08/13/2025
MCRTA's "Show and Tell"
Submitted
Moultrie County retired teachers gathered on Wednesday, August 6th, at the Moultrie County Historical and Genealogical Society Building in Sullivan. President Vickie Newberry conducted the MCRTA business meeting. During the meeting, Cole Huber, a current Sullivan teacher, made an appearance to thank the MCRTA for the grant he received. He was able to purchase five new computer keyboards for the new school year. This grant was made possible by our Monical's Community Day's monies.
In lieu of a guest speaker, the hosting Bethany members chose a fun activity to complement the venue. Members were invited to bring a "show and tell" antique. At the meeting, members heard, "My children and grandchildren have said they don't want this old stuff!" Notwithstanding those words, Judy Uphoff showed what looked like a very large rolling pin. Wrong! It was a piece from a rope bed that came to her family farm in 1850 via covered wagon. The piece was part of the headboard and was used to roll out the corn husk mattress. The saying, "Sleep tight," referred to the ropes staying tight. "Don't let the bed bugs bite," referred to rolling the mattress to avoid insects.
Debbie Seelhoefer brought what was designed to be a child's toy. It was a cross between a brass and a wood instrument. These funny-looking instruments became popular with the Sousa bands of the 1890s-1920s. Then they really took off with the introduction of jazz. Seelhoefer demonstrated that her antique saxophone still worked.
Don Lockwood, a former ag teacher, showed his 1860's crop seeder. Before these planters, farmers carried a sack of seeds and a stick to poke a hole in the soil. Hand-held planters evolved rapidly during a roughly 60-year period. Ultimately, the hand-held unit was relegated to garden use or to fill in gaps in fields.
Arlene Denning read out of a child's 1884 health primer. It advised not wearing shoes too tight, and the damage that it could cause.
Lois Shuman displayed a Depression glass sandwich server which was probably produced between 1926-1931. Depression glass was often given away at gas stations or grocery stores. A person could "earn" a new piece for her dining room table each week. No one wanted just one plate or saucer; people wanted a full set. This was a loyalty program that created an incentive to continue buying, and during the Great Depression this was a very smart marketing idea. Shuman is determined that her grand-daughter, "Will inherit this whether she likes it or not!"
Denise Piatt brought several examples of Carnival glass. It was also produced from 1900-1930s, Carnival glass is characterized by its vibrant iridescent colors due to its hand-sprayed salt solution. Whereas Depression glass was made cheaply and thin in a variety of translucent colors. Carnival glass was more expensive than Depression glass, but was more affordable than Tiffany. For the MCRTA meeting, Piatt decorated the tables with flowers in Carnival glass vases.
Kathy Bolsen had several vintage cookbooks. A 1934 Hershey's cookbook only had recipes "from scratch." An 1850s Lye soap cookbook taught how to make sanitation soaps and dips for dogs.
Other unique items were Laura Elder's old school slate board, Janet Cox's wooden wiffle bat, Denise Dean's cast-iron bank, Sue Yarnell's coffee grinder, Vickie Bowers's grandmother's lavalier, Cheryl Murphy's Intaglio one-room schoolhouse print, Linda Casteel's mechanical toy mice, Elaine Daniel's German bisque doll, Peg Burger's 1940s camera, Carol Glazebrook's early Nancy Drew books, and Ben Guyot's 1929 State track meet program.
Note: Several MCRTA members have collaborated with the museum's staff to develop two new educational bins for check-out. One covers Illinois Native Americans, and the other one covers the pioneers. These are excellent informational reads and hands-on manipulatives for classroom and home-school instruction.
