COUNTRY AND WESTERN

Almost from the day she was born, folks knew that she would be above average. Her good looks and winsome smile became more and more evident with each passing day. Before she was ten years old, the rest of the family was firmly convinced that she was extraordinarily musically inclined. She would often spend Saturday evening listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the Silvertone radio in the living room of her family’s country home. In her teen-age years, nothing would put a smile on her face more than when she could sing along with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans as they rode off into the sunset to the sound of “Happy Trails To You”.

As each year passed, the only gift she ever wanted for birthdays and Christmas was a little money to go in the “guitar fund” that she kept in the Mason jar under the bed in her room. By the time she reached her twentieth birthday, she had reached her goal of $10 – plus a little more. With great excitement, she took the Sears and Roebuck catalog down from the shelf and placed her order for a genuine Gene Autry “Roundup” guitar. Although it seemed like an eternity, actually it was only three weeks later that she was able to pick up the package at the post office in the small town near where they lived.  

She practiced and practiced, sore fingers and all, until she got quite good with the C, G7 and F chords. It wasn’t long until she could strum and sing without even looking at the placement of her fingers on the neck of the guitar. It was about that time she decided to have these photos taken. She just knew that someday she would be a star and would need them to advance her career. As her father got out the old Kodak camera, she dressed in her white hat and best cowgirl shirt, and going outside, they snapped a few for future use.

Not long after, she left the old homestead and moved to Nashville – and every now and then – the rest of her family would gather ‘round the old Silvertone on Saturday, listening closely and hoping to hear her as she made her debut on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium  along with the country and western greats of that day. And who knows, I’ll just bet that it wasn’t very long before they did.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS?

On August 15, 1924, my grandfather wrote the following in his diary:

“This week I had a few trials. I bought a Ford Truck last week. I quit the shop and went to hauling gravel and sand. At first the engine would not pull. Mr. Al Bryant had it fixed. Next, the gravel plant broke down and I did not get but one load in a day. The next day I had to put in new transmission bands. The third day I broke a front spring and the fourth day I had a blow out in the rear casing, 33 x 5, - a 40 dollar casing blowed up and it made me quite sick to think of it. I resolved to quit the hauling business. I went and inquired at the print shop for work but there was no opening. But in the evening I got a job hauling cinders for the Stadium. Some nasty job, it lasted only a half a day. The first load I had a blow out on account of a shoe slipping. I went back to the print shop and hired Henry Fasel, a cousin of mine to haul for me. He and Ed hauled cotton seed from Cedar Creek, a distance of about 26 miles. But too many trucks were hauling so only made about a 3 day run in about a week. Added to this I had to buy a pair of mud chains which cost me 10 dollars, also had to overhaul the rear end which cost over 16 dollars in parts alone. We tried gravel hauling but with no better luck so I told Henry he could get him a job elsewhere if opportunity presented itself; as for me, I’m thru with hauling.”

SONG AND DANCE

Formed in 1925 in St. Louis, the Missouri Rockettes were the predecessor to the Radio City Music Hall group by a similar name. However, being a newly-formed organization with neither funds nor fame, the promoters of this group often had difficulty finding or securing places to hold auditions, as well as people wanting to be a part of a little-known dance troupe.

And that’s just how and where the Sizemore sisters entered the story. From a very early age, they had wanted to be performers of some sort, preferably singers or dancers or some combination thereof. But to their great disappointment, there just wasn’t much opportunity or desire for that in the rural area that they had called home since birth. 

But when the sisters heard from neighbors that, in several places around town, they had seen posters announcing that the Missouri Rockettes organization was coming to their neck of the woods in July, 1926 seeking dancers, they just knew this was going to be their big chance. For two weeks straight, they spent part of each day in the field behind their house, practicing their dance moves and steps. Finally, when they felt they had reached the peak of perfection, they filled out the application forms, and submitted them, along with photos of them performing their best routine. 

Although they mailed them in a timely manner, it was apparently all to no avail and their big debut was not to be; for due to a shortage of personnel, the auditions were never held in their area. As far as can be determined, this photo, still showing the creases where it was folded to get it into the envelope, is the last remaining evidence that there ever existed such a group as the “Singing Sizemores” (who hoped to someday also be known as the “Dancing Darlings”).

PROTECTING POTATOES

Even though his brother Roland was the younger of the two boys, Oscar was the oldest, and as such, he always tried to set the example, especially in times of danger and hardship. And so it was Oscar who decided that even though they both were rejected for military service during World War 1, they still could, and should, do their part in protecting family and homeland. Thus it was that they formed and headed up the group that would become known as “The Garden Guards” – protectors of beans and potatoes, squash and tomatoes, and so much more. Though he was the shorter of the two boys, Oscar declared that, as the older one, he should be the one to carry the family’s long rifle – thereby leaving only the Red Ryder BB Gun for Roland. And since they never had to fire either weapon in protecting their land, it really never mattered who carried what. Nevertheless, there they stood at attention, guns at the ready, day after day, making sure that the fruits and vegetables were able to grow to maturity and provide sustenance for all the members of their family. When the war finally ended in November of 1918, Oscar and Roland figured that they had done their duty to their country, and just before laying down their weapons for the last time, they had a photo taken to commemorate their years of faithful service. To this day, that photo of both boys standing proud and tall among the okra and radishes, hangs in the east wing of The Garden Guards Hall of Fame in their hometown.

WANDERING WEST

Although living in tents and small buildings on wheels may not have been the ideal way of life, for some families, it seemed to work. It was always easy to pack up and move when their situation called for it. They left North Carolina in the Spring of ’49 fully intending to settle down for a few years in Missouri where it was rumored that work was readily available for any able-bodied man who was willing to sweat and sacrifice as needed to provide for his wife and children. And, traveling as a group, there were always relatives and in-laws nearby to help out when times called for it. But it was not long before the lure of newly-discovered gold in Montana was stronger than the desire to stay put. It would be only a month or so after this photograph was taken that the whole group would take down and fold up the tent, hitch the horses to the rolling houses and be on their way. Little Nell would often get to ride in the children's wagon wherever the terrain allowed, while Maggie, being a couple of years older, would be made to walk beside her. The Mr. and Mrs. were the privileged two who always seemed to get to ride – perhaps that was because the only saddles possessed by the entire clan, belonged to them. Upon arriving at their destination, whether it be Salina, KS or Missoula, MT, not long after pitching the tent and unhitching the horses, they would dress in their Sunday best and make their way into town to celebrate and get acquainted with the folks who would be their friends and neighbors for the unforeseeable future. Unfortunately, their semi-gypsy lifestyle sometimes caused others to be suspicious and wary of them and, more often than not, they would find it necessary to hit the road in search of greener pastures and friendlier folks. Had they not made this one photograph somewhere in Oklahoma, we might have had no record of them at all.

MATILDA THE MECHANIC

During World War II the fame of Rosie the Riveter spread far and wide. Everyone who was involved in the war effort in even the smallest way was familiar with her and the legion of female workers that she represented. But almost no one ever heard of Matilda the Mechanic. Although she never had any formal training in auto repair, she was a natural at keeping the General’s 1940 Chevrolet running at its best. She could pop the hood and diagnose the problem as well as or even better than most of the guys who did this sort of thing. Whether it was changing the spark plugs or the oil, she was as quick as she was talented. A little axle grease mixed in with her mascara didn’t bother her one bit. Often with just a screwdriver and a pair of pliers she could have an engine running as smooth as silk. Fixing a flat tire was all in a day’s work for Matilda. A couple of tire irons, a jack, a lug wrench, a patch kit and a pump were to her just the same as jewelry was to most women. She was proud of her work and she had every right to be. When the war was finally over she was awarded The Golden Wrench of Meritorious Service for the many times that she went above and beyond what anyone else would have done. For years afterward, anytime one of her local home town mechanics could not diagnose or fix a problem, he would call Matilda to bail him out. And she was always pleased to continue to be of service to her country and her fellow man.

SONNY AND SWEETEX

The year was 1933. The Proctor and Gamble Company introduced a new product that was sold to commercial bakeries. It was called Sweetex Pure Vegetable Shortening and was described as "The High-Ratio shortening for cakes of better taste, texture, and keeping quality, for superior icings".

In that same year, Sonny Boy was born. Somehow, somewhere Sonny and Sweetex came together just about the time of his first birthday. As he posed atop the Sweetex container on that occasion, who could have known or predicted that some years later he would be, among other things, a musician, singer, and songwriter. Among many songs composed by Sonny was the now famous take-off of the Smokey the Bear song. While the original words were, 

"Smokey the Bear, Smokey the Bear. 
Prowlin' and a growlin' and a sniffin' the air.
He can find a fire before it starts to flame.
That's why they call him Smokey,
That was how he got his name."

Sonny's version changed the bear to a rabbit known as "Dopey the Hare" and the song became;

"Dopey the Hare, Dopey the Hare.
Jumpin' and a skippin' right into the fire.
He can't smell a fire until he's burnt like toast.
That's why they call him Dopey, 
Now we have a rabbit roast."

One of the other things Sonny was known for was his somewhat unusual sense of humor.

MY AUNT RUTH

Approximately 1920, at the tender age of five or six years old she gave her heart and life to God after listening to a message preached by Colonel Samuel Logan Brengle at The Salvation Army, 403 Congress Avenue in Austin, TX. In 1933 she entered The Salvation Army Training College in Atlanta, GA. as a cadet in the Do and Dare Session . In 1983,  after forty-nine years of service, she wrote;

"...the little cadet, whose superior officers were told by three different doctors, at three different periods of my life, that she should resign, is still on active duty. They said I was not able to do Salvation Army work as it required more physical stamina than I had, but I am still on the field, working for the Lord. My strength is given by God, who does not make mistakes, and who defies doctors statements and gives strength to the weak to do His tasks, and makes them able to do the work God wants them to do. To God I give all the glory for without His help I could never have made it. He has done many miracles in my life and I know God lives and He hears and answers prayer and this is another chapter of His miracles and power." - - Ruth (Schneider) Breazeale in OUR DWELLING PLACE by Anice (Schneider) Williams

Above photo courtesy of The Salvation Army Historical Center, USA Southern Territory, Atlanta, GA.

http://salvationarmy.pastperfectonline.com/

THEY WERE SOLDIERS

They were fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors and more. They were farmers, grocers, carpenters, lawyers, doctors and any other occupation that you could name. They came from the big city, the small town and way out in the country. They might be college educated or high school dropouts. None of that mattered to them; when their country needed them, they were soldiers. They wore the uniform with pride and carried the weapon as though not only theirs, but many other lives depended on it, and they did. They lived in barracks, tents, foxholes, etc. – wherever their duties required them to be in order to accomplish the job that they had trained for. They endured heat, cold, rain, snow and whatever the world threw at them, depending on where they were serving. They laughed, they cried, they suffered, they endured and they kept on going as long as necessary. As long as their country called, they answered. Then and now, they deserve honor, respect, recognition and gratitude for their willingness to leave all and go who-knew-where to do something that not many of them would ever have chosen to do. Whether they died on the battlefield or returned home; sometimes to a hero’s welcome and sometimes not, they deserve to be remembered. Whether they served in a world war, a conflict, or a peace-keeping mission, they deserve to be remembered. Because they left home in order to protect the homeland, they deserve to be remembered. They were soldiers. 

CONVERTED COWBOY

JACK WINSETT-WRANGLER OF SOULS
by Harold Preece

“There are evangelists and evangelists: converted-infidel evangelists, ex-convict evangelists, and last and noisiest, cowboy evangelists. … Jack Winsett, punching cattle on the Devil's River of Southwest Texas, heard the call of the Lord, and, surrendering a promising future as a ranch foreman, left the devil's domain to go out into the highways and byways in quest of the lost. Not that Winsett seems to have suffered either physically or financially as a result of taking up the Cross. A well-fed individual in his early forties, weighing nearly two hundred pounds, and wearing good, if unmatched clothes, the reverend cowhand presents a picture of prosperity not displayed by the yokels who nightly gape at his hell-raising rantings and ridiculous hyperboles. If Brother Winsett feels that he is not getting enough money or provisions, he jocularly but firmly reminds his congregation and insists that they come across. A young woman who accompanied me to his service spoke of him as ‘an amiable old pirate’.” - -

LITTLE BLUE BOOK NO. 1606
Clarence Darrow: Evangelist of Sane Thinking -  by George G. Whitehead 

HALDEMAN-JULIUS PUBLICATIONS GIRARD. KANSAS - Copyright 1931

“There was a revival meeting in town; (1930) Jack Winsett, a red-haired cowboy evangelist, was preaching in a tent meeting. I was too little to remember anything about his preaching, but it seems that Mother and Daddy and the other kids really liked him and we went every night possible. It took some doing to get the chores done in time to drive to town and be there when the meeting began.” – Anice (Schneider) Williams - “Our Dwelling Place”