“Nothing Like Old Mail and Old Photos”

Oct 2nd “Nothing Like Old Mail and Old Photos”

Nothing in the world, like old MAIL and old PHOTOS, to bring back some good old memories, that you just may or may not have completely forgotten about!

This is when we still had “Penny Postcards” to send, and as I remember, there were three (3) mail deliveries a day. The “MAIL” flew and for just “One Cent!” For this old piece of mail, you sure can read the ink from the Post Office – just so nice and clear.

Looking at the address information, I can see that we must have been taught in the third and fourth grades to rule a faint line across the card – so that we could write on a straight line – to make it easier for the Mailman to read – just exactly as to where, this piece of Mail, was to be delivered.

This was delivered to the correct address and without me including the (7) for the Zip Code part of Saint Louis. I see that, I did have the (21) included in my return address and surprised that “Sister Florence” did not catch that error of mine and that the mail was still delivered, immediately !

This was one of those things, that I did do, and on a regular basis – and that was to send a Postcard to my Parents – and it generally included my “Grocery” order! There were no “Phones” available for us kids to use, and “Visiting Sundays” were on the second and fourth Sunday of each month, so if, I wanted something – I did have to ask, and like in the “BIBLE” explains – “He who ASKS – receives” so, that is exactly, what I thought that I was suppose to do!

When I ask for something – I do remember to ask for all those that I know, would also be wanting something – and as you can see – “TOMMY’s Birthday was coming up – and we “ALL” did need to celebrate it! Also, my DAD was a CHEF, by trade and he could whip up a “CAKE” from scratch – in no time at all – and we could then really enjoy having even more FAMILY fun!

On Visiting Sundays, we would sit in the Auditorium on folding chairs, kind of each FAMILY grouped together, as any child that had Visitors, would also be sitting together, and we all wanted to enjoy that extra special time, all – without sharing our FAMILY with others.

In the above Photo, from the left, TOMMY, Me, DENNY – and on this “Visiting Day” my DAD, had a small old BOX type camera – no “flash” light – and this day, evidently not much “Sunlight” shining in the windows, to the area where we were sitting, as you can see how dark these PHOTOS are.

But, there was an area on the “Auditorium Stage” where the “SUN” was coming in – just like it was suppose, too – so my DAD lifted us up and put us on the floor of the “STAGE” – and right where the SUN was coming in – so extra nice and strong!

We were suppose to smile and look HAPPY – but the SUN was coming in, too strong for us to smile, and have our “eyes” open – so these PHOTOS have us almost looking like we are crying – or not at all knowing what we are really supposed to be doing!

This Photo shows how strong that “Sunlight” is on that spot of the “STAGE” floor – and it was just too strong for us to open our eyes!

That dress that I have on, was called a “Spinach” dress as it was “GREEN” and the material made you itch and scratch, but evidently the Orphanage received enough of these dresses in all different sizes, so that every girl wore this same dress. It was the “PITTS” as no one liked them – but that was then, and the way things were!

I’m just glad, that I still have reminders of how things were – sometimes, some people will try to change the facts of what went on back them – but having a few PHOTOS that show – how things really were – makes quite a difference – for the book of LIFE! D.V.