IMH 74:4, 323-24

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Saturday, October 2nd.

I went up into the upper 80(2) and picked a lot of superiorsized crab apples to send to Aunt Mary.(3) Coming back I found
Wat (4) just starting off, with Effie (5) in his buggy, to attend a township institute. Mrs Bedford O'Nea1(6) and Mrs Jehu O'Neal (7) were
here before ten o clock to get old newspapers for pasting purposes. They got some few. About ten o'clock Father and Alvin started to
town. I picked up some more crabapples and gathered nearly a half bushel of hickory nuts. The folks got back from town about five
o'clock. They reported Claypool's speech (8) splendid. Weather warm with high wind from the south and rain signs.

Teaching Notes: Crab Apples are small and not very palatable. They are, however, a  favorite for jelly making. Students might be
asked if any of their parents or grandparents make jelly and jams. Find out what they use for flavor and what they use to make it "jell."
The product is "pectin" which is derived from apples. Students would find "pectin" an interesting subject for a report or powerpoint.

Hickory nuts are still collected by hoosiers and other mid-westerners where the shagbark hickory flourishes. When the
winter winds blow, crackin' and pickin' nuts is a good way to spend an evening. Have the students bring in a hickory nut.
A conventional nutcracker will likely not crack the hickory nut, but they will succumb to a hammer! (I use a vise-grip to reduce the
flying shells). My four year old grandson hits the place with, "Papaw, let's do nuts!"...and of course the hammer is his tool of choice.

Most students have never seen anyone wallpaper a wall, but those who have will certainly understand the need for many newspapers
to lay on the table underneath the wall paper as one brushes on the paste.

Nearly every Saturday in the journal will find someone going to town. The town squares of America were the gathering places for
rural citizens-- a tradition that remains strong even today. Martinsville was about 4 miles from the Harrison's farm and the distance could be
walked in a little over an hour. A horse and buggy would make it around 30 minutes. Check with the students to see what is about an
half hour drive from their home and compare the distances.