Introduces the topic of musical entertainments within the family with comments on how today we rely on television instead of ourselves.
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Tells the story of her dad attending Clayville school, a one room schoolhouse, and having Friday Speech days under teacher Jess Irwin. Students had to memorize a piece to present. Sixty years later, her father would recite the poems he learned as he did his farm work. Grandmother Irwin taught all her five sons to play piano. Jeanette's father learned this too. Story about his getting the teacher to play a new piece through so he could learn it by ear instead of having to struggle reading the notes. He also sang.
ACTIVITIES
Jeanette's mother's family were musically talented, although untrained. They had music evenings at one another's houses. Among them, they played the fiddle, piano, harmonica, Jew's harp, mandolin, banjo, accordion, and spoons or bones. Describes how old beef bones were polished up and held in the hands to play rhythm. Uncle Edgar joined in with jigs. Tells the story of cousins who hummed the new Broadway tune "Easter Parade" so they could all learn it and play it.
