Shelton-Mason County Journal - Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886

Part 1 of a two-part series.

This story was discovered in a notebook titled "Irene S. Reed Class of 1953 Essays on Growing Up in Mason County." Several members of the class submitted stories, written in 2006-07, and they are all fascinating.

Roberta Wilcox Welch wrote 31 pages of memories of her life in Shelton in the 1940s and '50s, providing the most detailed look into the past. Billie Howard, "director emeritus" of the Mason County Historical Society and herself a 1953 Shelton High graduate, is still in touch with Roberta, who lives near Shelton, and believes she would be happy to see h...