Antique Sales Register Big With Teacher
It was enough to make a less dedicated person quit teaching. Even Mary Crawford admits her loyalty to the classroom took a beating after the big sale.
“I can make more money selling antiques than teaching,” she says, grimacing. “But I don’t want to give up teaching.”
A few weeks ago, Japanese antique dealers paid $4,500 for a century-old vase Mary owned. It was her biggest sale in 10 years of antique dealing. She’d paid $60 for the vase three years ago.
“Whoo, whoo, whoo,” she hoots, gleefully hopping in the Coeur d’Alene Antique Mall where she exhibits her wares.
Mary’s thrill from antiques extends far beyond money. She was intrigued as a child with her great-aunt’s 100-yearold, three-story brick home in Grandview, Wash.
“It was so big, it was almost scary,” she says, widening her eyes in mock fear.
She saved the flashy buttons from her grandmother’s dresses and yearned for the toy China dishes her mother played with as a child. Seeing her mother’s toys taught her to take care of her own. Mary still owns her first Barbie, which she says is now worth several thousand dollars.
Each object told a story about her family, which Mary loved. When her collecting took her beyond family, Mary thrilled with each discovery her research yielded.
“I hated history all through school,” she says. “I didn’t like it until I began researching antiques.”
Now, Mary helps teach history to Prairie View Elementary students with antique candle molds and bear skulls, arrowheads and other tangible pieces of the past.
“Antiques make history alive,” she says, admitting that that satisfaction lasts longer than the rush from a big sale. “The money is nice but it’s not enough to make me quit teaching.”
Reality Check
Soroptimist International of Coeur d’Alene wants to live up to its name, which means “the best for women.” So the service club is starting a program for mothers and daughters. Don’t cry sexist yet. If this program works, they’ll add one for boys.
Mother-Daughter Choices pairs sixth-grade girls with their mothers or some other significant woman in their lives. The pairs will interview each other about life choices, dreams, career plans. They’ll focus on education and independence.
The six-week class is $20. Soroptimist will hold an informational meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Hayden Meadows Elementary. Call 772-9124 if you’re interested.
Just Say Yes
Kootenai County’s Substance Abuse Council needs leadership - and it’s willing to pay for it. The council needs an executive director to work 20 hours a week.
That person better be able to find program names that break into catchy acronyms. Right now, the council supports DARE, IDFY and PARK (Prevent Alcohol-Related Krashes).
Applications are due Monday . Call 765-5610 for details.
Leave a message
Post Falls’ Barbara Chamberlain decided to entertain the people who call her when she’s not home. She puts a thought for the day on her answering machine and ties it to a current event. Her busy family is gone so much, she’s thinking of adding a family update option on the machine for relatives.
Whose answering machine message do you like best and why? Nominate it for a Homie, which comes right before Oscar on the status scale. Send your nominations for the best message (with juicy details) to Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814; fax them to 765-7149; or call 765-7128.