Christmas is a time when so many memories can be brought forth. I have a tendency each Christmas to go back as far as when I was a little girl growing up in the Depression time but of course we never realized what that meant. Only years later did we learn how our parents had to eke out money for gifts for my three sisters and I to be placed under the tree.
We learned there had been collections made at my dad’s place of employment to make sure we had a Christmas.
I remember something else. My mother was an artist – from the time she was a little girl. The talent of Adah Click Fricke was known through out the area. It was December 1941 that she was asked to paint a manger scene to be placed above and behind the church altar in front of the huge stained glass windows.at Emanuel Lutheran Church, Marion.
She took a little six inch picture from a religious magazine and enlarged it 23 times. She worked rapidly and completed it in 25 hours. The work was done in the Cardington home of her parents because they had 12 foot high ceilings. In the painting made on plywood, are three kings and Mary, all gazing at the baby Jesus.
This story also appeared in the Columbus Citizen with a photo by Cardington’s Hayes Ulrey. The painting was placed above Emanuel’s altar at Christmas for many years. It was a beautiful sight and one of which we were proud because it was made by our mother.
Another memorable Christmas was that same one when a new Collie puppy surprised us when we came home from church services that Christmas morning. Curly was with us for 15 years.
Looking back at past Decembers:
1962: The Fulton Post Office moved into its new frame building on the former Depot grounds; Richard Henry, Cardington FFA student, shipped four piglets to Korea; Thomas Conaway, 1954 graduate, w as promoted to Captain with the U. S. Army; December, 1972: Brad Landon rolled the highest game in the history of Morrow Lanes Bowling Alley. He received a watch for his effort.
