Category: History in the Making

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History in the Making

Behind the Doors of the Grocery Store: INEVITABLE CHANGE Part 2

History in the making

CHANGE —A Spark for Writers Seeking an Innovative Angle for Their stories.

Change can bring new life or dread to an unfolding plot, and it can affect characters in both positive and negative ways.

The grocery store setting can be such a catalyst, having experienced numerous changes throughout the 20th century.

  • 1930s-The rise of the all-in-one market. Excited shopper: The butcher, the baker, and the produce grower are all under one roof! Dejected business owner: My mom-and-pop shop can’t sustain itself any longer
  • 1937-The shopping cart arrived. Empowered shopper: I can choose products myself. Perplexed proprietor: Where do I fit?
  • 1950s-The “International Aisle” appeared. Inconvenience shopper: What are oriental noodles and refried beans? And what happened to my peanut butter and jelly? Controversial shopper: This looks like racial bias to me.
  • 1960s-Trading Stamps went wild. Grumpy shopper: Why does my favorite store offer green stamps when I want blue chips? Smiling shopper: My little girl wants a doll I can get with green stamps.
  • 1952-Bar code patented. Curious Shopper: What are these stickers with unique bars and numbers? Do I need to know? Do I even care?
  • 1960s-In-Store pharmacy. Recovering shopper: The pharmacist helped my husband find the best cold medicine for me. Pharmacist: It’s great to offer another convenience for customers.
  • 1972-The 24/7 grocery stores open. Tired shopper: I may have just put in a night’s work, but the quiet, uncrowded aisles are wonderful. Weary clerk: These overnight hours are hard on my body.
  • 1974-Price scanners. Delighted cashier: I don’t have to punch register keys anymore. I just slide the bar code across the glass plate. Disgruntled customer: The cashier made good money for accuracy in punching keys, now a child could do their job.

As the decades marched forward, stores designated seasonal space for specialty wares to celebrate New Years, Super Bowl, Valentines Day, Easter and Spring, and Thanksgiving.

Halloween grew in popularity and now holds second place in holiday sales. Fall shopper: In addition to the baker’s pumpkin goodies, I can find decorative squash, greeting cards, paper goods, knickknacks, and sometimes costumes. Wide-eyed child: Mom, look at all the candy.

Then there’s Christmas…everywhere you look…arriving as early as October. Even the grocery store climbs on board the marketing sleigh. Beyond celebratory meals and dessert items, the Plan-ahead shopper can choose Christmas cards, themed paper goods, and wrapping paper. For the Last-minute shopper, ribboned boxes of holiday candies and goodies, stuffed animals, and small toys fill the shelves.

Oops-don’t forget the poinsettias.

For the creative writer, change at the grocery store, good or bad, can enhance a scene. Or, if those creative juices are unleashed, the writer could employ market changes to unfold plot or subplots or reveal characters.

So, what plots and profiles might one bring to life at the grocery store?

Plots and Subplots: A kidnapped child or gun-toting robbers; pilfered green stamps or shoplifters; manager’s first store or the struggling mom’s second job. Romance on aisle 10. Characters: Store owner/manager, security guards, delivery men, cranky or curious children, harried shoppers, overwhelmed clerks, student baggers, late night shelf stockers.

So, creative writers, why not explore how the CHANGES behind the door of the grocery store might help you craft an atypical, entertaining story?

Click here for part one, Behind the Doors of the Grocery Store: The Early American Era.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry

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History in the Making

Behind the Doors of the Grocery Store: The Early American Era

History in the making

For writers, opportunities wait behind the doors of the grocery store!

A plethora of plots. Character reveals. Centuries of setting choices.

Plots or sub-plots—romance, thievery, espionage, even murder—hope to be chosen for a writer’s next work. Love blooms on Aisle 4.  A desperate mother shoplifts. Dollar bills go missing from the money box. Who poisoned the produce?

Character reveals or characters revealed? There’s a place for both in the grocery store. The helpful or bitter proprietor. The responsible cashier. The jerk of a clerk. Or the unexpected, welcome or dreaded, encounter at the meat counter.  

Along with plots and characters, a variety of grocery store settings are available for the picking. From as far back as the infant years of the United States, shops afforded goods to consumers: Trading Posts. General Stores. Mom-and-Pop shops. Full-service grocery stores.

Spanning four centuries, 17th through the early 20th, customers could make purchases at the TRADING POST, GENERAL STORE or a MOM-AND-POP shop. Demographics, architecture and technology might change, but the overall model of these establishments remained during this era.

TRADING POSTS arose and scattered across the United States as adventurous folks moved westward to explore the land. Initially, the trappers who operated the posts traded guns, ammunition, cloth and trims, and cookware to the local Indian tribes in exchange for furs and food. Bartering was common as opposed to a fixed-price system. Extending credit was common, luring customers to return.

Over the decades the face of the Trading Post morphed according to the increase in population and the changing landscape as more people moved west to settle in communities. Farmers, ranchers, travelers by stagecoach or rail, Pony Express riders, along with the Indian tribes might do business at the Trading Post. The proprietor would keep busy stocking shelves, bartering and selling, and cultivating working relationships and friendships with customers.

GENERAL STORES

The locale of the store would determine much of the product offered to the customer. For example, if the General Store is the only shop in a tiny town, though they provide mostly dry goods, at times they might have eggs, fresh fruit or vegetables brought in by a local farmer in exchange for credit or product. They may also stock items that are unique to the needs of those area residents. Specialty items were likely ordered and took a long time to receive. The post office might deliver mail to their facility and the customer would pick it up when they came by.

If the General Store is located in a large town or city where numerous specialty businesses operate, dry goods would be their main stock,  

 A day in the life of the proprietor might include unloading a shipment of goods or stocking shelves. Customers, both men and women, would hand him a list, or simply tell him what they needed. The requested items would be placed on the counter. After calculating the cost, the owner would load them in the customer’s sack or wagon to take home.

By 1883, proprietors might have set aside their pencil and paper and used a cash register which was invented by James and John Ritter circa 1878.

MOM AND POP shops are distinguished from General Stores in that they are usually family-owned and often a specialty store such as butchers, bakers, pharmacists, or shoemakers, etc.  

Mom and Pop stores were likely flanked on either side by other stores in a string of buildings on the main street of town. Owners often lived on the second floor.

Progressing into the 20TH CENTURY

In 1916, Piggly Wiggly opened the first self-service establishment. Customers could walk along the aisles and pick out what they wanted to purchase, then take them to check-out for tabulation and bagging. Regional chain stores, as late as the 1920s, continued counter-service for procurement of dry goods.

Shoppers still needed to visit the specialty shops for meat and produce.

Circa 1937, King Kullen opened the first grocery store featuring an onsite baker, butcher and a large produce department.

Shortly after King Kullen’s opening, the shopping cart was introduced. This made shopping easier for the customers, but also, the sale of more merchandise increased profits for the owner.

These early 20th century advancements in grocery services paved the way for the shopping experiences enjoyed by 20th and 21st century consumers. But that’s a story for another day.

As for creative writers, fodder for meaningful and exciting stories waits behind the doors of any Trading Post, General Store, Mom and Pop shop, or Full-service Grocery Store.

One just needs to look to find them.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry.

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History in the Making

The Coffee Bean Grinder

History in the making

Ahhh! Breathe it in—the aroma of fresh ground coffee beans. What a delightful detail to enhance the scene in a writer’s story.

But when and how can a writer introduce a coffee bean grinder?

There are four (4) distinct periods in the life of coffee grinders:

  • Stone Mortar and Pestle:

The exact date of the discovery of coffee beans is unknown, however, it can be tracked back to Ethiopia as early as 800 A.D..  As folks explored how to include the coffee bean in their lifestyles, the concept of grinding them naturally followed. The mortar and pestle got the job done and was utilized from that time and into the 15th century.

  • Manual Grinder:

In the 15th century, innovative minds used the blueprints for operating grain mills to develop smaller-sized mills, or grinders, which were then used to grind spices. Subsequently, the grain mills and spice grinders proved useful to grind coffee beans also.

In its early stages of development, manual coffee bean grinders were often built with wood, in a box shape, with a turning handle on top. The user would pour the beans into the top of the grinder, turn the handle, and the grounds would fall into a removable drawer at the bottom.

Over the next couple centuries, coffee grinders morphed with such changes as:  grinders specifically for coffee beans; mechanics using burrs instead of blades; and a wall-mounted coffee grinder. The late nineteenth century brought about mass production of cast iron grinders for use in households, cafes, and grocery stores.

  • Electric Grinders:

By the early 20th Century, electric grinders became popular. In the next years, various inventors and companies presented design modifications, experimented with different materials for construction, and added features like measuring weights. 

  • Technology-Enhanced Grinders:

At the turn of the 21st Century modern technology wowed the public with features like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and touch-less. From coarse to fine, the beans could be ground to fit one’s taste buds. Add temperature control, anti-clumping and even the ability to measure density, and one can brew that perfect cup of coffee for the need of the moment without leaving their home.

Coffee grinders weren’t only about the mechanics to produce the perfect cup of coffee. Throughout changing eras and cultures, artisans left their marks. Those plain, boxy, practical devices became canvases for paint, etchings, and engravings.  Beautiful devices were fashioned, bringing delight into homes then and joy into the hands of collectors now.

There are several ways a writer can utilize a coffee grinder in a story:

  1. The grinder can be a strong focus or a minor detail thread throughout the story.
  2. Just about any place a character might gather, coffee (and the grinder) can play a part: breakfast, business meetings, casual or formal gatherings, dates, holidays, wedding celebrations or funerals.
  3. Manual grinders open the door to four hundred years of design and artistry available to enhance a story—plots, scenes, or characters.  
  4. Depending on the era and the type of coffee grinder chosen for the story, a writer can reveal “old-fashioned or quirky” characters. They can show patience (or impatience) of the character learning how to use that new electric grinder, or frustration when approaching high-tech Wi-Fi technology. Share family history—Gramma’s precious hand-me-down.
  5. No matter what the setting or period, a tense conversation might be amplified by the force a character uses to grind those coffee beans. Or perhaps an edgy conversation could use a little levity, and a discussion about dark beans and light beans and just the right ratio of the two might fit the need. Teasing an aficionado may provide the perfect injection of humor.

And there’s so much more for the writer’s creative mind to ponder.

Ahhh! Breathe it in—whiffs of aromatic possibilities.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

Just Toast, Please Perfecting Breakfast Toast

History in the making

Otto Frederick Rohwedder (1980-1960) and Charles Perkins Strite (1978-1956)—not exactly celebrities. Though, perhaps they should be. Their combined ingenuity brought quick and easy toast to the breakfast table.

Quick because Mr. Rohwedder—frustrated with the time it took to hand-carve a loaf of bread only to have the slices uneven with ragged edges—invented the bread slicer.

Easy because Mr. Strite—disappointed with the frequent delivery of burnt toast on his breakfast plate—developed a toaster that simultaneously crisped both sides of the bread then automatically popped it up.

When these two innovations crossed paths in 1928, busy cooks, whether restaurant or household, could open a wrapper, pull out pre-sliced bread, and drop it in a toaster knowing it would pop up automatically when done.

These men and their inventions changed the way we do breakfast toast for a lifetime.  

Writers might ask, “Why should I care about toast?”

A scene where a character makes toast can speak to the period of the story based on the contraption used to accomplish the task. Making toast can provide action to weave between dialogue: dropping the bread between the slots, waiting for it to pop up, slathering butter and watching it melt. Crunching and savoring each bite.

Toast can reveal personality quirks or add tension. The cook might dance a jig because the toast came out perfect. A businessman might hurry out the door with harsh words on his tongue because the toast burned. Cooking lessons for an older child might set up a happy morning. Sweeping toast crumbs on the floor beneath the highchair could add to stress. Might the perfectionist cook wonder if he’ll ever get it right, or the mother lament her lack of culinary skills?

WRITERS OF CONTEMPORARY PIECES would have multiple well-known options for using toast or a toaster in a scene. A simple 2-slice or fancy 4-slice toaster could sit on the kitchen counter. It would be a seamless jump from toast to Pop Tarts, waffles, or French toast sticks being slid between the wired slots.

As is often the case, WRITERS OF HISTORICAL WORKS might need to research the nature of toast before using it in a scene. A skeletal timeline set out below would likely need fleshing out but might serve as a jumping off spot for research.

Prior to the early 1900s, bread may have been browned in an oven broiler, or in a frying pan, to achieve a toasty texture. For stories set before ovens were prevalent, tearing off chunks of untoasted bread and coating them in home-churned butter would be a believable choice for the scene.

But a big shift in breakfast toast began in 1909, first in browning apparatuses and then in bread slicing machines:

  • 1909–The first commercially available toaster allowed one-sided toasting. This required a person to watch over it, turn the bread when ready, and then manually cause it to pop up.
  • 1915–A toaster with an automatic turning mechanism was introduced.
  • 1919-The 2-sided automatic pop-up toaster became available commercially.
  • 1926-The pop-up toaster arrived in households.
  • 1928-Pre-sliced bread was introduced.
  • 1930-Pre-sliced bread arrived on most grocery shelves.
  • 1933-Sale of sliced bread exceeded unsliced.

WRITERS OF SUSPENSE might consider a plot to sabotage toaster prototypes. Or instead of a sinister plot, a friendly competition might be more palatable — who can bring the invention to market first?

Perhaps a tense scene needs some comedic relief. Picture the boy and his dog staring at mommy’s new pop-up toaster, waiting for the bread to fly toward the ceiling.

Who would have thought breakfast toast could add such details to a story?

Who would have thought two inspired men, and two simple appliances would make such a difference in how we make toast?

So maybe these men really do deserve a measure of celebrity recognition: Strite engraved on pop-up toasters. Rohwedder etched into the bread box.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

Nancy Drew: Girl Detective

History in the making

Searching for some fun details or a bit of drama to slip into your next fictional piece? Well, pull out the spy glass and consider…

Nancy Drew—Girl Detective.

Nancy debuted on the pages of The Secret of the Old Clock in 1930. Prone to stumbling upon suspicious happenings and endowed with a knack for unraveling the mysteries surrounding them.

Nancy leaped into the hearts and dreams of many young girls. Bess and George, Nancy’s best female friends, tagged along, often to keep their friend out of trouble. The trios’ boyfriends, Ned, Dave and Bert, embraced their supporting roles of protectors, but only as needed. Because, of course, Nancy was the bold and courageous leader of this clean-cut band of teens.

What a popular character!

And that’s what she was. A character…in a book. Not a real person, though Carolyn Keene does a wonderful job crafting Nancy’s personality so that she becomes very real to readers.

Nancy also radiates her own aura of mystery.

  • Nancy’s creator, Edward Stratemeyer, is not the author of the plethora of books which titles begin: The Case of ________.
  • The ascribed author of these books, Carolyn Keene, is no more real than Nancy Drew. The name is a pseudonym appearing on the front cover no matter who might be the ghostwriter.

The ghostwriters received ideas and followed outlines from Mr. Stratemeyer, editors, publishers or whoever held rights to Nancy Drew at the time, and then anonymously penned the girl detective’s adventures. In Nancy’s case, the ghostwriters’ imaginations influenced many of the controversial character updates that occurred over her lifetime. Yet, despite their contributions, ghostwriters fell prey to common industry contracts that included maintaining anonymity and surrendering rights to their work product.

  • Nancy keeps fans guessing. Over the decades, her persona, appearance, and habits underwent alterations to better reflect the era in which each book, film or TV drama was written.

Early Nancy Drew (1930 to late 1950) was likened to a super-hero:

Independent, confident, talented, innovative, and fearless, yet sparkling with kindness as she seeks to help people in trouble.

In the year 1959 Nancy became more gentle, less tomboyish and exhibited greater respect of the men around her.

By 1985, Nancy graduated from solving petty offenses and elementary intrigue and tackled more serious crimes such as espionage and murder…and sought more romance in her life.

Thereafter, Nancy’s passions seemed more important than the mystery, which helped build the bridge to the year 2005 when the first graphic novel, The Demon of River Heights (2005/2014) arrived on the scene.

Nancy’s metamorphoses, no matter when introduced, extracted differing opinions by authors, editors, and readers.

  • Which Nancy Drew will show up in the book, film, comics, or video game at hand?

Will one find sweet, wholesome Nancy, sleuth at work? Or will one discover the new Nancy, promiscuous and focused more on romance than mystery? Will she be 16 or 18? Driving a roadster, a convertible or hybrid? (All blue, of course.) Using a cell phone? The girl-next-door wardrobe or something more seductive? What shade of blonde or red hair? Will Bess and George still be her chums? What role will Ned have?  

Notwithstanding the drama stalking Nancy Drew, enthusiasts don’t really care who gave her life or who wrote her adventures or what color her hair is today—it only matters that Nancy’s star shines at the end.

Writers of historical or contemporary fiction might find a place for Nancy Drew in their own works:

  • A minimal approach might scatter mentions of Nancy’s books throughout the pages:

The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears (1993) lands under the Christmas tree, an antsy child waits for the newest release to arrive at the store, or searches shelves (stores or home) for an unread book.

An adult character confesses Nancy Drew influenced their decision to enter law enforcement.

  • Tension-riddled issues surrounding Nancy could include: the child whose birthday wish is to meet Carolyn Keene; mother and daughter watching a provocative film/television production; the dismay of a parent who discovers the portrayal of Nancy in the book just purchased for her child isn’t the same as the girl detective she grew up with.

There she is! Nancy Drew—Girl Detective

An icon wrapped in mystery, waiting to leap onto the pages of a writer’s next venture. Don’t miss out! The opportunities are as many as there are books entitled The Case of ________.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

Paltry Pickings in the Pantry: World War 2 Food Rationing

History in the making

Louise stared at the nearly empty sack of flour. Her eyes flitted to a canister tucked in the back of an upper shelf. She pulled it down, lifted the lid, and peeked inside. Assured the four cups of flour she’d set aside remained untouched, she sighed. But guilt jabbed her. If people knew she’d squirreled away portions of recent flour allotments, would they think her a hoarder? Truly, it wasn’t that much. She chewed her lip—would it be enough for Bobby’s birthday cake?  

Geez, Louise! What’s the story here?

The Office of Price Administration (OPA) could answer that question.

The troops serving in World War 2 needed provisions and the American people were called upon to sacrifice a portion of their personal supplies to make that happen. Therefore, beginning in 1942 and ending in 1945, OPA issued books of ration stamps for common staples. Families received about half the quantity of staples normally consumed. Thus, flour, sugar, butter, coffee, and fat were in short supply, along with meats, fruits, and vegetables. (Note: Gasoline and tires, along with other non-perishable items were also rationed.)

American households would tell you they turned rationing into patriotic support for the troops. “Victory gardens” became popular. Yard grown vegetables for family consumption meant more canned goods for the troops. A war time edition of a popular women’s cookbook encouraged creative cooking. It published recipes that utilized readily available foods and offered tips, including suggested substitutes. For example, molasses or honey were a few sweeteners that could be used instead of sugar.

Neighbors, friends, and family employed a bartering system.

And we’ll just whisper the word “black market” for ration stamps and stolen items.

Grocers might chime in with their thoughts on the matter of rationing.

On the positive side, the stamps allowed them to limit purchases. Shelves did not deplete as quickly, and the restricted goods landed in more households. This countered the problem of runs on foods, especially when rumors spread that a specific commodity was destined for the rationing list.

On the flip side, one wonders how many shop owners learned a nice way of saying “no” to friends and family who hoped for more food than the ration stamps allowed.

Restaurant Owners probably had some not-so-nice words to say about rationing—it threatened their livelihoods. OPA required owners to apply for ration books, and as part of the process, they needed to present their menus and pricing. If approved, they were awarded twenty to thirty per cent more ration coupons than households, but not enough to sustain their traditional offerings.

Menu adjustments according to stamp allotments and food availability became common. The frequency of changes prompted growing use of paper menus.

Many restaurants did not survive the war years. Not only was the flow of food adversely affected, but many owners and workers joined the military. Not all wives were prone to operate the understaffed eatery as well as tend to their families.

And what does Louise think of rationing?

She waits for the morning when she can visit with a friend, sip more than one cup of coffee sweetened with real sugar, and nibble on a plateful of cookies. She dreams of the evening when she doesn’t need to pull out boxed macaroni and cheese for supper—again. She longs for the day when she can bake her son’s favorite birthday cake without shorting her family on flour for bread or biscuits.

For Writers of Fiction Set in World War 2 Era

The world of food rationing can boil with plots or character driven stories, bake with drama and tension, yet bubble with joy from supporting the troops.

The pickings in the pantry may be paltry, but the writer’s mind would likely be full to the brim.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

The Desire for Street Cars-Then and Now

History in the making

In the early 1900s trolleys, otherwise known as “streetcars,” began popping up all over the United States. (For this article, I will use the words trolleys and streetcars interchangeably).

Omnibus

Omnibus, a horse-drawn wagon made to carry more than one family, were already in use and continued to be used during this time. However, omnibuses didn’t follow a track and the ride was often bumpy. Trolleys were larger than the omnibuses and had a more elaborate design, but still began with horses or mules pulling them. They didn’t look as much like wagons and they were designed to carry a fairly large number of people.

Horse drawn trolley

In the beginning, horses or mules pulled trolleys along tracks. Mules were preferred because they had more stamina than horses. These trolleys provided a smoother, faster ride than the omnibuses. Streetcars were used in towns and cities where there were a lot of people, so the streets had to be regularly cleaned of horse or mule manure. The streets in the towns and cities were grated, making it easier for trolleys to provide smoother, faster travel than walking, which had been the main way to get around in the city.

Companies were always looking to improve their trolleys to provide faster transportation and a smoother ride. So, in the late 19th century, operators began trying steam engines and electricity. Some of the first cities to use electric trolleys were: Scranton, Pennsylvania; Montgomery, Alabama; and Omaha, Nebraska.

Electric street car

Electric streetcars followed a track, but also required a cable attached to the roof that would then clip onto an electrical wire strung across tall wooden poles along the track routes to power the electric engine. These trolleys allowed people to live farther outside of towns and cities, and what were called “interurban” lines became popular. The interurban lines connected cities within a state, and even cities from state to state.

Sadly, as soon as the streetcars became popular, automobiles started appearing, and it didn’t take long for automobiles to replace the trolleys in most locations.

However, some places like my hometown of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, still have trolley cars that are now run with a motor and wheels, like a bus. Each Christmas, Ephrata offers a Jingle Bell Trolley Tour for people to ride the trolley around the town and view the Christmas decorations of Ephrata homes and businesses. They also offer a family night that begins with arts and crafts activities and a visit with Santa.

Modern Trolley

So, though the streetcars may not be desired as much as they were decades ago, some of them have been refurbished and changed to still offer a taste of the past to those who want to experience a historical ride.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Website: kellyfbarr.com

MeWe: KellyBarr8

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History in the Making

Some Interesting Facts and a Statue of Classic Author, Charles Dickens

History in the making

Did you know Charles Dickens’ full name was Charles John Huffam Dickens? I didn’t, and Dickens is one of my favorite authors. His classic stories of life in England in the 1800s were full of wonderful characters, some of which the stories were named after – Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickelby, and David Copperfield to name a few. But, there is also Pip, Miss Havisham, Fagin, and many more, including Little Nell.

Little Nell is the beloved little girl in Dickens’ novel, The Old Curiosity Shop. Charles Dickens published a weekly serial in 1840-1841, called Master Humphrey’s Clock. In it, he published two novels, one of which was The Old Curiosity Shop, along with short stories. The Old Curiosity Shop was such a popular feature of Master Humphrey’s Clock, that readers in New York stormed the wharf when the ship bringing the final installment arrived in 1841. Then The Old Curiosity Shop was published in book form later in 1841.

Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England. Dickens’ novels tell of the injustices of the times he lived in, often featuring the brutal treatment of the poor in a society that was divided by levels of wealth.

Dickens’ family also faced poverty and Charles was forced out of school at twelve years of age to take a job in Warren’s Blacking Warehouse, a shoe-polish factory. He was treated badly by the other boys working there. Then his father was imprisoned for debt. The humiliation of these two circumstances hurt Dickens profoundly and became his deepest secret. However, they obviously provided an unacknowledged foundation for his fiction.

Charles Dickens published 15 novels, one of which was left unfinished at his death, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

I would like to call your attention back to Little Nell because there are three statues of Charles Dickens in existence – one in Sydney, Australia, one in his hometown of Portsmouth, England, and one in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The one in Philadelphia is the oldest of the three. It was created in 1890, and is the only one that also depicts one of his characters, Little Nell from The Old Curiosity Shop. Before it was moved to Philadelphia, this statue won two gold medals at the Chicago’s World Fair of 1893 and crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice. It was sculpted by Francis Edwin Ewell, who was the one to send it to Philadelphia.

There are two interesting things about the statue being placed in Philadelphia: 1) Charles Dickens, in his will, stated he did not want any memorials, and 2) the fact that the statue is in Philadelphia, a city that Dickens disliked. He said, of Philadelphia, “it is dull and out of spirits.”

Funny that, despite Dickens dislike of Philadelphia, the statue has become a symbol of the neighborhood, and both, Nell and Dickens are crowned with flower wreaths frequently, including each year on Dickens’ birthday, when a party is held and there are readings and dancing.

If you are a Dickens’ fan, like me, I also highly recommend the movie, “The Man Who Invented Christmas” from 2017, and I’d love to know which of his classic novels is your favorite.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Website: kellyfbarr.com

MeWe: KellyBarr8

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History in the Making

Christmas Wishes: A Peek at the Sears Christmas Catalog

History in the making

Alice’s feet drag to the mailbox. She had waited until the mailman travelled a few houses beyond theirs. She can’t face chatting with the kind man, but overdue notices would be arriving soon, and her mood reflects it. The rusted gate latch on the white picket gate resists her effort to open it. Though its stubbornness keeps her children from wandering out of the grassy yard, today it simply raises her level of irritation. She lifts the lid of the metal box and pulls out the lone item.

A catalog. But not an everyday promotional.

The Sears Christmas catalog quivers in her hand.

Mailboxes across the nation began receiving the Sears Christmas catalog in 1933. Enticing children’s gifts such as dolls and trains, or grown-up gifts like Mickey mouse watches or chocolates appealed to consumers.

Convenient options made it easy to order: (1) By phone; (2) Through the post office; (3) At a Sears authorized merchant; or (4) Inside the local Sears retail store…if one had been built in the area.

The catalog’s launch date, in the middle of a nationwide depression, might be considered risky timing to some. Expand business during an extreme economic crisis? Yet despite the pall of poorness hovering over most homes, the Sears Christmas catalog was a hit. And for the next 78 years, it was delivered in late August/early September to enthusiastic households.

As with many businesses, the Sears Christmas catalog encountered both opportunities and challenges. In the 1950s, the country enjoyed a period of affluence. Thus, the Christmas catalog offered more expensive items such as Kenmore sewing machines and Roy Rogers costumes. On the other hand, in the 1960s, Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target entered the marketplace. To combat the competition, Sears offered incentives to purchase—payment plans and the Discover credit card.

Celebratory highlights may also be of interest in the life of the Sears Christmas catalog:

Bow with solid fillThe Christmas Wish Book was unveiled in 1968—a new name to express its dreamy character. Amidst several hundred pages of gifts for all ages, eight dream gifts were introduced. Imagine a color TV, player piano or carousel horse hiding behind one’s first artificial Christmas tree. A beautifully wrapped mink coat or diamond pendant might be tucked under those fake branches. The log-cabin-like playhouse might wait in the backyard unless the one-horse open sleigh was the pick for that year. Hmmm, how to wrap the suit of armor…

Bow with solid fill In 1982 the Christmas Wish Book celebrated its 50th year of bringing wishes and hopes to American families.

Bow with solid fillAdvanced technology opened the door to on-line ordering in 1998. As the use of on-line ordering increased, the size of the paper catalog shrank, and eventually led to the last Sears Christmas catalog in 2011.

Writers might ask, “What does this matter to me?”

The Sears Christmas catalog offers a creative opportunity for writers to develop plots, reveal characters’ traits, or add some merry little details to a story.

Consider the scene depicted above. Alice, whether a major, minor, or notable character, is weary and glum. She’s been affected by the arrival of the Sears Christmas catalog. Does her hand quiver because she sinks lower into a pit of depression? Or does it shake with excitement as she envisions an escape to dreamland.

The Sears Christmas catalog could also reveal family dynamics. Picture Alice, hubby and kiddos hovered over the table, eager eyes—or maybe greedy eyes—perusing the colorful array of gifts.

What if Alice interacts with the mail carrier? Walking the route, he could express joy delivering the Wish Books or complain about the extra weight.  

Perhaps Alice lives in a different era. No problem. It’s an easy change from that 1933 house dress to a pair of sweats for a contemporary story. The white fence might be replaced with black wrought iron or the grass with a cement patio. The mailbox might be a slot in the door or a rack at the entrance to a subdivision.

Friends, merchants, town folks… the possible uses of this seasonal catalog are as many as the characters in the story.  

As for you, Alice—Happy dreaming! We hope the Sears Christmas catalog brightens your spirits and brings a cheerful ending to your day.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

The Tarnished Glamour of Masquerades

History in the making

If you watch movies or read fiction novels, your perception of masquerades is probably of elaborate parties among the wealthy elite people in old European societies. I know that’s always been my impression. So imagine my surprise when I decided to dig into the history of masquerades and found almost the exact opposite.

Masquerade

The word “masquerade” has its roots in the French word “mascarade” and the Italian word “maschera”. Masquerades actually originated among the poor people of medieval Europe. However, it didn’t take long for the higher classes, especially in France, to engage in masquerade balls. One such event is known as the “Bal des Ardents” or The Ball of the Burning Men. This particular masquerade ball was held by Charles VI of France in celebration of the marriage of the Queen’s Lady in Waiting. The king and five other men dressed in costumes made of linen soaked in resin and flax was attached to this, making the costumes highly flammable. When the king’s drunken brother threw a torch at one of the dancers, they all caught on fire and only the king was saved.

Soon the excitement of masquerades spread to Venice, Italy, where anonymity was hard to come by. During this same period, African ceremonial masquerades spilled into the Caribbean and southeastern United States where it developed into carnivals.

The main rule of the masquerade was the privacy and anonymity of all attendees.

Each person’s identity was to be kept quiet, and no one dared to reveal their identity until after midnight. The costume was meant to make its wearer unidentifiable and conversations were to begin with specific phrases, such as “I know you” and “Do you know me?”

Such anonymity gave people the courage to freely express their ideas, regardless of how foolish or wicked they were without fear of retribution. However, it didn’t stop with reckless verbiage. In striving for anonymity, men often dressed as women and women as men. In addition, masquerades became a place for unescorted women. Sexual behaviors, otherwise frowned upon in society, became part of these masquerades.

One masquerade ball even enabled the murder of a King. Gustav III, the King of Sweden had consolidated power in the country and led with an autocratic rule. In 1792, King Gustav III attended a masquerade ball where he was killed by a nobleman. This gave the people a fear of masquerade balls, and masquerade events began to decline.

Carnivals had been very popular among village folks in Europe and masquerades stemmed from the carnivals. Eventually, the masquerades became popular among the aristocrats and royals, as mentioned previously. So, in addition to masquerade events diminishing due to fear, the popularity of masquerade balls also dropped when the population of the aristocrats also began to decline.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Website: kellyfbarr.com

MeWe: KellyBarr8

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History in the Making

The School Bus (Pt. 2) Riding Through Racial Tensions

History in the making

Public school buses (part 1- almostanauthor.com) hit the road in the 1920s, traveling the soon-to-be-familiar roads of segregation. But the developing “norm” did not necessarily reflect contentment in the populace. Troubled hearts couldn’t make sense of a Black child walking 6 blocks to catch the bus to a Black school while the White school was only 7 blocks from home.

Signs of racial tension magnified themselves in the filing of Brown v. Board of Education (1954). The infamous case uprooted racial segregation in schools, ordering 21 states to desegregate. However, Brown did not result in an “End of Road” sign because it lacked a timeline in which the feat of desegregation should be achieved. Little progress resulted in the 1955 Brown 2 ruling: Integrate!

The story of school buses and desegregation emerged—A long ride over rough, muddy, twisting roads of racial tension.

Protests erupted in major cities across the states while the murky road to desegregation snaked through the judicial system. From the mid-fifties to the mid-seventies, numerous issues were addressed by the Courts:

Good faith effort to comply

Racial imbalance v. academic performance

Extension of mandate to suburbs

Federal v. State jurisdictions

“Caution” signs loomed. Long bus rides wearied the children and shortened time for homework.

“Pit Stops” popped up. More buses on the road carrying precious children required additional safety standards. In the 1960s, roll-over preventions were added, and the early seventies supplemented safety with amber warning lamps, flashing lights on STOP arms, and the directive for yellow paint.

A 1971 U.S. Supreme Court ruling upheld busing to end segregation. Charlotte, North Carolina’s attempt to desegregate was deemed successful, and other school districts looked to them as an example.

Boston, on the other hand, didn’t shine in the desegregation test. A 1974 Court order triggered protests and violence—eggs, bricks and bottles were thrown at the school buses transporting Black children.

Over the next decade, more than 400 court orders were issued requiring schools to desegregate, an impressive indicator of the depth of discontent.

“Reduced Speed Ahead”: A twist in progress came with The General Education Provisions Act of 1974. It prohibited use of federally appropriated funds for busing. Money-poor school districts resorted to voluntary busing programs which continued into the 1980s.

The 1990s gave rise to a series of court orders that released many school districts from the requirement to desegregate. It was deemed no longer necessary.

Efforts to desegregate continued in some areas. However, in 2007, a court case limited the ways in which districts could promote desegregation and tamped down voluntary busing programs.

With the release of court orders, limited funds for busing, and resistance to voluntary busing, it is not too surprising that a 2019 report indicates many school districts across the states remain segregated.

Through years of legal challenges and changing orders, the school buses kept rolling—bumpy, muddy, twisting roads leading to roadblocks and dead ends. What a journey!

For writers of 20th century historical fiction, myriad provocative story lines involving desegregation wait the telling. A plethora of affected neighborhoods offers a variety of settings. A bus load of ethnically diverse children, along with parents, teachers, and bus drivers presents a deep pool of characters.

Buses and desegregation—friction-filled stories for a writer’s pen.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

Development of the Piano-Part 2

History in the making

Bartolomeo Cristofori accomplished a great technical achievement when he created the piano, but the piano did not become popular right away. It took time and some more improvements, but those improvements were made by other men.

Gottleib Silbermann of Germany read about Cristofori’s piano and decided to attempt making a better one. He added a hand-operated lever that allowed the player to lift the dampers off all the strings which allowed them to continue making sound even when the person playing lifted their fingers from the keys. Gottleib Silbermann showed his piano to Johann Sebastian Bach, and Bach felt that the high notes were too soft in comparison with the low notes. After some more adjustments, Silbermann gained Bach’s approval and Bach became on of the first piano salesmen, dealing in Silbermann pianos.

                              

Why were the early pianos so quiet? Well, first of all, they only had five octaves, but the main reason was that they were built with wooden frames which prevented the strings from being stretched very tight. Another problem was that after pressing a key, the pianist had to wait for the hammer to fall back before being able to play that note again, making it nearly impossible to play repeated notes quickly.

However, none of this prevented pianos from becoming popular. As a matter of fact, during the Classical and Romantic Eras, composers used such pianos to create great works, and though the music of these pianos was softer and quieter, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote many of his compositions specifically for the piano.

Eventually, French inventor, Sebastian Erard created a way for the piano keys to throw the hammers right after a press of the key, so that pianists could effectively play a repeated note immediately after by pressing the key again. This gave composers in the Romantic Era the ability to write music that included faster rhythms.

Eventually more octaves were added to pianos which gave them a greater range of tones. During the late 18th century, piano making became quite popular in Vienna. Viennese-style pianos had wooden frames, but featured two strings per note.  

During the 18th century, Alpheus Babcock was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts and apprenticed to a piano maker and later entered into a partnership with his brother, and the two of them started making pianos in Boston in 1810. Babcock continued through a series of short-term jobs for companies and more partnerships while building a reputation for himself as an expert piano maker. His pianos were known for their excellent tone and finish. During the Industrial Age in 1825, Alpheus Babcock created a one-piece cast iron frame for his pianos which allowed him to pull the strings tighter, providing more tension on the strings.

However, the iron-framed pianos became the dominant piano after 1850 when piano producers, such as Steinway, produced an iron frame based on Babcock’s design. The louder, richer sounds of these iron-framed pianos is the wonderful sound of the pianos we enjoy today.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Website: kellyfbarr.com

MeWe: KellyBarr8

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History in the Making

Development of the Piano (Part1)

History in the making

As a writer it is important to get your details right, even in fiction. I am working on final edits of my first historical romance novel and recently, my critique partner pointed something out in my manuscript. I had written that my main character noticed that the house he was visiting had a piano twice the size as the boarding house he lives in. My story takes place in 1860, so my critique partner wanted to know how big the bigger piano was because “twice the size” seemed to be too big.

Her questions prompted me to do some research on when the piano was invented and what size they were in the 1860s, and my research led me to write and share this article with you. It just might be something you need as you write your historical novel, novella, or short story.

In the Book of Genesis in the Bible, we are told that Cain had a son Enoch. Enoch had a son Irad, and Irad had a son Mehujael. Mehujael had a son Methushael, who was the father of Lamech. Lamech had two wives, and his wife, Adah gave birth to Jabal, the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. Adah also gave birth to Jubal, who was the father of all who play the harp and flute. (Genesis 4:17-21 NIV)

Through the generations and many years, the harp eventually inspired men to create more instruments with strings that could be hammered or plucked.

Hammered Dulcimer

Hammered Dulcimer by Min Che from Pexels

During the Renaissance, many new things were being discovered and invented in Europe. Some of these things were musical instruments such as the hammered dulcimer, pictured above. The hammered dulcimer had strings stretched tight across a wooden box. The strings were tuned to different pitches depending on how tight each was stretched. To play the hammered dulcimer, a person holds two soft-covered hammers and strikes the strings.

In the fourteenth century came the clavichord, a European stringed keyboard instrument that became known as the mother of all keyboard instruments. The clavichord had an extremely low volume which made it unsatisfactory for large gatherings or playing with other instruments. Therefore, it was mostly used in private residences.

The Harpsichord

Created in Germany in the late 1300s – early 1400s. The harpsichord looks quite similar to a small piano.

Handle’s Harpsichord (Photo by 134213 from Pixaby)

The harpsichord was played by hitting keys on a keyboard. A bird quill or piece of hard leather, both known as a plectrum, would pluck a string. When the harpsichord player hits a key, the key lifts a jack, which pushes the plectrum against the strings, causing the string to be plucked. As soon as the key is released, a damper cuts off the vibration, thus cutting off the sound of that string.

The Piano

Invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori, an expert harpsichord maker. Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany hired Cristofori to build a harpsichord for him. Cristofori built the first piano around 1700, but Cristofori called it a gravicembalo col piano e forte, (the harpsichord that plays soft and loud). Cristofori called his later instruments pianofortes in 1732, and eventually, this instrument became what we know as the piano today.

Cristofori’s keyboard did not look like the piano keyboard we know today, as he made the natural keys black and the accidentals white. Sebastion LeBlanc later suggested switching the black and white keys. Three of Cristofori’s pianos that date from the 1720s still exist today.

Many men have since built pianos, but all have followed Cristofori’s actual workings and simply made improvements such as adding pedals as well as their choices of materials for the piano case. Size became another variant with the grand piano, baby grand, and upright piano.

Image by Zhuo Cheng You on Unsplash

Image by Tania Mirón on Unsplash

     

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History in the Making

The School Bus, Early Rides and Development

History in the making

Most folks are very familiar with big yellow buses boasting black-stenciled letters:

SCHOOL BUS

We can’t miss them.

We’re not supposed to.

But when did this this helpful, if not crucial, mode of transporting precious children show up on American roads?

For starters, the concept of carrying groups of children to school emerged as American educators became concerned that instruction offered in rural classrooms lacked quality. Their solution was to close those schoolhouses and build one large facility in a nearby city. That decision sparked the need to provide a way for children to travel the increased distance to the new learning sites.

If walking was not an option, farm wagons or sledges (a vehicle on runners pulled by horses) were engaged. Another mode was horse drawn school wagons built to allow the children to enter from the rear so as not to spook the horses. In the 1880s, though not widely used, a “kids hack” (re-purposed or specially built wagons with bench seats on the perimeter) provided rides.

The invention of the engine transformed the world of toting children.

By the 1920s, wood-slatted wagons were powered by a motor instead of horses. The benches were still built on the exterior of each side of the wagon bed, no weather protection was provided (just an overhead tarp), and entry remained through a back door. The “wagon” look disappeared in the 1930s when an all-steel body was adopted, and the entry door was moved to the front.

Though the engine brought about significant change, the defining moment in the life of a school bus likely came at an April 1939 conference organized by Dr. Frank Cyr. Representatives from forty-eight states, along with educators and bus manufacturers, met in Pennsylvania to hash out what resulted in forty-four uniform standards for school buses.

Detailed requirements as to construction of the buses incorporated sketches and measurements. A lengthy, itemized vehicle inspection report was developed for use by those maintaining the buses. An application for the bus driver was created. Qualifications for employment were established, including, in part, good character, reliability, familiarity with students and parents, and knowledge of first aid. And, of course, passing a test.

The color of the bus was also addressed at this conference. Communities had been picking random colors—from blood-orange to blue to green to white to a patriotic display of red, white, and blue—and continuity seemed in the best interest of the children’s safety. After comparing a variety of colors, “National School Bus Chrome”, the bright yellow we’ve come to know so well, along with stenciled black lettering “School Bus”, were approved. This color seemed to register faster to the human eye, including peripheral vision, and had greater visibility in early morning and early evening light.

Writers might ask, “Why should school buses matter to me?”

They are rich in ideas for plots, settings, scenes, and character development.

Envision a school bus packed with children. Perhaps the hero bus driver has developed an eye for spotting abuse or hunger. Maybe one of the children is haunted by a secret—the twist that shifts the story. Or a minor character is a mechanic for the school district, allowing for an occasional scene at the maintenance yard.

The Corner Bus Stop might add interest to a plot. Picture the heroine as a neighborhood watch mother collecting tidbits as she waits for the bus to drop off her daughter. Or maybe the tomboy would rather be tossing a ball with the boys instead of giggling with the girls while waiting for that big yellow bus to haul her off to school.

Write thrillers? Search the internet for “Chowchilla, California School Bus Kidnapping.” Ignite the imagination with that high profile story—parents, children, police and bad guys!

Perhaps the school bus begs to keep a low profile.

A flashback to the friendship forged riding to and from school. Or something simple and sweet. Like that darling tyke whose inquisitive mind wants to know:

“Mommy, why is the school bus yellow?”

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

The History of Writing Tools

History in the making

Do you remember writing your first story idea or, maybe even your first manuscript, with pencil or pen and paper? Maybe some of you still prefer to write with pencil or pen and paper. Writing has an interesting history and has changed many times over.

Let’s take a look at the history of writing tools.

Over the centuries, texts have been discovered on materials such as cave walls, papyrus, clay, and silk. Writing was scraped or engraved on cave walls with stone tools. Many of the findings on cave walls included pictures, some of which were colored, using minerals like charcoal. A sort of pointed tool was also used to carve writing into clay tablets and on pottery.

Quill Pens

If you’re a history fan, I’m sure you’ve seen quill pens. Maybe you’ve even used one. They were popular in the United States in Colonial times, between 1600 and 1800. However, they required time to make and maintain. These pens were made from feathers of geese and other large birds. Also during this time, birch bark was sometimes used as a tablet because of the high cost of paper, as well as the fact that the available paper was dark and rough. During this period, ink was often made from nutgalls—abnormal outgrowths on trees caused by insects. These nutgalls were removed, mostly from oak trees, then bruised in water with a rusty nail to make a colored ink. “Plummets”—thin pieces of lead—were used to draw lines to write on.

Following the Revolution in the United States, from 1800-1850, writing books, (similar to what we call notebooks), with ruled lines came into use, and quill pens were replaced with steel pens. People, especially school children, also began using lead pencils.

Dip/Steel Pens

Although dip pens with metal nibs were used in Ancient Rome, they didn’t become popular until they were mass produced in the 19th century. Inventor, Daniel Schwenter, created a pen using two quills that held ink instead of having to be dipped in an inkwell. During the 19th century, in France, the first fountain pens came into use, and people liked that they were less messy and had no need of being dipped into an inkwell repeatedly. Near the end of the 19th century, ballpoint pens were introduced, and after some updates, became more practical and cheaper than fountain pens. The Japanese invented felt tip pens in the 1960s, and these were soon followed by markers and highlighters.

Rollerball and Gel Pens

As a child of the 70s, I remember the rollerball pen’s arrival. Also similar to ballpoint pens, but did you know that the rollerball pens used a water base paint, while ballpoint pens used an oil base paint?

The popular gel pens, still found in stores today, were first manufactured and sold by Sakura Color Products Corporation of Osaka, Japan in 1984. These are also similar to ballpoint pens, but use a water base pigmented gel instead of ink. No wonder, my left-handed writing smears what is written with gel pen!

If you’ve been writing long enough, maybe you remember writing your first story idea, or even your first manuscript, with pencil or pen and paper. But, aren’t you thankful for today’s technology, where you can simply type your stories on a keyboard, and erase and correct errors with some extra touches of a few buttons?

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at: Website: kellyfbarr.com MeWe: KellyBarr8

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History in the Making

SWEET NOSTALGIA

History in the making
The drug store soda fountain

Ahhh, The drug store soda fountain in Small Town, America.

A hub for hungry patrons, the drug store soda fountain offered a pleasant diversion from the office, the house, or the hurry and scurry of running errands… and, perhaps, even inspiration for a writer’s heart.

Let’s sneak a peek at an early 20th century drug store soda fountain.

A grandmother delights in her grandchildren’s expressions of surprise—soda bubbles tingling their tongues. The writer might ask if this is a weekly outing or spurred by something unexpected at home.

What’s really on the minds of dark-suited businessmen devouring club sandwiches? A fight with the boss? The wife?

A young woman, tuna sandwich untouched, reads a magazine, although a closer look at her eyes reveals she’s more interested in the soda jerk.   

Speaking of the soda jerk, he does look a bit like a shining knight. Clothed head to toe in white, he flashes big smiles. He pours flavored drinks, builds sandwiches and monitors sizzling fries, the aroma of which waft throughout the store, inviting more customers.

Many writers might find themselves creating fictional stories around these folks. Perhaps the drug store soda fountain itself draws attention. Not too hard to showcase it if the imagined story surrounds the soda jerk. Or the soda fountain could simply be the setting for one or two scenes where key personalities converge now and then. 

No matter how a writer might choose to include the drug store soda fountain in a story, it is important to ask the question:

What is the history of drug store soda fountains in America?

Early Years

The concept of serving flavored beverages in a drug store goes back to the mid-1800s. At that time, pharmacists administered medicines (codeine, caffeine, plant derivatives and bromides) “over the counter” by adding it to a beverage. The upside? The flavored drink made the drug palatable. The downside? Some of these palliatives were habit forming, such that an unfavorable reputation developed. Eventually The Harrison Act of 1914 passed, making it illegal to dispense such drugs over the counter.

By the early 1900s, Dr. Jacob Bauer fabricated soda fountains. The contraption was marketed to soda jerk entrepreneurs and included recipes for beverages. To counteract the prevailing bad reputation, the drinks were promoted as not habit-forming, nor leading to intoxication.

The “golden age”

Drug store soda fountains spanned fifty years (1900s into the 1970s). As with most things in life, technology, fashion, and societal norms changed the atmosphere one might experience in the 1920s when compared with the 1950s or 1970s.

For example, in 1911, early fountains were constructed of oak and stained glass, and included zinc-lined ice boxes. By 1928, more ornate fountains were manufactured. 

When prohibition closed the bars in 1919, the popularity of the drug store soda fountain grew as folks drifted to them for their social needs. By the 1920s most towns boasted one.

The lunch counter at the drug store soda fountain also morphed over the years. As early as the 1910s, sandwiches became available, and by the 1920s, hot food and salads arrived. By 1938, toasted tuna and club sandwiches, meatloaf, fries and doughnuts might be available. A 1948 menu offered full dinners (pork, fish, steak or chicken stew), including dessert. Franks and beans were the special.

Downfall

By the 1970s the popularity of drug store soda fountains declined. Full-service drug stores appeared, adversely affecting the independent pharmacist. People moved to the suburbs at the expense of the business districts in the city. Ice cream and sodas became readily available at the grocers. Drive-in fast-food chains offered quick eating alternatives. 

Nevertheless, a few of these iconic businesses have survived. Scattered across the states, an adventurous writer might still sneak an in-person peek, taste the fries, and inhale the sweet nostalgia of the drug store soda fountain.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

An 1800s Christmas

History in the making

The Christmas season is a great time to discover and explore local history.

Historical Poole Forge was part of the iron industry in my local area of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It sits along the Conestoga River. I was invited to spend an afternoon at Poole Forge during the summer a few years ago. At that time, we only had access to the grounds, but what lovely grounds they are. The grounds are the current location for a community park in Caernarvon Township. The Township purchased the property in 2005. They are dedicated to restoring the beauty of the property while protecting its historical integrity.

They open the mansion and the Paymaster’s house and West Tenant house different times throughout the year for activities such as “Christmas at the Ironmaster’s” which my husband and I were able to attend this year. This event offers displays of Christmas trees, light displays, and a traditional Welsh bonfire.

As we walked through the beautiful four floor mansion, we were able to take in the festive sight of many Christmas trees decorated by local businesses and organizations, then asked to vote for our three favorite trees. It was quite a challenge to narrow it down to three choices.

In one room, four young people, dressed in period clothing, were playing Christmas carols on a keyboard, flute, violin, and glockenspiel as we were invited to enjoy some holiday treats and pause to listen to their music. The environment was not only festive, but it was like stepping back in time.

As we exited the mansion, I noticed some free pamphlets on a table and picked them up to bring home. As a historical writer, I love learning about historical places in my local area and was thrilled to find the one pamphlet gave a brief history about Poole Forge. The pamphlet informed me that the property dates back to the earliest days of our country while we still had relations with Great Britain.

In 1775 the property was purchased by an experienced iron master and so it became part of the iron industry in our local area. The property changed hands often throughout its history, but remained in the iron industry until 1852 when the industry faded in the area.

In 1859 a covered bridge was built on the property and still remains today.

I will enjoy trying to find out more about Poole Forge and the families that lived there throughout the years, and maybe Poole Forge will be the setting for one of my future novels. I can envision characters walking through the mansion or working in the kitchen of the West Tenant house. I’m sure I will return to this historical site again.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at: Website: kellyfbarr.com MeWe: KellyBarr8

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History in the Making

FIGGY PUDDING IN THE MAKING

History in the making

If there’s Figgy pudding, it must be Christmas!

Just ask Tiny Tim, the endearing child in Charles Dickens’ 1843 Christmas Classic, A Christmas Carol. Or consider the carolers as they sing for piggy pudding in a favorite yuletide song, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”.

Figgy pudding goes way back in English and American history.

In the land of England, as early as the 14th and 15th century, the concoction of chopped figs, raisins, almonds, ginger, bread crumbs, and wine, along with a pomegranate topping, was simply a dessert.

However, in mid-17th century England figgy pudding intertwined itself with Christmas, embraced a whole new era, and acquired another name, Christmas Pudding.

The dessert likely did some travelling also in the 1600’s. It is not far-fetched to think that figgy pudding—its recipes that is—set sail on the Mayflower tucked in the minds of the settlers. Thereafter, with the passing of decades, and the arrival of more English migrants, the tradition of figgy pudding at Christmas likely blossomed this side of the pond.

This is great news for writers. For stories set in post-13th century England and early American periods, and onward into the 21st century, figgy pudding can trickle across the pages of a Christmas story. Adding homey details to the setting, enhancing the plot, or revealing personality in characters can bring another layer of depth to a story.

 A flaming figgy pudding might be the cook’s claim to fame in the decked halls of a 17th century English manor, or in a contemporary New York high-rise following a skating party in Central Park.

Quiet celebrations might be found in rustic villages where fruits and nuts might have been foraged from the woods. Or a resourceful youngster from the poor side of town might scavenge the ingredients for the family’s Christmas pudding.

Figgy pudding can also show the dilemma of the “haves and have nots”. The ingredients are affordable for the rich. The poor might spend the year putting aside coins for the purchases.

A writer might also explore the aspect of making the pudding. Surprisingly, figgy pudding isn’t really pudding. Not in the 14th century and not now. In its early life the thickness was more soup-like. The fixings were boiled in a bag, sometimes twice. In recent decades, the pudding might be described as more cake-like, being poured into molds or bundt pans and slow-baked in an oven.

The fixings themselves can be introduced in the story, whether in a kitchen scene or on a shopping excursion. Figgy pudding has maintained many of the same elements over the centuries. In its early years, chopped figs were popular. By the 17th century, raisins and currants became the fruits of choice, along with suet. Contemporary recipes reveal a return to figs.

Ginger was the spice of choice in early versions of figgy pudding. With the passing of time, nutmeg, cloves and allspice became popular, along with candied orange peel or brown sugar instead of honey.   

The use of alcohol has remained consistent—wine or brandy, or none.

Whew! What a big pot of figgy pudding trivia. And if that’s enough to brainstorm, key word searches for Oliver Cromwell, King George I (the “pudding king”), “Stir-up Sunday”, or coins in the figgy pudding, should whip up more fun and intrigue to add to the mix.

Because if it’s Christmas, there’s figgy pudding.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

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History in the Making

Have You Considered Living History?

History in the making

While experiencing a major event in life, have you ever stopped and thought about the fact that, at that moment, you were living history?

Last month was the 20th anniversary of 9-11, and as I read some of the news items of the day, it dawned on me that my youngest son had not even been alive on the day that the 9-11 events took place. So to him, it is a historical event and he won’t know or understand anything about it unless I tell him about it.

As I thought about that, I realized that when 9-11 happened, I was too busy being afraid of what was happening and wondering what I should do, to consider that what I was experiencing and living through, at that very moment, would become a historical event.

As I reflected back on my life, I realized there have been quite a few historical events that I lived through: July 20, 1969 the first man walked on the moon – I was just five years old but I remember watching that on T.V. with my parents. On January 28, 1986, like many other people that day, I sat, eyes glued to the television watching as Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off, carrying the first civilians to go into space, and just 73 seconds after liftoff there was an explosion that took the lives of all seven people on board and destroyed the rocket. I also remember hearing that the U.S. declared war on Iraq on Wednesday evening, January 16, 1991 on the radio after church, and the next morning, January 17, 1991 the Desert Storm/Gulf War began.

The four events listed above are the major historical events I remember, and not only do I remember them, but I remember where I was and what I was doing when they happened, and I remember how each of them affected me.

We are currently living through an actual chain of historical events: the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdown, a fraudulent election, and vaccine mandates.

Many writers have been told, “Write what you know.” Therefore, if you’re a history writer and you’re trying to figure out what historical time period or event to write your novel around, think about all of the historical events you’ve lived. The ones I listed in this article were big events, but there are also little events that happen in your neighborhood, town, or state. Consider the history you have lived and know best.

If you need more information to set your scene because you don’t remember exactly what your town was like during the historical event you choose, talk to friends, family, and neighbors. Many towns have a historical society or a public library that have historical information about your town.

Living history and historical information are closer than you might think.

Kelly Barr photo

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Website: kellyfbarr.com

MeWe: KellyBarr8

Categories
History in the Making

A Snapshot of a Lifesaving Organization

History in the making

Consider this scene:

              “Another final notice.” She glared at her husband, slapped the paper bill with the back of her hand.

              “I get paid tomorrow.”

              “That’s too late! They’re turning off the electricity at 5:00.”

              “What do you want from me?” His face heated as frustration grew. Didn’t she know he was doing the best he could? He glanced at his wife then at his two children sitting at the kitchen table, heads ducked, pretending to do their homework.

He had soooo failed his family. That bottle—still haunting him.

He jerked open the back door. “I need a meeting.”

A “meeting” has become a well-known term for attending a gathering with fellow alcoholics. This organization, Alcoholics Anonymous (“AA”), has become a saving grace for burdened people who want to engage with those who share a common goal of conquering their addictions. The promise of anonymity and promotion of accountability gives hope for victory to those beset with this crisis.

The prevalence of this problem invites the world of socially aware writers to weave the issue throughout the pages of their work. A poignant motivating question might be, “What if a fictional character who ‘needs a meeting’ might influence a ‘flesh and blood’ reader to say the same?”

 So, how might “a meeting” be utilized by fictional writers?

A character-driven story focusing on alcoholism might be a place to begin. The growth, regression, or stagnation of affected characters, addicted or not, can be demonstrated as they interface with each other. Building tension that explodes in a dynamic scene or unexpectedly eases in emotional relief can depict the challenges wrought by alcoholism. In keeping with real life, the end of the story may be joyful or heart-breaking.

How deep or detailed writers may wish to go would likely depend on the information available as to time and place of the story. For contemporary writers, the AA organization has matured, and meetings are widely available in the United States and throughout the world. Just pick a modern-day setting and the story would easily unfold. Certain phrases associated with AA—”One day at a time”, “24 hours”, “higher power”—have become well known, even among folks not affected by addiction. Scattered throughout a story, they would surely help bring it to life.

Help signs

But what if the story is historical? Perhaps this snapshot of AA’s history will help one evaluate how a character’s struggle with addiction might be incorporated in a piece.

  • Founded by Bill Wilson and Robert Smith in 1935.
  • First meeting on June 10, 1935, in Akron, Ohio. Three to four people participated.
  • Fall 1935, Wilson began a group in Brooklyn, New York.
  • News of AA initially spread by word of mouth.
  • 1938: a fundraiser, along with publication of articles in several periodicals, increased public awareness.
  • May 1939, “Alcoholics Anonymous” published in book form.
  • 1941: experienced impressive growth spurt, from 2000 to 8000 members.
  • Between 1941 and 1949 groups had formed in many cities across the United States and spread internationally.
  • 1941: adopted Serenity Prayer
  • 1941: First all-women’s group, Cleveland, Ohio.
  • 1942: found its way to prisons.
  • June 1944, first issue of AA magazine Grapevine.
  • 1952: Al-Anon, a family support group, launched.
  • 1954: 130,000 members, in approximately 6,000 groups on five continents.
  • 1957: Alateen, a spin-off of Al-Anon.
  • Today, estimates over two million members.

If one’s story is set prior to 1935, an AA meeting would not have been available, but clergy, physicians, charitable societies, and state hospitals addressed the problem. Researching key phrases like “barbiturate and belladonna” or “purge and puke” should open a door of help.

Depending upon the plot and depth of character portrayal, further research might be required. The Internet can serve up an overflowing plate. The AA website abounds with information and includes a terrific timeline that would assist both contemporary and historical researchers.

Clearly the problem of alcoholism is both widespread and enduring—a compelling incentive for writers to weave the admission, “I need a meeting”, into their stories.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry.

Categories
History in the Making

An Unexpected Nugget

History in the making

When doing research for a historical novel, you may find an unexpected nugget that could add some extra excitement, conflict, or an extra character you may want to include in your story.

While researching the town my main character lives in, in my WIP (work in progress), I found that a notorious outlaw had lived in that town as well. Though I have chosen not to include him in my WIP, I may include him in a future novel, either part of my current series or a stand alone.

It’s always wise to make note of unexpected finds in you research because they could be a valuable addition to your current work, or may invoke an idea for a future book.

If you choose to use an unexpected character or setting, be sure to research that character or setting in depth because it is important to portray them accurately in your work. Even though you may write historical fiction, you need to be sure any real life person or place is portrayed properly or your history knowledgeable readers will be upset and will let you know either through a book review or a personal email. You always want to keep your readers happy.

You may want to deliberately search for that unexpected nugget. You can begin your search by simply plugging a question, such as “what notorious people lived in the 1860s?” into a search engine and see what comes up. I will issue a word of caution here: do not rely completely on information you find on the internet, especially a site like Wikipedia, which is not always reliable. Also try to find more information by contacting a museum or historical society, or going to the library and looking for books on the subject.

I did an online search on the question from the previous paragraph and the following were the top ten articles that came up:

  • American History Timeline from 1860-1870
  • 1860 Fast Facts—History—U.S. Census Bureau
  • Famous and Infamous Census Records – History – U.S. Census
  • 1860s – the Hanneman Archive
  • The Living City | New York City>>1860s
  • Ozarks Gunfights and Other Notorious Incidents
  • List of Famous People of the 19th Century
  • List of Slave Owners – Wikipedia
  • ‘Dirty Old London’: A History of the Victorians
  • Infamous Mobsters – List and Notable Names – Biography.

If you are a historical writer, you most likely love history, so the above list has probably piqued your interest and you might want to rush off to check out at least one of those topics. But wait!

One more thing – books. You may find them at the library, but you will also want to keep your eyes open at used book sales and used book stores, as well as new book stores if you don’t mind paying new book prices. I have found several great gems for researching historical people. I have purchased them, and they now reside on my book shelf waiting for me to crack them open for a future novel.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Categories
History in the Making

The Tale of Two Celebrations

History in the making

Smell the churros? That cinnamon doughnutty aroma that draws you to the vendor’s stand? Or maybe your eyes are drawn to the rainbow-hued streamers dangling from tree limbs or encircling porch posts like an old barber shop pole. The sound of the mariachi band, shaking and strumming a catchy beat, drums in your ears while dancers twirl and swirl in colorful skirts.

Such a festive day.

But nothing like the first Cinco de Mayo.

May 5, 1862 was not marked by spirit-lifting dance moves or enticing aromas of tacos and burritos. Instead, it was defined by a battle. The colors were not expressing gaiety, but identity. France’s navy blue, white and red flag proudly preceded a regiment of French soldiers as they charged up the hill to the City of Puebla. Mexico’s red, white and green flag few high, declaring the loyalty of the Mexican soldiers who bravely met the enemy.

The battle raged, a flurry of fighting men carrying rifles and sabers, some on foot, some astride horses. Frenchmen’s dark navy and red uniforms tangled with Mexican’s pale blue ones as they clashed outside the fort’s walls. Soon, the blood of soldiers and horses seeped into the land. Moans of pain and screams of the dying tormented the ears of those who persevered, until finally… France surrendered.

Did cheers erupt from the conquerors? Probably. But how many minutes ticked by before the excitement of victory gave way to weeping and wailing as news of the injured and dead circulated? Did surviving Mexican soldiers dig 83 graves or just one to receive their dead?

Could they taste the post-battle meal?

This was the first Cinco de Mayo celebration.

In modern-day Puebla, its citizens memorialize the day with parades, festivals, re-enactments of the battle between Mexican and French soldiers, and local cuisine.

However, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo is less about memorializing the victorious battle and more about celebrating the Mexican-American culture and heritage. As early as 1863, celebrations popped up in the State of California. By the 1980s, over a century later, Cinco de Mayo flourished across the United States, its popularity fueled by marketing ploys of beer and wine companies. The jubilant atmosphere and extensive menu of Mexican dishes still lure many folks to gather for a May party.

For writers, a Cinco de Mayo scene can add sparkle to a story. With the winter holidays over and summer fun yet to come, this mid-year festival paves the way for a social gathering. Whether family or friends, a big event, a small gathering, or a restaurant’s promotional event to increase patronage, things happen when people come together. A door opens to romance, tension builds in a relationship, or just plain old fun is the name of the game for the day.

The 5th of May gala has the potential of igniting a change of mood; shifting setting; deepening plots; and/or revealing personality or growth in characters. Such a scene might even add a boost to the “sagging middle” of a story.

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry.

Categories
History in the Making

What Time is It?

History in the making

When writing historical fiction, it’s important to be aware of your timeline. Timelines are significant in all genres of writing, but in historical fiction, they are imperative.

Why does your timeline carry so much weight? True history is becoming a thing of the past in most books and schools, so as writers who strive for excellence, we need to be sure the history of our novels is true and accurate. The truth and accuracy of your timeline is part of that—keeping historical events in proper sequential order and in the correct years.

How can you keep your historical facts in order, especially if you’re a pantser? As a historical romance writer who has always been a pantser, I have learned to become a “plantser” (that’s someone in between a pantser and a plotter). I research my time period and I make hard copies or handwritten notes of major historical facts and events, and I keep them close at hand as I write my novel.

Pacing is also an important part of keeping your timeline accurate. Determining how many historical events you want to include in your novel is key in creating your pacing. If you’re planning to create a series of historical fiction novels, you need to have a clear vision of what events will take place in each book of the series. You have to weave your fictional characters and story into that historical timeline and framework.

If you love including as many historical events as possible, like I do, this can become quite a challenge. You can collect so many historical facts and events that it can prove difficult to decide what to include in your story and what to leave out, which will also depend on your timeline.

The historical facts and timeline can be worked into every aspect of your story—the description of your setting, your characters’ clothes and dialogue. It doesn’t all have to come out in the plot. Painting your history throughout your novel brings balance and gives your readers a complete picture that allows them to experience a different time period as they are immersed in your novel.

What about your readers? Many people who read historical fiction read about their favorite historical time periods and already have a good bit of knowledge in regard to that time and its history. If you make an error in your historical facts, your readers will let you know, and that could be via a personal email or a book review posted on a prominent book site, either of which may not be kind and respectful.

As historical fiction writers, we should strive to create a story woven throughout historical events that satisfies both us and our readers.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Categories
History in the Making

Corn Flakes, The Journey of a Favorite Cereal

History in the making
  • A health guru…
  • Stale wheat…
  • A tight budget…

This hodgepodge of events would lead to the creation of a long-time favorite cereal!

Corn Flakes’ journey began in 1877 when John Henry Kellogg (“John”) sought to provide a vegetarian diet to his patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan. John combined wheat, oats and cornmeal, baked them at a high temperature, then smashed the mix into little pieces. After pouring the hard morsels in a bowl and covering them with milk (to soften them), John served this nutritious breakfast to the patients.

But the concoction wasn’t corn flakes…yet.

In 1898 the cereal’s journey took an unexpected turn. A pan of the wheat mixture was accidentally left out for too long. Faced with stale wheat and budget constraints, John couldn’t bring himself to toss the tray of grains into the trash. Instead, he donned his “creative cook” hat and rolled that stale mixture into thin sheets which crumbled into flakes. He toasted them in the oven, and when they emerged, the flakes were crispy and tasted good.

But John didn’t stop there. Experimenting with corn, he discovered those flakes came out of the oven crispier and crunchier than wheat.

Voilà−Corn Flakes!

But the journey of Corn Flakes didn’t end when those crispy flakes were pulled from the oven. Notable events followed, curiosities that might whet the appetite of fiction writers. The mystery, intrigue, drama or humor surrounding Corn Flakes could be injected into a story.

Mystery: Just who was in the kitchen making something good out of those stale flakes? John Kellogg? His brother, Will? John’s wife?

Envision a character (a young reporter?) snooping around the sanitarium grounds or chatting up a group of gossipy patrons lounging in the hot tub.

Industrial Espionage: C.J. Post (Post Cereal Co.) is said to have been a patient at the sanitarium who worked in the kitchen to help pay his way. Upon his return to Texas, toasted corn flakes (“Toasties”) became part of his cereal line. Did he steal the recipe from John? Add a telling tidbit: Post beat the Kellogg brothers to the patent office to register the rolling machine.

A character could be an employee at Post Cereal during this intriguing season.

Family Drama. Add sugar to those healthy corn flakes? Anathema! Market them? Not on my watch! John’s and Will’s differing aspirations resulted in a rift between the brothers. Ultimately, Will bought the rights to Corn Flakes and by 1906 he had formed the “Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flakes Company.”

Over a bowl of Corn Flakes, a story’s characters might discuss the newspaper’s coverage of the feud or engage in a discussion about the healthiness (or not) of sugar.

“Wink at your grocer and see what you get.”

A free box of Corn Flakes!

What a playful marketing scheme by Will Kellogg!

What a playful scene to add to a story!

Imagine a 1907 male character winking at a female cashier! LOL!

Or perhaps the main character is the cashier; at first it’s fun, but being winked at all day long can get old fast.

The Rooster: In 1957 Cornelius “Corny” Rooster appeared on boxes of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.

Picture a breakfast scene with young children enamored by the rooster.

 In the 1990’s, Cornelius received a makeover. Fiction in that time period could include a debate over breakfast: which Cornelius do you like best?

And there you have it−Corn Flakes!

From the mind of a health guru to Cornelius the Rooster−who’d have guessed Corn Flakes would give us so much to crow about?

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry.

Categories
History in the Making

A Parade of Events

History in the making

Thanksgiving morning! Heroine’s day begins in the kitchen helping Mother stuff Tom Turkey. Task done, they lug the heavy roaster to the oven then hurry to the living room where the family has gathered. Hero has just arrived. Father turns on the television set and tunes into the Thanksgiving Day parade.

At this point, a writer of historical fiction who wishes to accurately portray the era, might ask this question:

Did the Thanksgiving Day parade exist during the time period of this story, and if so, had it been broadcast on television?

If the story is set in 1959, this family would probably be eagerly waiting for the first national television broadcast of the Thanksgiving Day parade. Every year thereafter, with the exception of a few years during World War 2, the parade provided television entertainment on Thanksgiving morning.

Before television, as early as 1931, radio aired the event. So the family gathering described above could be tweaked so that the family huddles around the radio.

The first Thanksgiving Day parades marched down the streets of Detroit and Philadelphia in 1921. It wasn’t until 1924 that New York City’s Macy’s Parade trekked to Herald Square. Absent television and radio, enjoying these spectacular events would have been limited to curbside seating.

Participants included the stores’ employees, marching bands, floats and balloons. Macy’s used live animals from the Central Park Zoo until 1928, at which time balloons replaced zoo critters. The arrival of Santa Claus at the end of the parade kicked off the Christmas buying season, a marketing strategy designed by the local department stores who sponsored the parades.

If our Hero, Heroine and family live in, or near, one of these three cities, they may have bundled up against a brisk morning and traveled to the parade site. Aha! Perhaps Heroine is a department store employee planning to walk the parade route. Hero might be a clown. Oh my, picture Father playing Santa Claus.

But what if the time period or setting precludes a parade? What might Thanksgiving Day look like?

Football!

In 1867, the first collegiate Thanksgiving Day game played in Philadelphia. Thereafter, the holiday game grew in popularity at both college and high school levels.

Professional football offered a Thanksgiving Day game as early as the 1890’s. The National Football League’s first Turkey Day game played on November 25, 1920, and the first televised football game was in 1953.

So, following the parade, Hero, Heroine and family may have watched football on television or found a local game to attend.

Traveling even further back in time, prior to the days of parades and football, a family’s Thanksgiving celebration would likely have been limited to a special meal. If a writer were inclined, researching the local traditions of the time period and setting might glean some story-enhancing tidbits. However, in the absence of such information, the tradition of feasting with family and friends would be a safe choice that would maintain the integrity of the story.

Thanksgiving Evening! The parade is over; Hero, Heroine and the family have devoured the turkey; and the final touchdown has scored.

Time for another piece of pie!

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry.