Chester Chatter: Remembering holiday windows

By Ruthie Douglas
©2019 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Store keepers in Springfield began to decorate their store fronts around this time for the Christmas season ahead.

Remember Main Street allowed for strollers. Folks could stop by the window displays and get ideas for their gift lists.

Up front, close to the store front windows were Christmas scenes that had motion. Perhaps there were little elves working in the toy factory or Santa flying his sleigh and several other Christmas scenes as well.

Most stores had these scenes.  All up and down Main Street the windows made for a Merry Christmas.

Thursday night, Main Street was busy as the shops always paid their employees on that day. Folks walked along the streets, stopping to view the store fronts. My sister and I had our favorites.

When Christmas was over and new window displays were set up, the first thing the store keeper did was to wash the nose prints off the glass where kids tried to get a close look. Where did these working scenes go?

Out and about

Classmates of Kit Lester are saddened to learn of his death. Kit was well liked by all of us.

Perhaps I know nothing about football, but I don’t mind going to a football party because I know there will be good food there. I joined family and friends for Sunday football and mostly hovered by the food. A good idea.

Happy birthday to my grandsons Logan and Benny.

Elliot Watkins was one of my favorite hot lunch customers. He liked the food and he always took time to tell me so. His manners were great. He always called me Mrs. Douglas even when he was out of school. I am sad at the news of his death. He was too young.

Keep Nov. 9  open. The American Legion Auxiliary is holding a basket party. Also vendors will be there with their wares. It will be held from noon to 3 p.m.

Do you remember Nancy Drew?

Coming to my door with a knock were brave little souls trying to celebrate Halloween. Although they were wet, they still liked to show me their outfits.

Sunday Oct. 20 Cathy Riendeau, Randi Spittle and Haley Smith had a clothing swap. It was a success. Around 20 people donated and around 70 came and got stuff. They would like to thank everyone who helped, donated and came to the swap.

They are hoping to do a toy swap in the future.

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Answer to last week’s trivia question: Warren White wired much of Chester for electricity in the late 1920s.

 This week’s trivia question: Where was the Cream of the Crop?