The beginning of Mama's story

Born at Daddy Claude’s-- Mom Madie and Grandma Pat were there.
I was early (August 5,1924--really due early October) Was approximatelly 5 lbs.
Double crown-- not closed yet.
Grandma Pat said Mother would probably never raise me.
I was called “Little Edith”.

Mother and Daddy were living in Danville, Virginia--Daddy was working in the dye room at
Dan River Cotton Mills at Schoolfield, Virginia.
I think they were living at Cameron Ave and then Daddy was working at a gas station with
Buford Arnn (his first cousin) and we were living on Stokes Avenue.
I think I have a remembrance of me and Boots there--going to the store for candy and
cookies (or tidbits).

The early summer, perhaps June, of 1927 we moved to Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania.
Daddy’s oldest sister Lucille and her husband Fred and daughter Sylvia were living
there and seemed to think Daddy could get a job up there.
I have no idea how we got there, but I’m thinking by train.
Aunt Lucille had a housekeeping room at the home of Clarence “Happy” and Pauline Rings.
Uncle Fred was working for the American Bridge Company building bridges across the
Ohio or the Allegheny River.

As we approached the house, I remember seeing (I think we were walking) 2 boys about
the same age as me.
On this short street there were 4 or 5 houses and on the steps of the first house was Dick
Richards in The Ashburner Home.
His grand parents- and a single aunt lived on the first floor.
He lived on the second floor with his mother and dad, George and Ethel Richards and a
baby sister Nelda.
On the 3rd floor lived his aunt and uncle, Ruth and “Red” Clifford O’Connor.
On the steps of the next house was Ned Daugherty.
They were standing alone on their steps.
One was dressed in blue short pants and the other had green short pants--both
with white shirts.
I can still see them in my memory.

Mother and Daddy found a place to live uup on the hill on Clugston Avenue.
I do not remember any of that.
Carolyn was born on August 8, 3 days after I turned 3.
We didn’t stay there long, because by Christmas time we had moved to Church Street, I
think at Mrs Hacketts house.

When Carolyn was about 6 months old, Mother was homesick so Daddy
sent us back to Virginia for Christmas.
We went by railroad and I do remember some of that trip.
I had a new baby doll with me.
She had a china head and a long white dress.
I’m not sure whether she could shut her eyes or not.
I also remember that I had a burn on my left arm.
Mother had shredded a raw potato and but that on the burn and a bandage on it.
I have no recollection of being in Virginia, however I do remember the trip back home.
I was standing in the middle of the aisle and wetting my pants and watching the water run
down the aisle.
When I arrived home, Daddy had a red rocking chair for me.

Later, I remember walking with Mother and Mother carrying a baby and we were going
through an empty apartment to visit someone on the other side and as we walked through
the vacant kitchen I flipped the oven door open and hit my mother on the shin.
I didn’t mean to hurt anyone but she was sure mad at me!

We moved a couple of houses away and it was from there I started school.
Just before September my vaccination had scabbed and was sore.
My knee was scraped where I had fallen and I was a mess.
My Uncle George Dunn was visiting us and took me to the store with him and let me pick
out some penny candy. I chose a wax bottle of coke and -a little tin pan of candy with a
spoon that was 2 cents worth and I was happy.
He was a novelty to me.
He was rough talking and sometimes used language I never heard or would have been
allowed to use.
But I loved him!

I walked to a school with other kids from the street..
We had to walk by the Catholic school, which was scary to me.
The teachers moving along in long black robes and white caps.
My teacher was Mrs. Garvin
I loved her very much.
She was old (possibly 40!)
Every 3 months we got 2 new student teachers from the state teachers college at Slippery
Rock, Pennsylvania.
The class was divided into 3 section-- mainly for reading skills---about 3 rows for each
section.
The Yellow Birds were the slowest to grab onto reading.
The Red Birds, better and
The Blue Birds-- the fastest learned when it came to reading--that was my place to shine!

I have always loved words.
By the time I was 2 I could recite The Night Before Christmas.
Each child was given 1/2 pint of milk at recess-- I’m not sure if parents paid for it or not.
I only know when I was absent sometime in February I sent word that Virgil Brown was to
have my milk.

It was in first grade that I was on a reading spree to read the most books.
The prize-- a pencil box with everything in it --pencils--sharpener--etc.
I didn’t win it, but I sure read alot of books.
Before the year was over, I needed glasses and have worn them ever since.

2nd grade I had Mrs Dias.
Carolyn had started to school.
By this time we had moved from Church Street.
Actually we moved to an upstairs apartment on Shaw Avenue.
It had wall to wall carpets and they felt so good.
I had chicken pox on my toes and they itched.
However we were only there one month because Daddy worked til 11 and his buddy’s
wife would bring her 2 over and spend the evening with Mama and when the men would
come in about 11:30 and walk upstairs and gather up the kids and wife and come back
downstairs and go home.
It was too much noise and too late to suit the land lady so she said we had to move.

That’s when we moved to Highland Avenue.
Highland Ave was the street joining the street of our first acquaintanceso we already had
friends at our new location.
It was on a hill overlooking the school.
Right after we moved to Highland Avenue Jean was born.
I wasn’t too happy with her birth-- I wanted a brother!
So I crawled under the bed and didn’t want to look at her!
That didn’t last long!