The last few days have been approaching ‘box supper’ weather. I recall that in the fall, we always had a box supper in late fall before the winter weather started. One could tell when fall was in full swing, as our games on the play ground would be interrupted by long ‘V’ formations of ‘honking’ ducks and geese as they were flying South for the winter.

We would take pride in being the first to ‘spot’ a formation coming over and would try to count or guess how many there were in each flock. It seemed that the cooler that it got the more flocks there would be each day. I noticed a flocked going over the other day, and it brought back a lot of memories---it seems that there are less of them going over now than there used to be.

Usually by this time of the year, there had been a ‘killing’ frost that had enhanced the color of the leaves in the timber. It always seemed to me that the Sumac was the first of the trees and bushes to ‘turn’---they were always a bright red color and enriched the beauty of the local scenery. The Maples to the North and West of the ‘Mound City’ hill were the next group that turned---their bright red, yellow and brown sprinkled with a few green spots were (and still are if you get there at the right time) the most beautiful in the area.

The watermelons and gardens were long gone, and pumpkins-----waiting to be worked up into pies, or canned for the winter needs---or to become a ‘jack-o-lantern’ for some youngster-----were scattered among the shocks of corn or around an old straw stack. One would often see a turnip patch or a row or two of parsnips not yet harvested, as they would last long into the cool months. There were usually a few apples still scattered about on the trees, and often the pear trees were still loaded with pears---both waiting to be canned for the winter.

It would not be long before the persimmons would be getting ripe---in the mean time everyone would do their best to get their buddy to taste the ones that were not yet quite ripe. The leaves were starting to fall, the sunflowers and goldenrod that had been so bright all fall had begun to fade. It would not be unusual to ‘flush’ a covey of quail, as they had already coveyed up for the cold weather. There would be a coat of frost on the buildings and grass when you went out to do the morning chores.

We would have started our morning play wearing the jacket or coat that ‘Mom’ had made us wear to school, “cause at this time of the year, one never knows what the weather will be when you come home--you know it can turn cold very quick, and you do not want to catch a death---” . The jacket of course was shed soon after we were out of Mom’s sight, as soon as we started our playground games.

There was much excitement in that old one room school, when the Teacher announced that we were going to get ready for the box supper. The girls of course immediately started to plan what kind of box they would prepare---keeping the details a secret of course---after all no one (except that special guy) was supposed to know whose box was being auctioned.

The teacher would plan a program----with play parts being assigned to everyone, and poems, and readings being assigned to or chosen by individuals. It was great fun to perform for Mom, Dad, Uncles, Aunts and the entire community. We would spend days memorizing the poems, readings, or our particular parts (we were so excited about the program, that we would on some days give up our playground recess to practice). Of course there was always a lively song or two that the whole school would sing while the teacher played the piano.

Several days before the program, the teacher and some of the older children would ‘hang’ the ‘stage’ curtain on the wires that were strung from wall to wall at the front edge of the stage. Sometimes, there would be one or two ‘divider’ curtains from front to back of the stage. The excitement would build daily until the day of the program and the box supper. By this time everyone knew ‘their’ part perfectly, and were anxious to have the evening start.

Shortly after the evening chores were completed each family in the neighborhood would head for the school----each of the young ladies---even those that were in High School---would have a ‘decorated box of prepared’ goodies’ with them to take to the box supper auction. After everyone was gathered, the school children presented the evening program on which they had worked so hard-----(sometimes some of us found that we did not remember our parts so good in front of the audience)

I recall on one occasion that my brother Jim----not yet in school---wanted to ‘say a poem’----he practice long and hard, and had it memorized perfectly. On the evening of the program, Jim slid from Dad’s lap and edged up to the front of the room and onto the platform, where he stood and surveyed the entire group in the building---everyone had decided that Jim would be ‘scared out’ and not say his poem. However, after a short time, he turned his back to the group, and repeated, so that every one would hear him, his poem without missing a word.

After the program, someone would ‘auction off’ the boxes and pies that had been brought for the occasion. Often the bidding was spirited, as the successful bidder knew that they would get to eat the contents of the box (usually some very excellent food) with the owner of the box.

This activity was a highlight in the community---partly because there were very few entertaining activities going on at that time, and partly because this was an evening of good and inexpensive entertainment. The Teacher and Children liked it as it provided an opportunity to perform and ‘show off what they could do’. The community and parents enjoyed it, as the community children were involved, and the activities for a few minutes took their mind off the problems that every family had in ‘making a living’. LDC