Open Session: What Readers Think
January 2008
By Readers of Capper's
Skating queen - People bring in books and magazines they no longer want to the Clifton,Colo., library, and I was happy to pick up last year's March issue of CAPPER'S - and more so when I read 'Open Session.' Kenneth Roberts, of Winnebago, Wis., wrote in thankingyou for publishing his story 'Cherishes memory of ice skating with Mother.'
I love iceskating. I learned to skate by myself on a frozen pond in my home state of New Jersey. I regretnever pursuing it further - I just didn't have money to take lessons. I'd skateon frozen areas, such as outdoor basketball courts that were flooded with waterand left to freeze so that everyone could skate at no charge.
I am now 60 yearsof age, and I still skate. In fact, I had a small part in a summer ice show ata local arena. My favorite skaters are Peggy Fleming and the beautiful icequeen of long ago, Sonja Henie.
I found a VHS copyof Henie's 1937 skating movie, 'Thin Ice,' co-starring Tyrone Power. TheHollywood Golden Age was a little before my time, but I must say I enjoywatching Ms. Henie and Tyrone.
I'm sure that Mr. Roberts'mom knew of Henie. My own mother, who never skated and who passed away severalyears ago, once mentioned the famous skater to me. My mom was of Norwegiandescent like her.
Helen R. Ketts
Clifton, Colo.
Many nicknames - When I receivedmy October issue, I couldn't believe all the nicknames everybody had. I comefrom a family of eight - three girls and five boys.
I had an uncle, Roy Knipfel, who gave each of us kids a nickname. Therewas Florence(called 'Tools'), Mabel ('Bettzie'), Earl ('Jigger'), Raymond ('Fritz'), Harly('Jin'), me ('Dutch'), Merle ('Pickle Puss') and Arnold ('Mouse Nest'). We alsohad a cousin, Lawrence, called 'Casey.'
To this day, everybody calls Lawrence 'Casey.' I had a brother who alwayscalled me Dutch, but he passed away, so nobody calls me Dutch anymore.
When we went toschool, we were called the 'Sniffle' kids. Why I don't know. Perhaps theycouldn't pronounce our last name, Knipfel.
Another curiousthing is that though I was born in September, I didn't get a name untilDecember. Until then, I was just called 'Babe.'
Dorothy M. Meyer
Ackley, Iowa
A home for gnomes - A few yearsago, I saw a photo in CAPPER'S of a tree stump (''Elf' has the rightanswers for inquiring kids,' Sept. 16, 2003). That gave me the idea to fix upmy oak tree stump. I call it my 'Gnome Home.'
Ruth Dundore
Myerstown, Pa.
Farm memories - I got married to a farmer in 1938, and aneighbor gave us hens as a wedding present. One day, a man came by selling CAPPER'S.He said he would take chickens as payment. That's how I got my firstsubscription.