THE 1920S

D.C. 1921

It was in the early l920s. My father had returned from the war and had accepted a position with the YMCA in Cincinnati, Ohio, about 60 miles south of Xenia. My mother, who grew up in the east, had accepted a teaching position in Washington, so Charles and I (4 and 6) went with my mother and Mossell and Frank went to my Grandfather at Wilberforce. The University also had an elementary school through l2th grade.

I was only about 4 l/2 and some things stayed in my mind all these years. Charles and I went to the school with my mother, but since there was no pre-school, I had the distinction of being what might be called an ex-officio student visitor everyday with mother and no official title.

I never forgot the enthusiastic singing of the children. My favorite song was Finicule - Finicula. (A spelling questionable.) Harken, Harken, music sounds afar (twice)
Finiculi, Finicula, Finicula, Finiculaaaa (twice)

Joy is everywhere, Finiculi, Finicula. (I think I remember the words from a later date.) I just enjoyed hearing them sing that song. Did I sing with them? Frankly, I don’t remember. ha

The Visitor

We had a heavy snow in D.C. that winter, and the next day the sun was shining and the snow seemed to be about waist high. There was a wide path made from the house we lived in and the house next door -- some distance away. That day from the big window in the dining room, I saw a man approaching the house. He was well-dressed, wearing a beautiful black coat and a fine hat and was carrying something in his hand. I was interested because he seemed to be so happy and the path btween the two houses was so clean cut it was very impressive even to me at age about 4 l/2. The family seemed happy to see him. He was very happy to be there. Of course, it was the minister paying a Sunday afternoon visit -- probably just about dinner time. ha.

But Oh! How could I forget our trip to Centerville, Maryland to visit mother’s cousins.

THE MOSSELLS

My mother was a Mossell from a distinguished Philadelphia family. In fact, one of my brothers was named after the family, Nathan Francis Mossell Lee and we called him Moss for short just like Dad called me Bill -- short for Forrester Ashe Lee. ha

I didn’t know families had two sides.

Little did I know that at that time to my grandmother (mother’s mother) was Mary E. Forrester, a woman of note, who married my great uncle, Rev. C. W. Mossell. Mother’s cousins were Mossells.

Enough of that, that, at 4 l/2 I couldn’t have cared less. I remember that their house was at the top of a hill across from a school. They both were teachers and had fair skin like mother. They liked me and gave me a drum and drumsticks to play with that was more important to me than my relationship to these nice people. My brother, Charles, was probably with us, but I don’t remember. He was always a missing person, anyway.

About the drum. I am sure that by the end of the day, they had enough of me and the drum. My mother insisted that I leave the drum there for the next little drummer boy. ha