Lois Memories -2

Lois Grace Beegle Cypher’s memoirs

Joseph and Grace Beegle Harry C. and Emma E. Hunt

St Mark’s birth announcement St. Mark Luthern Church

Lois Cypher’s Memoirs Biddle School Days

After much urging from sister Ada and brother Allan, I’m going to record memories of my childhood.

My first memories are of visiting Biddle School with Allan and Ruth. This must have been when I was 5 years old. Also, when Ada, Ruth, and Allan had Scarlet Fever, I would watch for the mailman and get the mail and run to their room to give them their mail. That was off-bounds for me and I was sent to Grandma’s in Bedford. I was spoiled there and received a lot of attention from Grandma’s borders: Mildred Beegle and Mary Pearl and Dorothy Wetstone. There was a forest fire on the ridge between Friend’s Cove and Bedford and they would take me out on the front porch to watch it. There was also a forest fire on Martin Hill. Daddy went to fight the fire and we all went up to a room upstairs and had a Bible reading and prayer with Mother.

I started to school but was not thrilled with the idea. Edna (Klingerman) Diehl was my first grade teacher. Later on, Rita Diehl taught us. Allan was her pet and could do no wrong. I got into trouble and had to sit in the back of the room on the tin “dust down” can that was used to sweep the wooden floor. One day at recess, two of the larger boys were pitching a hardball back and forth. They would throw it over our heads. When we moved, they would come near us. The ball hit me on the head and made me mad. I went in and

told the teacher, Leona Diehl, that I was going home since she couldn’t make the boys behave. I got my lunchbox and headed for home. I told Daddy I had a headache from it. He went over to school and called the boys out and gave them a talking to. From that time on, I was not treated very well and had to be very good as they had it in for me.

Joseph Beegle Sometimes when it snowed, Daddy would hitch up Mike and Betty to the sled and take us to school. Anyone along the way would get a free ride to school. It was fun to hear the bells attached to the harnesses on the horses. Another trick of mine was on the way to school, I would run ahead of Allan and Ruth and set my lunchbox down in the road. They finally grew tired of this and left it to sit. When first recess came, I went to get a snack out of my lunchbox and it was not on the shelf. I had to go and get it so that little trick stopped. Allan would ride home with Rita from school. If I was mad at the teacher, I would not ride with them. They would pass me and blow the horn and wave. At recess and lunch time, we played baseball with a flat bat and soft ball. We made our own rules. If the ball was thrown across in front of you, that was an out. This was a one room school, red brick, potbellied stove, windows on both sides. First Grade to Eighth Grade. When we could pass the exam, we went into Bedford to high school. Dad was on the school board as long as I can

remember. I wore high top shoes; they were black and you had to lace them up. I saw other girls had nice slippers, so I thought if I burn holes in the toes by holding them by the grate in the pot bellied stove, mother would buy me some of those pretty slippers. This did not fly with Mother or Dad so I had to wear the high tops until the soles were worn out. A lot of the time while growing up, I would wear clothes that were outgrown from older sister Ruth. The first new coat I got was one I will always remember. It was light green with a tan collar and cuffs. I really thought I was dressed up. Also, a girlfriend could not say, “Was that Ruth’s coat?” I had imaginary playmates. I must have been about 4 or 5. These people lived in houses in the yard under the trees and bushes. I would visit them and talk to them. They all had names but the only one I can remember is Mary Jubilee.

Mary Ellen and Lois’ Tea Party

Mary Ellen and I had playhouses. One was in the pantry off the back porch. One was in the corn crib at the end of the pig pen. We had a play table and chairs, dolls, cupboard, doll bed, also furniture made out of crates and boards. We made sand pies, etc. In the fall, I supposed we went back to school and forgot to clean out our corn crib playhouse. Daddy was bringing in corn from the field and didn’t remember about our playhouse and shoveled corn over our play furniture. So we had to pull our dolls’ furniture out from under the corn.

One spring day when the chickens hatched their chicks and had them out for a walk, a cat got the bright idea to catch the chicks and eat them. This had to be stopped and since Dad was away from home, Mother asked Grandpa to shoot the cat. He did with Dad’s shotgun. He shot two pollens off the gate, one chicken, and the cat. He sat the gun down and said, “My God!” That was the only time I heard him use that strong a language. After we buried the cat, another mother cat appeared and nursed the dead cat’s kittens. Allan raised lambs to sell to make money to go to college. He knew every sheep that belonged to him from all the sheep that were in the flock. I do believe that he saved enough money to pay for his first year in college. I made many trips to the barn with him with a lantern in the night when the sheep were having their lambs. If a sheep had twins and she would stray away from the first lamb and have the second one, she would not own the first. We had to take the first lamb and rub it over the second one so it would smell like the second one or she would not own it. I also helped Karl and Dad when they made hay. I was on the wagon to tramp down the hay when they threw it up. Also, I would drive the team of horses. Mike and Betty were a team of beautiful grey horses and had a lot of pep even after a day of plowing. One day we were in a corner of the hayfield and Dad told me to turn the horses. I told him I didn’t have enough room. Dad said, “I said turn them” so I did. Mike fell over Betty’s side inside the wagon tong with his feet up in the air. I was so scarred I ran and climbed over the fence. Dad said he was sorry because he thought I had more room. Also, at times, I helped with milking. Whenever a couple returned from their honeymoon, it was the custom for the friends to come to the house and have a “bellen” or serenade. The friends would beat on tin pans and ring bells until the couple came to the door for congratulations. While this was going on I became angry and went outside and sat in the open Ford with a fly swatter and hit them over the head when they came and blew the horn on the car. Bedford High School (Pennsylvania) I took the exam for high school and by some miracle I passed. There were four girls who became very good friends: Barbara Mollenauer, Rita May Kund, and June Cessna. We remained friends after high school and we saw each other after class reunions. Since we had a tennis court at home, I was a pretty good tennis player. I always won the tournaments in high school and even won two awards.

Brothers and Sisters Ada was the oldest of the six. She took and interest in us and tried to teach us manners. She taught us how to set the table and also table manners. She took Mary Ellen and I to Washington for a trip to many interesting places there. One of our first dinners at a restaurant, I noticed she left money on the table. I picked it and took it to the car and handed it to her. She was embarrassed and I got my first lesson on tipping. Ada would take me for a week in the summer to stay with her. She would buy material for a school dress for me to make. She taught me how to lay out the pattern and then she would OK it and then I would cut out the dress and sew it. It was a blue striped with a sailor collar. Later on in our life, I would take care of her when she was having knee and hip replacements. Mother and Daddy’s second child was a little boy. Mother told me he was beautiful and so fair but never cried. His name was named Paul. Later they learned he had a leaking heart and died in three months. Ruth always did everything right and was a good student. I thought she was so good looking and could not wait to get her clothes she grew out of. They told me one time she was put in charge of me. I got some scissors and cut off my bangs. Well, Ruth about had a nervous break-down as she thought it was her fault. Ruth and I were flower girls at Aunt Ada’s wedding. We had white dresses with rosette ribbons and carried baskets of flowers. Allan was a perfect student, always reading when he got the time. He worked hard at the farm chores, played an alto and clarinet in the Charlesville Band. When Mother and Daddy went away, we would make “mixups”. Everyone had to taste them and they were terrible. Allan’s were really bad. We rated the ones that were the worst and Allan would get the prize. I was next in line so I’ve said enough about me. Marry Ellen was my little sister and I know I would tease her a lot. We played house and made mud-pies and would pretend to eat them. We had several dolls and one was a boy doll. I can remember when she started to school she was so cute.

Karl was the last of six. I was often in charge of getting him dressed when we went away. He had three suits: yellow, blue, and green. He looked so cute. When he grew older, he did the chores. I sometimes helped him and Mother milk if Daddy was away. The boys had to work hard. On a farm, there was always work but we always had a lot of fun.

Daddy and Mother always set a good example for their children. They would talk together about important matters. They never talked about neighbors or anyone else. They were leaders in the community and always helped others when possible. They met as school teachers. We were very fortunate to have them as parents.

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