By: Sheila Crowley
Murray County News Staffwriter
The Murray County Central second grade annually holds a pioneer day. Leading up to this special event, the students learn how the pioneers lived in the 1800’s.
The students had a special treat on Monday afternoon when Laura Ingalls Wilder (aka Melanie Stringer) visited the Slayton Public Library. Her presentation is done in the persona of Laura Ingalls Wilder as a young wife, mother, and farm woman, circa 1897. Her programs feature a highly interactive “visit” with Mrs. Wilder, in an unscripted interpretation of Wilder’s experiences. The intent is to offer a glimpse into the “real” Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Stringer provided hands-on artifact display along with period-authentic clothing.
As the students entered the senior center they became part of the 1898 classroom for Stringer where she not only scolded them for speaking out of turn but also shared proper etiquette of the time period with references to Mrs. Wilder as the correct way to address a lady of that period of time. Becoming of age to be addressed as a lady happened when a young woman pinned up her hair and skirts to the tiptoes of their shoes and that time, according to Stringer, the young woman is addressed as ‘Miss’. She explained when ‘courting’ a gentleman refers to the young lady as ‘miss’ until they are given the go-ahead to call them by their first name.
Stringer spoke of their courting time and as well as after they were married. The time period of Laura Ingalls Wilder led the children back to was when she and Charles were living in Missouri Ozarks. The timeframe Springer spoke indicated she and Charles had been married for 13 years.
She spoke of their farm in the Ozarks where they raised trees and animals. Springer also shared how their daughter, Rose, taught herself to read. According to Laura, Rose learned at a very rapid pace. She read all the books given her on their six week trip from Dakota to Missouri.
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