Going Down Memory Lane with Peter Cottontail

I thought I'd post this photo, mostly so my family can enjoy it. Perhaps a few others will remember back to their childhoods. 

The newspaper clipping is dated Thursday, April 11, 1963.

I have no idea why our annual dyeing of Easter eggs made the paper, but it did. For a brief moment in time all six kids were captured together at our kitchen table, with our mother standing by to supervise.

The byline says: Preparing for Easter - The children of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Boaz decorate their own eggs for Easter, usually about four dozen that have been boiled for them by their mother. Shown above are Gary, 9; Beverly 7; Barbara, 12; Jerry, 11; Derrell, 5 and Dwain, 6 with Mrs. Boaz who helps them prepare dyes from food coloring.

Here's what the article in the Beaumont, Texas paper had to say:

Members of Boaz Family Color Own Easter Eggs, by Marie Allen

Baskets and bunnies, candy and church make Easter a favorite time for the Boaz family. And Judy (Mrs. Chester) Boaz has a way of adding special touches to make it extra memorable.

For instance, she finds that youngsters enjoy it more if allowed to do the egg-decorating themselves. "With six enthusiastic kiddies, it's quite an ordeal", she admits.

"But I just give them four dozen hard-boiled eggs, lot of material to work with - and stand by for the mess!"

Judy and the children make their own egg dyes with bottles of food coloring. "We put a little in a cup, add a half-teaspoon of vinegar, some boiling water and that's it.

"The coloring is harmless and the bottles allow plenty for all the children. They like mixing drops from different bottles, too, and sometimes come up with pretty peculiar shades."

Construction paper is standard equipment at egg-decorating time. Judy has shown the youngsters how to make bunny ears, whiskers and other features to dress up the eggs and add to the fun.

The older ones, Barbara, 12, Jerry, 11, and Gary, 9 try for artistic effects. They concentrate on intricate wax-pencil designs. Beverly, 7, Dwain 6, and Derrell, 5 respectively, are more concerned with concocting the brightest and most decorated eggs.

With Judy's help, the youngsters select their Easter outfits. There are fluffy dresses for the girls, white shirts for the boys and shiny shoes for everyone.

"After getting all their clothes chosen and ready, I'm happy to just settle for a new hat", Judy sighs.

She buys their baskets early and ingeniously hides them from 12 curious eyes until the big morning. She also stocks up on candy: "When the children have given it up for Lent, they spend a good part of Easter making up for lost time!"

Early Easter morning she and Chester hide the eggs. After the hunt there is much egg-eating with 'swapping" of yolks and whites. One year it rained and the hunt was held indoors. Judy recalls wryly such aftereffects as squashed eggs under living room cushions.

Highlights of their Easter is early mass at St. Pius Church. Later there's a family dinner with Judy preparing their best-liked dishes, along with the traditional ham.

A typical "togetherness" family, the Boazes have fun with each other not only at holidays, but throughout the year. They like fishing, picnicking, archery and bowling. They are chess players, even little Derrell.

Chester is a postman and Judy, "When I can sneak time for it," likes to write. Two of her poems have been accepted by a poetry magazine.

She collects books, concentrates on contemporary authors. Her first editions inclde works by Pearl Buck, Sinclair Lewis and Frank Yerby.

"I'd like to do more things, but right now I'm just too busy being a mama," she laughs." Childhood memories are important and we want our children to have happy ones.

"I should be a better housekeeper, but there's always something coming along - like Easter - that you want to go to a little extra trouble for. The family enjoys it - and I guess that's what really counts."

I'm doubtful there's a newspaper being published today that would go to the trouble to interview a housewife with six kids about the routine of dyeing Easter eggs, but the routine itself hasn't changed much, and is still repeated in most American kitchens to this day. Something about that feels awfully nice to me.

And thanks, Mom, for doing all you could to give us a sweet childhood. We miss you.