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  • Tags: Margaret Landon's Childhood 1903-1921

During her many visits to Grandmother in Racine, Margaret would be sent to a store to get, say, a loaf of bread. Once she had to walk past a saloon to get to the store. She had never seen a saloon or a drunk person before, so she would get close to…

Margaret acquired two kittens and one day they disappeared. Adelle didn't want to tell her about what had happened to the kittens, but she overheard her mom telling her dad that the tom had killed them both. That was her first experience of the death…

Margaret was on the committee to write the school's new song. They used Northwestern's battle song as the melody. After they had all sung the song she remarked that she didn't think highly of it.

Like many women during World War I, Margaret learned to knit socks, and learned to do it fast. She then learn to knit dresses, coats, and sweater coats. She quickly became an expert in knitting.

Margaret's youngest uncle, Lawrence, was on the football team of Northwestern University. Her dad, A.D., began taking her to Lawrence's football games. That was when Margaret acquired her taste for football.

By the time she was ten years old Margaret was famous for liking to make presents for people. One summer when she was visiting in Round Lake she earned money by swatting flies for her aunt. With that money she bought gifts to return home and give to…

Margaret loved reading from the beginning of her schooling. She would complete and turn in her assignment before it was due in order to get to read one of the books that Miss Morse kept at the back of the classroom. She remembers her mom reading to…

Margaret tells about her turn to put on a program for the children. It took a lot of preparation, but the children in those days had a great deal of initiative. They were always putting on programs of entertainment.

Margaret recalls a scene in which her father clearly showed his preference for Evangeline by giving her the pink apron that Margaret wanted. This childhood perception was confirmed as the kids grew up, but Margaret never felt jealous of her sister or…

Margaret shares thoughts about the 1918 flu epidemic which killed 23,000,000 people around the world and 550.000 in the US. She recalls her whole family (except her father) getting the flu, and the steady procession of funerals in her town. 

Margaret always loved desserts, so when she was convalescing her mother made her a batch of cream puffs. She was down to the last one when the doctor came in to see her, and mother suggested that she gave it to the doctor. "And to this day I can…

Margaret began traveling alone to Chicago at age seven. She would take to train and board the bus in the city to go see her eye doctor. She was always safe--there were dangerous areas but she never went there.

Margaret recalls wanting to be an actress. She reads from a diary: "I think I should like to be an actress. This is my latest idea." 

Margaret recalls being addicted to reading, going frequently to the library to hunt for books. At home she would go into the living room where there was a library table and perch on the chair arm to read. An hour later she would still be perched…

Margaret has always been popular, a "top dog." She always had friends, always was team leader, class president, etc. It was natural to her and everybody took it for granted. In seventh grade she had her reverses: her parents wouldn't let her go to…

Every Saturday afternoon, A.D., Margaret's father, would bring home a bag of candies after work. The girls were expected to be polite and nice to each other in their using of the candies.

Margaret was very good at English. In her junior year her English teacher, Miss Effie Wambaugh, told her that she had the gift of words and that she should do something with it. This compliment stayed with Margaret for the rest of her life. 

By the time she was fourteen Margaret was endlessly busy. She was in the church choir, practiced two musical instruments, went to school, played sports, participated in a club, spent time with special friends, and participated in various family…

Margaret recalls attending an eight week summer camp for girls. She tells about life at the camp and the things they were doing there. It was one of the best memorable experience she ever had growing up

Margaret tells about her eighth grade graduation and her receiving of a medal from dad and mom. She describes other stuff she received from other people. She tells about her time after the graduation ceremony.

Margaret's mother kept a lot of memorabilia. On a small program for children's day at church, which her mother kept Margaret found written the date of her baptism: June 12, 1904, a short time before her first birthday.

Margaret was born in the house at 8412 Highway, Somers, WI, on Sept. 7, 1903. It was in a tiny room , perhaps ten feet by ten. She stayed there with her parents, Adelle and A.D. through the winter.

Margaret's birth certificate was registered in Kenosha County. When she went to Siam with Kenneth in 1927 she had to send for her birth certificate. It was then that she discovered that it read "Female Mortenson." Adelle had to go to the Wheaton…

Margaret reads from her diary about her decision to take a bath every day, hot summer days when she played softball, her practice of violin, and her mom's return from the hospital. 

Margaret's favorite doll was Daisy, the name it had when she got it. It was made by the company where her father worked. The company published three different advertising journals, and Margaret owned the journal in which Daisy was first advertised.…
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