Thinking of December in the Dayton school always brings to mind making things – Christmas decorations, gifts for our parents, painting pictures on the windows. One year we made plaster Santas and painted them with great care. Another year, it was angels with wings which were covered with gold glitter. All this work was done in Ma Mathews’ room in the basement and half the fun was in doing something in a different place, one we never saw at any other time. We also made gifts for our parents. I have no recollection of what I made for my mother, but the hat stand I made for my father served loyally for many years, holding up his best hat, even when he stopped wearing hats.

I wasn’t involved much with painting the windows, as there were many who were much more talented in that line than I was. However, I was sometimes entrusted with filling in a large area of solid color. The finished windows glowed like stained glass and were greatly admired. Even 70 years later, every Christmas season when I unpack the decorations I am reminded of my days in the Dayton school.