Wednesday, June 16, 2004
1963 COMES TO AN END
I have heard the question asked so many times, “Where were you and what were you doing when you heard President Kennedy was shot?” I dare say that most of us could answer that with great recollection and clarity. There are as many accounts as there are people….not only in our own country but around the world.
As for myself, it was a school day and we were getting ready to make our trip to Milwaukee for my brother’s wedding. I was working after the lunch break when the news came over the speaker…… “President Kennedy has been shot in Dallas while riding in the motorcade” ….the voice was our school principal who then tuned the radio into the speaker system. Everyone stopped in their tracks…I can even remember what part of the kitchen I was in and who’s face looked at me in disbelief as we stared at each other. At first there was hope that it was not fatal…but soon we learned the awful truth that our President was dead. I suppose that incident was as shocking and powerfully emotional as when we heard of the 9-11 disasters in 2001.
On a personal note I wondered if this would effect the wedding plans but after calling my brother they felt the arrangements had gone too far to cancel.
The complete and detailed account of the trip to Milwaukee for the wedding and the wedding itself can be found in my Archives dated March 03, 2004 (Getting to the Wedding) and March 04, 2004 (Milwaukee Wedding).
Once back from the wedding trip we were thrust into Christmas and George Jr.’s birthday. The Campfire girls made angels for their families that year out of Reader’s Digests. It was a big fad at the time for crafting and they were very pretty. Each page had to be folded down, then covers were pulled backwards and taped together which made the pages fan out like a gown. Sprayed with gold paint gave them body….then with a Styrofoam head and pretty bow at the neck….they were beautiful. The girls were very impressed with their handiwork and we had ours for years…..set out each year for the holidays.
George Jr. had a white 3-layer cake that year with pretty green holly and red berries decorated on top. Grandma Strain came that year again for his birthday and to enjoy Christmas at our house. She looked forward to her visits and our busy household gave her lots to think about once she returned to Cabool.
I would like to insert a few memories about Scouting. As George Jr. was more involved with it George Sr. stepped up to help. At first he was a volunteer, then assistant Scout Master and eventually Scout Master. George Jr. was working on merit badges right along and Mr. Laricks who lived right up the street from us was one of his mentor’s. Talking with George Jr. a few days ago he mentioned that Mr. Laricks helped him with his first rank.
The Larick’s family were admired and respected by the neighborhood and anyone else who came into contact with them. If you ever saw an “all-American” family…it was who they were. Highly motivated and extremely personable they were the role models of the Troop. Mr. Laricks always took charge of the meetings for awards and presentations and made it seem to each boy as a great achievement….boys were always a foot taller after receiving the award and getting his firm ‘Scout handshake.’ “This is an old and a proud Troop….and this is an auspicious occasion….” somehow he always made it seem bigger than life. The Scouts would kill themselves for his praise.
His wife and daughter were part of the Troop family and Margaret was a willing helper for chili suppers, pie suppers, gathering black walnuts which paid for most of the Troops expenses throughout the year….whatever. A core group of us worked for the good of the whole. Their son, Jimmie, was without question the boy most Scouts wanted to be. He, like his dad, never knew what “second best” was. He was as hard driving as his dad but not in a way to exclude anyone….rather to raise the bar for everyone to follow.
The front of our house could see their backyard like a fish-bowl. Jimmy was always in the back yard with pole-vaulting equipment and sand to land in…..he would run with the pole and vault over endlessly. If he mastered one height he would immediately set the bar higher…..he was smart with top grades, good looking and a perfect kid if that’s possible. What the Laricks family did for Scouting was immeasurable. Leading by example……
Of course George, our two boys and I worked each function and Becky came along. We felt it was worth whatever it cost in time and effort to mold young lives. We met a lot of fine folks in Scouting and cannot measure the benefits.
Tomorrow I have some favorite memories of people and the activities that are worth writing about……..until then,
Essentially Esther
As for myself, it was a school day and we were getting ready to make our trip to Milwaukee for my brother’s wedding. I was working after the lunch break when the news came over the speaker…… “President Kennedy has been shot in Dallas while riding in the motorcade” ….the voice was our school principal who then tuned the radio into the speaker system. Everyone stopped in their tracks…I can even remember what part of the kitchen I was in and who’s face looked at me in disbelief as we stared at each other. At first there was hope that it was not fatal…but soon we learned the awful truth that our President was dead. I suppose that incident was as shocking and powerfully emotional as when we heard of the 9-11 disasters in 2001.
On a personal note I wondered if this would effect the wedding plans but after calling my brother they felt the arrangements had gone too far to cancel.
The complete and detailed account of the trip to Milwaukee for the wedding and the wedding itself can be found in my Archives dated March 03, 2004 (Getting to the Wedding) and March 04, 2004 (Milwaukee Wedding).
Once back from the wedding trip we were thrust into Christmas and George Jr.’s birthday. The Campfire girls made angels for their families that year out of Reader’s Digests. It was a big fad at the time for crafting and they were very pretty. Each page had to be folded down, then covers were pulled backwards and taped together which made the pages fan out like a gown. Sprayed with gold paint gave them body….then with a Styrofoam head and pretty bow at the neck….they were beautiful. The girls were very impressed with their handiwork and we had ours for years…..set out each year for the holidays.
George Jr. had a white 3-layer cake that year with pretty green holly and red berries decorated on top. Grandma Strain came that year again for his birthday and to enjoy Christmas at our house. She looked forward to her visits and our busy household gave her lots to think about once she returned to Cabool.
I would like to insert a few memories about Scouting. As George Jr. was more involved with it George Sr. stepped up to help. At first he was a volunteer, then assistant Scout Master and eventually Scout Master. George Jr. was working on merit badges right along and Mr. Laricks who lived right up the street from us was one of his mentor’s. Talking with George Jr. a few days ago he mentioned that Mr. Laricks helped him with his first rank.
The Larick’s family were admired and respected by the neighborhood and anyone else who came into contact with them. If you ever saw an “all-American” family…it was who they were. Highly motivated and extremely personable they were the role models of the Troop. Mr. Laricks always took charge of the meetings for awards and presentations and made it seem to each boy as a great achievement….boys were always a foot taller after receiving the award and getting his firm ‘Scout handshake.’ “This is an old and a proud Troop….and this is an auspicious occasion….” somehow he always made it seem bigger than life. The Scouts would kill themselves for his praise.
His wife and daughter were part of the Troop family and Margaret was a willing helper for chili suppers, pie suppers, gathering black walnuts which paid for most of the Troops expenses throughout the year….whatever. A core group of us worked for the good of the whole. Their son, Jimmie, was without question the boy most Scouts wanted to be. He, like his dad, never knew what “second best” was. He was as hard driving as his dad but not in a way to exclude anyone….rather to raise the bar for everyone to follow.
The front of our house could see their backyard like a fish-bowl. Jimmy was always in the back yard with pole-vaulting equipment and sand to land in…..he would run with the pole and vault over endlessly. If he mastered one height he would immediately set the bar higher…..he was smart with top grades, good looking and a perfect kid if that’s possible. What the Laricks family did for Scouting was immeasurable. Leading by example……
Of course George, our two boys and I worked each function and Becky came along. We felt it was worth whatever it cost in time and effort to mold young lives. We met a lot of fine folks in Scouting and cannot measure the benefits.
Tomorrow I have some favorite memories of people and the activities that are worth writing about……..until then,
Essentially Esther
