My Mother’s Hands
Editor Note: The Ruby Chronicles essays come to me courtesy of Sid Stivland.
This final episode is pure poetry.
As I close my eyes and try to recall what my mother’s hands looked like, I see beautiful loving hands.
Day after day, they were hands who did so much hard and varied kinds of work. They must have been very tired at times.
Without a blender, she kneaded much bread dough, made many pies, cakes ‘from scratch’, and cookies.
Her knuckles must have been sore from rubbing the clothes on the washboard. At times the skin must have been rough – never having and using a moisturizing skin lotion.
With clean hands she was always ready to serve unexpected visitors – friends, relatives or neighbors – a cup of coffee and goodies.
If the fingers – not crippled or deformed by arthritis, ached, there was never a complaint.
In loving service, her hands did all they could for her family.
At the close of a meal she sat with folded hands in silent prayer for gift of food and daily care.
Ruby Johnson Anderson
Editor note: Ruby attended District #76 school west of Lowry, then Lowry High School, then Glenwood HS, graduating in 1933. She received teachers training and taught in 4 Pope County rural schools over a thirteen year period from 1933 until she was married in 1946. For 2 years, 1933 to 1945, she taught at Dist #76. From 1935 to 1938, she taught at Dist #32 in White Bear Lake township, from 1938 to 1939 she taught in Dist #28 in Nora Township, and from 1939 to 1942 she taught in Dist #26 – Ben Wade Township. Her last assignment was back in Dist #76, her home school, where she taught from 1942 until she married in 1946.
If you have any photos of rural Pope County schools, would you be willing to share them with me?
Email: ussbb62@gmail.com
Ruby Johnson Anderson
Editor note: Ruby attended District #76 school west of Lowry, then Lowry High School, then Glenwood HS, graduating in 1933. She received teachers training and taught in 4 Pope County rural schools over a thirteen year period from 1933 until she was married in 1946. For 2 years, 1933 to 1945, she taught at Dist #76. From 1935 to 1938, she taught at Dist #32 in White Bear Lake township, from 1938 to 1939 she taught in Dist #28 in Nora Township, and from 1939 to 1942 she taught in Dist #26 – Ben Wade Township. Her last assignment was back in Dist #76, her home school, where she taught from 1942 until she married in 1946.
If you have any photos of rural Pope County schools, would you be willing to share them with me?
Email: ussbb62@gmail.com
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