Jo’s early years:
Jo was born in 1922 just as her parents (Allen and Irene Parker) took over as principals of Woodstock School. In her father’s Autobiography entitled Eighteen Years In Woodstock 1922-1939 by Rev. Allen E. Parker, he shares that their life in India was filled with alternating joys and sorrows. Jo’s parents worked hard and “served the school through a period that was one of the most significant in its 150 year history.”
“Eighteen Years in Woodstock is also an account of the life of a missionary family in India, not so much in the pioneer years but certainly in times of challenge and danger. His description of his marriage and family life, of his working partnership with Irene, of the pain of loss of two daughters from dysentery these things are moving and affecting. He writes of the ‘alternating joy and sorrow’ of his life at Woodstock and of sharing his experiences with students so that ‘we could enter into our problems together.’ At the end of his story, it is hard to read how the family moved back to Allahabad for Irene’s health, only to have her die suddenly in the plains. Parker seems to have struggles both with the loss of his beloved wife, and with the parting from his beloved school.”
1922- Rev. and Mrs. Parker are asked to take over as Principals of Woodstock School. They journey to Landour and assume these posts on February 28th. While serving as Principal, Rev. Parker begins teaching two classes, a Bible class and one on US History.
The Parkers make their first residence in Tafton, where Clara Jo Parker is born during the next summer.
At the end of 1922, Parker prepares a letter telling of the introduction of an American Curriculum, with American teachers in the Primary Classes of the school, as well as of the courses in American History and Geography that were being given in the High School.
1923- Tehri view is completed. The Parkers move into one suite and the other – without a partition – is inhabited by Woodstock’s schoolboys. In December, the Parkers leave on their first brief furlough. Upon arrival in the US Rev. Parker begins work on his Masters degree at the University of Chicago.
1925 – The Parkers arrive back at Woodstock in time for the beginning of the school year.
1926 – The Boys’ Hostel is completed in February. The Parkers accompany Woodstock’s boys in their move to the hostel and live there with them until the completion of the Principal’s Cottage in 1933.
Shortly after Rev. Parker’s return to India, Patty Parker is born. Like Dorothy, Patty dies several months later (June 17, 1927) also of bacillary dysentery.
“ In January, 1926, Patty was born, and in the summer of 1927 when she was a little more than a year and a half she and Clara Jo suddenly took ill, with dysentery. I (Rev. Parker) shall always remember that time. I know when we called Dr. Butcher, who was such a good personal friend, Irene broke down, because we had already lost a child (Dorothy) from dysentery. I remember how Dr. Butcher assured her that we were not going to lose these little children. However, in spite of everything he could do, Patty slipped away after four days illness. We had taken them over to the Evelyn Hall Nursing Home the day before. She passed away about one o’clock in the morning. We wrapped up the body. Irene carried her in her arms in a dandy, and I walked beside her. We arrived home about four o’clock in the morning. It was a sad home-coming. We had left Clara Jo at the Hospital. The next day friends made a box, as we had the funeral service up at Kellogg Church, and during the funeral word came from the Hospital that Clara Jo was worse and we were wanted at once. We went, and when we arrived we found that Dr. Butcher was much concerned about her condition. He called Dr. Forman to come for consultation. Other doctors had been consulted, too. However, during that evening they felt that her condition was more hopeful, and during the succeeding days she steadily improved.”
1927 – Barbara Parker is born in November.
1928 – Community Center is completed.
1929 – High School building is completed the beginning of the Landour Community Hospital is begun.
1932 – Second furlough. Rev. Parker works on his Master’s thesis.
1933 - The Parkers return to Woodstock.
“There are many things about our life in Woodstock that give a great deal of pleasure as one looks back. Of course first comes our home life. We could be together and work together. Perhaps our children had to suffer to some extent for being labeled as the daughters of the Principal and his wife. But also they had some advantages. Those years with them seemed to pass so quickly, and they moved along from lower Kindergarten right up to 10th Standard in almost no time, it seemed. One custom that we always had was to spend Christmas there at Woodstock. This became a part of our lives, and I think a part of the community life.” Rev. Parker wrote about how many people on the staff spent Christmas with them. “Two days before Christmas we always had a picnic out at Witch’s Hill. Then we cut the Christmas tree and carried it in ourselves in a procession singing Christmas carols. The next day the Christmas tree was put up and decorated. On Christmas Eve all of the Indian Christian people of the community were invited in for tea and refreshment and a program, as well as for gifts that Irene always prepared for them.. When our children were younger we hung our stockings before the fire-place, and early in the morning we had a servants’ Christmas and then our Christmas around the tree. Then came the service at the church and finally our big dinner with our guests. Of course there was a constant stream of people from the hillside coming for gifts and many people sending in gifts. It became a lovely day and something I shall always remember.”
1934 – During the last five years of our life in Woodstock, Prema Angria, daughter of Sardar S.C. Angria of Gwalior, came to live with us and go to school. She became just like one of our daughters. We loved her, and the children loved her as one of our own.”
When the “princess” came to live with the Parker family, Jo unfortunately had to share a bedroom with her older sister Kittu. I’m sure that Kittu was at an age that having a younger sister sharing a room was the last thing she wanted, but the girls made the best of it. Jo and Kittu used to “play bat-mitten” in this bedroom, not badmitten. Whenever a bat flew through their room, the girls would swat it.
Rev. Parker wrote
“ Many guests have been in our home for shorter or longer periods, and I think almost without exception they have enriched our life for their being there.”
“We always had lots of fun in the home. One game we played very often was Happy Family. I think each one of the girls could play that game before she could read. They just knew the pictures. I do not think we played these games very often merely just to amuse the children.”
“During the winters we so often read stories out loud as we sat around the fire. We planned ahead and read many books this way. This reading circle would include the people who were staying with us. Prema seemed to enjoy doing things with us together as a family. It just seemed as though our girls grew up very naturally and faced each thing as it came and tried to take it in their stride. I think that is the best kind of education.“
1936 – Rev. Parker proposes a playing field to the Board of Directors, this project eventually becomes Hanson Field.
1940 – With the approach of another furlough, Irene Parker’s health has been declining. The Parkers finally take leave of Woodstock and request a “plains assignment” for their return to India.
1941 – In January, the Parkers return to Allahabad, working again as managers of the Jumna Mission High School. Irene’s health improves somewhat, but she takes seriously ill in March. An operation is attempted, but Irene dies within a few days. At this time, Kittu and Jo are in the United States. Jo studying Nursing.
Jo Learns Responsibilities
When Jo came to the United States, she stayed overnight with her aunt and uncle. Jo had never had to clean her room in India with servants quickly cleaning up after her and her sisters. When morning came Jo was invited to go on an exciting excursion downtown. She gladly accepted and took off immediately after breakfast with no thought about cleaning up her room. When Jo returned home and returned to her bedroom she was shocked! She thought a robber or burglar must have been going through her belongings. When she talked to her aunt she was obviously upset. Guess what her aunt had to say.
“That’s just how you left it.”
Another story about Jo when she goes to stay with her aunt and uncle...
Everybody had jobs to do and Jo volunteered to set the table for dinner.
Jo set that table as elegantly as possible using every luxurious piece of china and silver she could find. My, the table was exquisite, much more elaborately set than either her aunt or uncle ever imagined. Her uncle was not only surprised at the display of fine china and cutlery never every used, he expressed his concern to Jo’s aunt. Jo’s aunt answer to her husband was “Just go along with it.”
After dinner Jo even volunteered to wash all the dishes. Her aunt and uncle must have been brave to let a young girl like Jo wash their finest china.
“Just go along with it” repeated her aunt.
Jo learned the hard way about how to set a table, especially when she had to clean up afterwards.
Woodstock School Stories
When Jo was in second grade at Woodstock one day she had an embarrassing accident. She didn’t ask to go to the lavatory, but instead left a puddle just under her desk. When her teacher asked her what happened, Jo innocently answered “my it’s awfully wet here.”
Of course the incident was reported to Jo’s mother and father (principal at Woodstock). They may have laughed, but never let on to Jo.
Jo “The School Nurse” at Hawthorne School
One incident comes to mind. When Jo was called to the school office to take a new Vietnamese student (non-English speaking) home for a change of pants. The young boy seemed quite embarrassed and quiet. Jo’s job was to drive him home, get a new set of dry clothes and talk to the parents before bringing the boy back to school. Jo got the address and took off with the “boy”. After driving all over and being as empathetic as Jo could be…she finally found his house. Jo walked around the car to help the young boy who suddenly looked terrified and refused to go with Jo to his “house”. Jo tried to console him by saying that this happens all the time. Your parents will not be that angry. You can return to school as soon as you change into some dry pants. Finally Jo got the boy to go with her to the front door. When Jo knocked on the door, a man and woman answered the door and appeared to be very puzzled and not at all ready to accept their child. Jo again explained how this was no big deal. Could they provide the boy with dry clothes? “No, No, No!”
Jo was puzzled and thought how insensitive the Vietnamese parents were. Then she discovered that she had the wrong address. The couple insisted that they had a daughter, but not a son.
Jo at Garfield Elementary School
A story from Garfield Elementary School was about “head lice”.
Jo made many home visits as a school nurse. One particularly difficult task was trying to educate families about “head lice” and how to prevent and stop the vicious cycles. On one home visit Jo met a young mother with died red hair. This mother immediately took Jo to the kitchen sink. She scratched her head and showed Jo what “died red head lice” look like.
Another Garfield story – Jo was the head nurse at Garfield Elementary and one day the Lice Shampoo salesman came to Garfield with head lice shampoo for sale. He went to the main office and asked for a “Ms. Sipprell. The secretary Katie Bopp sent him across the courtyard to talk to Ms. Liz Sipprell. It didn’t take long before Liz discovered that it wasn’t a book salesman, but “lice shampoo” in those boxes. Back he went to Jo’s office, which was right across from the secretary’s desk. Did Katie do this on purpose?
At Jo’s 80th Birthday Party many teachers attended and talked about how Jo was “one of a kind nurse”. Jo would go into the classrooms and do lessons on whatever the kids seemed to need at the time. Lessons on nutrition, avoiding cigarette smoking, brushing teeth, avoiding catching colds….whatever the medical need was…Jo tried to help educate the kids. Nurses always are busy, but Jo made time in her schedule to help kids and staff. In fact often staff would show up in Jo’s room and want her medical opinion before making a doctor’s appointment.
Jo’s advice for a sore throat and beginning cold. Be sure and drink plenty of hot water (with lemon). Hold the hot water in your mouth a while before you swallow. Gargle with salt water. Get plenty of rest.