My dad, Noel Halbert, when he lived on the farm at Scrap Branch near Palmer, Missouri — Dad said that when he lived at Palmer he had to plow fields 10 to 12 hours a day and that all he did was eat, sleep, and work. The way he put it, "All I did was stare two old mules in the hind end all day." Dad grew up during the Great Depression when just having enough to eat was a major accomplishment.
At first glance of this photo, it would appear that dad is dressed for farm work. However, this is what most young men of that time and location wore for special occasions such as getting a portrait taken, going to a dance, or going "courting." I have been told that young girls from miles around came to Palmer, Missouri, to see the handsome boys that resided Palmer during the late 30s and early 40s — boys with names like Halbert, Beers, Welker, and Martin.