Flatridge was a self-contained, self-sufficient community in the years prior to American involvement in World War II. The farms and gardens kept us fed and provided the resources we needed to purchase things we couldn’t provide for ourselves. The hub of the community was J. M. Jerkins General Merchandise, where men’s work clothes and shoes,… Continue reading The Flag in the Window
Author: townloopmusic
That Old-time Religion
My Dad was a strict disciplinarian, but my Mom allowed us a certain degree of latitude in our behavior. However, there were some things she drew the line on. How we looked and how we behaved in church, for example, were not negotiable. She starched and ironed our church dresses to perfection, and every Saturday… Continue reading That Old-time Religion
Yes, Jesus Really Does Love Me
During my childhood, church and family heritage were so intertwined that they seemed to be one and the same. My great-grandparents on the Anderson side had given the land on which Central Methodist Church stood and they had provided the lumber for the construction. It was a fact we were not allowed to forget. Also,… Continue reading Yes, Jesus Really Does Love Me
There Is No Frigate Like a Book
Although books were not plentiful in Appalachian homes during the ’30s and ’40s, the Anderson household owned a few. We had a dictionary, a one volume encyclopedia and an agriculture yearbook that we kept on the table my Dad built for the living room of our log cabin home. He even carved out a set… Continue reading There Is No Frigate Like a Book
When Last Is First
On a crisp fall day during my first year at Westhampton College (University of Richmond) I attended a football game with Bill Dillard, a fellow-student and an avid Richmond Spiders fan. I was ill-prepared for what I would see and feel at this, my first college football game. While Bill was jumping up and down… Continue reading When Last Is First
Music in the Halls of Ivy
Our formal education begins with a song: “a, b, c, d, e, f, g; h, i, j, k, lmnop …” And so it is that learning and song form a connection that endures for eighteen or twenty years. The education process is enhanced by school songs: songs that inspire, songs that call forth loyalty and… Continue reading Music in the Halls of Ivy
Latin Is Alive and Well
Latin is the Mother of the Romance Languages: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Romanian. Although English is not in that group, we can claim a kinship because many of our words have their roots in Latin. Two years of Latin at Oak Hill Academy gave me a good basic foundation, and I would be ready… Continue reading Latin Is Alive and Well
Things My Mother Taught Me
“You young’uns better pay attention. You’ll have to do this yourself some day!” my Dad often admonished, particularly at times when our youthful reaction to a distasteful job was less than reverent. This was the case, for example, at hog-killing time in the fall. We hated the greasy, smelly jobs of grinding sausage meat and… Continue reading Things My Mother Taught Me
Spizarinctum
My Father had a store of words he drew from when an ordinary vocabulary fell short of expressing what he wanted to say. One of the favorites he used was “spizarinctum” (spiz’ uh rink’ tum), which meant something like putting one’s whole body and soul into whatever task or activity was being pursued at a… Continue reading Spizarinctum
Report Card Day
My father was an austere man who rarely showed affection or approval. His communication with his children was usually in the form of directives or reprimands. We regarded him with a respect that was akin to reverence. As I was growing up, I tried to either keep out of his way or not to do… Continue reading Report Card Day