Extracurriculars

I worked after school and on Saturdays at McClellan’s—a five and dime store sorta like Woolworth’s. At that time, some of the boys in San Angelo worked as fountain boys at the drug stores which served cars in front.

My violin teacher had a group which she called an Octet, but there were more than eight of us. We played four parts, though. I played the fourth part along with my friend Lanham Deal. We went to Odessa and to Ozona to play concerts at different times, and every Christmas, we played excerpts from Handel’s Messiah with the choir at the First Methodist Church (at left; it burned down in 1945). I loved the Hallelujah Chorus, and it was GREAT to get to play it.

We also had a pretty good orchestra for the last two years. Mr. Homer Anderson came to teach band and orchestra then. I was very pleased.

San Angelo had a municipal auditorium and Community Concerts toured there. Mr. Anderson arranged for some of his students to be ushers at the concerts. We wore our long dresses and the boys in their Sunday suits seated the people and were able to sit and enjoy the concerts after that.

Of course, that was in the 30s. The Oberammergau (sp?) Players brought their “Passion Play” to San Angelo in the 30s before they stopped touring and I saw that.

I helped Mr. Anderson recruit students for the orchestra. He was my special friend. Sent students to me for extra violin help and I was paid for my work.

It was during my early teen years that I learned to crochet. I started a bedspread—didn't realize what a mammoth project I had in mind. That project finally ended up as two dresser scarves, I think.

Since then I have crocheted hundreds of afghans. I still crochet, particularly when the old arthritis begins to make my hands and fingers stiff and achy.

Funny, now that I think of it, I guess this typing does the same thing, for my wrists and hands haven't hurt for quite a while.