My grandma and I had a wonderful conversation this afternoon. I learned a lot of things about her life that I never knew before and gained some insights that I wanted to share. She is the daughter of Italian immigrants and her husband was the son of German immigrants. She lived her first ten years of life during the depression and then through the rationing of World War II. She is grateful for the relatively easy times that she enjoyed through the rest of her life but remembers the sacrifices of her early life. She remembers saving up enough food ration coupons so they could buy A can of fruit cocktail, which they then savored and thought was the greatest treat.
She also remembers talking with her mother and mother-in-law about their experiences as children of immigrants. My great grandmother (on the Italian side...oh, and I learned that it's the Northern Italian side, which meant a huge difference to them) came around age 10. While she was in elementary school her teacher would make she and her brother put their heads down so they couldn't learn anything. The teacher didn't like immigrants and so carried out her frustrations with the situation in a such a manner. How sad!?! My great grandmother had a great desire for learning so this frustrated her to no end. So one perspective on how immigrants were (and shouldn't have been) treated.
On the flip side my great grandmother (on the German side) was in such a densely populated area of German immigrants that they actually did half a day in German and half a day in English at her school. She always felt slighted and disadvantaged because she felt that since they were here in America they should immersing themselves so they could progress. So another perspective on how immigrants were treated (and maybe shouldn't have been).
As we look at how to handle similar issues I'm realizing it's important to look to the past as I learn from my own generations. How grateful I am to have grandparents.
2 comments:
Grandma Beck also had to quit school at a young age and go to work in the sewing factory to help her family. I remember that she was able to get few cents more each day by being the first one there to start the fire in the cola furnace so that the factory would be warm enough for the seamstress to sew well.
And do you remember the story of how the Italian ancestor came to Santa Barbra, CA through Ellis Island?
Love Always, MOM
H: I just found your blog address in a comment you wrote on my blog about a year ago, right after the wedding. I'm glad I found you! :)
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