Remembering Irene Carrington Daugherty

I've been wanting to put more of Aunt Beulah Daugherty Goehring's writings in my newsletter,Prairie Roots, but haven't always had the space. Looking through my Carrington books, I came across this lovely writing Buelah did of her mother, my grandmother, Irene Carrington Daugherty. It's interesting that I don't have a middle name for gram. I've not seen a birth certificate for her. I'll add that to my "to do" list. I'm just taking snippets here and there of Beulah's document.

"My mother (Irene Carrington) grew up on a farm north of Wessington (SD) that was the site of her parent's homestead. My mother told stories of going to Stratton school in the horse and buggy. School was in session only a few months of the year, and the farm children were to work the other months - this was more essential than schooling! She often told of coming home from school and unharnessing the horse when it was so cold their fingers would almost freeze handling the harness. Note: It might be interesting to search for this school, or the site on my next trip to SD.

My mother always loved school and her happiest memories seeemed were associated with it. She always encouraged her children to read, and many evenings at home were spent reading aloud. My mother, Helen, whole-hearted agrees with this.

My parents had a big family to raise during the depression years which were quite a struggle. In spite of the drought, grasshoppers and all of the elements against the SD farmer, we always had the necessities of life. My mother always put her family first. If there was a need for a new dress for the "speaking contest" or "county chorus", somehow we always had one, but Mom went without so we would look nice. She sewed all our dresses until we were old enough to buy our own. I remember so many that she made when I was little, because I loved them so much. Even after all these many years, I can describe the style and color of them.

Mom saw to it that we got our start in Christian Education by attending Tipton Sunday School. She taught several years herself and we seldom missed a sunday. In the summer we would hitch up our Shetland Pony to the buggy and go to Bible school. We always made it without too many incidents, except when it rained, the wheels would enlarge to twice their size with the gumbo of the roads.

Mom taught us to love nature, as her father had taught her. Beware of the person who would destroy a bird's nest or any other of God's creatures! In the summer we would lie out on the grass at night and watch the stars. If we were lucky, we would see a comet zoom across the sky, or maybe catch a firefly. The quiet serenity of a hot summer evening, with no care in the world has a more stabilizing effect than the violence and crime on tv that the modern children of today are exposed to."

Maybe it's a day for remembering small happenings in our lives and the people that affected us daily.

Today's photo is of Irene Carrington Daugherty.