EASILY PLEASED When children attended the one room school, they did not worry about the clothes they were wearing. Often they came to school dressed in homemade overalls, complete with bib and all. At that time, parents did not have money to buy new clothes for the children, so they compromised, and made their own. If they did not have new material to use, they ripped up old coats, and used the reverse side to make a new garment. The children were kept clean, and there was very little discussion about their wearing apparel. In 1966, when Consolidation occurred, and children from different areas were brought together, changes emerged. Some children had more than others, so some arrived at school wearing Designer Jeans. What one wore, others wanted, and this caused problems for parents at times. There were not many clothing stores in our immediate area, so it meant that I had to shop in Charlottetown . The annual three-day Teachers Convention was held in Charlottetown in the spring, so in the evenings after the sessions, I had an opportunity to shop. Prior to the convention, I would have the children try on their spring clothing that they had worn the previous year. I also made an imprint of their foot, on a piece of paper and took it with me. In the earlier years, the children never asked for designer jeans or a special type of boot or shoe. If the shoes that I took home, fit them well, they were happy. This really amazed me as to how easily they were pleased. There was one purchase that I always made, regardless of any other, and that was to bring home six pair of rubber boots. This was a necessity, because our scenic, red soil left a lot to be desired. In the spring, one could be assured that there would be mud and water around the farm. A second shopping spree took place in the fall when winter clothes had to be purchased. In the sixties, the winters were much colder than they are at the present time. It meant that one had to buy heavy jackets and warm boots for the children, to keep them warm. Occasionally they received "Care Boxes" from Boston, but most times, the items were too big or too small. It was hard to reach a happy medium. Wool sweaters, mittens, caps, socks and scarves were all items that 124