Tuesday, September 18, 2012

September 1982

Books..she loves books and going to the library. 

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This is our youngest daughter Jen/Jennifer/Jenny.  The caption in this newspaper article says “Jenny can’t read yet, but she likes coming to the bookmobile to choose material for her sister to read to her.”   This was in the September 26, 1982 issue of the Fargo Forum.

Thirty years ago.  When she was seven.

When she learned to read she would make up words.  If something started with a w, any w word that she could think of would do.  She just wanted to read quickly and did not have time to sound out the words.

One night a week usually on Tuesday or Wednesday we would pack up our bag of books right after supper and spend the evening in the library picking out new books for the coming week.  One night it was very cold out..way below zero, so cold that our back window shattered in the cold while we were inside the library.

Reading was encouraged.  Jen spent hours reading to me…mostly in the late afternoon as I cooked supper..she would be perched on a stool in the kitchen at the breakfast bar.  I had to pay close attention for words that didn’t make sense.  I would encourage her to sound them out..when that failed I would have her spell the word to me, so I could help her.

Jen learned to read and became a really good reader…she stopped making up words.  In High School she began to write poetry.  I am not sure when she decided that she wanted to become an English Teacher…but she has a Master of Fine Arts Degree in English and teaches at a Community College.

She still loves books. One day last July she came by the museum to change the foyer display cabinet.  It became a display of books..large and small..I smile every time I walk past or dust the top of the case..all this from the little girl who struggled to read.

Today she is 37.  Happy Birthday Jen:)

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25 comments:

thecrazysheeplady said...

I LOVED the book mobile :-).

Muffy's Marks said...

Wish Jen a Happy Birthday from me too!! I smiled when you wrote 'bookmobile' I haven't thought about them for years. We always went to the bookmobile, when it came through!

DJan said...

How great that although she struggled to read as a child, she decided to teach English and reading to others! Maybe it's because she knows how important it is! Good post, Connie! I enjoyed that picture, too...

linda m said...

Happy Birthday to your daughter. Jen sounds just like me. I began reading when I was four. I would always follow along when my mother read to me and pretty soon I was sounding out words by myself. I haven't stopped reading in over 60 years.

Anonymous said...

What a gift you've given your daughter! The love of books.

Happy birthday!

Country Gal said...

Happy Birthday Jen . A lovely story of one who learned to read ! I read very early in life about 2 and half years old . I read to my boys every night from a year to 5 years old and they were and still are wonderful readers , my youngest who is now 17 is a book worm always has a book in his hand and his nose deep in it reading ! Books are great you can just get lost in a wonderful story ! Have a good day !

L. D. said...

It is a great story. I remember when our youngest was being scrutinized for learning problems and he has now excelled in may ways beyond his classmates today.

Karen said...

Happy Birthday Jen!
I too loved to read as a child, and still do. I'd read laid in the bathtub, and while I was drying the dishes, and whenever I could fit it in.

Nancy said...

What a great post and photo!

Muffie said...

Happy Birthday, Jen, from a fellow [former] English teacher. I looooove reading, and my own children are bookworms as well! I hope I can pass on that gene to my grandies as well!
Peace,
Muff

wendyytb said...

Lovely photo! Happy Birthday, Jen!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Jen. I really enjoyed this post and the photo. I still love to put my nose in a library book and smell!!!

Red said...

Only goes to show that a child's success depends on reading. Also kids must be exposed to books and finally parents must be involved in all aspects. You have a super daughter .

Red said...

And this reader missed the birthday part of your post so Happy Birthday Jenn.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Jen! Yep - the more reading you do, the more you love it. We still have a mobile library that comes into our village once a week. Lovely photo of Chance in your banner :-)

RURAL said...

Happy Birthday Jen.

Wow, we never had a book mobile, but we did have libraries...they were my saving grace as soon as I learned to read. Honestly I think much of what I learned was from reading any book I could get my hands on.

Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

Sweet Posy Dreams said...

Happy birthday to your daughter. I remember book mobiles; haven't thought of them in years.

How on earth do you manage to keep up with three blogs?

LindaG said...

What a wonderful display for her to make.
Have a great evening! ♥

Lynda said...

Happy Birthday to her, too, from me. I pray she had a great day - - - or has a great week of celebration! The decades of the thirties and forties were the best ones in my opinion. We are still young enough to be healthy but have lived long enough to gain wisdom.
My love for books started very early, too. I think it's something God puts within us that when nurtured, grows and produces much in later years!

lisa said...

Happy Birthday to Jen! We are also very much into book reading. The husband was brought up with books and no TV!

Laura said...

What a wonderful story! Happy Birthday to Jen!

Jacqi Stevens said...

An incredible journey...thanks, in part, to the efforts of a patient mom.

This is a newspaper clipping that definitely needs to be saved for someone's grandchildren ;)

Happy birthday to Jen!

troutbirder said...

Good job Mom. And happy birthday Jenny. English teachers are the best. I know. I married one...:)

Terry and Linda said...

AH! precious post! Happy Birthday, Jen!


Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Rita said...

Happy Belated Birthday to Jen. Famously in the paper and sounds like a woman in a hurry to devour life! :):)

Wow! Cold enough to shatter the back window of the car!!!

I wish we had had a bookmobile when I was growing up. I would have been in seventh heaven!