Cynthia Mink asked "Can you make a spot on the blog where we can make comments on the festival photos?"
Certainly can, Cynthia. And while doing so, let me explain the above photo, which is included in the set.
Frieda Rogers brought the little washboard (scrub-board, we used to call it) to John Olan's and Glo's home that afternoon. Story is, I gave it to her as a gift on her 5th birthday to wash her doll's clothing and she has kept it for 60+ years!
We all certainly had a great time, especially at John and Glo's party that afternoon. Thanks to all who made it a success.
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Photo by Clarene Evans - click to enlarge-
16 comments:
I was at the breakfast at Agnew's. It was a very happy affair when old friends met again. The atmosphere was very noisy, so much that you had to get near a person's ear to be heard.
Someone pointed out that if J. B. Baker would happen to walk in the room it would get so quiet so quickly that you could have heard a pin drop on the floor as far away as Tupelo!
This Fall weekend was so worth the effort to get to Baldwyn! The weather kept us outside and gab going strong. Agrew's Store was a real threat. Some of us cruised the Festival and got out to John & Glo's way early. Food never stopped coming in and was delicious. If you hear a hint that another "reunion" is suggested, make a commitment at all costs. Thanks John & Glo
I so wished I could be there. I've never been to an Okeelala Festival. Mother would tell me about it--after it was over.
Maybe I lived with my head in the sand when I was living in Baldwyn, but I never heard of Okeelala.
The festival photos are great. (I'm glad they're captioned.)
I love the washboard story.
One Summer in the late 1950's I worked at a place in Memphis that made all types and sizes of washboards and packed railroad boxcars full of them. We might have made that one.
Jo, we would spend many days in the hot summer swimming in this stream, the location I used was not far from the road that runs in front on "The Country Inn"-- very near the present 4-lane Hwy 45-- after swimming we would walk back home and were dry before getting there. Lots of fun -- lots
John M
Did the girls go too? Or was that just a guy thing? I remember going to 20 mile canal. But Mother was pretty protective. I had to sneak off to go to the canal. I reckon I was pretty much an Okolona pool girl where there was a life guard.
Anonymous 8:55, the washboards were made at a plant in Memphis on Florida Street called Wabash Screen Door Company, later Wabash, Inc.
That three story building was built in 1901 and even produced its' own electricity using a steam engine powered generator burning the wood scraps and natural gas.
I worked there in 1960-1962 on the 2nd floor as a timekeeper and later foreman of the screen door assembly line.
Once for two weeks I was sent to the 3rd floor and ran the washboard assembly line. There were huge orders to fill from Mexico, Central America, and South American companies and we shipped, as you said, carloads of the product.
That particular washboard that Frieda has was made long before you and I worked there! Do you remember me by my name? Please let me know who you are and I'll try to recall you.
Carl
Jo, that question brings up a new slant on this subject-- I didn't see girls at Okeelala--but sadly we did see girls at Blue Marr which is on the twenty mile--one day we were all there, must have been 12 of us-- well we didn't have proper bathing atire, just what we were born with-- that afternoon several girls came along and decided it would be FUN to give our clothes a ride back to Baldwyn in their car-- Man whata mess
John M
A closeup look at the washboard reveals that Freida has used it quite a bit in the 60 years.
Freida, you haven't aged a bit since high school. You look great!
The best soap to use with scrubboards was P&G. It would clean anything, and you could catch fish with it, too. The fat content really attracted fish.
Carl, Gloria has an heirloom child's washboard similar to the one in your photo made by National Washboard Co. Chicago & Memphis.
Must have been a competitor to Wabash.
Frieda does look good after all these years, and Carl Jr. really does, too (wow).
We are not getting old, just better!
Milton, The National Washboard Company and Wabash was the same company. The National Logo was still put on the product even after the new owners, The Donahue's in Memphis, took over. The plates that printed the logo on top of the wasboard was brass and was kept locked up until needed for a production run. Gloria probably has a "toy" worth 150 dollars at today's antique market!
Just noticed... Thank you, 4:07PM!
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