Clubs

Back in the 20's and 30's when I was growing up, it was a social
requirement to attend the monthly Golf Club covered dish dinner.
Even if one had an aversion to golf, one of course had to be a
Member-of-the-Club. In Baxter Springs it meant a dinner attendance
of perhaps 40-50 or so. We children had to be on best behavior
of course or dire things would result. After the dinner the
Ladies would gossip and play bridge (Auction then) and the Gents
would gather down in the basement for drinks and penny-ante poker.
Father always had a peculiar ability with cards - he generally
knew what all the hidden cards were, so he never joined the poker
games. He told me that he didn't want to take the money from guys
who could really ill-afford it. Instead he stayed upstairs with
some of his cronies and played Pitch for fun. Generally these were
Walt Hartley, Mr. MacKallor, Mr. Youse and Lynn Wiles. We kids
after dinner headed outside and harrooed around with Kick the Can
etc. We had strict orders to stay off the 'greens', which in our
arid Kansas environment were clay, not grass, and took kid's foot-
prints well.