Hello Dear Reader,
After some temporary jobs Mary (Hall) went to work in Provo for a lovely woman by the name of Anna Stone. She was a household helper and learned many things from Mrs. Stone. One of Mary’s tasks was doing laundry . Anna was very fussy and taught Mary to be an excellent ironer. Clean, beautifully pressed laundry was something Mary took pride in the rest of her life.
She also did housework for Anna, helped with the cooking, and tended children. I believe that she actually lived with the Stones during the week and went home to Lake Shore on weekends. Meanwhile, she also continued to date.
Love,
Aunt Genni
Monday, June 15, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Doubtful Ketchup
Hello Dear Reader,
Another job Mary (Hall) had following her high school graduation was working at the cannery in Leland south of Spanish Fork. Del Monte owned the cannery at that time and they were bottling ketchup. I suppose Mary found the job pretty disgusting—she wouldn’t eat ketchup for years afterwards.
I asked her about it one time and she said they just threw in the tomatoes whether they had worms in them or not. Yuck! No wonder she didn’t eat ketchup. Thank goodness standards are higher now—I guess they are anyway.
Love,
Aunt Genni
Another job Mary (Hall) had following her high school graduation was working at the cannery in Leland south of Spanish Fork. Del Monte owned the cannery at that time and they were bottling ketchup. I suppose Mary found the job pretty disgusting—she wouldn’t eat ketchup for years afterwards.
I asked her about it one time and she said they just threw in the tomatoes whether they had worms in them or not. Yuck! No wonder she didn’t eat ketchup. Thank goodness standards are higher now—I guess they are anyway.
Love,
Aunt Genni
Friday, June 12, 2009
Fruit Orchards
Hello Dear Reader,
After high school Mary (Hall) had to face reality and find work. Jobs were scarce. One of her summer jobs was picking and sorting fruit for her uncle, Jess Cordner. Jess had married Mary’s Aunt Jen (Sarah Jane). Their fruit orchards were apparently in Orem, or on the Provo Bench, as it used to be called. Utah produces wonderful fruit. It's something about the cool nights and mountain air.
I don’t remember much about the Cordners but I do remember going to Provo Bench to see Mary’s Aunt Ag and Uncle Allen Bellows. They also had orchards. I loved going to see them as they were very kind to me.
Love,
Aunt Genni
After high school Mary (Hall) had to face reality and find work. Jobs were scarce. One of her summer jobs was picking and sorting fruit for her uncle, Jess Cordner. Jess had married Mary’s Aunt Jen (Sarah Jane). Their fruit orchards were apparently in Orem, or on the Provo Bench, as it used to be called. Utah produces wonderful fruit. It's something about the cool nights and mountain air.
I don’t remember much about the Cordners but I do remember going to Provo Bench to see Mary’s Aunt Ag and Uncle Allen Bellows. They also had orchards. I loved going to see them as they were very kind to me.
Love,
Aunt Genni
Thursday, June 11, 2009
High School Graduation
Hello Dear Reader,
Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter graduated from Spanish Fork High School on May 20, 1938. She had enjoyed her school years and developed many friendships and memories that she retained the rest of her life. For graduation she had a pale green chiffon formal and said,” [I] felt very glamorous.”
Love,
Aunt Genni
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Embarrassment
Hello Dear Reader,
Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter participated in some extracurricular activities in high school although she was restrained somewhat by having to ride the school bus back to Lake Shore each afternoon. She played basketball in 1936-37, baseball in 1937, and sewed opera costumes for an opera that was put on that same year.
Her cousin, Lila, was the lead singer in the school opera in 1938. Mary could never have done anything like that. Besides not being a great singer she got embarrassed too easily. She probably got that from her dad (Laning). He really didn’t like to see his children perform in public—their performances embarrassed him.
Love,
Aunt Genni
Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter participated in some extracurricular activities in high school although she was restrained somewhat by having to ride the school bus back to Lake Shore each afternoon. She played basketball in 1936-37, baseball in 1937, and sewed opera costumes for an opera that was put on that same year.
Her cousin, Lila, was the lead singer in the school opera in 1938. Mary could never have done anything like that. Besides not being a great singer she got embarrassed too easily. She probably got that from her dad (Laning). He really didn’t like to see his children perform in public—their performances embarrassed him.
Love,
Aunt Genni
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Dating Dilemmas
Hello Dear Reader,
Mary (Hall) continued to have lots of dates in high school. Sometimes her family circumstances were an embarrassment to her. Although the lane they lived down seemed a half mile long, it wasn’t. But it was muddy a lot.
One time Mary had a date with Shavey Argyle. In order to pick her up, he rolled his pants legs up to his knees and trod up the muddy lane after her. Mary put on her galoshes and they started out. The mud was so sticky that it sucked her galoshes right off her feet.
They were going to an “Elder’s dance,” one of those put on weekly by the Elders Quorum. They went to the Argyle home first and tried to clean the mud off their legs and feet so they would be somewhat presentable. She said, “It was horrible!”
Love,
Aunt Genni
Mary (Hall) continued to have lots of dates in high school. Sometimes her family circumstances were an embarrassment to her. Although the lane they lived down seemed a half mile long, it wasn’t. But it was muddy a lot.
One time Mary had a date with Shavey Argyle. In order to pick her up, he rolled his pants legs up to his knees and trod up the muddy lane after her. Mary put on her galoshes and they started out. The mud was so sticky that it sucked her galoshes right off her feet.
They were going to an “Elder’s dance,” one of those put on weekly by the Elders Quorum. They went to the Argyle home first and tried to clean the mud off their legs and feet so they would be somewhat presentable. She said, “It was horrible!”
Love,
Aunt Genni
Monday, June 8, 2009
Rabies
Hello Dear Reader,
Some notes in her yearbook say Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter) was the prettiest girl from Lake Shore and a lot of kids thought she was “fun,” had “a nice personality,” was “a sweet kid,” and was one of “the grandest kids.”
But apparently one young man made a nuisance of himself in his feelings towards her during high school. Mary Ellen Argyle, her best friend, recalled, “Your pet saying, ‘I hate him,’—another one, ‘He’s got hydrophobia.’” Mary seemed to think someone by the name of Johnny Moore was pretty cute though.
Love,
Aunt Genni
Some notes in her yearbook say Grandma (Mary Hall) Carter) was the prettiest girl from Lake Shore and a lot of kids thought she was “fun,” had “a nice personality,” was “a sweet kid,” and was one of “the grandest kids.”
But apparently one young man made a nuisance of himself in his feelings towards her during high school. Mary Ellen Argyle, her best friend, recalled, “Your pet saying, ‘I hate him,’—another one, ‘He’s got hydrophobia.’” Mary seemed to think someone by the name of Johnny Moore was pretty cute though.
Love,
Aunt Genni
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