James Laird - "Settling in at Lark Ellen Home for Boys" - Page 1

My two brothers and I came to the home some time in 1935. I, James Laird was l0 years old. Gene was 8 and Charles was 7. We lived there until Christmas vacation Dec. 1941. Ken Schwartz and I were buddies while he was there and for several years after. He and James Sutton, Wayland Nevitt and Tom Tracy did a very good job of describing what it was like living at the Boy's Home. Ken's story was just like ours from the first days and while he lived there.

We got our medical needs taken care of by the nearby Miriam Davies clinic or other doctors as needed. The Matrons were good at nursing also.

Our clothes were in a chest next to the bed. We soon learned to make our bed and have it look neat. The older boys like Ken and I were assigned jobs. Mine was in the dining room and later the kitchen. We ate at linen covered tables with what was called bent wood chairs like many nice restaurants use. This included a linen napkin. Everyone sat at their place at the table and was served by boys like me. The boys old enough brought their dirty plates to the kitchen. We servers brought the rest in to be washed by the boys running the big dishwasher. We then cleaned the tables and floor ready for the next meal. We often had adult guest for meals.