11- 1965 June: Badminton, 4-H, Bible School, Community Softball & Pool Filters
I feel that I can literally beam myself back in time with this dive into my girlhood diaries from 1960s. As I share these writings, I hope that no matter where you are or what your age, that these shared moments offer glimpses into the life of a young girl from small town, USA, in the mid 1960’s.
As a teacher, mother and traveler, I have been fortunate to have a steady flow of young people in my life and some of my writings are for them — in answer to questions such as “What was it like growing up in the 1960's? What did you do without the Internet? There were no cell phones either? What did you do to fill your days?” I hope my notes on everyday life create pictures in the mind’s eye of what it was like in an era not so long ago.
“1 June 1965, Tuesday, I practiced my 4-H demonstration. Laurie went to Athens with Etta. We went to see Grandmama in Plains. Tonight I went up to the school house to the baseball game. 2 June 1965, Adie and I went to the school house and played tennis. I cleaned out my dresser in my room. Debra W. is coming tomorrow for summer vacation! 3 June 1965 Thursday, I played badminton with Adie in our backyard. I washed and rolled my hair. I think Debra is here. Some men came by to look at our kitchen. Daddy, Mama, Adie and I went to Columbus.”
As summer began and I look at these first two weeks of June 1965, I see a cascade of friends’ names: Adie (my brother) Laurie, Etta, Debra, Kathy, Mary John, Mitzi, Ann, Rhonda, Linda, Sandra, Jackie, Kay, Margaret, and Mary Jane. One of the treasures of small towns is that everyone knew everyone. That tie gave a feeling of extended family and yet everyone probably felt the need to loosen the tie from time to time.
A continued theme at this juncture in my young life was that my grandmother lay in a nursing home in a Plains, GA just up the road from my hometown. My family focused intensely on her situation and thoughts of her were never out of our minds for very long. She was 85, born in 1880.
Being outdoors in southwest Georgia during the summer was THE BEST. Our community folks played softball twice a week at the school baseball diamond. That became a favorite gathering spot for most town’s folk during the summer months.
We kids played tennis, badminton, shot hoops out in backyards and enjoyed the town swimming pool. These and other events are still as common place in our culture in 2017 as in 1965.
Sounds like I was doing some late spring-cleaning in my bedroom with the cleaning out a dresser. Children of all ages can identify with this regardless of the era. Mothers from all walks attempt to teach children personal responsibility early on.
The men who dropped by our house must have been contractors offering an estimate to redo some of the kitchen cabinets and flooring. I think the days of that blue and yellow kitchen [yellow cabinets, blue & yellow matched floor tile, yellow walls and yellow themed curtains, and even a blue wall mounted telephone were about to come to an end.
“4 June 1965, Friday, I went to the library this afternoon and joined the book club. Adie and I played badminton with Kathy and Mary John this afternoon. Debra arrived at her grandma’s for the summer. 5 June 1965, Laurie came down to the house today. We all played some badminton (Debra, Laurie, Adie and me). Mitzi came by a little later. 6 June 1965, I went to Sunday School. Then I rode with the family over to Plains nursing home to see Grandmama. I went to church tonight to the baptism services.”
Parallels continue in current day with days long gone by. Doesn’t summer bring memories of friends who spend summers with grandparents? When I think back on my growing up years, I remember Debra in this light. Another important association of summer included the library which offered a place of refuge and summer reading programs. I still find the library a fascinating place nowadays with ‘maker space’ availability.
“7 June 1965, Monday, I arrived at Rock Eagle for our annual 4-H competition. I gave my demonstration today. I’m having a good time. Ann, Rhonda, Linda and I are here. It’s 10:25 and we’re heading to bed. 8 June 1965, I did not win anything this year. I rode into Eatonton (little town nearby) with Joy. I’m having a pretty good time. Ann won FIRST place in canning. 9 June 1965, I’m home from the 4-H meet. Hurrah! Sandra and Jackie ate fish with us tonight. I scraped my foot on a rusty iron and had to get a tetanus shot.”
Eatonton, Georgia had an amazing 4-H resort called Rock Eagle which hosted 4-H events and summer camps. I referenced this area in my 1964 stories. Story #14: 1964 Summer I: https://medium.com/growing-up-in-dixie/1964-small-town-summertime-adventures-1-1021634b0a3b#.kkkrwqy8f A couple of nights away from home with friends fostered great camaraderie and a chance to get to know other kids from different age groups.
Summertime in Georgia! Running barefoot through the grass was part of the scene. “Ouch,” I can almost feel that scrape against a rusty iron stake in the ground. Oh, but, I loved the feel of soft grass rustling between my toes and my feet enjoyed the carpet-like feel of the soft Bermuda grass.
“10 June 1965, Thursday, I had some kind of reaction to the tetanus shot. I’ve had fever all day. I missed Vacation Bible School. Debra came by for a little while. 11 June 1965, I went to Bible School. Rolled my hair. Laurie was here at the house awhile. I went to Kay and Margaret’s birthday party. Some of the boys and girls danced. I didn’t get asked to dance. boo hoo. Not such a great time. Oh well. 12 June 1965, I got up at 10:00 this morning and at 2:00 my family left for Columbus. The pool opened for the summer today, but I didn’t go. I played badminton out back with Debra.”
Vacation Bible School offered the opportunity to see school friends early in the summer. In this rural area, there were a few of us who lived in town and saw each other fairly regularly during the summer, but those who lived in the country did not have as many opportunities for connecting as easily and frequently.
Events such as Vacation Bible School, community softball games and birthdays offered opportunities for friends to re-connect.
A couple of friends had a dual birthday celebration. Having just finished the 7th grade, we began experiencing more girl/boy events. :) My disappointment at not dancing didn’t seem to be a very big deal. I probably had some good company among my girl pals.
“13 June 1965, I went to Sunday School. I am going to choir practice and then on to the evening church service for our Vacation Bible School commencement. 14 June 1965, Debra spent last night with me. I went to the pool tonight with Debra, Mitzi, Mary Jane and some other friends. Had a good time. 15 June 1965, Aunt Mary, Uncle Frank and Aunt Mae Helen came. Aunt Mary is spending the night at our house. I went to the schoolhouse tonight for the softball game.”
The swimming pool at night time brings back a flood of memories. I don’t recall the pool being opened at night very often. Summer nights were quite warm and I remember the refreshing feel of jumping into the cool fresh water. The fun of not being able to see so much of the surroundings added to the mystic and also allowed more focus on the feel of the water.
Another side note of interest: The pool had no filtering system. It was drained, cleaned and refilled weekly! To my recollection, there was plenty of chlorine in use, but no mechanized filtering system.
I have fond memories of my aunts and uncles. Aunt Mary who lived in Arizona made the world’s best homemade chili. I don’t have her recipe but I’m still inspired by that marvelous taste as I whip up my own concoction in 2017! Aunt Mae Helen and Uncle Frank had lived in Texas earlier in my childhood, but moved to Florida within a couple years of these writings. My family’s first ‘cross country’ road trip was in 1961 to El Paso where they lived then. I still have 8mm home movies of that trip when I was only 8 years old.
Sometimes, when I read back through these notes from my girlhood experiences, I’m surprised not to find more notes about my own father and mother. I guess at 12 going on 13 that my mind focused a lot on friends and summer activities. I would say that not often at that young age did I have the cognizant realization that my time with both of them was limited. They were just part of my everyday life, my comfort with the way the world was. I loved them and depended on them for creating that normalcy of my world.
Please join me for more adventures from long ago, as June 1965 continues to unfold.
