Memories of Growing up near Ira, Iowa

BARBEE, BATTLES, BREER, CASTOR, CRAWFORD, DEETER, HARDING, INGLES, LOGSDON, LOWE, MASON, MCKIBBON, MEADE, PALMER, PRICE, RICHARDSON, SUTTON, WESTON, ZIMMERMAN

Posted By: JCGS Volunteer
Date: 6/6/2018 at 17:38:37

(As told by Gladys Breer (Baxter) in a letter to Mrs. Lee Sutton (Mingo) in about July 1983
Memories … Memories
Yes, I have many happy memories of a happy childhood spent in our little farm home a quarter of a mile west of the little town of Ira.
The long cow shed, the barn with the big driveway in the middle where we could play when it was rainy outside, with the horses snuffing hay on the south side, and on the north a big hay mow going from bottom to top. An oat bin on the west where we could play in the oats, if the bin were not too full. The big double corncrib with the driveway between cribs where we climbed high and crawled between the rafters sliding down the mound of corn on the other side. Crawling under the cribs for eggs the hens loved to lay in the dark corners and thinking that a rat might bite me at any minute.
Now all is gone except the little square house and a few of the old trees to the west. But the memories are still there.
The sunny days after our work was done, playing with the Battles children, Claude, Doris and Irene, our neighbors on the north. In the fall the days at the schoolhouse on the hill at the north end of Main Street. The sorrow when it burned to the ground, for we loved to go to school. The make-shift crowded building across the street from the Castor’s that we used until a new building could be built. The joy we felt when after a second fire our new building was finally ready.
A big two room school with great hall and full basement where we could play on rainy days. The lower grades had the room to the west and the upper grades to the east. Teachers I remember were a Mrs. Richardson, whose husband ran the lumber yard, Faye and Babe Lowe, Joy Mason, Lela McKibbon, Maude Zimmerman and Florence Crawford. Not in that order but through the years.
Oh, the games we played at recess time, Drop the handkerchief, London Bridge, Blackman, Baseball. No fancy playground equipment for us. In the spring it was jumping rope, Marbles and jacks. In the winter it was Fox and Geese.
Then there were the business places; the blacksmith shop, run by Mr. Ingles where we liked to stop and watch the sparks from the forge, and see him shoe the horses, with a foot between his knees, a hammer in his hand and the nails kept handy in his mouth. Sometimes the horses were not too gentle and we were sure to be out of the way.
The Ingles’ had four girls near our age and how we liked to go there to spend a little time. They had an organ and Opal played it very well and we would gather round her and sing our hearts out. Maybe not the most perfect music but a joyous time together.
The Weston store, run by Kate and Sid Weston for many years was the main place for a little shopping. The long building was lined with shelves all filled with groceries, dry goods and other necessities for country living. The candy case especially interested us children. Peppermint sticks, black licorice, made to resemble cigars, sugar candy in all shapes and colors and best of all, chocolate drops.
Then the post office, run by the Palmers who lived in the back of the building. Theirs was the work of sorting and putting the mail in all the little numbered boxes. Ours was 102 I remember. It was just the right height so we did not have to bother the Palmer’s to help us get the mail.
The mail came in by passenger train in big bags and then was distributed four times a day. A train going north and south twice daily. One could go to Des Moines or Marshalltown and spend the day in the city and come back the same day. We often went to Baxter and spent the day with our Grandma Deeter and back in the evening.
Then there was the rural mail carrier. He had a little box like buggy that he could put in bags of mail and packages and delivered the mail for the farm community over many miles of mud roads. It was always a happy chore to watch for the mailman. We did not have the privilege for we were so close to town we got it from the Palmers. There were very few days that Mr. Logsdon did not get that mail to the door and at nearly the same time each day. There were three girls in his family that were our school chums, Blanche, Maud and Leona. The big brick building that was the hotel; I never was inside and was always going to do that when I grew older, just to see what it was like, but at that time my folks had forbidden us to go there for as they said “There was nothing there for children”, just for grown-ups. Well, I shall always wonder for the old building is gone now. There was Meade’s harness shop. They also lived at the back of the building and the front was the shop and work area. Mr. Meade repaired and oiled harness and was always busy. I liked to go in there with Dad. The place smelled of leather and harness oil. Saddles and bridles were here and there and I could inspect all the saddles to see if I wanted a new one for my black pony.
The Farmers Savings Bank – As long as I can remember it was operated by Mr. Price. I don’t remember much about the bank as we had little money so didn’t have a reason for going in very often. Once a year I remember we would go in for a new yearly calendar.
Mrs. Price I remember well as she was my dearest Sunday school teacher. And the girls Esther and Ruth were good friends. At their home I attended my first Sunday school party and what a good time we had. We had several but that is the one I remember best. Mrs. Price had many books and as I liked to read so well she always let me take some home to read. Mother used to say that I got little done until the book was finished so it was well I didn’t go often.
The hardware was a big white building and run by a family named Barbee. Like the Meades and Palmers they lived at the back and business was at the front. A little building on the north of the hardware was the barber shop and the only barber I can remember was a Mr. Harding but I know there were many more. That was all the business district but I could go on and on with many pleasant memories, but for now… So much for the good old days.