Recipes for Living Helen Harsh

When I was a baby I had the chicken pox. At school I do like math. I like to play with my friends. I don't like it when my sister is mean to me. My family's names are Abby, my sister; Ryan, my dad; and Tae Yon, my mom. My mom is in Guam. I would like to go see her. I want to be a singer when I grow up. I would like to be a helper to help everyone.

My favorite teacher is Mr. Boldon. I like Christmas because I get to see my Aunt Dee and my dad. I have a dog. I once had two dogs, but we sold the other dog. I am going to move to Georgia. I like to do nice things for people. I like to go to other states. I like dogs and cats. We have five work cars, two vans, and two good cars. We also have one truck. My dad is going to be here for thirty days. I like to have fun. I like to do work too. I like Megan and Jesse. They are nice to me. I try to be nice to people. I like nice people, not mean people.

I get to go to piano lessons today. I will have fun. I get to play with my sister. When my sister is nice I like her. I like to play with my Dad. I like Mr. Boldon. I have a dog, a dad, a sister, and a mom in my family. I like my friends a lot. I like David as a friend. I like people in my class who are nice. I like Mrs. Jamison. She is nice. I have two pianos. One is in the basement and one is upstairs. I like to play the piano. I get to go to the Dairy Queen. It is fun to eat there.

I have a good life. I have nice friends. I like to do lots of stuff. I like Megan a lot. She is a good friend. I like to eat healthy food like apples and bananas. Do you like fruit? I like to go outside and play.

My dog is a good dog. He does not bark at people. I like my dog. Some people get hurt at school. They fall down. I have fun at school. I like to read books. I want to live in New York City when I grow up. --by Hannah Hart

The contrast between the time in which Hannah is growing up and that in which her greatgrandmother has lived is mind-boggling. Beulah was born in Warren County, raised in Liberty, and started school in a one-room school at Medora. All eight grades were taught in that one room whereas Hannah is in one division of the second grade. Children started school at age six and for the first six weeks were taught what they learn in kindergarten now. After six weeks the pupils were considered to be in first grade. There was no home work in Beulah's day.

Beulah remembers that her 1st grade teacher was Floy Felton, known by people throughout the area as a banker at New Virginia. Her 6th & 7th grade teacher was Florence Funck and for the 8th, Effie Lipsett. Her mother taught her arithmetic as Beulah later taught her boys.

When Beulah was 10 years-old, her little four-year-old sister, Thelma, died following surgery for an intestinal problem. It was not unusual in those days for gangrene to develop, a situation no longer heard of. Thelma died of gangrene poisoning. Although Beulah was destined to experience many deaths of those close to her, she had no way to understand at that age and remembers crying until she turned blue. Her parents had to rub her arms and legs to restore circulation.

At about that stage in Beulah's life, the Methodist churches of Liberty, Medora, Medford and Taber were in one charge. Medora is the only church still standing and in active ministry. Occasionally the four churches came together for "protracted" meetings, which today would be called revivals. There were altar calls at the close of the meetings, similar to Billy Graham's services now, and, when she was 10 years old, Beulah went forward with her family and became a member of the Liberty church.

"I like sermons based on the Bible. We had one preacher that I remember in particular. He had a great gift! He would read a portion of scripture and then just walk back and forth, painting such a mental picture that the scripture would come alive!" In later years, Beulah was active in Ladies' Aid Society in Liberty. Her mother was the janitor in the Liberty Church. Beulah remembers that she took old shirts, soaked them in used car oil and used it like a dust mop to pick up dust on the floors and give them a nice finish.

Beulah came to Osceola for her high school education. She rode with Helen and Lucille Farley. Their father was a "big-shot farmer'' with lots of money. He provided the girls with a coupe for transportation. The only problem was that there were holes in the floorboards. They drove on dirt roads which of course turned to mud when it rained. Many were the days when mud splattered their clothes, so Beulah's mother gave her dark hose and dresses so she could brush them off when the mud dried. Like many another, when the Depression came, Mr. Farley lost his money.

While she was growing up, from ages 12 to 21, Beulah was in 4-H. She had the opportunity to learn cooking, sewing, canning, and home furnishing, which all became useful when she was married. There were many times, when she was confronted with something she hadn't been accustomed to doing, that she would realize she had learned to do it in 4-H. For instance, during war years there were times when they couldn't buy bread. Beulah remembered that she had learned to do that and is pleased to recall that her husband, John, liked it. "Girls might as well learn housework because they will all benefit from knowing how."

Beulah and John began going together in high school and some elderly man used to taunt her, saying they would get married when she graduated. She insisted that would not be the case, and, declaring that she would teach school four years, they made a bet of a berry set (a serving bowl and six sauce dishes).

Beulah graduated in 1930 with a Normal Training certificate. She immediately began teaching and taught four years in a rural school in Liberty Township and in Liberty. In the latter case they had two teachers so Beulah taught only three grades, otherwise all eight. But she completed what she had set out to do and collected her berry set!

Other contrasts between Hannah's time and Beulah's: When she taught, Beulah's transportation was on foot, on horseback or driving a Model A over dirt roads. For her first year she was paid $65 a month, the second year $75 a month and she was supposed to get $80 a month after that but times were hard and she never did get that amount. However, "a dollar went a long ways at that time." Also, married women were not allowed to teach so she and John dated for six years before they were married. Dating customs were different as well. Their pattern was that they would come to Osceola and see a show on Saturday nights, and go to a church service somewhere on Wednesday nights.

John and Beulah's children were born during the 20 years that they farmed near Osceola, then in the Woodburn neighborhood and the last seven years in Liberty. Larry was born in December, 1937; Dale, September, 1941; and Doyle in August, 1944.

Farming became a non-productive venture, failing to produce enough to support a family. Others were finding this true, also, and were taking jobs in Des Moines. John began working for Solar Aircraft until they moved the plant to California; and then he worked for Berg Vault Company, setting up arrangements at the cemetery. Beulah often went with him. The family moved to Osceola when Doyle was in the elementary grades, Dale was in 8th, and Larry was a junior in high school.

Larry immediately began working for Stan Stickler on Saturdays and during vacations in the summer. He served in the military and, when he came back, he went to work for Lundquists in their lumber yard. A tragedy occurred when Jim Lescher was trapped in a ditch cave-in and Larry was called to help dig him out. Later Ward Reynoldson called Larry to say that he wanted to see him. It is disturbing to have an attorney call with such news and Larry worried that he was being sued for some reason. However, Ward's secretary was Jim's wife, Kay Lescher, and the information that Ward wanted to pass along was that she would like to offer to sell him their business. Larry accepted the proposal and went into business for himself

Larry married Shirley Reed and they had two children, Marsha and Michele. Marsha had two children, Parker and Tyler Edgington. Michele married Steve Querrey and they have no children. Larry died of cancer in 1988.

Doyle married Barbara Bacon and they had one child, Jodie. Doyle was working at Look Magazine in Des Moines and was killed in an auto accident on June 30, 1963.

Dale started working for Charlie Morgan hauling garbage and then for Miller Products in Des Moines. One day Mr. McFarland asked if anyone had a chauffeurs' license and Dale raised his hand. He became their deliveryman to businesses in Des Moines. In the mid 1960's, he continued with the company when they moved the plant to Osceola. They had a party honoring his 25 years of service and his 30 years. He has been with them now for 36 years and is office manager and purchasing agent.

Dale married Maryla Karns and they have two children, Deanna and Ryan. When Deanna was little she always wanted to have her purse and stuffed kitten. When she was upset, her favorite saying to Grandpa John was, "you old goat!" He loved to tease her. Deanna moved to California in February, 1985, and has lived there ever since with her daughter, Chelsey Rae. They usually come home once or twice a year. Chelsey was named after her Grandma Maryla Rae. She will be in 1st grade this year. Buelah has gone out to visit them and they had a great time. One year Deanna rented a limo to pick her up at the airport, and Buelah reports that she felt like a movie star.

Ryan is in the military and served two terms in Korea, where he met Tae Yon and they were married. Their two daughters are Hannah and Abigail. In the '98-'99 school year, Hannah was in 2nd grade and Abby in kindergarten. The girls and Beulah spent time together each day from the time they got off the bus until Maryla picked them up when she got off work at the school. Ryan has been assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, and has moved his family there.

The year of 1980 was a very bad year. First Beulah's aunt died; then John died 10 days later. In October Beulah lost her job when Snowdon's plant closed and in December her mother died at the age of 94. In other words, everyone Beulah had been caring for was gone. John had been doing carpenter work with Cliff Heckathorn. At the time of his death, he was putting siding on a house. Beulah heard the car come home and kept waiting for him to come into the house. When he didn't come, she went looking for him and found him by their apple tree where he had dropped dead of a heart attack.

The Snowdon closing was like another death because Beulah had been with the company for 26 years after she and John had moved to town. In fact, as long ago as when she was in school, the students were taken on a field trip to see the Rollins' Hosiery factory which was on the second floor of what is now Reynoldson Law Offices. Even then Beulah thought it would be a nice place to work so when they moved to town she applied at Snowdon's, who had bought out the hosiery company. Her co-workers became her close friends. They all shared their lives, what was happening in their homes and families, the good times and bad. She missed them very much when the plant closed as she did her mother who died several months later. There is a bond between mother and daughter that is unlike any other.

After Snowdon's closed, Beulah worked five years for her daughter-in-law, Shirley, in Hart's Fashion and Bridal Shop. This was in the days when people paid their telephone bills there, and they also did alterations.

Beulah lives alone now and is surrounded by pictures of her family, lovely glassware, china and knickknacks, wondering who will want them when she has no more use for them. The philosophy of life that she considers basic is relatively simple-everything and everybody honest and up-front like her parents lived and taught her, and like she and John taught their boys. "There is much to be said for common sense." She is pleased that her sons were honest, pleasant and hard workers. They talked to and enjoyed older people.

Beulah used to hear people say that as we get older, time goes faster. She didn't believe it but has discovered that is true. She considers that later years of life leave much to be desired, but the plus side is that in the senior years we have the right to do what, when and if we want to.