Monday, December 1, 2008

Box Suppers

Just wondering if anyone remembers "box suppers?" Seems as though we had a few a CVHS! I remember Bernard, Lemert that is, and me bidding on a couple of boxes. One belonged to a certain Thayce Townsend. Another belonged to a certain Grace Harp. We did our bidding and when the bidding was done, we WON! Let me tell you, KFC did not hold a candle to what was inside those boxes! Such wonderful food! Such delightful company! I can still see the boxes, the wrapping, the ribbon, and all that was within! Needless to say, it was a unforgettable night!

And yet, I remember another "box supper!" It was at a little brick school, east of town. Can't remember the name! Was it Rock Creek School? Help! Anyway, I was there, at a certain box supper. And, there was this certain girl. Her name was Joanne Drennen, and she had blond hair that surrounded her face, and in all of Chautauqua County, she was an angel! Well, the bidding started. A guy named Frank Carter was the auctioneer and he started calling out the numbers! I had my little leather coin pouch at the ready! When Joanne's box came up for the bidding, I was ready! Little did I know that the bidding was going far beyond what I had in my little coin pouch! I finally motioned to Frank that I had spent all I had to spend! When what to my amazement he motioned, "keep on bidding!" So, I did! The bidding reached heights I could have never imagined! I motioned to Frank, I was " all done!" Frank would have none of it! He kept "nodding" in my direction until the final bid was bid....and it was mine!!!!!! I must add that Frank Carter was my hero then, and still is to this day! I could have lept for joy but knowing that any "affection" on my part might affect the "maker of the box," I kept very still. The box was given to me. Joanne soon appeared! I must tell you, when I saw that beautiful face, my appetite fell from 100 to 0! Somehow, we made it out to some car. We ate the wonderful food. I suppose we exchanged a few words! It all seemed so unreal to me. Joanne Drennan was sitting next to me, and me, a man of many words, seemed suddenly "speechless!" I remember it so well. I can't help but think that when the roll is called up yonder, there just has to be a box supper up there somewhere! And, I hope to see Thayce, Grace and Joanne!!!! :)

P.S. Tell me, do you remember any "box suppers?"

13 comments:

Tom Johnston said...

Don, The School House was called Spring Branch. It was about 1 Mile east of our house.

Tom johnston

Phil Foust said...

Don, ya did yourself proud! What a good story with (no doubt) many remembrances among the bloggers.

DFCox said...

I recall a couple of Box Suppers that were held in the CVHS auditorium. I think my older sisters made box suppers to be auctioned. I believe a "Cake Walk" was often a feature of these. Can anyone remember the mechanics of a "Cake Walk" ?? Stories were always told {and maybe embellished) about some lovestruck who would do anything to buy the box of his girl. Usually there was a scoundral who would bid and bid against the poor guy til the supper went for a huge price. I guess all these things have gone the way of that barbaric (but fun) travesty--The Shiveree.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, I remember box suppers. My Grandpa, Albert Pate, used to auction for them. He ALWAYS made boys pay more, especially if he knew the boy was bidding on his girlfriend's box. He would alert someone in the crowd to bid against the boyfriend, but as Don said about Frank Carter, Grandpa would help pay. I was no exception for him. A Shiveree was always an exciting time in C.V. I can remember going to a house, late, getting the bride and groom out of bed, and making the groom push his bride up and down main street in their night clothes, in a wheel barrow. Canned goods were given to the couple - with all the labels torn off.Grandpa and Melvin Shrader were big ring leaders for this endeavor. I don't remmeber any Cake Walks in C.V. but my children's elementary school had them in Midland, TX at Halloween Carnival time. Numbered squares were drawn on the sidewalk. Tickets were bought, people started walking on the squares, music played as people walked and then stopped when the music stopped. A number was called. The person standing on that number won the cake. My Grandpa Pate also called square dances.

Anonymous said...

Don, you must have an understanding wife. Or you don't let he read about Thayce, Grace and Joanne.

Anonymous said...

"twoud be nice to see pictures of those girls that caused Don S. to go mute. They must have been somthing else.

Anonymous said...

My Mom LeNore Call went to Spring Branch Scool for 1st to 8th grade starting in 1926. She went there for 9 years as she took 5th grade over. I have a very small picture of the schoolfrom 1934 I believe. Was this the original or was it rebuilt. I am still trying to get my scanner to work with this comuter as my old computer is down right now. I want to post some pictures for Id and discussion

Diane Archer Bradbury said...

I can

Diane Archer Bradbury said...

I can remember taking a "box for four" with Patsy Kelly to a box supper at a country school where my Aunt Bula Lemert taught.
(Aunt Bula was my dad's sister and the mother of Locke, Larry and Joy.) She was so much fun, having a great sense of humor and she was a writer, too.

Patsy and I decorated the box and packed as much good food as we could. If I remember right our menu included fried chicken. BUT... I can't for the life of me remember who bought our box!

Don Shaffer said...

Diane, I remember your Aunt Bula! She was a great writer! She had a certain presence about her. She wrote columns in the C.V. Messenger, didn't she? I remember reading them. They had a title at the top of her column. Do you remember what that title was? I had to laugh, Diane, when you said that you couldn't remember who bought your box! Just goes to show you what the "male" influence has on the "female" spirit! Oh well, I know, both parties must have been pleased. For you to remember it all, speaks legions of the memories spent!

Diane Archer Bradbury said...

Thanks Don! Yes, Aunt Bula was quite a lady. When her husband, Merle served as a state legislator
she did mmost of his speech writing, according to family stories. Her column in the CV Messenger was called Tales From the West Forty, or maybe it was the West Thirty?
In her later years she edited these articles and put some of her choosing into a small book. She was writing these columns as far back as the 1930s and she focused on what was going on in the USA while our young men were thousands of miles away serving in the armed forces of WWII.

Aunt Bula did free lance writing for several magazines and I could always appreciate her style and sense of humor. I have letters I received from her which I treasure.

You mentioned she had a formable presence, but she always considered herself a Kansas farmer's wife. Her ablities were many and she ably served as president of the Kansas Republican Women's Association.

My Aunt Bula Archer Lemert died in 2000 at the age of 90.

DFCox said...

It was "Notes From The West Eighty" Diane. I just looked at my copy of her book. Her daughter, Joy Fadely Lemert, still has copies of the book if anyone wants one.

Diane Archer Bradbury said...

Don C. - thanks for the correction!
I felt that I had it wrong but didn't do my research. I hope some of you will get in touch with Joy
and buy one of my Aunt Bula's books. Don, thanks again for your efforts as a book agent/editor!