Autograph Books from the 1940s

Memories of carefree school days in the one room school.  Friendships.  Games.  The stories started flowing as Mom and I looked at the autograph books.

Three books and over a hundred different poems.   The students would collect an autograph from all of their friends, family and even the school teacher.

Poem at the start of every autograph book

Inscribed in front and dated December 25, 1945 was this classic little poem.:

We ought to smile

We ought to laugh

But in this book

We autograph!

Forget you no I never will

And this one dated December 26, 1942.

Dear Sis

Forget you! No I never will

As Long as I can whistle

I might forget to yell

When I sit on a thistle

Your brother

Gerald (age 6 1/2)

To be a Friend you don't need money

My grandmother wrote the following in Mom’s book December 25, 1942.

To be a friend you don’t need money

Just a disposition sunny

Just the will to help another

Get along someway or other

Just the wish to give and lend

Will make you someone’s friend

Mother

Roses are red Violets are blue

Here is a twist on a classic written by an admirer.

Roses are Red,

Violets are Blue

I pity the Man,

That Marries You!

–

What Autograph poems and funny sayings do you remember? Please leave your comments below.

This well-loved pretty little pitcher belonged to my IRVINE grandparents in Saskatchewan.  I don’t know where they got it.  The picture on the side shows two people on camels with a third camel beside them.  There are palm trees on the side.

Click on the picture a couple of times to see the enlargement of the mark.  I believe it says “Slovakia” and Czech and has the number 39.  I can’t quite make out the word that starts with M.   I assume it may be the company or area where the pitcher was made.  There is also a D and another mark at 5 o’clock that could be the artist’s mark.

Does anyone know the history of these pitchers?

This pitcher now resides at the home of one of my cousins.

Click two times to enlarge

In my mind’s eye I can see Marie, with a smile on her face, carefully choosing this post card for her old friend Verna.  What stories these two might have shared?   Was there truth in her words or was it a casual tease between dear old friends?

If only the old postcards could talk….and they do! Our family has a wonderful old collection of postcards.   Some are as intriguing as the one here.  Others show pictures of family homes or places nearby and are great genealogical records.  Vintage postcards are a wonderful legacy of times gone by.