Childhood notes Dot
DS Clark
Near Temple (1921?)
Childhood from my 8th (?) to 16th gra. Mary Morehead H. 3 sons 3 dau. Occasional summers in Cardston & on Hadfield Ranch near US border.
Riding horses into foothills - falling off (3 on bareback when standing horse shyed.) Picking wild strawberries, hiking, fragrant pink roses on prairie.
Singing, jumping from raters in granary into deep pile of grain. Watching cousin catch frogs & cook frog legs.
'Barn' dances - Helping get water form spring - horse pulled drag (?) with water can.
Walking cows to pasture in Cardston - fear of staring cows (no fear of horses) Cowboy cousins, boots, neckerchiefs, hats, etc., one a rodeo bronco rider.
Healthy gardens, big dk. gr. lettuce (rolled with sugar), gorgeous variety of flowers around all homes, playing mumbly peg in deep grass, picking wild chockecherries & serviceberries, taking food to hayloft for private snacks (2 or 3 of us).
"Run sheep run" in evenings with thom[…] cousins (Cardston) Easter in Fairyland (abt. 11 yrs) Fairy to my younger sisters. Many costume parties Zola gold dust towns
dress up in ribbons, paper, costumes dance in back yard & to Brown's phonograph
Ieas from ch. friend, cartoon zippo
Playing on large front porch 2nd floor from which my finest doll was dropped & broken. Paper dolls, designed clothes.
Swinging in high swing in back yard (cut lip), kites, climbing telephone poles & trees with bros. & neighbor boys.
Hiking to coullee on river-bottom where there was the Belly River & huge cottonwoods to climb & shade for picnics, hills for rolling down. Playing soldier nurse during war. Kittens, dog that bit & had to be shot.
Summer recreation programs on school grounds - group games & dances. 6th grade prize for --- Took class for drawing & water color […] paintings 11-12
Teenager - 13 & 14 softball & highjumper - boy crazy
S.S. parties dances skating parties at lake (bonfire) learning to skate with bros. Trying to glide with cap or coat open in wind on Henderson lake.
Note - writing & hiding in an old split fence a vacant log with Zola Brown
Reading romantic "Graustark" & seeing old Dougl[…] Fairbanks Clay B[…] Pickford & Dairies […]
movies & Knighthood, Arabia Nights, etc. 3-ring circus Chataugua
Ice on pond prairie, bros. pulled on sleigh (or their skates).
Two or 3 trips to Waterton swimming hiking beehive & cousins & family wildflower - hunting
CHICAGO
[…] Feb-July
1st floor flat near park - playground […] many negroes - taught me handstands & cartwheels.
Museums elevated railway (lost) big dept. stores [text cut off]
Early life of D Smith Clark
19 July 1983 Excerpts from Life of Dorothy Smith Clark
1 JBS history? rewrite for Oliver Virgil
Our parents were blessed with great faith and fortitude and prepared for the future in the face of financial uncertainties. Each took turns leaving home for further career Chiropractic training at considerable inconvenience. But the family was never neglected. I was fortunate to be
Early in 1921 when Mother started a long sojourn in Chicago she took 9 year old Dorothy […] I was taken […] maid a baby sitter
When in the winter (Feb.?) of 1921 Mother made a 3-day train trip to Chicago
She had a 14-month old baby (Lois) and took along 9 yr old Dorothy as day-nurse for little
At home were 3, 7, and 11 year old sones in the care of a dear Irish lady and a former patient from Magrath & "Aunt Mary" (Watson) as she was our favorite Mother substitute […] fondly known to us as Aunt Mary Watson. It would be late July before the travels returned.
Accompanying Mother June was a lovely young woman from Hillspring, Mary Payne, who was embarking on a career in Chiropractic and who shared our lodgings in Chicago. This provided some evening care for the children while June pursued studies in psychology to broaden her effectiveness in the health field.
Early Travels
Chicago Highlights
Dorothy relished The new experiences that came her my way, from the long 3-day train ride with sleeping accommodations by […] trip to the noise and excitement of the big city each held a special fascination with the huge department stores with their wide escalators; the beautiful parks statues, the lakeside & arboretum, and museums, and, quite suddenly, my first contact with the negro race.
Sunday meetings were attended at Logan Square branch which was reached by elevated railway,that started and was a considerable distance away several blocks form our apartment building.
We lodged Our apartment on main floor of a large tenement bldg. was of necessity, close to the school (National College of Chiropractic) allowing Mother to be home at lunch-time for family check-ups. And there was one address change - possibly a safety measure, after a stranger (male) had inquired at the door "if my mother was home" I was thence coached to always reply that she was expected momentarily.
JBS Altho I never had serious concerns at the time, I realized later now, the courage and faith necessary for a mother to pursue a course with such obvious risks. The small park at our doorstep provided good outdoor activity and in warmer months I could push Lois in her cart and entertain her there in a safe baby swing.
Meantime I was picking up pointers on 'cartwheels' and hand-stands from some 'black'
(excerpts continued)
children who came there to play.
1978
LOST IN CHICAGO (title)
Finding myself stranded in a negro neighborhood one Sunday was most very disconcerting. It was following Sunday School which I had attended with Mary Payne. My memory from past trips on the elevated failed me and though Mary anticipated no problem when she excused herself to visit friends in another area, she was probably stunned to learn later of my predicament. Her large bible comforted me, though, as I walked several blocks seeing nothing familiar only negro faces - old men sitting in doorways, children at play. Then retracing my steps and proceeding as far in the opposite direction, I could see the trees of the park that identified my location. This was my last solo experience in the big city.
Special Event title
How exciting was my tenth birthday with the gift of a big beautiful doll. It replaced a very special one with china head and brown curls given to me one Christmas by Grandma Karen a Lethbridge patient of Mother's. That had suffered a fatal fall from our second floor veranda. Some hand-sewing on doll clothes was enjoyed with a new friend who taught me the secret of French seams. Shopping trips to the 20 or 30 storyed department stores like Maceys were an adventure in themselves. It seems an entire floor was set aside there was a large Nursery on each floor with special attendants, playground equipment, and toys of all kinds - even a barber shop with circus animals for barber stools in chairs. Children found perpetual entertainment, never missing their parents as they added to the store's coffers. No wonder I've never felt the normal craving to visit Disneyland!
Influence of Books title
Besides the wonders of Chicago experienced at age 10, I grew up with myriads of folk and fairy tale friends found in our home library sets of the "Wonder World" and "Book of Knowledge." Charming illustrations too of the cloud, wind, snow, and rain Fairies and their imaginary dwellings, plus cartoon strips in the Childrens Friend magazine of Zippo Zip the elf and the Fairies charged my imagination.
With the aid of a fairy costume, crown, and wand created my mother (once used for a solo dance in a Primary presentation) entertainment plus a subtle change of voice and manner, I was able to extend my make-believe world into the lives of my much-younger sisters. Contacted by written notes, burned, and carried by the wind, their personal fairy appeared at appropriate intervals to deliver surprise gifts and treats. In my long 'tending' career there was probably ample time to experiment with new and varied entertainment ideas.
How exciting