“Hosanna”: Waukon native shares her memories of Easter

Easter was an important holiday in our little town. Aside from the solemn and joyful observances of Holy Week and Easter Sunday, there was the tradition of wearing new clothes. We might not have an Easter Parade and we certainly weren’t New York City - Fifth Avenue, but we did try to keep up with the latest fashions and sported our spring finery on Easter morning. Sometimes it was nothing more than a new hat, or even an old hat with new trimming, but we did the best we could.

Women and girls did wear hats in those days, and gloves too. In order to be really dressed up they were as necessary as earrings are today. It was customary to have a hat retrimmed several times before it was discarded and the millinery section of Hale’s Department Store did a good business. Each season the new hats would grace the counters and tables and eager ladies would try them on to determine which was the most becoming and which was trimmed in the proper colors to compliment their dresses or spring coats. If it wasn’t the year for a new hat then the milliner would suggest new ribbons, flowers or perhaps a veil. The resulting creations were wonders to behold.

Bud and I used to sing duets. Usually it was for some “doings” at the church. He lived across the street from me and we ran around with the same gang of neighborhood kids.

Several of the churches held joint Easter Sunrise Services. One year Bud and I were asked to sing a duet at this service. Lorna, a neighborhood pal, was our accompanist. We all attended High School together and belonged to Zion church. Lorna and I were classmates. She was a good pianist and played for our Sunday School. We sort of enjoyed preforming together. Bud was two years older than Lorna and I. His voice had matured from an outstanding boy’s soprano to a very pleasing baritone. We managed to stop goofing off long enough to practice our songs and generally gave a creditable performance.

On this particular Easter Sunday Lorna sported a new hat. It was a leghorn straw with a very generous brim. Trimmed with ribbon which matched her dress, it was gorgeous. She was quite proud of her appearance that day.

The Sunrise Service was held at the Methodist Church and went off without a hitch. At our own church we had been scheduled to do a repeat performance. The Sunrise Service was mostly for the youth and not too many of our fellow worshippers at the later service had been in attendance. So, at 10:30 we seated ourselves in the pew nearest the piano and waited for our time to sing. Easter was late in April that year and the day was fairly warm. Everyone attended church on Easter so the church was full. The window over the piano was opened to let in some fresh air.

The time came. Bud and I stood up, faced the congregation and each of us held one corner of our shared music. Lorna sat at the piano adjusting her copy of the song on the music rack. All was in readiness and she began to play the introduction. Bud and I took deep breathes. Then it happened.

A stray breeze caught Lorna’s sheet music and it fell to the floor. She had to retrieve it in order to continue. She would weigh it down with a hymn book the next time. So she leaned over and reached for the fallen sheets. As she did, the brim of her hat swept across the keyboard. The piano jangled discordantly and Lorna’s hat fell off. A collective gasp rose from the pews.

Bud and I couldn’t help ourselves. I could feel his body shake with suppressed laughter. We struggled to keep our mouths from turning up in smiles, our lips wanted to open and spill out our chuckles. We clenched our jaws and shook. We couldn’t have sung if we’d had to.

I think what saved the situation were the angry, threatening glares our parents were directing at us. We sobered up and by the time Lorna was rearranged at the piano we could carry on.

Later, when the service was over, the three of us let loose with our pent up mirth. It was Easter! Hallelujah! That’s the way it was.