By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Maine author Glenna Johnson Smith of Presque Isle was a special guest at the Caribou Public Library recently as the library’s reading group, discussed Johnson’s very popular and very humorous work, “Old Maine Woman.”
The book group, which reads a different title each month, had just finished reading her book and invited the author to be present during their discussion. The local author answered a number of questions from the readers regarding further information on some of the individuals she had written about as well as shared even more in-depth stories.
Johnson Smith is a natural story-teller, very descriptive and extremely honest as she describes some of her own life’s adventures and opinions, creating a lot of good natured laughter as she related some of her thoughts on the classes she attended in college from 1937-41 at what was then the Normal School in Presque Isle.
Not a fan of the home economics course, which was mandatory for female students (which included home and child care and cooking), laughing, the author said that eventually ‘they’ changed things, then started teaching us psychology — and they lied to us.”
The author candidly said that her father didn’t like noise when he was at home, so when she was inside, she spent most of her time as a child, writing and drawing. “I really had an ideal childhood,” she later stated, “we kids used to be outside all the time, no one ever really kept an eye on us but — no one ever fell into the Mill Stream and no one ever cut themselves or another, with their jack knife — we all carried one in our pocket to cut off spruce gum from the trees and to play Mumbuley Peg.”
As Johnson Smith talked with the book group members, the conversation drifted to how important it is for family members to write things down through their lives and to ask questions of parents and grandparents.
Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott
Maine Author Glenna Johnson Smith signs a copy of her book, “Old Maine Woman, Stories from Coast to Coast,” for Claire Randolph, a member of the Caribou Public Library’s Book Group.
“Every generation is different,” she said “a family’s social history and traditions are most interesting to learn about. If someone doesn’t write those stories down then the children/grandchildren won’t know what their background is.”
“It is so important to ask the elders questions — us old people love to talk with young people but they have to ask the questions — we’re not going to just start talking for the sake of it and bore them to death,” she laughed.
And by the way, Johnson also firmly stated, “I like the word ‘old’, I like the sound of it — it’s a good honest word, but I don’t care for ‘elderly or senior citizen’.”
Johnson’s book, “Old Maine Woman, Stories from Coast to Coast,” is available on loan at the Caribou Public Library or may be purchased at area bookstores.
