SEGMENT: ACTIVITIES & FAMILY
Lou Ann Siburt>UIS Collection S>UIS Collection S, Segment 18
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- ACTIVITIES
- Was related to many neighbors. Family would get together, play music with piano, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and eat popcorn and homemade fudge. Attended many activities at their church, and went to church twice on Sunday and to the potluck dinners. Attended school activities at the one-room schoolhouse. Sang with sister at church and school. Enjoyed wiener roasts, hay rides, makeshift ice skating, fishing on a john boat on the Sangamon River, and swimming in the river. Loved to read, but had no books or library, so teacher brought books from Decatur Public Library. Rolled a hoop with siblings, made toys and games, rode in the hay rack, helped scoop hay into hay loft, and had taffy pulls.
- FAMILY
- Thinks extended family presence helped children grow. Had strong sense of family and community because of church influence. Rarely had good shoes so younger children sometimes did not go to church. Neighbor gave children haircuts. Later got barbershop haircuts. Helped make sure brothers' haircuts were good. Girls let their hair grow. Uncle was benefactor for family and gave Mrs. Siburt a permanent for Christmas when she was twelve. Permanent lasted for a year and cost $1.75. Mostly wore braids before then because her hair was straight. Describes getting a permanent at twelve. Later the cold wave was invented, because getting a perm was uncomfortable and hot. Describes tying hair up in rags to have curls in the morning.
