More for Christmas…

Beginning before 1911, Home Demonstration Clubs were a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service.

From the North Carolina State University Libraries website:“Home demonstration clubs throughout the state had for many years provided farm women with instruction on topics such as canning, cooking, house beautification, sewing, and more.

“These clubs were an outgrowth of agricultural extension and outreach programs that later became known as North Carolina Cooperative Extension, which today is operated jointly by the state’s land-grant institutions: NC State University and NC A&T State University.”

The New Hope Club was the first one organized in Alleghany County, with Sparta, Vox, Laurel Springs, Whitehead, Roaring Gap, Piney Creek and others following in succession.

This Christmas Card holder was a project made by Clara Lyons Halsey who was a member at New Hope.

Photo from Milly Richardson’s family of a traditional, annual event in the mountains each winter: Time to kill hogs.

Though it benefited everyone- yielding delicious hams, roasts, ribs, bacon, sausage, pork chops and tenderloin- it, perhaps, wasn’t a job for the faint of heart.

My own Grandfather made my (married) mother and aunts wait in the house when they were killing and cleaning, but the entire family helped with the butchering, the sausage grinding, the canning, etc. that came next.

Another great addition to the Christmas exhibit, Ghosts of Christmas Past:

This vintage, two-story, Spanish-style dollhouse- FULL of fancy furniture with Mom, Dad and Sister and babies and babies(!) was donated to the Museum by Marylou Porter, formerly of Sparta, but now a resident of Lexington, Kentucky.

More vintage toy memorabilia from our Christmas Exhibit:
1940 Merita Bread End Label from the Alex Woodruff collection.

1 of 16, labels issued for the Lone Ranger Safety Club. Labels featured scenes from the Lone Ranger series including Tonto, Silver, Scout and others.

Paper Litho, Size: 2 3/4″ x 2 3/4″
(Currently listed at $49, online, by Trading Card Database!)

Lone Ranger Safety Club Members were issued a certificate, a Lone Ranger mask and a silver bullet pencil sharpener.
The certificate said:

It is the duty of every Lone Ranger Safety Club member to memorize and observe these rules at all times.

My Solemn Pledge to The Lone Ranger.

1. I promise not to cross any street except at regular crossings and to first look both ways.
2. I promise not to play in the streets.
3. I promise to always tell the truth.
4. I promise not to cross any street against red signal lights.
5. I promise to be kind to birds and animals.
6. I promise not to hitch hike or ask strangers for rides.
7. I promise to keep myself neat and clean.
8. I promise not to ride on running boards or fenders of cars.
9. I promise to promote safety at all times and encourage others to join this safety movement.

This is Sally and Sunny, “Cutout Dolls” that were donated by Elizabeth McCann Nester. They were sold in booklets for kids to carefully cut out- no die cuts or punch-outs, back then- and were a product of prolific illustrator and graphic artist, Beatrice Mallet (1896-1951) in 1939.

(And they’re an excellent addition to this season’s Christmas exhibit!)