Thoughts of Iowa Falls Part 1

The letter from my brother, Richard, mentioning his memories of childhood and our life in Iowa before WWII was a delight to read.  Memories of the houses we lived in, the schools we attended, work and play during our childhood allow us to relive those days tinged with the sweetness of age. 

Being older than my 5 brothers and 2 sisters, I recall each of their arrivals in the family and I enjoy remembering them as babies and later as play companions.  Although my sister, Adeline and I were close in age and able to participate in activities the younger ones could not, we eight children often played as a group. 

We older children helped look after the younger ones and I was often asked to baby sit when Mom and Dad both had to be away from the house.  We enjoyed a tremendous amount of liberty and we came and went as we chose until supper time, although we usually told Mom where we were going or asked permission to do something not usually allowed.  

For as long as I can remember, the whole family ate the evening meal together. Besides the immediate family, we often had friends and visiting relatives at the table too. 

The various dishes of food,  breads,butter and relishes were placed on the table and passed around with each helping themselves.  Adeline and I learned to set the table at an early age and as we got older, helped Mom prepare the evening meal.  Then we washed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen afterward.  All my brothers and sisters learned to cook and three brothers earned their living as cooks. 

The foods we ate were home grown vegetables, beef and pork from animals we had raised or purchased from local farmers who had butchered  recently.  At breakfast time bacon and eggs, with hot biscuits or pancakes with corn syrup or sorghum, or a choice of cooked oatmeal or dry cereal was served. School lunches varied depending on which school was attended.  We came home for lunches or packed them to eat at school.  On rare occasions we were allowed to buy a hamburger at a small cafe near Dad's office. The evening meal was served soon after Dad got home from the office. The meal usually ended with a dessert, home made pie, cake or pudding.  Fruit was usually eaten as a snack or with dry cereal at breakfast time. During berry season shortcake was a daily dessert.

[Editor's note: This is part 1 of 3 parts]

Sorghum