Currituck Calls: The Voice of Home Demonstration Clubwomen, Winter Edition, 1965
We are six years old! During the six years of our life, we have been learning all the time. We have grown in that we now visit more than 900 homes with each issue. I believe when we started back in February 1959, we visited only about 350. For the interest, understanding, patience, faith, that you—our friends—have given us, we thank you most sincerely. We hope that our coming into your homes has helped in uniting all of us, friends and club members, into a closer relationship. We hope, also, that we shall be sharing our ideas, thoughts, plans, and ideals for many more years.
Over the Back Fence
Joann Ringer of Coinjock Club is teaching her young daughters, Judy and Suzy, to make doll clothes. This is good training and, no doubt, will create an interest which will lead to sewing for themselves when they get older. Pauline Woodard proudly showed her new feather hat at a recent meeting. Members discussed ways to raise money for their treasury.
Crawford members entertained their husbands with dinner at a local restaurant for the January meeting. This has become an annual event since it was first started with a covered dish supper when the club was very young. They also plan to help with the Currituck Ruritan Club’s Valentine Dance on February 13.
Mollie Hampton’s husband, Paul, was quite helpful when she was hostess for the Gibbs Club meeting recently. Mollie served homemade cake, but she said Paul continued to bring cookies and candy every time he went to the store before the meeting. He was afraid the refreshments would run out. The ice cream he brought to serve with Mollie’s cake was delicious, too!
Ilys Outlaw, Foods Leader of Grandy Club, gave a special demonstration on “How to Prepare a Steak” when the club met with Norma Barco. They welcomed a new member, Mrs. George Hall, as well as two visitors, Thelma Morgan (Shawboro) and Mrs. Elwood Lupton. Mary corbel gave a report on hand care. That seems to be a timely report since hands surely need special care during the winter months.
Another helpful husband is Jarvisburg’s Grace Forbes’ husband, Ike. Grace says he was a great help in making fruit cakes, which they baked and sold before Christmas. It was quite a project since they produced around 170 pounds of cakes! Gladys Fisher brought a clothes sprinkler to club meeting which was made by her daughter-in-law using a plastic detergent bottle. Quite an attractive and useful gadget. Tops can be purchased in any dime store and any colorful plastic bottle will do. Mattie Wright has decided to do some more needlepoint. Her chair seat turned out so well, she is thinking of doing a picture now. Eva Sawyer surprised her daughter, Joyce, with a nice white hand-knit sweater for Christmas. Since Joyce is away at school, Evan didn’t have a problem in keeping her knitting a secret.
Mildred Strawhand, Knotts Island member, says she’s really enjoying the new stereo which she got for Christmas. Madeline Waterman’s friends recently entertained in honor of her birthday. (No one said how old she was, so we’ll just say “over 21”—and Happy Birthday!) Pauline Munden has been doing screen painting recently. Trust Pauline to always have some interesting and beautiful project underway. Catherine Etheridge still likes to knit and does very pretty work.
Poplar Branch members are giving their clubhouse a shower! They are each bringing a crystal plate to match the punch bowl set they bought with their “Best Club” prize money. They are also discussing the possible staging of a variety show which they want to give in the near future. More about this later; it will probably be in April. A new member, Avis Atherton, was welcomed to this group. Dorothy Grandy was a visitor. These hard-working members served the Poplar Branch Ruritan Club for the January dinner meeting.
Ethel Sawyer, Powells Point Club member, can say goodby to dishpan hands—her children gave her a dish washer for Christmas! Zelda Sumrell got quite a bang out of Christmas! Near noon on Christmas Eve, the bottom unit of her stove blew up and since she was planning on eight for dinner the next day, she almost blew up, too! However, by late afternoon she had a new unit installed and everything was fine—just a little delayed. Frances Doyal’s home should be “spanking new.” We hear she’s still painting and decorating. Bernie Sawyer’s kissing ball and Gladys Owens’ Madonna arrangement were among the most beautiful Christmas decorations this year. Zelda Sumrell’s play at the holiday party was most impressive, we heard.
Hilda Forehand of the Shawboro Club says the only night her daughter, Mary Jo, goes out is to her club meeting with her mother. She is a happy 3-year-old when this time comes. Recently after going home from the meeting and saying her prayers, Mary Jo added, “Thank you, Lord, for Home Demonstration club.” Hilda is also very active in her church work. Kay Gregory is happy to have husband Harold home from the hospital, and James Ferebee and Nancy are also happy to have Ann home from her visit to the hospital. Evelyn Griffin and Sara Forbes showed their fellow club members beautiful arrangements of Flemish Flowers they had made. Since so many have asked, “What are Flemish Flowers, here is the answer as best we could find out. The Flemish Flower arrangements reflect a design copied after the study of Flemish paintings of the Old Masters. The two outstanding painters of flower arrangements were Peter Castells, a Flemish artist, and Jan Van Heysum, a Dutch artist. The designs they used in flower arranging were oval and quite massed; however, the artist never seemed to crowd his work; but by profiling some of his work and showing the back others, created the desired effect. The containers were massive and usually made of metal, alabaster, or glas, which were all footed. Often the flowers almost concealed the containers.
Most of the Southside Club members are taking the Amateur Radio Course, which is being taught by Phyllis Peters’ husband, Mason. They all hope they are good students and pass their test. Clarine Doxey is busy sewing, as usual. She’s recently made suits, skirts, dresses, and blouses for her daughters and herself. Clarine’s family is always smartly dressed, due in good measure, to her cleverness with the needle. They say the 4-H Livestock Banquet, which this club served, was a great success. Guess who spilled the tea? Annie Scaff, Olive Bateman, and Rosalie Jones are very helpful neighbors. When Carson and Jean Mathews killed hogs recently, they came over to help. Could it be that Jean’s good cooking had something to do with getting such willing workers? Southside’s contest is captained by sisters-in-law Rosalie Jones and Clarine Doxey. Wonder who will win. This group always has a project going an dboth sides will rack up many points we are sure.
Shingle Landing girls held a workshop recently on refinishing picture frames. They met in Jack and Clara Reese Whitehurst’s workshop, which was an excellent place for their project. They met two nights—cleaning the frames the first night and refinishing the frames the second night. Everyone decided that Ann Miller’s and Phyllis Evans’ minds weren’t completely on their work because they were observed dipping their paint brushes in their coffee! Earl and Bonnie Springle, Randolph and Barbara Luton, Phyllis Evans, Ann Miller, Graythel Coppersmith, Lee Ferrell, and Clara Reese Whitehurst each finished a frame. Mrs. Sanderlin helped them with her advice and know-how. Ann Sanderlin (James Allen’s wife) joined the club at the January meeting. Bonnie Springle’s “quickie dessert” was a hit. Here it is: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, a can of fruit; mix together and bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.
Lucille Shackley and Pauline Creekmore of the Virginia Edwards Club attended the workshop on Flemish flowers. Lucille made an arrangement and took it home to show her club members. Mildred Gilbert says she recently bought some crepe and lost ¼ yard trying to even it before cutting. She says she should have known better because she had learned through club demonstrations how to tell when material is off-grain, but she just made a bad purchase. Don’t fret, Mildred, we all do things like that when we really know better. Sudie Winindger is the new treasurer of this club.
Waterlily Club was delighted at their January meeting to have 14 present! Alice Curles was welcomed as a new member. Hettie Gray brought a lovely arrangement of camellias from her garden to the meeting and Fern Davis served pumpkin cake to those present. It was decided to have another attendance contest this year. There will be the same names, the Ducks and Geese. Several of the Waterlily members, like those from other clubs, will be working on the Heart Drive. June Twiford is Currituck County director this year.
County Capers
It wouldn’t be wise to trust Daphne Yon and Ethel Smith (Poplar Branch Club) to find their way about in any city. They can’t even find the way to Gregory right here in their own county! Maybe next time they’d better use a road map. Anyway, when they finally arrived late to the club meeting they were visiting, the hostess, Hilda Forehand (Shawboro Club), graciously forgave them and they certainly enjoyed the meeting.
So many clubs have reported wonderful Christmas parties with unusual programs and beautiful decorations. Just now the holidays seem long time past, but we have pleasant memories to last us through the year. May we also share another poem by Viola Overton Midgett which she sent to us the other day.
A Glorious New Year
If you walk each day with the Master
Let Him lead all the way,
Commit your lives to Him daily,
Have courage, be faithful, and pray;
If you walk each step with the Master,
There’s nothing you need fear,
Rely on His word, abide in His will
Then yours will be a Glorious New Year.
We will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Home Demonstration Clubs this year. The committee to work out plans for marking this important milestone will work under the overall chairman, Fay Forbes, County Publicity Leader (Shingle Landing Club). Serving on the committee are: North of Coinjock, Thelma Morgan (Shawboro), Alice Scaff (Virginia Edwards), and Pauline Woodard (Coinjock); Daphne Yon (Poplar Branch), Zelda Sumrell (Powells Point), and Gladys Fisher (Jarvisburg). The Fall Federation will climax this 40th year celebration and the committee in charge of this will be Bertie Erickson, Mildred Markert, and Mary Ann Hardesty.
At the County Council meeting in the Courtroom the other day, Zelda Sumrell thought she was seeing things at first; however, a second look showed her that her eyes were still good and the Courthouse clock really was going backward! In calling attention to this, Zelda said, “I’ve heard of time going backward, but today is the first time I’ve seen it happen.”
Beautiful feather hats made and worn by members at the Council meeting were much admired. Mary Watkins, Pauline Woodard, and Mary Outlaw looked mighty smart in theirs while Rosa Guard’s fur hat made from a coat collar looked very nice, too.
Grace Austin of the Currituck County Library Staff has arranged a shelf devoted to Home Demonstration-approved books. This makes your selection much easier. You can see what’s available when you visit your library or bookmobile.
Since Family Life is the major project in our club work this year, club members, ministers, and other interested friends will be given a list of Family Life books that are in the library. These books cover family live problems and age groups. All of us are urged to learn more about family life problems and solutions through good reading.
Postmasters are good at locating their patrons. Recently mail came to Shawboro Post Office addressed: Mr. and Mrs. East Ridge Road, Shawboro, N.C. Believe it or not, it was delivered to the right family on East Ridge Road!
Junie Winslow decided he would surprise Molly just before Christmas and shell some pecans whole. He had read the directions in an issue of Currituck Calls. He was getting quite disgusted when Molly got home because the nuts did not come out whole. Then he discovered that he had not done one important thing—he had not let the nuts come to a boil and had only soaked them. As Junie knows now, this will not work!
Norma Barco says she will bring her own glasses to club meeting next time. She had to lead the singing with borrowed “specs” and they didn’t work too well for her.
Ethel Sawyer (Powells Point) is starting a sewing class for beginners in her community. One of them is interested in getting an old sewing machine. If you have one that is for sale, let Ethel know about it.
The February demonstration will be Combining Styles of Furniture. This will be followed by a county demonstration on February 24 at Coinjock Clubhouse at 1:30 p.m. Mrs. Claris B. Cooper of Norfolk will use different types of materials with various styles of furniture. Rooms in color will be setup to show floor coverings, drapes, and furniture. Floor coverings will be shown and discussed by Mr. I.G. Craig of Norfolk. Doesn’t that sound interesting, Homemakers?
A Fine Arts Meeting was held at Knapp High School recently. Mrs. John D. Welch of Moyock represents Currituck County on the Fine Arts Council of Albemarle Area, and she presided at the meeting. Dr. Clifford Bair, Associate Professor of Music, College of the Albemarle; and Mrs. Ross Inglis, Fine Arts Council Chairman, spoke to those present. It was suggested that Currituck County people participate with the Elizabeth City group until our county can create enough interest to form their own classes. Many services could be made available to the people of the county if as many as 15 want them; such as, crafts of several kinds, dancing for children, music classes, and many other arts. It is hoped that Currituck will soon form a Fine Arts Council of their own!
Thank You
The Home Demonstration Clubs of Currituck County want to express their appreciation to Daphne Yon, Editor of Currituck Calls, for the six years she has given to the paper. A devoted and capable editor, she has been outstanding in promoting understanding and cooperation within her county and among the clubs. Under her soft-voiced leadership, the Home Demonstration story has been spread in an enlightening way. We don’t say it often enough, but “Thank you, Daphne.”
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