Memories of a karnival
The Kaffir Korn Karnival happened only once as far as I'm concerned, but I'm sure there must have been more. It sort'a was like Old Settlers' with parade, bands, and so on. I guess they chose the name because the grain, Kaffir, was just beginning to be grown in Butler County and they had a bumper crop.
Anyway, the grain originated in Africa and was white. I guess it wasn't suited for Kansas, I never hear of it anymore.
The reason I remember this occasion so well is that one of the floats was graced by my baby sister, Dorothy. She was about four and elected baby queen of the carnival. She wore a white satin dress and a silver crown and stood at one end of a big flat wagon trailer. All around her were little girls all dressed up in fluffy dresses of rainbow colors. The wagon was pulled by at least four Shetland ponies. It seemed like more.
What an exciting occasion for our family. Not only that, I won an award (a book) for my fine handwriting.
There were all sorts of booths showing school accomplishments. I suppose the whole affair had something to do with rural schools. I was a little scholar from a one-room country school at that time.
Picture that school — one teacher and children in several different grades. The teacher taught, she kept order, and probably was the janitor. Besides that, she had to stay in some private home — one bedroom, outdoor toilet, and meals with the family.
Do you suppose any of our modern teachers would like to try that? Even when I was in Marion High School in 1921 the teachers still stayed in private homes. My mother always had a teacher. They usually became very good friends ever after.
— NORMA HANNAFORD
