“Piano Lessons”

In 1937 when I was 13 years old, my folks got a piano and from the day it arrive, I was intrigued by it.  We learned several chords and ditties on it and we nearly drove our parents to distraction by our constant practicing.  After the newness wore off we practiced less except for me.  I loved playing on it and often wished there were some way that I could take lessons.  Then one day I got my chance.  Our neighbor, Fern McNight, a piano teacher, offered to teach me, but there was one big drawback.  She already had all the students she could teach on a regular basis, so she said whenever any of her students couldn’t come for his or her lesson then she would let me know and she would teach me in their place.

It was all arranged so that Daddy would work for them to pay for my lesson.  I was really excited and after my first lesson, I worked hard and practiced long to do the best that I could.  However, since I didn’t get a lesson every week and sometimes had to wait several weeks for my next lesson, I got discouraged and eventually gave up. 

Later after Don and I were engaged, and Don realized how much I enjoyed our piano, we heard about a piano that was for sale so Don bought it for me for $50.  He kept it at his house until we were married in 1942.

All of our children took lessons on that piano though I never took any more lessons.