Charles Swikert's wife Verda belonged to a women's social group, with 15 or so members, called the "Merry-Go-Round Club." They met once a month at a member's home, except in summer, to visit, play some sort of game, and have refreshments. In June, July, and August they met at a park somewhere for a pot-luck picnic celebrating summer birthdays.

The December meeting was the annual Christmas party. They'd go to a restaurant for dinner, then to a member's house for dessert, the exchange of their "Secret Pal" gifts, and fun.

For at least a few years Charles would write a poem for the occasion, that Verda would read at the party.

Merry-Go-Round Christmas, 1975

Now as I read this poem,
And hope you enjoy it some,
My husband is back home crying
Because I told him he couldn't come.

It was late in the year of '75.
All looked hale and hearty.
Twelve beautiful ladies sat down to eat
At their annual Christmas party.

Now Pearl is one of the grandmothers
who lives out Buchanan way.
She was scared when a certain car followed,
And she remembers it even today.

Ruth will have charge of the money
When next year's dues roll in.
You had better keep an eye on this honey,
The country she'll skip if she can.

Now Arthella lives on Sunset Lane.
Her home is nice and bright.
Don't expect to see her early
Because she stays up half the night.

Now Connie, our great musician,
With a brand new organ this fall.
We all look forward to see her
When she plays at Carnegie Hall.

Barbara is the schemer
To keep us away from the South,
Just so Verda would be at the party,
While her husband stayed home by himself.

Terri likes to travel,
She is really quite a scout.
But when she found herself in Harlem
She looked for a quick way out.

Now there's busy Sharon
With two little girls in tow.
We quickly elected her secretary
Before she had a chance to say no.

When Bernice gets hay fever,
Up north she goes for a while,
Till the pollen season is over
And the air is more fit to smell.

Gloria she is the artist.
The drapes that she sells are divine.
To the customers she is most pleasant,
But she really gives them a line.

Glozella, she is the school teacher,
And Ralph, he stays alone.
No use to call there to visit,
'Cause Bowmans are never at home.

Becky is going to college,
And some of her marks are great.
But the Mark she really enjoys
Is a Mark at Indiana State.

Now we hope to have many more parties
With these who are so dear,
And we wish you a Merry Christmas
And a very Happy New Year.

Merry-Go-Round Christmas, 1976

The year is slowly ending
And Christmas time is near,
And twelve ladies are waiting
For old St. Nick to appear.

Now Gloria is the hostess
For Nineteen Seventy-Six,
And if you find the food to your liking,
We hope it won't make you sick.

Terry has just been married.
She was a part of Towne,
But since the second of October
She likes that Nugent sound.

Becky was also just married,
And back to Ball State she goes.
She don't mind the cooking & cleaning,
But oh how she hates to wash clothes.

Mary works for a jeweler,
And she almost sheds a tear
As she picks up that big needle,
And punches a hole in an ear.

Glozella that famous schoo1 teacher,
She teaches the Golden Rule.
Too bad we're not all youngsters
So we could go to her school.

Barbara has dolls made with bottles,
and birds with very long legs.
We're not sure just there they came from,
But we know they weren't hatched from eggs.

Sharon has two little girls.
They stay with their grandma all day
Because the place where she's working
Say the children would be in the way.

Now let's not forget poor Verda.
She is treated so badly at home.
Her husband don't like to do dishes,
So she has to do them alone.

Ruth is working each day at the Peacock,
And about five she will call on the phone,
And says if dinner is not started,
I don't think I better come home.

Arthella is home from the Northland,
And says she's so busy each day.
But she's going to make an exception
And get to this party some way.

Missy is Bernice's granddaughter,
Although she is a little shy.
You can tell how she feels about Grandma
By the shine you see in her eyes.

Connie and Bernice are neighbors.
They are separated by just a few lots.
If Connie is not down at Worthens,
Then Bernice must be down at the Scotts.

Now that this year is nearly over,
And we are with friends so dear,
Let's all wish each a Merry Christmas,
And all a Happy New Year.

Merry-Go-Round Christmas, 1977

As we sit around the table
For this years Christmas dinner,
We think about the year just past,
And think it was a winner.

We all have one thing in common,
That the club meets Wednesday night.
But if it doesn't suit the hostess,
Tuesday will be all right.

Bernice and Verda have started walking,
They walk most every day.
If they don't wish to meet some one,
They walk the other way.

Gloria still sells the nicest drapes
That money now can buy.
And every night she washes clothes
For Stevie, that's her boy.

Arthella is back from way up north,
From a cottage that they own.
So now she has no reason
For her to stay home

Sharon works at Wheelabrator.
It keeps her in a whirl.
But the work she cares for most
Is for those charming little girls.

Connie is selling carmel corn
In a store at the Village Mall,
And if you wish to see her
Just walk right down the hall.

Barbara has gone back working.
She makes a lot of dough,
And brings it home each evening
Just to watch the savings grow.

Terri is the hostess
For this dinner date,
And as she now is teaching school
Don't keep her up too late.

Glozella also teaches school,
But this is her last year.
It sure would be just great
To be in this year's class.

Mary works just part of the time,
Because too much money she would make.
She eats with friends most every night,
Just for old times sake.

Ruth works at the Peacock,
And when the day is done,
She joins her husband and her parents
To eat on U. S. 31.

Becky, though not present,
We think it would be right
If she were here to wish you
Merry Christmas and good night.

Merry-Go-Round Christmas, 1979

When you sit down to dinner
As the holidays approach,
May your hearts be filled with gladness,
And your thoughts be filled with hope.

Each and every one of you
Have a little different way.
So here are some we noticed,
As we watched you every day.

Bernice puts leaves in a wheelbarrow
And pushes it down the road,
And then goes back to Connie's,
To get another load.

Arthella goes way up north
And all we hear is rumor.
If you wish to know the truth,
Just go and ask for Homer.

Ruth has two grandchildren,
One in Muncie and one near home.
You would think the way she is talking,
These little ones were her own.

Sharon goes to Community Church,
Nine-thirty is the hour.
You can see her every Sunday
While she is singing in the choir.

Becky is sure to be absent.
She is way down Muncie way.
But if she could be here,
I am sure she would have something to say.

Verda says her biggest job,
As all the day she is resting,
Is to look up now and then
To make sure Charley is working.

Barbara goes camping quite often,
And works five days a week.
All of us in the county
Depend on the records she keeps.

Mary works at the hospital
And sells jewelry on the side.
And the things she likes most to do,
Is to go on long bus rides.

Terri has a little boy,
His name is Cameron Shea.
And though she works for old Ma Bell,
This little one makes her day.

Gloria still sells fancy drapes
That cover the window glass.
And after work when she steps out,
She wants everything first class.

To go to Arizona
Is what Glozella is thinking.
But if she is way out there,
She will miss all our club meetings.

Connie works at the Village Mall,
Where they make carmel corn so sweet.
If some is a little burned
She gives it to the birds to eat.

Now we hope you enjoy your dinner
With your friends who are so dear.
And we wish you a Merry Christmas,
And a very Happy New Year.

Merry-Go-Round Christmas, 1980

Once again it is December,
And we hear the Christmas chimes,
And we know a bunch of ladies
Will be going out to dine.

This is a happy occasion,
Like many gone before,
And we hope that the future
Will bring then many more.

Back in 1936
When this club began,
They limited their number.
That number then was ten.

Now every club should have a name,
Even way back then.
And so they got together,
And called it "The Friendly Ten."

Often there are changes made,
Even changes in ourselves,
And so the magic ten
Was changed to number twelve.

As the number now was twelve,
Some other name must be formed.
And finally they agreed
It should be "The Merry-Go-Round."

Everyone has drawn a name,
But not one of them will tell.
Each must wait until December
To know their secret pal.

Now to this group of ladies
We say good luck and good cheer,
And hope it will continue
For many, many years.

Through cold, heat, snow and sleet,
Through all kinds of weather,
Just say it is all worthwhile,
And I hope we stick together.

For if you help another,
Someone will help you.
You will find your greatest joy will come
From friends like all of you.

Verda will soon be going to Florida
For an extended stay.
The welcome mat is always out,
If you should come that way.

Now to each and every one of you,
I have tried to treat you right.
So I wish you a Merry Christmas,
And then to all of you good night.

Merry-Go-Round Christmas, 1981

I wish to tell the story
About some women in this town,
And of the many things they do,
When there's no men around.

So listen carefully and you will hear
About a special meeting,
But this thing happens every year,
It's their annual Christmas Greeting.

Christmas comes but once a year
And this year is no exception.
The way they spend your money,
It's a yearly reputation.

Each bi-monthly meeting,
Held the whole year through,
You plan, and plan, and plan,
What this Christmas, you will do.

You start out saving money
At twenty-five cents a week,
So the club can have a dinner
At a restaurant down the street.

Now as everybody knows
Inflation takes its share,
And when you go to pay your bill,
There is not enough money there.

After dinner is over,
When you have eaten all you can,
You go to a member's house
For a meeting of the clan.

You tell us you play Bunco,
Or some other mediocre.
I don't know, but I bet my hat,
You end up playing poker.

You say they don't gossip,
But I bet the ones concerned,
If they were a little mouse,
I am sure their ears would burn.

You say you don't tell stories.
They sure don't come from men.
So where do they all come from,
If they don't come from them.

If you don't come to the meeting
The rest will have a ball
Telling tales about you,
Though there is no truth to them at all.

How is the best to stop
This crazy Merry-go-Round.
Maybe it will be necessary,
To get help from out of town.

Now ladies don't be offended
By these words all spoken in jest.
We hope you enjoy this evening,
As well as all the rest.