3, 1993]

Dear Harold & Jean,

Finally after all these years I've stood beneath the natural bridge & descried the "GW" that the Father of our country is said to have inscribed there c1750.  Then T. Jefferson bought it for $2.40 (I paid $7.00 to see it ...) in 1774.  I'm driving from San Antonio to Germantown, MD, for grandson Nicky's 3rd birthday on May 3.  (Jean's sister in hospital in S.A.)  What are you all doing? –Calvin

* * * * *
Calvin Clifton Smith, 1926-1999, graduated NVHS in 1944.
Jean Bankert Smith, 1929-2000, was from Maryland.

For other blog posts about Calvin click here.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

1993 Roberta hikes rim to rim

Among the possibly scores of postcards Roberta sent on her rim to rim hike in May 1993, these two sent to her parents and her niece, display different views of the same bridge.  Transcription follows.
Grand Canyon Postcard - Mailed 1993.  Captioned: Kaibab Suspension Bridge.  Located on the caynon floor, it spans the mighty Colorado River near the mouth of Bright Angel Creek and Phantom Ranch.  Photo by Jerry Zagst

[5/93]
Hi!  We are now at Jacob's Lake – 45 miles from North Rim.  There is SNOW up here!  Dad will remember passing thru this bridge!  I look forward to it w/downhill behind us!  Love, Roberta

Grand Canyon Postcard - Mailed 1993.  Captioned: View across the Colorado River near Phantom Ranch captures mule train, river runners, Kaibob [sic] Suspension Bridge and beautiful spring flowers.  Photo by John Hampton Morris

[5/93]
Hi!  Should we go ahead & make reservations for May 95!?   We did not get near the water – very muddy!  It's cold here – but nothing like it was in MARCH!  Love, Roberta

Saturday, April 27, 2013

1983 Catherine's letter - April 27

Life in Oregon, spring 1983. Transcription follows.

April 27, 1983

Dear Mother & Dad,

Hi!  Well, now you should be hearing from us more regularly as I finally finished up the Elks books.  We turned them over to the auditor earlier this week.  Assuming the audit turns out OK that should be the end of that.  We still have a few more final reports to type up and then we will be completely finished.
 
We did take one day off last week and went to Kah-nee-ta.  Wendy really enjoyed the swimming.  She can now stand up in all of that first section of the pool so it gave her alot more mobility.  We stopped for lunch at the Deschutes Crossing a restaurant right next to the Deschutes River in Warm Springs where we had never eaten b before.  It was pretty good.  Wendy said she didn't feel well while we were eating but she took a xnap on the way home and then seemed to f be fine.  As you may remember we had hesitated in taking her there previously because it seemed like she was always sick for two days afterwards.

We are going to take Wendy to an allergy specialist next fall and see if we can get this problem with her congestion cleared up.  She has been congested constantly since about last October and it is finally beginning to clear up for the summer.  Madras now has an allergy specialist ( a Rajneesh) who is here one day a week.

Wendy and I have been out riding her bike every day now that daylight savings time gives us time to do that in the evening.  She isn't quite ready to take off by herself yet though.  She still has trouble using the brakes.

We are having second thoughts on going to Florida.  The travel agent called last week and said the fares had gone up again.  Of course threre is the chance they will come down again but being as we wanted to go at Christmas time there is no way we w can count on being able to take advantage of these special fares.  If we went to California and Arizona instead we would certainly have more money to spend on our vacation rather than on g transportation.  And we wouldn't have to go at Christmas time as DeeDee wouldn;t g be going with us as she would already be there.  Anyway, that is what we are thinking about.  Please let us know your thoughts on this.

Gerry has been playing some golf and we plan to join the golf course as of May 1.  We may also join the swimming pool (located at the golf course but a separate member fee) this summer since DeeDee and Wendy could take advantage of that.

The library had an Open House last week inh honor of National Library Week and we had two local authors come anda autograph books.  It was fairly successful and we learned a few things about how to do it better the next time.

We picked the first of the rhubarb about 10 days ago and I picked some more last weekend.  Very tasty.

Love, Catherine, Gerry & Wendy



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1982 Roberta - April 27

4-27-82

Dear Family, I'm between meetings ..... and oh how I hate them.  I try to meet "Officially" with each house once a week.  It's next to impossible to keep them on any kind of track.  Always get on the subject of everyone's aches and pains.  Or maybe stuck on "I always have to clean the bathroom".

We had a good weekend at the cabin.  Never did get the water turned on because we had bought the wrong size something or another.  This last weekend Marion went up (with the two dogs) and Sally and worked all weekend.  Found out that the water heater is a goner.  And the refrigerator is on its last leg.  The kitchen floor needs to be redone .... but that's not of an emergency status.  I'd like to rent it out while we are gone in June.  I've seen ads for as high as $200 for a cabin for a week.  It's not easy trying to keep up financially and physically two residences -- and not living in either one.  (Besides where we are here --- 7 houses!!!

Our last house is to open up next week.  Then we will just have four openings.  We continue to get new ones and lose some.  It's all very interesting.  Time flies ..... and that is good.

I'm sure looking forward to getting home in June.  So glad that Mary Virginia will be flying out to go back with us.  Mie Young is welcome too ..... the car is plenty big enough !!!!  I run out of as in the Bubble on Saturday.  It was about 2:30 in the afternoon and I was just between exits on the freeway.  Was the first day it hit 94 --- I started walking and a nice man stopped --- took me to the gas station and then brought me back to the car.  Other than that no problems .....

I'm enclosing some pictures of the car --- I got a ticket for parking in a handicapped space.  The fine was $30 so I was bound determined to get out of it.  The pictures did a great job for me.  In the meantime I got a special handicapped paper so I can now park in those places without worry of a ticket.  It's just on a piece of paper -- so I keep it on a clipboard so can transfer it from one car to the next.

I read in the paper about Ashbrooke dying.  Isn't that the man that John worked for????  I need to be going --- I apologize for not being a very good letter writer but I assure you all that the mailbox is no indication of what I think (or how much) of you all.

Love, Roberta

Please – send pictures back – fine to pass around first.
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Friday, April 26, 2013

1973 Catherine's Letter - April 26

Written on stationary left over from the early college years of five years previously here's a letter from the new Maine residents of April 1973.  Transcription follows.


7:45 A.M. Thursday
April 26, 1973

Dear Mom, Dad, Serena, John, and Mary,

Hi!  I think I should make an effort to use up this stationary.  It was good talking to you all on the telephone Monday night.  We were so tired I don't remember too much about that whole day.  Since then things have calmed down somewhat.  We still have a few boxes of clothes and such things which haven't been unpacked but on the whole this place is beginning to look pretty livable.  The telephone is to be installed tomorrow morning so I can't give you the number yet.

We had a wonderful time with Roger and Helen.  Her parents are also very nice and have sort of adopted Bob as well as Roger.  They gave us a grand tour of Laconia and the surrounding area.  Roger was kind of as I had imagined him except that his hair was darker and he is heavier.  Bob came as a complete surpxrise though.  Roger said, "If someone had told me a month ago that one of Aunt Jean's kids would stay here in this house I would have never believed it."  Bob loaned X a bunch of carpentry books.  Mr. Gilbert (Helen's father) is a Contractor and when Bob originally came to Laconia he worked for him.

It is now 11:00.  We took the dog for a run up this hill which is across the road from us (across from the airport).  And I also made a batch of cookies.  We don't have to work until 1:30.

the airport is pretty big but I haven't yet seen or heard an airplane arrive or depart.  It is only for private planes.  If any of you ever fly here you'd best come in a private plane or fly to Portland.

Our muffler fell apart on the way here so the car was pretty noisy.  There is a Mobil station only about 1/4 mile away from here that services import cars so we got it repaired yesterday.  We averaged 27 miles per gallon on the trip.

Glad to hear that Serena has had such good fortune in being accepted by the colleges of her choice.  Keep us informed about Roberta and Grandma.  I assume that Roberta is living with th Horton's.

I just noticed that the mailman hasn't come yet so I guess I'll finish this up quick and get it mailed.

I think our jobs are going to be pretty good.  We got kind of a general introduction yesterday and we have to work our schedules out yet and master the floor plan of the library so we know where everything is.  The collection is really fragmented with part of something in one place and then the rest somewhere else.  The new floor they laid looks really good.

We're waiting anxiously to hear when any one or all of you are coming to Sanford.

Love, Catherine and X
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Thursday, April 25, 2013

1993 Postcard - April 24

1993 Julius' Castle, San Francisco, postcard
Photo by Henry Stern
1993 Julius' Castle, San Francisco, postcard to Wendy from her grandparents
4/24/93 [postmarked Cincinnati]
Dearest Wendy
Just received your nice letter and always glad to hear from you. Hope you get your permit and you'll soon be driving.

Glad we may be seeing you in Oregon.  Much love to you, your parents & Meta [Mette].  G'Dad & Ga U

1973 Roberta's Lucille & Otley's Postcard - April 22

Seems like we've seen this postcard before but maybe it was a different pie?  Roberta writes an Easter postcard.  Transcription follows.
1973 Lucille & Otley's Restaurant Postcard, Boynton Beach FL
1973 Roberta's Lucille & Otley's Postcard - April 22

Easter - 1973

Hi!  Good to talk to you all today - this is where we ate for lunch.  The pie really looked like the picture!  And was it ever good!!

Went swimming this afternoon & tonight went to Church - Rob was in a play - he really has a good speaking voice – no trouble hearing him!!  Write!!  Love, Bert

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

1983 MV's letter - April 24

MV writes a letter home from college, getting close to the end of her freshman year. Transcription follows.


April 24, 1983
Dearest Mom and Dad,

A couple things I wanted to cover and I hadn't written you for a long time so I decided to get busy.  I just finished typing my paper for New Testament Studies, and hadn't gotten the type writer put away, so I decided to sit down and write a few letters.

Linda Oates was up to see me last Wednesday . . . . it turns out her father and grandparents live in Hebron (near Newark).  We're going to tryto go up the weekend of May 13 , if John and X will be available and Linda can get away for the weekend.  Would it be possible to get the Chevette that weekend?  Or I would take the van, if you insist.  ha ha

I have been thinking seriously about taking a year off school to decide whether I really want to finish, and if so what I want to major in.  I don't want to waste any more money if I really have no desire to study seriously.  Any input you have as far as advice , or otherwise would be greatly appriciated [sic].

This weekend Young Disciples will be going to Icthus on Saturday . . . . We're taking the church bus, leaving at 8:00, and get back sometime late Saturday.

That's about all the news from the college campus;  I did get a letter off to Aunt Virginia tonight.  Hope the Sound of Music was good.  Sorry I couldn't go, but hope you found someone to use the ticket.  Tell Grandma hello.  Thanks again for the golf balls.

love . . .
mv
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

1973 Roberta - April 23

 April 23, 1973

Dear Family -

Hi!  Got your letter today - written April 19th.  thanks.  Serena - I'm glad you were accepted at Hope College but it wasn't really a big surprise was it?  I knew you would be accepted there - so are you going to go there?  Or maybe you've decided you would weather go to U.C. !!?

Yes - I'd heard about the wreck Susie Elliot was in - though I'm in the "deep south" I manage to keep pretty well informed!!

We are all fine down here - Grandma has been busy doing a little packing each day.  She is such a big help to Aunt Mary - I don't know what else she will do after Grandma leaves!!

Guess what I did tonight??  I joined Fat Club - Weight Watchers !!  I have exactly 50 pounds to lose!  I'm really serious about it - I even bought one of those scales, to weigh out all of my food.  It's going to kill me to only eat 1 ounce of cheese at a time - and only 4 ounces in a whole week!  Serena - are you still in W.W?  Down here it costs $3.00 a meeting - is that how much it costs in Ohio?  It's too bad I didn't lose my weight last year when it only cost $2.00 a meeting!!

Aunt Mary & Uncle Bill got their tickets today for their trip.  They will be leaving May 15th and will be gone till June 7th.  Aunt Mary has really been reading the travel books but now she has read so much - by different people w/different ideas that she is getting confused!!

About my new job - I may not take it.  I'm really very happy now at Burdines.  I like what I'm doing - and I'm sorta afraid to change.  I also know that I want to go back to school so I don't think I should be worried about finding the very best job.  The pay for the w/the city of West Palm Beach is really good - $2.54 an hour - but I can't imagine myself typing and filing & keeping all kinds of information straight.  I'm just not the secretary type – and I don't care to become the type !!

One way or another - I have to let the city know tomorrow – the more I think about it - the more I'm confused !!

Burdines was really crowded today - as the after Easter sales began - but not only the store was crowded - the phone kept ringing - all these people calling up and ordering stuff on the phone!

I bought a dress today. (at Burdines of course!)  It-s blue - with a sweater to match.  A Batke [?] knit - I hope it lasts as long as my blue  (Batke knit) suit.  It had been marked down - and then I got 15% off.  It's really the 1st thing I've bought at Burines - besides 1 pair of shoe-strings.

I got my papers from the Board of Election - they are filled out & on their way back to Ohio already.

Grandma got a check for $42 today from the Telephone Company - for the damage done to the Buick.  I'm just glad the whole mess is straightened out!

Well - I better be closing - it's getting late -  I'll let you know about what I decide to do about the job.  Remember - Hang in there !!

Love, Bert



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Monday, April 22, 2013

1982 Roberta's letter - April 14

Catching up on some letters from 1982.  Thanks to Roberta for recently sharing two boxes overflowing with letters from the 1960s to the 90s.   Transcription follows.

[Apr 14 '82]

Dear Family,

I have both the dogs outside right now (barking away at the door) so thought I would try to get a few uninterrupted lines in.  Charlie is really growing --- I'm convinced he needs to be out on a farm.

We had Easter Dinner here for the ten people that didn't have anywhere else to go.  Used the good tablecloth, linen napkins, fine china .... the whole bit.  People seemed to really enjoy it.  Luckily enough -- served mostly leftovers ---thus making up Easter Dinner.  Enjoyed having it here so we could use the microwave for warming most of it up.

How was Easter in New Vienna?  Was it warm enough to walk to  Church?  Here it  got up to 90.

Sounds like a great idea if Mary Virginia and Mie Young would come out the first part of June.  There will be plenty of room in the Bubble for all to ride back.  Plus would more than welcome the company and extra drivers.

I am sending in my income tax money tomorrow.  I don't want them to have a dime of it an hour too early !!!!  Marion's big bundle of a check arrived last week.  I m think I mentioned it to you all about trading back and fourth of the real estate deals to benefit both of us.

Hope to get to the cabin this weekend.  I have off the weekend.  Bet if will be quite cold up there ....  I remember last Memorial Day weekend .... and how cold it was there then.  Thanks to Dad the fireplace was a big help.  Perhaps we would have time to go to the cabin when and if Mary Virginia and Mie Young can come out.

Marion has been quite busy around here planting flowers in all of the fronts of the houses.  Really looks nice already -- but with time should be very pretty.  She talked of putting SENIOR VILLAGE in big letters of flowers but gave up on that idea.  (thank goodness)  Now -- each house is different -- some overwater their flowers, others are not good about watering.  The new project is redoing the sprinkler system.  It is full of leaks and broken down pieces.  Marion does enjoy taking on a new project and learning how to fix .

Will send you all some pictures.  You will see we have a new vehicle.  Really need it for the family, (of dogs) plus quite nice to use here at the "Village".  Must get doing ........  please send pictures back –  We traded in the truck.

Love, Roberta
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Sunday, April 21, 2013

Friday, April 19, 2013

1993 Roberta's postcard - April 22

Roberta sends Grandma a postcard on her way home from visiting Ohio.  Transcription follows.
1993 Missouri postcard
Captioned: Greetings from Missouri; Photos by James Blank
Featuring Winston Churchill, University of Missouri, Hannibal, State Capitol
1993 Roberta's postcard to Grandma - April 22

[Postmarked April 22, 1993, Kansas City, MO]

Hope your back quit hurting!
Hi GRANDMA!  I'm changing planes here – I know you have been to Missouri many times!  Now it is much easier for me to travel than you!  I'm happy to have been in OHIO to see you!  See you in June!  Love, Roberta

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

1962-63 Serena's Ohio Pupils Reading Circle certificate

 
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Ohio Pupils Reading Circle selections by grade level were always to be found at the Wilmington Public Library, and though this is the first certificate to show up in the family paperwork, there will certainly be more.  

Serena probably received this certificate, signed by R.W. Fenwick and Aleda Purtee in the fall of 1962 when she started second grade, as the books were generally read in the summer time.  The books Serena read which constituted the Second year of the course were:
  • Word Twins by Mary Sue White (published 1961) still available in 131 libraries, though Columbus being the library closest to New Vienna where it is still available.
  • A Good Place to Hide by Louis Slobodkin (1961) - available in 114 libraries, Cincinnati being closest to New Vienna.
  • The Whirly Bird by Dimitry Varly (1961) - available in 172 libraries, Cincinnati closest.
  • Lonesome Little Colt by C.W. Anderson (1961) - available in 422 libraries, Central State University in Wilberforce being the closest to New Vienna.
* * * * *
According to an article in the Bryan (Ohio) Times on Aug. 26, 1913, the Ohio Teachers' and Pupils' Reading Circle was then finishing the thirtieth year and texts for teachers included:
  • In Pedagogy [science/art of education] – Graves' "Great Educators of Three Centuries." (1912)
  • In Literature – Shuman's "How to Judge a Book." (1910)
  • In Agriculture – Carver's "Principles of Rural Economics" (1911) and Key's "Education of teh [sic] Child."

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

1983 Catherine's postcard - April 14

Though we may have been to Susanville, California, don't think that we ever spent the night there.  Located in the northeast part of the state in Lassen County, it is a town of about 18,000 people, now home to the California High Desert State Prison.  It has a somewhat interesting library history in that it was the home of the Lassen County Library from 1915-1994 but the County closed the library in 1994 due to fiscal constraints.  Susanville then established it's own library district in 1994 and was able to acquire the collection and furnishing of the former county library, but not the building.  They opened in their own building in 1997.
1983 Trailside Inn and Jerry's Restaurant postcard - Susanville, CA
Captioned: 59 Units – Kings, queens and Doubles.  Direct Dial Telephone – Air Conditioned – Heated Pool – Cable, Colored TV.  Visit nearby Lake Almanor and Eagle Lake.  Play our municipal Golf Course at the foot of the Sierras.  Lounge and Bowling Alley across the street.
1983 Catherine's postcard - April 14
4-14-83
Hi!  I just found this card in a book so took the hint that it was time to write!  We've been really busy wrapping up Elks work but should be done next week.  Got your letter today.  Our rhubarb is about ready to eat.  Part of it is going to seed.  What does that mean?  Interesting article about 24 hr. library & Wilm. plans.  Wendy is doing fine.  Her preschool went on a field trip to a farm.
Catherine, Gerry & Wendy

Monday, April 15, 2013

1983 MV's Postcard/Info - April 14

Postmarked April 14, 1983, MV added personal notes to this invitation to a performance at Wilmington College to be held on May 11, 1983.  Names mentioned on this invitation include: Karen Gano, Sandra Johnson, Alice Walsh, and Elaine George.  Transcription of notes follow.



 
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Have practice for chalk-talk on Friday night.  Be home late Friday or probably Saturday morning. Will try to contact M.Y. about the car on Saturday.  Love M.V.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

1973 Catherine's Letter - April 14

Countdown to moving to Maine continues. Transcription follows.

Saturday, April 14, 1973
Dear Mom, Dad, Serena, John & Mary,

Hi!  We've got all our stuff set up in the yard for our sale today but we haven't had any customers yet!

Our address in Sanford will be:  Airport Manor Apartments, #10, Box 299, Sanford, Maine 04073

We will be leaving here on Friday the 20th P.M. and plan to arrive in Sanford Monday A.M. stopping in Keene, N.H. to visit Marcia Chappell [friend from K College].  We're taking two girls from Western with us to Keene, they will be going on to Boston.  We will be driving the car as well as the truck so we figure they will be company – plus they are going to pay for gas on the Toyota.

X said he never heard of Debbie Epperly.  Of course if he saw her it might be different.  His yearbooks are all packed up.

We just had our first customer & made $2.25.

We've finished all our papers for school but still have 2 tests on Tuesday.  Ouf stuff is 99% packed up & the rest will have to wait until Thursday.

On Thursday we went to the National Microfilm Convention in Detroit & then got a tour of University Microfilms in Ann Arbor in the afternoon.  Both Kodak & 3M had big exhibits at the convention.

Sunday 6:30 P.M.
Our sale has been going alot better today -- we've probably sold about $20.00 worth of stuff altogether.  We haven't gotten much response on our biggest items though, X's portable Olympia typewriter and accordian [sic].  I guess maybe we'll hold on to them for awhile longer.  We're going to keep the stuff up in the yard awhile longer today and tomorrow so maybe we'll sell some more.

We've been taking Kuman [dog] for short trips in the car so that she won't be totally unprepared for the long journey.  X took her to the Vet on Friday for a check up to see if she had heartworm.  Evidently it is carried by mosquitoes and there is alot of it around with more to come with the warmer weather and they are trying to give all the dogs some kind of preventative medicine.  We'll wait and see how it is in Maine.

Well, write soon to our new address -- I'm sure you'll be the first.

Love, Catherine & X
 
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Saturday, April 13, 2013

1973 Hinerman Letter - April 12

Referring to HH & Jean's 25th Wedding Anniversary celebration, as well as references to the 1948 wedding make this letter interesting.  Since the last Hinerman letter, I have learned that Sarah Shoup Hinerman was born in 1902, and in 1926 she married Chauncey, 1900-1981.  Sarah died in 1979.  She was known to the Ballantynes as she lived in their New Cumberland garage apartment while teaching school in New Cumberland, though she had to pretend to be unmarried to hold that job.  Their daughter, Sarah Jane, was born prior to 1940, and married Ben Kingree in 1957.  Transcription follows.


4/12/73
 
Dearest Folks,

So glad to hear from you.  Sounds like The Uibles are on the move, as usual.

I didn't get the information from you to prompt silver bowl, but from Harold's mother - in Florida.  She said the girls wanted to have a little affair for your 25th but Harold vetoed the idea saying you all wouldn't be there and the surprise would be on them.  I wasn't sure of the date altho' she did mention it.  Glad you liked the bowl and the thought behind it.

We are having a real winter day today.  In about an hour four inches of snow fell (7-8 a.m.).  Which was quite a surprise.   Wish I were in the "land of cotton" we did come home a little early [from Florida] I do believe.

Your trip sounded like a retrace of your honeymoon – no rice falling out of pockets this time though.

I had a thorough eye examination Monday and was relieved to find out I had no glaucoma.  No cataracts in sight, just needed a change of glasses (lenses).  My eyes had suddenly "gone to pot."   So now I can do more reading & sewing (needlepoint)!

I read a couple of good books recently – "The Camerons" and "The Innocents."  The later not new but good quick reading.

Your trip plans for the future sound fine – Mrs. Uible said John was getting so tall.  Has she come home yet?

We are trying to get a little decorating done here at the house but everything is so slow here.  I need new dining room draperies and have had a time getting Stone's decorator in action – Also want to get bathroom carpeted.

Sarah Jane says she hopes to come up for a few days in June and if so we want you all to join us for a day at least.  They were at Calloway Gardens, GA last weekend, Hilton Head for Easter.

Hope we can get to New Vienna this summer.

Let us hear from you – Love to all, Sarah H.
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Friday, April 12, 2013

1973 - MV's Class Thank You Letter - April 9

Evidently there was a delay in the third grade class celebration of MV's birthday in 1973.  The class members each wrote a letter thanking Mrs. Uible for bringing the refreshments and offering insights about the treat and the event.  Class members and messages from other letters transcribed below.  All letters begin with the heading including the date, the sender's address and the greeting of Dear Mrs. Uible.  All end with Yours truly except for MV's which went with a friendlier ending.

 
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April 9, 1973
Box 50
New Vienna, Ohio
Dear Mama,
Thanks alot for bringing the coke and potato chips.  Even if I couldn't decide what I wanted.  Thanks alot again.
Your friend, 
Mary Virginia (Uible)

* * * * *
Letters are in the order in which they were stapled together.  Original spelling and grammar, not bad for third graders, is shown below.
  1. Dale Robinson – Thank you for the pepsi and potato chips it was good. I wish you can come again.
  2. Diane Jean M – Thank you for the potato chips and pepsi. I like the potato chips and pepsi.
  3. Ray – Thank you for the pop and the potato chipes. And every thing else.
  4. Jeff Grooms – I liked your potato chips and pepsi. Every time I play kickball Mary always picks me.
  5. Mike Mitchell – Thank you for the potato chips and pipsi. We had a fun time.
  6. Leatha Waters – Thank you for the pop and the potao chips. We all like them. The potao chips was very good. Even when it was all gone we wanted more. And so was the pop. Thank you.
  7. Judy Henderson – Thank you for the potato chips and pepsi. They were the best I have ever had at school because we havent had pepsi before at school.
  8. Darlene Linkhart – Thank you very much for the pepsi and potato chips that you brought for Mary's birthday. Pepsi is my favorite kind of pop, but still I don't like potato chips that well.
  9. Melanie – Thank you for the pepsi and potato chips. I had a groovy time. I love pepsi and potato chips. Thank you very much.
  10. Kirk McMillan – Thank you for the coke and potato chips. They were very good. I liked them. When I come home I usally get out some potato chips and coke. This time I didn't have to do it.
  11. Chris Dodd – Thank you for the coke and potato chips. My mother diten't find out that I had a party until I told her.
  12. Judy Smedley [or Smalley?] – Thank you very much for all that pop and potato chips. They were so deliciouse. I couldn't eat supper at home after school cause I ate so much.  I think it was fantastic.  That was the best party we ever had to me.
  13. Allen Pinkerton – I want to thank you for the potato chips and the pepsi.  And I like the pepsi and potato chips and I like them the best.  I thank you very much.
  14. Terence Chambers – Thank you for the pepsi and the potato chips.  I liked when I threw the icecube out the window.  I thought the icecube hit a car but it didn't.
  15. Van Pratt – Thank you very much for the pepsi.  I could have had a whole bottle.  I told Terry Chambers to throw the ice cube out because he asked what can I do with it.
  16. Billy Kincaid – We certainly enjoyed the party.  The potato chips were delicious!  You shouldn't have let us have so much coke either!
  17. Sharon Kerrick – I like the potato chips and Pepsi.  It was good.
  18. Tammy Cain – I thought the potato chips were realy good.  And the pepsi was just great.  Have a happy Easter.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

1973 Roger Ballantyne Letter - April 11

Roger writes a long letter which scans well. May abridge this slightly, which will be indicated below.
 
 
 
 
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267 Elm Street
Laconia, New Hampshire
April 11, 1973

Dear Aunt Jean and Uncle Harold,

Your letter arrived this afternoon.  It was very good hearing the news of your family.  Before I begin . . . find a nice comfortable chair . . . sit down . . . and relax . . . this is going to be long letter.  There is so much that I want to tell you.

Helen and I are pleased to learn than Catherine and X are moving into our neck of the woods.  Sanford is only an hour or so from us.  We pass through it on our way to the ocean during the summer.  We would love to have them stop and spend the night with us on their way to Sanford. We do not stand on formality so they don't have to worry about making a good impression.  Have them come as they are and we will take it from there.  We have much in common.  I am audio-visual director for the district library in Laconia.  I do this along with teaching English and social studies.  We can stay up all night discussing the Dewey catalogue system and viewing pictures of New Cumberland.  The latter won't take very long!  Our phone number is....

Last winter, I made a pilgrimage back to New Cumberland.  Helen and I were visiting with Dick and Gretchen in Pittsburgh  I spent a day in New Cumberland while Helen remained with Lisa in Pittsburgh.  Aunt Margaret Brown arranged a tour of Dear's home for me.  I had not been in it since her funeral.  What a moving experience!  As a child, the immense size of the home always frightened me.  I discovered another insight to New Cumberland during my visit.  I was always amazed at how rich the dirt looked around Dear's home.  It was a deep rich black compared to the brown dirt around my home in Pittsburgh.  It wasn't until years later that I realized it was nothing more than the soot from the power station across the river!  I went to the cemetery to view the Ballantyne graves.  I found Nathaniel's and Lucy's but the others were buried under over-grown grass.  I had to dig the grass away from the markers.  I visited the old plant and saw where we had spread Dad's ashes.  His ashes are now under 80 feet of power company slag.  I had to wander along the river bank to find any resemblance of the old plant prior to the burning of it in 1954.  Several old timbers are all that remain.  I rode slowly through New Cumberland.  It was a sad visit except for my talk with Aunt Margaret Brown.

You mentioned your 25th wedding anniversary.  Congratulations!  I can well remember the day you were married.  I had to wear short pants.  I can remember the men trying to tie cans on the back of Uncle Harold's car.  I have the picture of the wedding in my collection.  I spent many hours digging around the old archives of West Virginia University.  I went rummaging through many old copies of the New Cumberland Independent looking for articles pertaining to the Ballantyne family.  I have amassed a fairly good account of the family.  I would love to share these with any of your children.  I feel it belongs to the entire family.  My collection of pictures is very good.

[Page 2]
Uncle Harold kept us supplied with strong boxes, paddle balls, and jacks as we grew up.  We had a ball playing with those toys.  He was always very considerate of Blaine, Robbie, and me.  We always enjoyed your visits to Chessbriar.

Mother was here for Christmas.  It was a wonderful visit.  We had a ball and a Christmas that we will never forget.  We hated to see her leave and she hated to go.  She normally comes once a year for an extended visit.  Mimi (her mother) died in 1970 and is buried outside of East Liverpool.  Blaine and Brooke are being transferred to West Point Military Academy.  Blaine is a major in the army and will be serving there as an instructor.  They have a boy (Scott) aged around five years.  Their little girl (Stacy) is about three years old.  They are still living in Newport News, Virginia until his transfer in 1974.  Bob (no more Robbie) is living about two miles from us.  He graduated from Atlanta Tech and works as a tractor trailer driver between here and Boston.  He loves it here in New Hampshire.  He is 28 and still single.  Helen makes sure that he behaves himself.  She has put 20 pounds on him since he moved here.

I am not sure how many of Mom's brothers and sisters you knew of or kept track of from time to time, I will quickly outline where and what they are doing.  [See page 2 of letter above for details which are not being transcribed.]

[Page 3]
The information on the last page may not have been necessary.  You may know all of them or none.  At least you have all the scoop!  I would like to know where to reach Aunt Virginia.  I was very close with Mary Ellen in high school.  We have lost contact over the years.  I did see Aunt Virginia six years ago.  Nothing since!  Your help in this area would be greatly appreciated.

You might tell Roberta, that I work for the Laconia Police Department in the summer.  It is very interesting work and I can well appreciate her interest in this area.  I always wanted to be a state trooper.  After those years in the Marine Corps - Helen said absolutely not!  Being a teacher is somewhat more quiet and safe!

Serena sounds like she has an exciting summer ahead of her.  We hope that she is able to complete her plans and make the trip to Brazil.  Congratulations on her forthcoming graduation from high school.

John and Mary Virginia are new ones for me.  They came along after our departure from Pittsburgh.  John might have come to visit us on Chessbriar, but I was away at the time.  John and Mary Virginia seem to be very active in their scouting and church activities.  We hope to meet them some day.

We keep active and busy here in New England.  I work at the local bank on weekends along with teaching full-time.  During the summer, I manage the Weirs Branch of the Laconia People's National Bank and work for the police department at night.  My police job is pure pleasure as I cover the nightclubs checking ID's on under-age students.  I have very little trouble with them and I enjoy the bands at most of the clubs.

Lisa is now two and a half years old.  She is just about potty trained and she is making complete sentences when she talks. She is the pride and joy of our lives.

Helen spends most of her time sewing clothes for Lisa and herself.  She finished school in Boston and worked for the Central Intelligence Agency for five years prior to our marriage.  She helped put me through West Virginia University.  I feel her place is with Lisa now - so I don't want her working.  We have a nice home between two lakes.  She spends most of her summer at the beach with Lisa and the other wives in the neighborhood.  It is only two blocks from the house.  She goes to ceramics class one night a week.  She loves it and the night out is good for her.

I love teaching in New England.  Prior to coming here, I had signed a contract to teach in Columbus, Ohio.  I had to turn it down when I accepted a contract for this area.  The winters are long and cold.  The other three seasons make up for the severe winters.  The daily routine is very relaxed and slow.  No traffic congestion, pollution, or over-population.  We love it!

[Page 4]
Catherine and X are going to like Sanford.  It is a nice New England town.  Many people from Laconia have relatives from Sanford, Maine.  Helen's folks just sold their home to a family from Sanford.  We will be very upset if Catherine and X don't spend the night with us on their way to Sanford.  (Us old (?) ridge-runners, snake eaters, and hill-billys have to stick together!!)  I know that Catherine and X must be a very refined couple.  I just can't get all the West Virginia dirt out from between my toes!

You now have a good reason to come visit us.  We are right on the way to Sanford.  Our door is always open.  When we fill up the beds - we will start on the floors.

Many thanks again for your letter.  I feel badly that we have not kept in better contact over the years.  The annual Christmas message seems so sterile.  I am a real nut on geneology [sic].  I have spent hours tracing the Ballantyne family back to Paisley, Scotland.  Paisley is a suburb of Glascow [Glasgow], Scotland.  The original Ballantyne family left there in 1834.

I could go on for hours if it wasn't time for dinner and your eyes drooping over this fourth page.  Have Catherine and X call us.  Our love to everyone.

Love, Roger, Helen, and Lisa

P.S. I am going to send a carbon copy of this to Margaret Brown in New Cumberland.  She would be interested to know that we had corresponded.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

1993 Roberta's letter - April 11

We've recently read about Roberta in 1973 living in Florida, in 1983 relaxing by the pool when she wasn't busy running Senior Village. In 1993 she writes a letter to Grandma.  Twenty years had brought a greater acceptance of cats.  Transcription follows.


4/11/93

Hi Grandma!

Happy EASTER!  We have had a great day – went to 11:00 Church – so many people there – could hardly find a parking space!  The choir had better music than ever!

Then we came home & had a quick lunch of leftovers before I went out hiking with Catherine & Wendy.  We hiked over 4 miles – then stopped on the way home for ice cream!  My diet starts next month!

Tonight we ate our Easter supper.  Sid cooked up a HAM, Sweet potato, green beans, salad & for dessert – pineapple upside-down-cake.

The weather today was 88º!

I'm looking forward to coming to OHIO – even tho I know the weather won't be so warm!  I hope I won't need to borrow your winter coat!

I'll be in to see you FRIDAY early evening – so hope you get a good nap during the day!  WANT me to bring the CATS?  The big cat just jumped up on the table!

GRANDMA – I look forward to seeing you this FRIDAY – it reminds me of when we used to always look forward to your arrival from Florida every year in OHIO around Easter time!

I wish Sid could come too to Ohio – but instead he will work for me so I can come to OHIO.

Much Love, Roberta
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Tuesday, April 09, 2013

1983 Family Letter - April 9

Some of the typos/errors have been corrected and others have not.  That might earn a C- as an official transcription.  Transcription follows.

Saturday - 
April,9, 1983'

Dear Family,

RIN  ANT Thistypewriter doesn't seem to be working very weill - it's a bad combination with my not typing well.  Just realized it had been left on "stencil" so no wonder I was having trouble.   Sorry about that!

Grandma arrived back a week ago Tuesday - in good time for Easter.  We did look for Serena to come home altho she hadn't said she would but and didn't but MV came along with Mie Young and three Wilmington College students. So we did have eight and had the turkey that had been given to us at Christmas.

Mie Young did a good job - singing very well at the Miss Southwestern contest but we were all disappointed that she didn't place in the chosen final 15.  She did have stiff competition and a girl from Johnstown - NE of Columbus [Gina Pauline Neibarger, who had won the Miss Southeastern Ohio pageant in 1982] won with a song she had written the words & music for and which she played on the piano.

It was nice having John and X and three friends here overnight Thursday and Friday nights while they attended a seminar in Dayton.  It was held every evening from Mon, the 4 and then all day Friday and Saturday.  Mary Virginia also attended along with others from Port William and all seemed to think it was very worthwhild.

Our church had a nice Easter Sunrise Service . . . . MV was oneof the participants, followed by breakfast.  Yesterday, Dad attended the Wilmington area Methodist Men's Retreat at Camp Kirkwood (about 5 miles west of Wilmington) which he enjoyed.  One of themen there was Eli Yovich, whose daughter is a good friend of Carol Uible . . . what a smhl world.  Gee, didn't think I could "murder" the word "small" so much.

Grandma is getting back on schedule after her midnight arrival in NV.  She fell on the floor once, but was indeed lucky with no ill effects.  Her spirit is an inspiration to all of us.  She will be getting new glasses this next week and going to the Doctor tomorrow for a check up.  Yes, the Checker [aka as the Bubble] is running ... as Bert said it is a conversation piece.

We were talking with Serena on the phone today . . . she thinks Washington will win in next week's mayor contest in Chicago.  The contest has certainly been in the news.  [Serena was a good political forecaster – Harold Washington was elected the first black mayor of Chicago in April 1983, serving until his death in 1987.]

The rhubarb is thru the ground and our grass needs mowing, but the groundis too wet to run the mowerr over it.  The pear tree is in bloom.

It is now Sunday and we have to use the side door of the Church to get in, as the Churchis putting in a new ramp and steps at the front door.  Grandma will appreciate that.  She came up for lunch and the weather was fairly cooperative.

Roberta called us . . . sitting beside the pool at their new home . . . sounds like the life tho we all know there is responsibility with the job also.  She said the Bruces are coming over to see her.  Guess she told them that she would call them Tom & Lois IF they could cove over from San Diego to visit her.

Hope you all have your income tax returns ready to file.  Did you have the forms available for distribution in the library, Catherine?

[Much Love, etc.]
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Items from Uible photo album