 | Faye Graves, a native Wichitan, attended school at Friends and Wichita State, concluding at Midwestern Theological Seminary. He has been active in media for many years with Channel 12, KIRL, KFDI, KOOO AM & FM (Omaha), KFRM & KICT 95, as an owner, manager, producer, director and announcer. He has served as President of the Haysville Board of Education. He has also served on several national boards of the Southern Baptist Convention. Faye currently serves as Executive Pastor and Director of Administration and Education at Immanuel Baptist Church, 1415 S. Topeka, Wichita. You may contact Faye by e-mail fmgraves@amenibc.org, or by phone at (316) 262-1452. |
Nostalgia
2008-12-31 10:43:00
Remember...
Answer: Yes I do. February, the heart of winter, brings back a lot of memories like this term. When it was really cold outside, my mother, the weather forecaster and others would say “Boy, is it cold outside, be sure to bundle up.” The comment would make you a little afraid to go into the frigid outdoors.
We still “bundle up.” Years ago, everyone wore galoshes or overshoes or boots. When my boys were going to school, they didn’t think it was cool to wear them.
In the earlier days, most public places like restaurants, theatres, churches and schools furnished coat racks. Do you remember the coat closet or coat room (as it was also called) in your elementary school rooms? This was a room with a door at each end and coat hooks along both sides placed on both walls of this narrow room.
The coat room had all of the hooks alphabetically lettered and all students had their own hook and spot for their overshoes and galoshes, directly under their coat along with scarf and gloves.
The coat room was sometimes used as a punishment area for students who misbehaved.
My uncle was one of those. He related the time that his teacher said, “John, I have told you many times not to pull that girl’s pig tails but you continue to disobey. You go to the coat room right now and remain until lunch time. You may also remember that during the earlier years, we actually walked home for lunch.
As the old saying goes, “Idle hands get into mischief.” While sitting in that dark coat room, looking at the small garments and shoes all placed in order, John thought it might be interesting to change all the coats and overshoes’ locations. When time for lunch came, the teacher lined up her class alphabetically as she always did and started them through the coat room. My uncle, relating the story with a mischievous laugh, said, “You have never seen such a traffic jam with everyone looking for his or her coat and overshoes.” Today, we don’t have hooks for coats in the newer buildings. We have the pleasure of sitting on our coats throughout a movie, in church, at restaurants and getting them wrinkled. But we still must “bundle up” when we head outside. Stay warm!
