Myrtle in 1958

This is my grandmother in 1958.  She looks rather serious in this photo.  She was a teacher at the time, so when the students had their photos taken every year, she had hers taken as well.  Usually she smiled in the photos, but not in this one.  Was she having a hard day at school that day?  Was she worried about something going on at home?  Or was she staring deep into our eyes from the past?  I suppose we’ll never know.

What I do know is that her name was Myrtle Sylvia Phenice Bucklin, and she was 52 years old at the time.  She had been teaching at Hathaway High School for the past twelve years.  She wasn’t teaching high school students, though.  She was a third-grade teacher for most of her career.  She was known as being quite stern, though most of her students speak fondly of her.  Since I am her grandson, people might be a bit more generous with positive reviews of her.  I also know that she was keen on penmanship and spelling.  I think she would be happy with my spelling abilities.  I think of it as my superpower!   She would definitely say that my penmanship was wanting.  

At school, she was known as Mrs. Bucklin.  At home, she was known as Myrtle, Mama, or Grandma.  Her husband was Fred Bucklin.  They were married in 1930, and the first of their four daughters was born in 1931 on the day before their first anniversary.  There was Sylvia, Betty Lou (my mom), Alma, and Loris.  The last of their children was Austin who was born in 1942.  By 1958, she was being called Grandma.  Not by me, of course.  I didn’t come along for two more years.  But my three older siblings and four of my cousins were around.   Those first seven grandchildren were born over a seven-year period.  The next six were born over a two-year period.  It was during the Baby Boom, and the Bucklin family was doing their part!

I enjoy looking at these older photos of my ancestors.  This one reminds me of some portrait paintings where the subject’s eyes follow you as you walk past it.  When you look into her eyes, she draws you in.  Try it!