Writer Remembers Her Girlhood in Sewickley

              Writer remembers her girlhood in SewicKiey
To the editor:
I hope that you will forward this letter
to the present owner or historical society involved with the lovely home on the
corner of Thorn and Little streets. I
have recently received a coy of an article and picture of the July 23 Herald in
which the tearing down of this home is
discussed.
This news has come to be very disturbing to me as I grew up in that house. It
was my upbringing in Sewickley that
drew me back to "small town America"
here in Starke, Florida. Even here the
people have stopped tearing down their
history and begun restoring and living in
them.
My own children never tire of hearing
of my life in Sewickley: the blueberry
Popsicles at Hoe's, the yo-yas and penny
candy at the paper store, the Halloween
parade, walking home or to my grandmother's (W. F. Halthaus) for lunch,
and Dr. Nix's making housecalls with
his famous balloons. I even sing the
Quaker Valley High School alma mater
for them and describe the prom — the
year my brother (Lt. Col. G.G.
Threadgill of Virginia) graduated —
with the theme "Drifting and
Dreaming."
Their most asked-for stories,
however, are those about sliding down
the banister, taking leaves into piles to
be jumped in, the marble bathroom in
the attic, playing stone school and red-
light-green-light on the porch when it
rained, picking cherries from the cherry
tree, and the bloom of the dogwood. I
still have a skate key tied to a large pla
que on which my father, the late Walter
Threadgill, painted "309 Thorn" to keep
. me from losing.
It is towns like Sewickley and homes
like this one that preserve our peaceful
memories. To tear them down now is to
tear down our heritage. My mother,
Selena Threadgill, spent many back-
■ breaking hours refinishing the floors
and restoring this home. To have torn
down the old elementary school was bad
enough, but not our homes, too.
I would love to hear what has happen
ed to the pie safe in the basement, thel
"potty chair" that was left in the
downstairs bathroom and other fixtures
of this house if there is someone you can
help me contact.
If the decision is made to tear it down,
please notify me as to the fate of the
mantlel pieces and wood flooring and
banister, but better still, let the home;
and the life it has led live for future
children's memories. sincerely,
Barbara Threadgill Ross
Starke, Florida;