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SRL: Not really, she kept being invited to join the University
Women's Club and she'd say, "I'm sorry." But she read,
voraciotisly. She was self-educated.
Dad developed really a very fine library here; because-
it was long before TV, and radio was great, but it wasn't
all that educational.
SL: There was no running to the mall.
SRL: No, so reading was a big part of our lives. Boo and I were
talking about that. We had tea every afternoon. It was
great fun, and as little kids we had what was called
"Cambric Tea" which was half and half, tea and milk.
250 Mother would read to us, and as we grew older, _even
into our teen-age years, having Mother read to-the family...
she had a wonderful wonderful reading voice, and
pronunciation and intonation when she- read, and she would
read books that all of our ages could appreciate. Dickens,
and Sir Walter Scott and then later on some of the more
modern things, adventures and historic things, and it was
just great.
And then Boo and I, when we weren't doing anything else·
we'd go to the library or bring books out here on the lawn,
and lie on our tummies and read to each other. She'd read a
chapter, and I'd read a chapter, and we'd go through the
whole afternoon reading a book to each other.. And that was
something we did often.
SL: One thing we have not talked about is the five children, and
where they came in succession. Gerald was the oldest.
SRL: Gerry was the oldest
SL:, And when was he born?
SRL: Well, he's six years older,
SL: Than you. You were born in '27, so he was born in '21 And
then Barbara in '23.
SRL: Yes, she's four years older.
SL: Then you were in '27 and Boo in
SRL: Boo was in '28.
SL: Oh, so you two were very close.
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