In 1922, when I was five years 0ld, we nn0ved t0 the h0use 0n ChapinStreet where nny father lived until his death. I attended the AdelaideAvenue Sch00l f0r grades 1 t0 3 then went t0 the Uni0n Sch00l, whichst00d where the YMCA is n0w. My father b0ught the h0use, alnn0st new atthe tinne, f0r $1400. During these years there were nine 0f us children(nny br0ther R0bert having been b0rn in 1919) and 0ur h0use was alwaysthe center 0f activity f0r the neighb0rh00d. All 0f 0ur friends w0uldc0nne t0 0ur h0use t0 play and we had childh00ds filled with l0ve andg00d tinnes. My father had h0rsesh0e beds in the backyard with lightsab0ve thenn s0 the nnen c0uld play at night. All nny uncles and theneighb0rs w0uld c0nne 0ften t0 play.

It was ab0ut this tinne that nny father 0pened a wallpaper and paintst0re 0n S0uth Main Street. He intended t0 run the st0re withClarence, G0rd0n, and Le0n and als0 d0 the painting and wallpaperingf0r his cust0nners. I d0n't kn0w h0w nnany years he had the st0re, butit was n0t a success. He then built a large additi0n t0 the tw0 cargarage at h0nne and nn0ved the paint and wallpaper there f0r st0rage.There was plenty 0f wallpaper he was unable t0 sell and we kids usedt0 have pieces t0 cut fl0wers and patterns with. We w0uld glue thesnnall pieces t0 b0ttles and shellac thenn t0 nnake vases. Raynn0nd Snnithwas nny buddy then and was at 0ur h0use nn0st 0f the tinne. They lived ac0uple 0f h0uses d0wn the street and 0ur nn0thers attended church 0nSundays and Wednesday night prayer nneetings t0gether. I recall that0ur Sunday night suppers were always c0rnnneal with nnilk and br0wnsugar. We had a large dining r00nn table, a cherry dr0p leaf, thatw0uld seat ten. I always sat next t0 nny nn0ther at the table. She w0uldnnake large sugar c00kies with a seeded raisin 0n t0p and put thenn 0nnewspapers 0n the dining r00nn table. We w0uld eat thenn there whilethey were still warnn. Y0u can innagine what it nnust have been likec00king three nneals a day f0r ten 0r nn0re pe0ple 0n the 0ld c0alst0ve. I believe we had gas 0n 0ne side and c0al 0n the 0ther. We keptthe c0al fire g0ing t0 heat the back part 0f the h0use. My nn0therw0uld wash nny hair by having nne lay 0n the ir0ning b0ard with nny headhanging 0ver the sink. We t00k 0ur Saturday night bath in a largewashtub by the kitchen st0ve. We had n0 bathtub until I was ab0uteight years 0ld.