The following is a letter written by Mary Allen Johnson ("Momoo") to Ann Clemens Arnold in response to Ann's request for information about Momoo's life as a young girl for Ann's Girl Scout badge.

Tipp City, Ohio
Feb. 3, 1965

Dear Ann: - "Happy Birthday" to you. And I know you were all happy to have Daddy and mother home last evening.¹ I wish I could just sit down and talk to you this morning instead of writing but since I can't do that, I'll just "remember" a few things for you. When I was your age I had a younger sister too, just as you have Beth and we worked together and our mother taught us the same things. How to wash dishes and silver, how to keep dish towels clean and ready for the next time, how to arrange the table for meals, and how to make our own beds and keep our room neat, our clothes in their places, and so on. Then as we grew older she taught us to sew. I was just about your age when she taught me to make button holes, and I had to make them nice so I had to do them over several times. Then one day I found the picture of a little crocheted jacket and hood for a baby. I looked at it a long time and thought it would be fun to make one, so I got some of my mother's yarn and a crochet hook, went upstairs to my room and went to work and that is the way I learned to crochet. Sometimes, you see, we can teach ourselves how to do interesting things. We lived on a farm so we learned to do things that you can't have a chance to learn. We learned to plant a garden, seeds for different vegetables, and maybe you can do that to out where had tomatoes when we were there, and how to feed the birds when the snow is so deep and cold they can't find food. And then girls, big girls and little girls should learn how to cook. Grandma Fae could make good biscuits when she was six years old. And if you don't have space for planting vegetable seeds, you can learn how to grow certain kinds of flowers in front of your shrubbery around the house and it's fun to see them, grow.

One of the Girl Scout leaders at Winchester is a good friend of mine. If I can get any new ideas from her I'll write you again. And I'll be anxious to hear all about your Scout work. So write again soon. Lots of Love - Momoo

¹ Mary Jo & R.A. Clemens had just returned from the funeral of Mary Jo's brother, Frank.

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