MY SISTER AGNES
Agnes was born in our family home on September 9, 1900. Our family had moved there in 1899. Our father, Clarence D. Howard, was in the lumber business. Our mother, had graduated from Wesleyan Seminary in the Class of 1896. While our mother,Audree Ford, was in school in Wesleyan and lived in the Ladies Hall (as it was called at that time), our father was in business at Ten Mile, which was a small lumber town north of Buckhannon. On Sundays he would come to Buckhannon, go over to the local livery stable and engage a horse and buggy to take his lady love for a ride. But before she could go, she had to have permission from President Hutchinson. My mother told me of this and I thought it so amusing that I once told your President Cortice the story. I recall his answer was he wished that would be his only problem now!
Our childhood was a happy one. We lived on a 13-acre farm and had riding horses, cows, pigs, chickens–a typical small farm. There were five of us (4 girls and I boy) and we all had our chores. Agnes was the second child.
If I were asked the best characteristic to describe Agnes, I would say her “love of life’: She was vivacious, outgoing, athletic. She was tall, 5′ 8”, with dark brown hair appearing black at times, sparkling deep blue eyes and a fair complexion. She loved best to ride horseback. A few months ago, on the Sundial frontpiece was an old picture of two Wesleyan coeds on horseback taken in front of the hall. Agnes was one of those riders.
Agnes was a healthy child and took part in all activities, including the girls basketball team. There was no indication of illness until her senior year of high school when she developed rheumatism in her knees. No doubt today it would be diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. She graduated from high school at the age of 16. That summer our mother took Agnes to have the baths in Little Rock, Arkansas. She improved and entered Wesleyan in the fall of 1916. All went well until February 1917, when she began to have difficulty again. She was unable to return to Wesleyan and died the following December 21. She is buried in our family plot in Cowen.
I might add that Agnes was a favorite with young and old, probably because she was so funloving. She would like your calling the hall “Aggie Howard”. At Agnes’ funeral service, one of the floral wreaths had these words: “Too Soon”. How true!
Her sister, Helen Howard Hunter
Wesleyan graduate of 1924