“Mom, could I get some *bobby socks? The girls in my class are wearing them.”
“But, Joy, your anklets are new. I would have been so glad to have new socks during the Depression.”
That’s why I wasn’t very crazy about listening to any of Mom’s stories of those Depression days.
I was one of eleven girls in my junior high class of thirteen kids at the Dexter school. Only two boys. Nearly all of the girls were townies, but I rode the bus home every day. The popular town girls not only wore bobby socks, they also talked about stopping at Isenberg’s for a nickel Cherry Coke on their way home from school, something I felt left out of.
The soda fountain, with stools to sit on while sipping nectar through straws, was in the front of Isenberg’s Drug Store. We also got prescriptions filled there, and took rolls of film to be sent to Des Moines to be developed.
The Dexter Library, across the street from Isenberg’s, was only open on Saturdays and Wednesday afternoons. I must have mentioned hoping to stop for a Cherry Coke some Wednesday, then to the library afterwards.
Farmwives have very busy days, with a man for dinner every noon and sometimes several men, plus keeping a garden and canning, cleaning and washing, sometimes sewing up baby pigs. One time Mom offered to get groceries at Blohm’s on a Wednesday afternoon so that Gloria (two years younger) and I could walk from the school to Isenberg’s for Cokes with the town girls. She’d meet us at the library afterwards. (Blohm’s, owned by Dad’s aunt and uncles, was two doors south of the library.)
What a sweet thing for a mom to do for her daughters. And I eventually got those longed-for bobby socks.
Mom’s memories of growing up poor did make their way into Leora’s Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression, along with letters back and forth to their “Navy boys” along episodes from Grandma Leora’s memoir.
Oh, Joy! Love these memories and photos. Somewhere… I’ve got photos of my mom and aunts with their bobby socks rolled just as you described. Thanks for the smile to start the day!
❤️😉❤️
Such a small thing, but a big deal when you were a certain age!
Yes! And oh how those things stick with us! Xo! 😘
I remember those bobby socks and five cent cherry cokes!
Goosebumps, Vero!
Yes Joy! Hard to believe it was that long ago isn’t it!
aw, that was so sweet
Thanks, Annette. I big deal to a junior higher!
Life was certainly a lot simpler in those days. I remember bobby sox and cherry Cokes. Cola syrup would also fix an ailing stomach, obtained from the lunch counter in a small store!
Thanks, Linda. I still sip flat Coke for an iffy tummy.
I wore anklets but plain girls didn’t wear bobby socks. Cherry Cokes weren’t a “thing” for me although Mom and I would go to the RexAll Drug store fountain for an ice cream soda before the bus came by to pick us up (town to country)!
Oh, ice cream soda! A sweet memory, Marian.
Downtown Dexter looks a lot like downtown Adair. Was there angle parking on Main Street? I remember the first time I went there to visit Marleen’s family before we were married in 1966, I was amazed that all the angle parked cars had the keys left in them. The kid from Queens couldn’t believe it.
Dexter still has angle parking, but there’s not much there to stop for but the library and the barber shop. We didn’t lock anything until Guy joined the Air Force!
Wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing them.
Diana, I had fun with this one!
How wonderful that your mother took you and Gloria to town to get a treat! I was not a big fan of anklets was I was little.
Liz, I think it only happened once, but it sure was memorable!
These are the memories that sustain us!
LIving in the country you did miss out on some things. That was nice of your mom to take you to town so you could have a treat with the town girls. I remember bobby socks. I had them too. I love the picture!!
Thanks so much, Darlene!
Those anklets were a nuisance! The backs of them would slip down into my shoes more often than not. That was wonderful of your mother to make time to have a coke with you and your sister. She apparently knew how much it meant to you. 🥰
They did slide down, didn’t they. Thanks, Nancy!
Wonderful post!!! I absolutely love the photo!!! 🙂
Bless you, Linda!
When I wanted to wear blue jeans, my mother said if everyone jumped off a cliff, would you? I finally got to wear jeans when I started buying my own clothes.
Blue jeans? Too tough guy or what?
I don’t think I ever knew the difference between anklets and bobbie socks. Now I do!
What fun, Eilene!
I just love that picture, and I’m glad you finally got those bobby socks! I recently found a picture of my parents. Mother was wearing bobby socks and Dad’s blue jeans were turned up with cuffs deep enough to plant spuds in!
Yes, jeans with cuffs. Thanks for the great memory, Jim!
The Rusty Duck restaurant can be pretty busy on Marshall St. in Dexter. I always make an appearance at the American Legion to see if anyone I know is there. Quite busy at times. Janet Sprunger Burns’ (a classmate of mine) niece tends the bar there much of the time. Bud Lenocker had that “honor” for many years.
Thanks, Bob. We wish the Rusty Duck offered lunches!