The Pie Supper

The one-room schoolhouse, with its country school programs, two-hour long plays and pie suppers of the 1920’s and 1930’s are things of the past. They furnished great entertainment for the entire community as neighbors and friends met together for a social evening of visiting and fun. 

Photo by

  
Margaret Walls  

Written by 
Margaret Walls 
 

It was 1935, my third year of teaching school and my second year at Stultz. I had 35 students in first through eighth grades. It was the first program of the year and the pie supper would bring in money for books, maps and playground equipment.

A big crowd was there. I was surprised when a car drove up with young folks from my home community, 25 miles away. The group included my sister, Lois, and George, a young fellow I’d dated off and on since grade school. Lloyd Walls, who lived in a nearby community, was also there. I had known Lloyd for only two months, but we had dated several times.

Since I was the schoolteacher, I announced the program. I came on stage wearing a new dress with matching high-heeled shoes. I walked to the center front, stepped forward, then fell off the stage! Luckily, I landed on both feet. There was lots of laughing and clapping! I had stepped where there was no boards, just carpet on the special stage made for this night.

I got back on stage and continued with the welcome and announcements. The program, consisting of recitations, songs, and humorous skits went very well. I was proud of my pupils.

After our program, the auctioneer, a lively young married man, auctioned the pies. Considering that it was during the “depression years” the pies sold well. Most pies sold for 40 or 50 cents, some went as low as 10 cents and a few as high as $3.00. I had made a chocolate meringue pie and decorated my pie box with crepe paper, ribbons and flowers.

My pie was one of the last to be sold. George and Lloyd were bidding against each other for my pie. I watched with both fear and delight as the price kept getting higher and higher! When it ended, George bought my pie for $4.00!

After the pie auction there were some fun "Penny-a-vote" contests. "The most love-sick couple" won a jar of pickles and "The most hen-pecked husband" took home a dishcloth. "The Most Popular Girl" won a beautiful angel food cake which I cut and shared with the entire crowd.

Later, while George and I were talking and eating our pie, he asked to take me home, but Lloyd had asked me earlier that week for a date after the pie supper. That eventful night, Lloyd got none of my chocolate meringue pie, but he got a good night kiss and a promise of more dates to come.

George bought my pie but Lloyd won my heart. Lloyd and I were married two years later - Thanksgiving, 1937.

12/31/1999