Arta had a childhood scrapbook

Arta had a childhood Scrap Book?!

If Arta's children had access to their mother's childhood scrap book when they were children, well ... the scrapbook would long ago be dust.

Oh, on second thought, let me speak for myself. If childhood Bonnie had access to this scrapbook, the pages would have been turned so many times that they would have disintegrated.

It is also likely that there would be a mirror scrapbook with cards and letters from the mid-60s to late 80s, with cursive so similar to hers it would have appeared she wrote it. I would have tried to re-create it.

Were any other scrapbookers in her family? Did Wyora encourage this activity? Were her children interested in scrapbooking? Or was this a gift she made for her daughter, a keepsake capturing the mother-child journey?

The pages of this scrapbook are bound by a 24" black shoe lace. The first page has a 4 cent canadian stamp of King George VI in the upper right corner. (I see you can purchase your own preowned stamped sheet of the same vintage stamp on ebay today for $53.90!)

In beautiful cursive on the left are the words, "To Arta From Estelle Rose Christmas 1944." Arta would have been 4 years, 7 months old. This can't be her writing. It must be Wyora's. 

Was a toy included in the package? Is that why there is a image of a four or five year old child cut out and glued onto the page? The pink in her lips, bow, flower pattern on her dress, and pinwheel spinning in her hand are picked up by the lighter red in the war time stamp.

Holidays cards are pasted into the book along with letters. A Valentine with no name. I practice the names of Wyora's siblings: Ellsworth, Monte, Keith, Lenore, Leatrice, Elaine (children of Earl Hurst and Blanche Fisher Scovlle). Was the card from one of them?

Next, there is an Easter Card dated 1944. It is addressed to "Arta Blanche and Bonny Edna Rae from Auntie Leatrice. " She is sending hugs and kisses from Sorel Quebec. The cursive has been written with care. Has a ruler been used? Every word is lined up so beautifully. 

I am surprised to come across a letter to young Arta signed "Grandma Pilling." I know her name but have not, to my knowledge, seen her handwriting: Edna Galbriath Hyde (1883 - 1959). She compliments Arta's printing in her letter, referring to it as "neat" and sharing that she never learned how to print. It seems the opposite in these times - children printing or typing, but cursive not being a mandatory skill to acquire.

The year is not included in the letter. I can recall being in grade one and wondering why we had to write the year each day - it just never changed. What was the point? The month and day are included in this letter. It is April 21st and Edna is writing from "Long Beach" on stationary from "Olivera Street, Los Angeles, California." 

She mentions Arta's siblings by name. "I hope Wyona is well. Are you goning to let Bonnie catch up to you in size? I can't realize that Rita is getting so large and trying to sit alone." Doral and Wyora have been away. She adds in reference to this time of being tended by others, "You girls didn't tease the boys did you?"

There is a hint as to the year of the letter. My guess would be 1948. Grandma Pilling suggests a film to Arta. "If Janette MacDonald comes in Three Darling Daughters" be sure to see it. It is in colors and such pretty clothes." The film was released March 5, 1948. A romantic comedy. Perhaps I will watch it tonight and imagine what it was like for Edna to see this film at age 63, my sister Rebecca's age.

Thank you, generations of card and letter writers, scrapbookers and scrappers who went before me and will go after me, for connecting me to your lives through print.