Starving Teenager

Hello Dear Reader,
One of Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter’s memories of high school was the lunch line. She said, “That soup line at school was a real treat—hot soup for 2¢, or an orange and a cookie for 2¢. What a bargain for a starving teenager." She remembered what it was like to be hungry. Maybe that’s one of the reasons she always made sure there was plenty to eat at her house.
Love,
Aunt Genni

More Tobacco Tales

Hello Dear Reader,
Perhaps one reason Grandpa (Laning) Hall was so against smokers was that his own father was a chain smoker—Jasper rolled his own Bull Durham cigarettes. As soon as he lit one cigarette he would roll another and place it over his ear. He usually had one cigarette in his mouth and one behind each ear.

As he grew older he became somewhat senile and did things that frightened his in-laws and grandchildren. When Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter’s friends asked her what was wrong with her grandfather her standard reply was, “Oh he’s got nicotine of the brain.”
Love,
Aunt Genni

Old Nicotina

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandpa (Laning) Hall teased his girls a lot about their boyfriends. One time Lois, Grandma (Mary) Carter’s sister, had a date with a young man that smoked. The whole family smelled tobacco on him when he came to pick Lois up. They nearly went into shock.

When Lois got up the next morning Laning said, “Well how was ‘Old Nicotina’ last night?” Lois started screaming, had a tantrum, and ran into the bedroom. She flung herself on the bed and pounded her fists on her pillow. The whole family listened to her bawl. Grandpa just called him “Nicotina” and Lois never went out with him again. As far as I know, none of the rest of them ever dated anyone who smoked either.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Challenges

Hello Dear Reader,
When Lois and Mary were old enough to date their father, (Laning Hall) gave them a bad time. He was a champion checker player but he was also a tease. Every young man that came calling was challenged to a game of checkers. The purpose of this was to see if the boys had enough brains to be worthy of Laning’s daughters. The girls stood and fumed while their dad soundly trounced whoever they had a date with.

One time Mary had a date with someone she “couldn’t have cared less for,” but wanted to see a movie that he had invited her to. Her dad dragged him into the living room and made him play checkers. Mary asked her mother, “Why does he want to test him? I wouldn’t have him if you’d give him to me.”

It didn’t matter. Whoever came calling played checkers with Laning. I think the ordeal was worse for the girls than it was for their dates.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Cutting a Dashing Figure

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter and her cousin, Lila, loved to try to ice skate. They didn’t have shoe skates, only clamp-on skates. They needed something to support their ankles. Sometimes they bribed their little brothers to take off their high-top shoes and stay in the house. They clamped the skates onto their brothers’ shoes and wore them to go skating on Wride’s Pond.

They had lots of fun. One time they decided they were going to be figure skaters. They tried going backwards, forwards, and all around. Although they were probably just barely moving, as Mary recalled, they thought they were really doing great. I guess greatness is all in the mind.
Love,
Aunt Genni

Transportation by Sleigh

Hello Dear Reader,
Sometimes, in winter when the snow was deep, school buses didn’t run. One year when Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter was in high school it was cold (below zero) and snowy so a big sleigh was brought to the school in Spanish Fork to transport all the kids who lived way out in the country.

When Mary arrived at her house she saw her dad was home pacing up and down waiting for her. She decided to put on a show for him. She said, “Oh, I’m frozen, I’m frozen. I can’t stand it. I’m just stiff I’m so cold. Grandpa (Laning) Hall said, “Throw her in the snow. Throw her in the snow.” Apparently it was a common belief that to treat frost bite the victim should be rubbed with snow. Grandpa tried to wrestle her down but she fought him for all she was worth. She wasn’t that frozen.
Love,
Aunt Genni

High School Fun, Fun, Fun

Hello Dear Reader,
Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter’s best friends through high school were her cousin, Lila Francis, and Mary Ellen Argyle. Mary and Mary Ellen took every class together from the seventh grade through graduation. They shared fond memories of their school days together.

Mary loved riding the bus seven miles from Lake Shore to Spanish Fork every day. She said, “It was an education in itself. We had such fun—singing songs, telling jokes, sitting by someone special, or just giggling with our girl friends.” Mary enjoyed people and loved being with them. She thought having fun was an important part of life and hosted many parties and get-togethers.
Love,
Aunt Genni