Holiday Memories of Irene Mousley

When I was a young girl, in the 1930’s, Christmas began and ended with music, mostly singing. Christmas Caroling was our favorite thing to do. Sometimes we went in the school bus up and down the Valley, singing our hearts out and laughing in between homes.

Our home was humble but adequate: No running water, that is, we ran from the well or later the pump, to the kitchen with buckets full of water for household use. Yes, we bathed in round #2 tubs.

It was a great day when electricity came to our town and we could have a cord with one light bulb hanging down in the center of a room for light, and a string of Christmas tree lights. I think we continued to use oil lamps as well until we could have electric lamps to help brighten up each room.

By (Myrtle) Irene Mousley, daughter of Nathan Cram Tenney and Myrtle Payne