Setting the Table

"One of you girls come set the table." Helping set the table was one of the responsibilities of my sister's and mine. We started out very young with only the silverware - it didn't break. As we got older, we were allowed to set the glasses and plates on the table. Still, there were accidents and breakage did occur. Then in the mid-50's Melmac made the scene. No more worries about breaking dishes.
Melmac was the brand name of a dinnerware made from melamine resin. There were other names for dishes molded from this material, such as Boontonware, but mostly it was referred to as Melmac regardless of the company that made it. Our first Melmac was a 16-pc. 'Starter Set' like the one pictured above. Keever's Hardware advertised the set in their Christmas 1957 ad for $9.88 which may be when we got ours. It is the kind of gift my Mom would have preferred over clothes, jewelry or a box of chocolates.

Somewhere along the line a 3-pc set like this one was also acquired as well as one with a pink rose. So, for our family of six we had enough plastic dinnerware to set the table. Betty would just take the plates down and set them around the table in whatever order they were stacked in. Not me. I always had to have the yellow one. If she put it at someone else's place, I moved it to mine. I wasn't quite as choosy about who got what of the other plates only I usually gave Mom one of the flowered ones and Dad the grayish white one.

This picture is of my son, Doug, and nephew, Mike. When Mike was at Grandma's for a meal we had a problem - he wanted to use the yellow plate - my yellow plate! I would try all sorts of ruses to keep it for myself. I know, I know, I was the adult. I should have graciously given the yellow plate to my little nephew. But, but, but - it had always been my favorite. I did finally get over my possessiveness and let Mike use the yellow plate.

As I'm sure most families did, ours had very specific places to sit at the table which early on was one of those square oak tables with all the leaves. That gave way to a Formica table with just two leaves. Dad's place was at the head of the table, of course, which in our kitchen was on the north. My older brother sat at the foot, or south side, opposite Dad. Mom always sat on the west side nearest the stove so she could easily set food on or off the table. Betty and I shared the east side of the table; she closest to Dad and me to Ron. When little brother Leslie was big enough for the high chair it was on the side with Mom across from Betty. This arrangement never varied unless we had company. Years later when there were spouses and grandchildren I still expected my same place at the table. That caused a bit of a problem when Ruthie wanted that spot so she would be next to Ron. Darn. I had to be gracious and give up my place just as I had to give up my yellow plate.