Spring cleaning & a schoolmarm's sad end

The red-haired schoolmarm died with her boots on Wednesday, then was hauled away face-down on top of a Joad-like pile in the back of a pickup, secured with a string of worn out Christmas lights.

Life ends harshly for worn out mannequins.

She had stood in a corner of Puckerbrush School for maybe 25 years, dressed in vintage schoolmarm style (the dress was carefully removed). As the years passed, her face cracked, she turned vaguely green and her skin began to slough off in sheets. It was time to go.

Because she hadn't changed socks in a quarter of a century, however, her shoes had bonded to her feet and would come away only in small pieces. So shoes in place, she was carried away.

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Wednesday was Clean-up Day in Chariton, an annual Chamber/Main Street-sponsored event that benefits greatly from the fact graduating CHS seniors are freed from classes to help out.

Our team consisted of (from left) Andrew Spinler, Rachelle Crabb, Ben Sullenger and Karoline Dittmer, who also is our new-media intern and a long-time museum volunteer.

They moved heavy pieces of furniture, loaded a small mountain of junk into the back of Bill's pickup to be hauled away, cleaned out the barn and the log cabin, washed windows and did a good deal of digging and carrying for Kay and Cathy --- Grounds Committee members who were on hand to get bedding plants into the ground.

Bill and Marilyn were on hand, too.

And down in the Heirloom Garden, Rex was retilling a stretch previously tilled, but compacted by runoff from recent heavy rains.

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We're hoping for dry conditions on Friday --- after a stormy Thursday --- since all fourth-graders in the school district are scheduled to pay us a visit.

The regular season opens on Saturday, May 24; and thereafter the museum will be open regular summer hours, 1-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission as always will be free.