The Farmer's Daughter February School Days in the Country

February is normally the time of the year we get cabin fever especially if we have lots of cold, snowy weather. It's always interesting to go past St. Joseph College to see how the water has frozen on the fountain to make beautiful artistic shapes. Of course, I recall how I use to enjoy going ice skating with friends and classmates in the winter on the pond during my high school days at Rensselaer High School back in the late 1950's.

February also brings memories of grade school days when we would learn about President George Washington and President Abe Lincoln. I can still see the silhouettes we use to make of these presidents and hanging them around the classroom on the walls. On the windows would be the cherries and the hatchets that we had colored and cut out as part of our art projects in school. We would write reports for English about these presidents. In such a report, we would have written that George Washington was the "father of our country." On a inscription at Mount Vernon it says "Washington, the brave, the wise, the good, Supreme in war, in council and in peace; Valiant without ambition, discreet without fear, confident without presumption..." As we recall, from our history lessons, George Washington was a great and honest man.

Abe Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States of America, is noted for saying, "That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion: that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." To this I only can say let it be so!

February meant that "Tourney Time" was just around the corner. We would play our sectionals at Kentland against ten other schools. In 1960, the top teams for the Bombers to beat were Morocco, Brook, DeMotte and Goodland. RHS did win over Morocco by the score of 51 to 49 but lost against Kentland by 41 to 36. Our varsity seniors were Dale Hamacher, Jim Taylor, Larry Cain, Dick Roth, and Jim Putman. Our varsity cheerleaders were Tom Chapman, Calvin Steinke, Janet Sheldon and Martha Trammell.

One of my favorite activities to do in the winter, in addition to skating on the pond at St.Joe, was to go roller skating at Bazz's Roller Rink. As I recall, we use to wear a clamp on style shoe skate. Skating was one of the few times that us girls would wear "pants" as it was considered to be "unlady like" if you didn't have on a skirt and blouse or sweater. Dresses were for Sunday or parties! I can still see the late Orville "Bazz" Pugh standing behind the counter handing out the skates and spinning our favorite songs to skate by in the rink. One of my favorite things to do on the skates was the "Bunny Hop."

Now I haven't forgotten how much fun it was in grade school to decorate an old shoe box to hold all our valentines. We would use crepe paper, made ruffles, lace dollies, stencil hearts, and proudly print our names so neat on the box. These valentines were sweeter then any box of candy and warmer then standing by the fireplace because it was the caring that brought so much love and happiness to the simple valentine cards which were often homemade.

February is also the time to prune those grapes, apple and other fruit trees. Remember to leave a few small branches on the ground for the small animals to chew. This would be a great time clean your tools if you didn't complete that project last fall.

Now before you go off dreaming of spring with your seed catalogs, you might want to try Marge Flickner's Cherry Pudding.

2 cans sour cherries

2 c. sugar

2 c. liquid

2 c. sifted flour

4 twp baking powder

1 c. milk

2 T. oleo, softened

Drain cherries, retain liquid and add enough water to make two cups. Cook first three ingredients until they come to a boil. Next mix last four ingredients together and spread evenly in bottom of a greased 9 X 13 inch dish. Pour cherry mixture on top of flour mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.