Ina Mae Hammond was given a bridal shower on the Thursday evening (April 28, 1927) before her Saturday wedding to Bill Sinclair. It was put on by her friends, Eva, Irene, Theresa, Audry, and Myrtle. Possibly, her dear friend, Ella, was not able to get away from her teaching job in Ada. From Ina’s scrapbook, we get a sense of her pre-marriage life with these girlfriends. Here is a sampling. Although I can’t yet identify every face, I have figured out a few.
From the accounts in both local newspapers, it was a fun filled evening. There was a game where Ina followed bluebirds around the room to find her gifts and messages of good wishes. I love that the centerpiece was a miniature white cottage for two on a green lawn — from the photos I’ve seen, I don’t think Bill and Ina’s first home in Hohhertz was very white or had a green lawn. But, as most of us know ….. they eventually did have a lovely white home with a gorgeous green lawn!
One of the activities was to have attendees fill out a book, entitled “Sidelights on Matrimony OR How to Make Your Husband Happy”. At the end of the book, in Ina’s handwriting, is a list of forty attendees, with a check mark after each name, ostensibly noting that a Thank You had been written. But the book itself is precious for all of the cute quips about keeping a husband happy — especially given how roles have evolved since 1927! My favorites are “Always be sweet and never both get mad at the same time” and “Make him hot biscuits for breakfast every day” and “Always agree with him and make him think he is getting his own way even when you are making him do just what you want him to do.” Wise words indeed!! And the book is precious because it has been saved for almost 100 years – brown, stained, and falling apart. A window into a different time and an important, happy moment for someone we loved.
I am including this little book in its entirety. It’s a quick read. Click here. Enjoy!