April 2004                                                    The Megaphone                                                     Page 3

Spring Sing

by Linda (Meltzer) Harris

Spring was really in the air that warm day in 1947. My second grade class was all excited about going uptown to the big high school gym for a spring sing. Our music teacher, Miss Lee, had prepared us all winter for the program. She had visited each of Elwood’s elementary schools and encouraged us to be ready for the concert. I remember she had this fancy chalk rack which held five pieces of chalk and she would put the music score on the blackboard and then teach us to sing the notes. I’ll bet you all will remember “Every Good Boy Does Fine” for the line notes and “FACE” for the spaced notes. She carried our red song books from one school to the other when she held our music class and soon we had all the songs memorized and ready to sing our hearts out for our parents and teachers who were to gather at the gym. 

Not only were the students excited about this big event, our parents were sent a note that we were to be dressed in navy and white. The girls were to have navy skirts and white blouses and the boys were to have navy pants and white long-sleeved shirts. I didn’t think much about that but in 1947 that might have been a tall order for a family with several children who were to be involved in the program. I didn’t have a navy skirt and so my mother, who was a wonderful quilt maker and an expert in embroidering, got the material from Leeson's and made me a navy blue pleated skirt by hand. What I didn’t realize until much later was that her eyesight had failed and that she was nearly blind. She had a pedal sewing machine but this was all done by her hands and I was very proud to have her love sewn into every stitch. Whenever I hear Dolly Parton’s song entitled “Coat of Many Colors,” I remember my navy blue pleated skirt . . . “that my mother made for me.”

The big day of the spring sing finally arrived and we walked from Osborn school in classes with our teachers. Miss Wacknitz, Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Adams and Mr. Waymire. We were each assigned a partner and we followed one another in perfect order. It seemed like a very long walk from South G and 12^th streets to Anderson Street and then up to Main Street but we polished that off like troopers. Who ever heard of school buses in those days? 

It was arranged that all the schools’ students arrived and were seated very methodically in the gym and somewhat in accordance with the order of their singing. I remember exactly where I was to sit . . . four rows up on the east side near the first aisle. I was gazing around and watching everything but what I was supposed to and all of a sudden I was alone . . . my classmates had all gone up to the stage and were getting in position to sing their songs. This was major decision time. What could I do with the least amount of notoriety? Run to catch up or crawl under the bleachers, faint? I decided to run! Whew – I made it just in time. Luckily, I don’t think too many noticed, however, it did get back to my mother and I got a little scolding about it. I’m sure that “pay attention” is heard even yet today!

Bill remembers that day too. His class came from Linwood school and they walked from South I Street up 18^th Street and just where 18^th Street goes around the curve at the ice plant, he and his partner Jack Dudley spotted a railcar at Fettig’s canning factory area. Just one split second and they were off to explore the big boxcar for the time the other students were at the spring sing. They lagged behind and then skipped on over to the rail car and played around until the group came back to return to Linwood school. Bill just got into line thinking no one had missed him, however, Jack decided to stay and play awhile. Evidently, noses were counted when they got back to school and Jack was missing. He soon got a little visit from Mr. Commons. I don’t think he ever squealed on Bill. I’m so thankful that they didn’t get shut up in that big box car and carried off to some other state!   

I am amazed that the teachers of the Elwood community were able to give us all a taste of great things to come. Maybe such a little thing as a spring sing was an inspiration to many. Elwood has produced many artists, writers, judges, lawyers, doctors, musicians, politicians, a presidential candidate, and several Rhodes scholars. All this from a small town in central Indiana where children are cherished.

Submitted by . . .

Linda (Meltzer) Harris '57 & Bill Harris '56

Pennsylvania Railroad's Passenger Train, the "Union"

Pennsylvania Railroad train #207 (the Union) northbound departing Cincinnati January 27, 1947:

PRR 5377                    4-6-2 steam locomotive

PRR 6264                    Baggage-Express car

PRR 4393                    Coach

PRR 3207                    Coach

COURIER                    Parlor-Cafe Lounge car

PRR 9862                    Coach

PRR 4395                    Coach

PRR 4467                    Dining Car

LUCRETIA MOTT       Parlor Car (28 seats, 1 D.R.)

  *On January 27, 1947 . . . this consist stopped at Elwood's PRR passenger station on its way to Chicago.