Ethel Ellen Billings Post

1907 My maternal great grandparents and my grandmother.
She was the youngest of six children and the only one born in Oregon.

1908
1917

1918
Calistenics at Triangle High School


On back of photo - in Ethel's hand:

Triangle Lake
Blachley, Oregon 1918

Now houses are built around the lake - roads were muddy in winter - mail delivered 2 times a week - all had telephones - a horse-drawn stage was one way to go to Junction City.

Bobbed hair and ankles visible. The times a changing. She went off to Oregon Normal School in Monmouth and graduated a school teacher in 1927.

She taught elementary school for many years then switched to special education in the later years of her career. She taught until she was over 70. Upon retirement she became a volunteer for adult literacy.

She was the only grandmother I ever knew - and she was a very good one. We were a tightknit bunch right until she died in 1997, shortly before her 94th birthday.

A heartening number of her former students attended the funeral services.


This Is A Sepia Saturday Post. Click this link for more photographic history from fellow bloggers all over the place.

Comments

L. D. said…
Very nice post that you have created. I like the pe uniforms. My mom also went to Normal Training school. I have the books that she bought to help her with her first years of teaching. Have a good Sunday!!
Fri Feb 12, 01:12:00 PM
Martin said…
Not only did Ethel live a long life, she also lived a good life. Fascinating to see her and how she changed over the years.
Fri Feb 12, 02:23:00 PM
Janice said…
Another beautiful Sepia Saturday post. I love that you have so many wonderful pictures of your relatives. It sounds to me like your grandmother had a remarkable like and made a difference in the world. Being a teacher can do that.
Fri Feb 12, 04:19:00 PM
Janice said…
life...not like...sorry
Fri Feb 12, 04:19:00 PM
Kathy's Klothesline said…
I love the photos and the story, she sounds like a remarkable woman!
Fri Feb 12, 05:43:00 PM
Alan Burnett said…
Wonderful post, so rich and informative, It brings images, words and memories together so well - the very essence of Sepia Saturday
Sat Feb 13, 02:36:00 AM
lettuce said…
lovely history through photos. that 2nd photo is beautiful - and in some of them she looks a little meryl-streep.
my fave is the calisthenics picture tho!
Sat Feb 13, 03:36:00 AM
Anonymous said…
Stephanie, fantastic post and love that lake snap at the end( especially with her hand-writing on the back )...
Sat Feb 13, 05:15:00 AM
Tess Kincaid said…
The 1908 photo is particularly lovely! She looks like a beautiful budding little Annie Oakley!
Sat Feb 13, 08:19:00 AM
Barry said…
So many photos. You are lucky to have her life so well documented. And none of the photos are stuffy formal portraits, but each is alive with character.
Sat Feb 13, 08:31:00 AM
Betsy Brock said…
My photo today has girls in very similar outfits...we decided gym class around 1915...your photo certainly confirms our thoughts! And all of your photos are wonderful here...really lovely!
Sat Feb 13, 11:50:00 AM
Leah said…
I just adore these photos! How lovely.
Sat Feb 13, 04:38:00 PM
Valerie said…
Excellent photographs, and they look in decent condition too. Mine are very knocked about. The setting on the one of your great grandparents and grandmother is awesome.
Sun Feb 14, 08:33:00 AM
Ladrón de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said…
Thanks for sharing. I appreciate that you gave us a photographic narrative of her through several years, and we see her and the styles of the times change. I assume that top photo was taken in a studio not outside. It is an interesting choice for a "set" by the photographer. Sounds like she was a wonderful teacher and caring mother and grandmother.
Sun Feb 14, 10:15:00 AM
Meri said…
Marvelous post about a woman who obviously touched many, many lives.
Sun Feb 14, 10:44:00 AM
Unknown said…
Wonderful photos of your grandmother, & wonderful to see Oregon in the early 20th century. I don't know that specific part of the state--it looks beautiful.
Sun Feb 14, 12:47:00 PM
Evelyn Yvonne Theriault said…
The contrast in "feel" between the 1908 and 1927 photographs is quite striking. In many ways WWI ushered in the modern age up here in Canada and we see them kind of progression from the romantic to the modern era.
It is my first visit and you have a great site.
Evelyn in Montreal
Mon Feb 15, 04:50:00 AM
Katherine said…
Your blog is absolutely addicting. The photos are AMAZING.. keep on writing!
Tue Feb 16, 01:23:00 PM
Jill from Killeny Glen said…
You have wonderful photos! I love the ringlet curls!
Tue Feb 16, 05:24:00 PM
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