Christmas

      Highlights

                      1959  

314 N. Fremont St. River Falls, Wis December, 1959

            Dear Ones All:

Again this past summer we made an extensive trip.  This time we made limited mileage but did more visiting than usual.  We were in Madison, Chicago and Milwaukee and camped at Devil’s Lake, Wis., Peninsula Park, Eagle River, and upper Michigan.  We drove over into Canada for one day only.  The best camping ground we found this year was a surprise.  Near the Soo in a National Forest is a pretty little lake called Soldier’s Lake.  There is excellent swimming and it is not crowded.  We have now used our trailer about 170 days and 14,000 miles.  Now we are talking about trading it in for a slightly larger one (16 feet as compared to 15).             During the summer we saw six major league baseball games and seven major league teams.  We saw many games in St. Paul in AAA ball, including ol’ Satchell Paige.  During the winter we always see some Big Ten Basketball at the U. of Minn.  We got to Minneapolis to hear the Apollo Club and the Metropolitan Opera.  Our own college had many good things too.            Merry graduated from High School this June, but has been in college for a year.  She is now a Sophomore majoring in music and minoring in French.  She is directing the Junior choir at the Congregational Church.  Her Choir is doing a special Christmas program and in addition she is in the program at our church.  She worked at the Dells this summer as a waitress and swimming instructor.  This followed one week as waterfront director for a 4-H camp.  Wesley Foundation activities include an officer’s job and a lead in one of their productions “Parade at the Devil’s Bridge”.            Bruce has stopped vocal lessons for a while so his voice can mature a little more, and is taking piano lessons at the college.  He is the only Freshman Singing second bass in the High School Choir.  He has sung in the church choir all year.  He is the only Harris in the choir since Merry is at the Congregational Church.  We call him Joe now since he is Joseph in the pageant.  A lot of attention has been given to growing this year so he is now the second tallest member of the family.  He bought a parakeet, Frankie, to replace Junior who you heard about for six years.            Doug is managing a paper route with Bruce’s help.  The second week he was bitten by a dog which caused a fuss for a while.  Trombone lessons at the college keep him busy along with the Junior Band.  He played in four concerts this year.             Betty is teaching Art again this year.  She has the same arrangement as last year and enjoys it very much.  She is working on her Master’s Degree at the University of Minnesota.  She sold her first painting. (not the first she has painted).  This is the first time in many years that she is the shortest member of the family too. (since 1941).            Will was appointed to full professorship this year.  For the uninitiated this is comparable to being a rear admiral in the Navy.  He is on a committee working on graduate work for the college.  Very likely he will teach one course of graduate work this summer.  He got a bowling ball and all the family engages in this sport.  This is the third tear as church lay leader.  One dream realized is a psychology laboratory where he can teach experimental, one of his favorite subjects.            Of family news, Dad McCain’s illness and good recovery and Mother Harris’ staying with us this winter, is the most important, although Lee’s marriage comes high on the list too.  Betty and the kids were in Rhinelander then.  Visits from Bill and Esther (Will’s family) were enjoyed by all here.  Our most distant visitors were from Japan and the Panama Canal Zone.            We have sort of stumbled into the photography frenzy this year.  First it was colored movies, then 35 mm. and last Polaroid camera.  We now can bore the most interested visitors for hours with any or all of these.              To the nearly one hundred families who will receive this account of the little things that mean so much to those who share them, we bid a blessed Christmas season.  May you too know the great joys that come from the seemingly unimportant daily experiences.                               God Bless You, Every One,  

                                     The Harris Family                                                Will, Betty, Merry, Bruce, Doug                                                Grandmother Harris