S is for Sewing
I began sewing in the 4th grade, when I became a member of the 4H Sewing Club. It was enjoyable to be with the other girls. Our local leader was Mrs. Adah Taylor. The projects for the first year were a felt needlecase, a pincushion, a scarf made from a flour sack and a bag made from monk's cloth. Basically most of this was done by hand and I wrote in my project record book that I had learned to use a thimble. Also I wrote that I was the president of the club. The 4H club had an exhibit at the Halsey Achievement Day and my items won a blue ribbon. I exhibited at the Linn County 4H Fair and won another blue ribbon. This gave me the opportunity to take my things to the Oregon State Fair in 1949 and I won a red ribbon there. These ribbons became part of my keepsakes. The next year our leader was Mrs. Ruth Chamberlain. I probably would not have remembered these things nearly as well if I hadn't saved my project books and ribbons from each year I was in 4H. This second year I was again president of the club (who knows why they chose to elect me.) We made a coin purse from felt, a dresser scarf, a laundry bag and a crocheted pot holder. For the laundry bag I used my Mother's electric Singer sewing machine. She coached me on its use and if I didn't sew a straight seam, I would have to take it out and do it again. Again I won blue ribbons at Achievement Day and the Linn County 4H Fair. This time I got a white ribbon at the State Fair. For the 4H Fair, another girl and I did a demonstration about sewing and received a red ribbon for that. By the 6th grade Mrs. Cecil Harris became our leader. That year I was the secretary for the club. We made a hand hemmed, tea towel, a print dress, pot holder and apron. Achievement Day brought me a blue ribbon and the Linn County 4H Fair brought me a red ribbon for my sewing project and a red ribbon for being in the Style Revue, wearing my new dress. The 7th grade was my last year for 4H club. Mrs. Phebe Falk was our leader. I made two dresses that year: a school dress and a sun dress. For ribbons I received a red one at Achievement Day, a purple one at the Linn County 4H Fair and a green exhibitor one at the Oregon State fair for my project. Then at the Linn County 4H Fair I won a red one for the stitching contest and a blue one for the Style Revue. I think I liked being in 4H just so I could win ribbons. Another special event was I got to attend 4H Summer School held at Oregon State College campus June 17-27, 1952. Learning how to sew was valuable later when I was able to save some money by making some of my own clothes.
S is for Skating
I can't remember exactly when I received my pair of the old time clamp-on roller skates. I do know that we did not have a really good place to skate at our home. We had a home made cement sidewalk which was about 10 to 12 feet long. That does not give you much room for skating, so we also used our playroom inside the house. After I learned how to skate well enough I took them to school with me and our school house in town had a number of sidewalks around it so it was fun to skate there. It was also fun when we had skating parties at some of the skating rinks that were within 20 miles of us.
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