Growing Up

When Carl was growing up his dad always stressed to not steal. I wonder if this was because of their poverty made it more of a temptation or since they were so poor they thought people expected them to do it.

The only serious injury he can remember during his childhood was a broken arm. He did this while he was jumping out of a swing. This was in 1945. I thought is was interesting that my son Lewen also got a broken arm while jumping out of a swing.

His favorite toy was a red ball. He also made a scooter out of some old roller skates he had found. This list of his favorites is so different from todays generation that are bombarded with way too many toys. The contrast in amazingly different.

One thing that he regrets is not getting a better education. He has always told me that his highest level of education was 8th grade – if he had even passed that year. He wasn’t sure. It’s hard for me to imagine not having the opportunity too go on to high school let alone college. I was raised with every opportunity to continue my education if that is what I wanted. Carl is extremely intelligent and probably would have been a successful college student. His math skills have always been top notch. He is intimidated with spelling. I think he assumes that since he can’t spell very well he isn’t a good student. Jasper was also very good at math. Unfortunately those skills didn’t get passed onto me. Carl proudly got his GED later in life! We were so proud of him!

Carl can remember his dad had always been a drinker. All of Jasper’s brothers drank as well, but Jasper was worse than all of his siblings.

There were a few times when members of a church would stop by their home and bring in a Victrola. Since their home didn’t have any electricity this way they could play music for them. Jasper always left whenever they were there.

Carl remembers going to church occasionally. There was a bus that would come around their neighborhood once in awhile to pick them up. All of the kids would go to Sunday School and then the bus would take them home. Carl always wondered what was going on at the church after Sunday School. One Sunday he decided to not get on the bus and go sit down with the rest of the congregation. It didn’t take long before the bus driver came and snatched him up and threw him back onto the bus. He never went back after that.

After hearing this story it makes sense that while I was growing up he was very involved in the bus ministry at our church. He got up early every Sunday morning and picked up as many kids as he could. He built a relationship with the kids as well as their families. He was gifted at this! He really did love them. A friend of mine who lived down the street from us always rode on the bus. She still remembers it and always brags about my dad. He was loved by many of these kids. An added bonus, Janet and I would get to ride the bus each Sunday as well. We thought it was great.

Grandparents. Carl can’t remember much about his mother Ruth’s parents, the Wintroad’s however, Jasper’s parents were a part of his life. He remembers them as always being nice and their house was always clean. They did a lot with them. Weekly meals, his grandma would always keep the table set with the plates upside down until it was time for the next meal. He said that she sat a place for Jesus. I found this interesting since he can’t remember them going to church. There must have been some kind of christian background. Occasionally he would get to spend the night. He remembers one time he was messing around and locked his grandma outside the house. She must have given him a lot of grief because he still regrets doing that. He said their house was in the Huntington area but not exactly sure where.

The only book he can remember that was read to him was Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer. I think maybe this would have been before public libraries. He never really liked to read. I’m sure not having many books in the house contributed to this. His mother had a Bible that he can remember her reading it some but she never read it to the children.

His birthday was recognized with a cake (he thinks it was a white cake) and sometimes there would be a gift. Usually a new shirt sewn by his mother. She didn’t have a sewing machine so this would have been with just a needle and thread. There were always lots of soft sugar cookies that his mother had baked.

I asked Carl if his mother did any special decorating for Christmas. The only thing he can remember was one time the school gave them a Christmas tree. He remembers dragging it home from school. I thought it was interesting that the school gave it to him but didn’t offer to take it to their home. This is another sign that they were in survival mode. The frivolities of how we get ready for Christmas were nonexistent then.

The only pet he can remember having was a dog named Buster. He was a stray that they found at their house on Christmas Eve. They had him for a long time. Unfortunately Buster’s life came to an end when the milkman ran over him. Carl can remember that Jasper cried at this. He can’t remember seeing his dad cry after the death of his mother. He may have and Carl just never saw it. Buster was a loved pet. Carl had a little funeral for him. No one else was there but Carl.