The year was 1964…

and I looked like this.

I was born in Hannibal, MO in 1961.   We moved to Maryland in 1962, but would visit Hannibal every summer.  My grandmother on my mother’s side needed to have her grandchildren participate in all the town’s events.  One of those events was the annual Tom Sawyer Days, during the 4th of July festivities.  Lots of people would dress up as Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, or Becky Thatcher.  The town is always packed during those days.

One year, while visiting our grandmother for the summer, she made us costumes.  I had a pink gingham dress, with a matching bonnet, bloomers, and a white apron. I was Becky (more on that down below).  My bothers had matching outfits that you can see in the picture.  The patches on their britches, matched my dress.  I still have the bloomers and the bonnet, everything else has been lost.  😦

This picture was taken in July 1964.  We won third place in the contest.  The world was so small back then, that when we returned to our home in Cambridge, MD, the The Daily Banner wrote an article on us.   I still have the article. It is yellow and worn.  In the photo in the article, we are standing by Harry Musgrove, Mayor of Hannibal.  I guess nothing else exciting what happening in Cambridge at the time.  😆

One of the highlights with that event, was riding in an antique ladder truck.  All the kids would dress as one of the characters or in red, white and blue.  Then we would all climb onto the ladder truck and ride through the parade.  Since my grandfather was the one who drove the truck, I got to sit on the front seat with him.  😀

After winning this contest, people would come up to me and say,  “Hi Becky!” and I would say (age 3), “I not Becky!  I Sheddy!” then stomp my feet.   That’s what my family told me I did.  LOL    My nickname was Shelly.  Apparently I couldn’t say my l’s.

Those were good times.   I am looking forward to taking my kids to Hannibal on a long field trip.