The Crom Daughters

The Crom girls were known around the Fulton Center area for their beauty, nice 
personalities, and good figures.  They were very popular with their friends and 
schoolmates at the Fulton Center School.  (This association and the resulting 
friendships, continued throughout their entire lives, and going to the Fulton 
Center School Reunion was one of the highlights of every year.)
         
George and Louisa were very strict parents, and the girls were always expected 
*to do as they were told*, and *right now*.  Each had her own chores to do, and 
there were no excuses.  Since there were no boys in the family, the girls helped
their father greatly.  George called them early in the morning, and saw to it 
they did their chores, Louisa saw to it they ate a good breakfast, and then they
could get cleaned up for school.  George and Louisa were very good providers.  
Louisa sewed, and the girls always looked nice for school.  Of course having 
all girls, made it easy and practical to hand the clothing down from one to
the next.  They were always expected to act and dress like _ladies_.  Louisa
used to tell them that if they were as good as they looked, they would have 
nothing to worry about.
         
George bought the girls a driving horse, it had been a racing horse, and 
wouldn't "let another horse pass it".  So George would hand the girls the reins
and say, "now don't let anyone pass you", and of course they didn't.  However 
there were a few close encounters.  Once they locked wheels with another buggy,
on a bridge, as a result of trying to see which one could cross first.  The other
buggy was hanging in the balance, with one wheel on and one off the bridge.  
The Crom girls gained quite a reputation for [their] horsemanship, and skill 
as drivers.
         
Edna, Pearl and Emma completed eighth grade at the Fulton Center School.  
Edna went to Ferris State Normal School in Big Rapids, and then returned 
to teach at her beloved Fulton Center School.  Pearl didn't wish to go on 
to school, but Emma went to Normal School at Mt. Pleasant, and then taught
for some time near Perrinton.  Opal went to High School in Elsie, Michigan.
         
All the girls married and all but Pearl raised fine families.
The girls all lived with a 20 mile radius of each other and of their folks.