My Hero's
We had beans, fried potatoes, Water cornbread. Bacon and eggs. sausage and eggs. This was more than some who had less. Hobos, passing through would knock at our door asking for food. They would tell the story that they mark houses where fed, so they could find the right place to eat. Our cloths did not meet the style of today, but was to last till worn out. Shoes; have seen some placing stiff paper in the shoes, where holes was in the bottom. During 1942, gasoline was rationed. A,B. C was the cards stuck in the window of your car; One for farmers, one for importment people. Shoes were rationed along with sugar. I bought my first Saving Bond on 1942 . I was a full grown teenager now, looking for something better than the World condition today.
Folks, I found out who baby sit us; Our mother! When we moved to our appartment in 1936, our family begin to increase, year by year. In 1936 one son was borned. In 1938, another brother was brought into the world. Not finished yet: in 1942 a little girl came to join our family. Things were coming to gather in business and jobs increarsed.
When going to school, they only taught 1 through 5th grade. We had to move in order for me and my sister to go on with our education. Dad found a place on 117 East Broadway. This would be where we lived for about eighteen years. Dad found a job working at Service Station. Mom Still worked at J.J. Newberry 5 and Dime store. In fact, she worked for 30 years there and retired later. The house we lived in had four family apartments and we lived on the bottom floor. Have you ever lived in a place like this? we did not have a telephone, car, or much money. How do you work in those jobs without a car? WE WALKED! WE WALKED! WE WALKED! The secret to this puzzle is very easy to answer. My mother walked 0ne block to her job. My dad walked two blocks to his job. We walked to Hickmen School,about Two blocks. Allowances! What is that? The question next would be " who baby sitted for your parents" ? My dad took me with him, also baby sitter some times. We moved when I was about 10 or 11 years. Thelma was 8. I was shipped out to some of my cousins in the summer, but never knew who watched over us most of the time. All I knew was work, work and work. That was my thoughts at 11 Years. I had to get job also.
In order to become a normal family, must find a job. At the worst point of the Great Depression , in 1933, one in four Americans who wanted to work, was unable to find a job. This massive wave of unemployment hit before a food stamp program and unemployment insurance existed. From now on we we will surmise what happened. Not much was said about this time of trouble, maybe did not talk about this tradedy.
Now the change has come to make new plans for the next step in our lives. I am only 4 years old and was not in the same thoughts as my parents. Their plans was very upsetting to Rae and me;we did not know why? With the misfortune that happened in my fours years was hard on everybody. My grandfather moved to Lexington, Ky. Ethel was 54, Harold 18, and Jean 11. Ethel never married and worked to support their family. Jean told me that Dad gave up on everything. He was sick and dieded in 1939. never saw the depression come to a close.
My storie will continue about Dad eyes and what happened after the accident. After some time checking the damage, they found out that one eye was gone but could see a little. God saved him from death which could have happened.The telephone company was sued and had to give his 20,000 dollars. Trading your eye for 20,000 dollars will never come out even with the loss of health. This time was about 1926 or 1927. I was about one year and one half when this happened. Have picture with Dad and Mother holding me wearing his thick glasses. Had to be in this time; he did not have to wear glasses before the accident..How wood you get a job with one eye? This was very hard times for to find a job. People had to work almost for nothing. The story was told that you would be payed 50 cents to shock corn for a day. also My brother in law said he worked for one dollar to work in the fields for one day! Also the farmers did not raise crops because they could not afford it.