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Reading Hymn Books during the Depression Era

By Capper's Staff
Published on March 8, 2012

For entertainment Mama had a nice organ and several hymn books. She would play the organ and us girls would gather around and sing. Some Sunday afternoons us three oldest sisters would walk three miles to an elderly neighbor’s home and she would play the phonograph for us. It had cylinder records. She had a box full of records and one I still remember was “The Arkansas Traveler.”

Our parents had a large Bible and we took turns reading from it almost every evening.

Mildred Parker
Alva, Oklahoma


Back in 1955 a call went out from the editors of the then Capper’s Weekly asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first My Folks title – My Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from Capper’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available to our growing online community.