57 years later

This letter was stuck between the pages of the memory book from Jess and Mable's 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration.  It must have come as quite a surprise to them.

to Jess and Mable Butler

from Almee Sires Johnston, Mable's former school teacher

 February 2, 1972

Mable with younger siblings - circa 1916-17

"Dear Mable and Jesse,

"Do you remember Almee Sires who was the teacher in the Intermediate Room at the Haswell School in 1915-16?  Well, I am she, and we read in the Pueblo paper of your 50th anniversary on Feb. 5th so wanted to send congratulations and good wishes for many more happy anniversaries.  

"A good many years have passed since that year at Haswell, when you, Lemmie and Garnons were in that room.  While teaching in Haswell I was invited to stay overnight in your home.  It was winter time, and I was shown the meat room - meat stored on shelves around the room.  I have never seen so much meat in a private home and such good looking meat.  At that time it was a common practice to stay overnight one night, during the school term in the homes of the pupils.  You had a nice, congenial home in which to live.

"Many changes have taken place since you were here, and new people live in and around Haswell.  

"I wish all teachers could have had as nice pupils as I had!!"

Post script:

A Google search for "Almee Sires" brought this interesting result:

Appleton City Journal

Appleton City, MO

11 April 1913

 J.A. Sires and family, who for a number of years have been residents of this portion of St. Clair County, left last Tuesday for Haswell, Colorado, where they anticipate making their future home. Their daughter, Miss Almee Sires, who is teaching the Prairie Home School near Monegaw Springs, will finish her term of school before joining the family in Colorado. (Osceola Republic)

Appleton City Journal

Appleton City, MO

16 April 1914

Prairie Home:

A party was given at home of L.A. Morris on last Saturday night in honor of Miss Almee Sires who leaves for the Western countries this week. Quite a crowd was present and all had a nice time and plenty of good music was rendered.

 *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Last Friday, April 3rd, was the last day of school. Had it not been for shortage of funds, school would not have closed until April 17th. 

Miss Almee Sires has been teacher here for the last three terms, her first and last terms taught in Missouri. She anticipates leaving for Haswell, Colo., soon for her parental home. Her parents moved to above named place last December. She will be greatly missed by Missouri friends as well as Prairie Home pupils. We can gladly say she has reached with much success during the three terms.

They, teacher and pupils, were planning for an entertainment on the night of the 17th, but on receiving the sudden word that on account of shortage of money school would be two weeks shorter the program then was sadly put aside. Consequently a "'Big Dinner"' was planned by patrons instead. In which every one of whom were present of such an eventful occasion to partake of the many delicacies - dishes too numerous to mention, did ample justice to all. They presented her with a quilt made by friends and pupils of the district, with name of each on block. The pupils also gave her a beautiful locket. They felt as though they could not do too much to show her how much they have appreciated her genial and liberal kindness shown during the three successful terms.

It is regretted to the utmost her leaving the State of Missouri entirely. However, such being the case, we will all join in extending our sincere wishes to her in getting along just as nicely in her future western school teaching as her past.

She not only has the name of being the kind of a teacher any school would be glad to have as an example before their children, but also is a perfect lady, with her mild, sweet disposition.

"'One Who Knows"'

She was obviously a well loved teacher.  
I would love to have talked to Grandma Mable about her.

" . . . grateful for what we have"

This letter was written over 25 years ago but sure sounds familiar.

to Don, Lynn, and family

from Dad (Lou)

October 13, 1983

Lou canning in the kitchen at 39 Meadowbrook - 1983

"We really feel like we have been blessed to have all four of you boys working hard in the Church and all employed in these very difficult times.  The "Today Show" has been running a series on the "new poor" for the last week or so.  It showed and interviewed many people who are now living on the streets, in cars, parks, etc.  Also showed people who are now getting their food from the trash dumpsters behind the stores (and being run off by store employees), gleaning in the fields this fall for all left over crops, soup kitchens being overwhelmed by the numbers of people, and church groups and clubs trying to help, etc.

"So, this helps us to be especially grateful for what we have.  Speaking of what we have - Mother and I have canned lots of tomatoes, apples, peaches and pears this fall and should have canned a lot more, but at least we got started.

"We bought a neat gadget to make juice from tomatoes, grapes, etc and to make apple butter.  We also bought a steam canner which is a lot easier.  We made a lot of jelly and jam also.  You know how much I like them!  We should have plenty for fall this year without buying any."

And this is what Leona did following the canning!

Announcing . . .

This gem was hiding in a file folder - just waiting to be found.  I'm fascinated with it, and couldn't resist posting this bit of history.

Notice how clear the postmark is - and the postage was only 1 cent!

Announcing the birth of Shirley Nadine Maxson

Her mother is Marjorie Davis Maxson, sister of Grandma Mable

It appears that the picture and text have been transferred to the post card by use of carbon paper which was in wide use until the mid 1950's.  I wonder how many announcements the Maxsons sent . . . could have been a lot of tracing.

Fun Fact about carbon paper
from this website

Pellegrino Turri created carbon paper for his wife [probably his lover], who had gone blind from illness. He wanted a device she could use to duplicate her letters so she would not have to deal with the mess of a quill and ink and would not have to rewrite the same correspondences repeatedly for friends. The "CC" field used when sending emails to more than one recipient is a reference to carbon paper. It is an abbreviation for "carbon copy."

 

Pellegrino Turri created carbon paper for his wife, who had gone blind from illness. He wanted a device she could use to duplicate her letters so she would not have to deal with the mess of a quill and ink and would not have to rewrite the same correspondences repeatedly for friends. The "CC" field used when sending emails to more than one recipient is a reference to carbon paper. It is an abbreviation for "carbon copy."

Read more: When Was Carbon Paper Invented? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_4867262_was-carbon-paper-invented.html#ixzz0uAc73lWL

When Ma Wants Something New

While going through some more files I came across this poem written in Grandma Mable's handwriting.
I think these same conversations still can be heard in many homes!

When Ma Wants Something New

by Edgar A. Guest

Last night Ma said to Pa: "My dear,

The Williamsons are coming here

To visit for a week or two,

An' I must have a talk with you.

We need some things which we must get--

You promised me a dinner set,

An' I should like it while they're here."

An' Pa looked up an' said: "My dear,

A dinner set? Well, I guess not.

What's happened to the one we've got?"

"We need a parlor rug," says Ma.

"We've got a parlor rug," says Pa.

"We ought to have another chair."

"You're sittin' in a good one there."

"The parlor curtains are a fright."

"When these are washed they look all right."

"The old stuff's pitiful to see."

"It still looks mighty good to me."

"The sofa's worn beyond repair."

"It doesn't look so bad, I swear."

"Gee Whiz, you make me tired," says Ma.

"Why, what's the matter now?" says Pa.

"You come an' go an' never see

How old our stuff has grown to be;

It still looks just the same to you

As what it did when it was new,

An' every time you think it strange

That I should like to have a change."

"I'm gettin' old," says Pa. "Maybe

You'd like a younger man than me."

"If this old rug was worn an' thin,

At night you'd still come walkin' in

An' throw your hat upon a chair

An' never see a single tear;

So long as any chair could stand

An' bear your weight you'd think it grand.

If home depended all on you,

It never would get something new."

"All right," says Pa, "go buy the stuff!

But, say, am I still good enough?"

Some things never change!

Pueblo's Melting Pot

For many years, Dad was the principal at Bessemer Elementary School - the neighborhood school that has been referred to as Pueblo's historic melting pot.  Today the school is called Bessemer Academy, and most of the traditional red brick structure dates back to the 1930s when the current Bessemer school building was built.

Steel Plant

Established in the late 1800s, Bessemer was an independent town south of Pueblo, built in proximity to the Colorado Coal and Iron Company, and took its name from Henry Bessemer, the Englishman who invented the process for converting pig iron into steel.  The steel plant later became Colorado Fuel and Iron - CF&I - and was a major employer in Pueblo for many years.  The school was founded in 1881 to serve the growing number of steel-worker families, mostly immigrants from Italy, Slovenia, Germany, Ireland, Spain and other European countries.

Bessemer neighborhood today

Historian George R. Williams wrote that at the turn of the century, Bessemer was a lively place, with boarding houses for smelter and steel mill workers, grocery stores, clothing stores, little ethnic neighborhoods. A main thoroughfare [just two blocks south of the school], Northern Avenue, was the first asphalt-paved street in Pueblo and "CF&I was the big dog. It was a very prosperous area." 

Bessemer School

Bessemer Academy - September 2009

In 1880 the community residents asked the school district to provide a school for their area, and the next year ground was broken for the school that would share the name of the community.  Miss Maggie Schackleton was named the first teacher at Bessemer School.

 According to an historical account published in 1949 in The Pueblo Chieftain (newspaper), the building was expanded in 1893. It was expanded again in the 1920s, but by 1930 the building was believed to be unsafe, and after several failed attempts to pass a bond issue and then find a contractor acceptable to the community, the current two-story building was constructed.

Don walking down memory lane

Window at the lower level

Interesting brick work

 Left side is the gym - scene of Dad's famous "slam dunk"

1125 Routt Avenue

historical information found here and here