Growing Up in Williamsport, Ohio

Daddy and Waltz of the Flowers
 
My Dad always said there must be a lot of music in me because none ever came out.
 
When I was in about the fifth grade, we purchased flutophones for music class. I didn’t realize it at the time but they were supposed to help us learn to read music. If we could, we would be in the band. I didn’t have a clue and did not learn to read music until I was in Music Fundamentals class in college. Consequently, I was not in the Williamsport Band.
 
I could, however, carry a tune and sing along with everybody else. When I was in high school, I sang in the girls’ sextet. I always stood next to Alice Rigsby. I told her to sing alto in my ear and it would come out of my mouth. It worked pretty well. We sang at banquets and school events. One of the songs was from “My Fair Lady”, Get Me to the Church on Time. We also went to Ohio Wesleyan University and sang, Sourwood Mountain, and several other songs. My favorite perfume at that time was Tweed. I wore it to the latter event. I just kept spraying it on. Every time boys walked past me, they looked. While I thought maybe they thought I was attractive, I think my overuse of that perfume was the reason. : )
 
One of my most memorable events was at the Circleville Fair Grounds Coliseum. We had an all county-wide concert. I wore a new black, taffeta skirt and a white, embroidered nylon blouse. My Dad took my mother, Betty and me. He always took me wherever I needed to go and never complained. 
 
Picture this: my big farmer Dad sitting on a coliseum bleacher listening as we sang Waltz of the Flowers. Could it be that he was even proud? It makes me laugh to think about it but I cry instead.
 
Happy Father’s Day to All!

©Marilyn Francis Ferguson 2020
Photography/graphics by Michele Ferguson Schuck