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Chuck Hinman, IJMA 336: Halloween When I Was a Kid It's Just Me Again 336. Halloween was a family time on the prairie in the 1930's, and each Halloween, one family in the neighborhood would invite the others for a night of scary-spooky fun Next earlier Chuck Hinman story, Somebody's sitting in my chair Reader comments to CM are appreciated, as are emails directly to Mr. Hinman at: charles.hinman@sbcglobal.net by Chuck Hinman Growing up on a farm in the depression days of the 1930's, we were fortunate to live in a neighborhood where families did a lot of things together. Our farm was between Wymore and Liberty (Gage County) in southeast Nebraska. We had frequent "gang parties" - probably the forerunner of pot-luck suppers. Every Halloween, one of the families invited the "gang" to their place for a scary-spooky evening of fun. One such evening was when the George and Myrtle Fulton family invited us to their place for "spooks and goblins" followed by fresh pressed apple cider and an huge assortment of home-made cookies. The Fultons some way got access to a road culvert, about twenty-five foot long. It was probably appropriated from a nearby road repair project. They leaned it diagonally against an upstairs window. Farm friends (the gang) in Halloween attire gathered after dark at the Fultons'. The trick was to enter the culvert at ground level (don't ask me how) and crawl through the culvert until you reached an open upstairs window. It was possible but not easy. There the spooky fun began. All lights were doused and there was a seemingly endless procession of things to scare the daylights out of you! It made little girls pee their pants as they vigorously sucked their thumb and screamed bloody murder while enjoying every minute! MOMMY, HOLD MY HAND! It was definitely not for the faint of heart, although everyone, young and old, did their best to master the obstacle course. And of course the younger boys had to traverse the course endless times. After having the pee-waddin' scared out of everyone, refreshments were served in the back yard as everyone sat on bales of hay. The yard was decorated with kerosene lanterns and bundles of stalks of corn. Pumpkins were converted into clever candle-lighted jack-o-lanterns. It was so festive and so noisy. A year or so later, Guy and Grace Kinney invited us to their place for a spooky-scary evening. They had a three-story "party" barn,, the lower level opening out at a lower ground level. The first floor was also at another ground level. Access to the hay loft was by a stairway (not the usual ladder) that made several twists and turns. The Kinneys stored their horse-drawn sleigh in the hay-mow. In a recent conversation with Bus Norris, now 95 years old but in the 30's a young hired man for the Kinneys, he remembered the Halloween party as if it was yesterday. The reason - he helped put it together. The obstacle course was through tunnels in the prairie hay. There were farm-lantern lights to make it eerie! Sheet covered goblins and screeching figures were everywhere! And of course, there was food and drink to spare. The usual collection of barn cats, some even black, made the setting realistically complete. And I am sure there were plenty of real bats if you could see them. They haunt most barns! Even though many times I think we didn't have any fun in those days, that just flat is not true! Our parents and grandparents knew how to party! Like in everything else, "we made do" with what we had. In retrospect it was a wonderful time period and I wouldn't trade those childhood days for the world! Chuck Hinman, former Nebraska farm boy, spent his working days with Phillips Petroleum Company in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and Houston, Texas. He lives at Tallgrass Estates in Bartlesville where he keeps busy writing his memories. His hobbies are writing, playing the organ, and playing bridge. This story was posted on 2009-10-31 03:27:17
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Have comments or corrections for this story? Use our contact form and let us know. More articles from topic Chuck Hinman - Reminiscences:
Chuck Hinman IJMA No. 043: Somebody's sitting in my chair Chuck Hinman IJM No. 344: Mealtime When I Was A Kid Chuck Hinman, IJM 374: Wash Day Chuck Hinman IJM No. 306: Chuck Hinman IJMA No. 172: Depression Days Chuck Hinman, IJMA #10, My Dad, Arley Hinman Chuck Hinman: IJMA #176 Not in my boat Chuck Hinman: IJM # 353 Mom's Aprons Chuck Hinman, IJMA #149: Half-soles. Remember them? Chuck Hinman IJMA #180: Get a Life! View even more articles in topic Chuck Hinman - Reminiscences |
 
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