Katy:
Having just spent a few days sitting around the table with lots of family, this picture resonated with me. Gramma is sitting, with her parents on either side, across the table from Virginia and her grandfather. Which grandfather is this? There are no labels on the back of this one..
This is from a large stack of newspaper clippings, all bundled inside an old newspaper sack. When I was looking through photos in Lake Charles last week, I found two pristine 4x5 negatives of this picture. Isn't it interesting how things connect like that?
Anyways, I can remember you and Gramma talking about the PEO when I was in high school. You would never tell me what it was, but you would drop lots of intriguing hints. It was really annoying. :)
Sorry to be annoying. I hate to keep secrets, but this is one that my mother kept from me up until I joined, and I'd hate myself if I spilled any beans. I never continued after joining, and I kind of regret not having that sisterhood thing that my mom had.
I guess this would be Grandad, sometime while he was still in the Navy? The back reads:
It does look like the same era as his Navy photos, but I think he had been discharged by then. My folks got married in 1950 or 1951, so I'm guessing here, but the items on the ledge behind him look like just-opened wedding gifts to me.
I liked this photo a lot. Mostly because it is taken moments before chaos ensued, which I have learned in many a photography class is called a decisive moment. I wonder if Virginia knew the picture was being taken? Did Gramma know Virginia was back there?
I also like that Gramma is basically wearing my high school uniform. :)
Awesome photo! It is wonderful because you can read all sorts of things into it, like: how does this illuminate the relationship between my mother and her much-younger sister? Was the original intent for this to be just a photo of my mom and Virginia decided to grab the spotlight for herself? And the basic differences in their demeanor are clear, my mom with her cheesecakey pose and pointed toe, Ginny more gregarious and tomboyish. This looks like the backyard of the house on Ohio Street in Corpus.
This is obviously some sort of book report, written by Gramma in 1940. You can see her handwriting changed very little since grade school:
Its a fascinating document, filled with stories and pictures and brochures from her trip there. I'm guessing that wasn't supposed to be the assignment, though, because her teacher has written "Did you understand the assignment?" on the back:
My assumption is that she didn't like the assignment as given and did exactly what she wanted. Sounds like a few other people I know. :)
Um, yes. And it sounds exactly like my mom!
Today I started to get into piles and piles and PILES of old cards, letters, and newspaper clippings. This one of Aunt Virginia was from December 28, 1960.
Wow, Virginia doesn't look much different than she does nowadays. Maybe the glasses are a tad retro, she got contacts a long time ago. I remember when she got them, it was a big deal because they had just come out. My mom saved soooo many clippings from the newspaper, not just of people she knew, but any article or photo that interested her. I would guess that probably 20% of what I've found in the boxes was newspaper clippings. She saved multiple issues about historical events, like MLK and both Kennedys' assassinations, the moon walk, 9/11.
Even though I don't know any of these people except from geneology charts, I thought this picture was just amazing. You just can't plan something like this! Mildred (or someone) has done a great job of labeling all of these with dates and names:
Love this! I don't think that is my grandmothers handwriting. Its probably Aunt Lucille's or Betty Bliss'. 1952 is the year I was born, and I have visited with the Bliss and Nelson boys as they grew up. The Wheelers I don't know, I don't think they are relatives of mine. I know Tarry and Brian especially well, we visited them in Santa Barbara many times when I was growing up, as my mom and their dad Richie were very close. Tarry was a groomsman at our wedding (I think... I know he was there) and I still keep in touch with him via email. He and his wife run a mission somewhere over in Africa.
The stuff in this box is a neat mix of lots of eras - from Gramma's childhood memorabilia all the way up to pictures of you and Aunt Virginia. I thought this one was interesting because a) you look like you are about fifteen; b) I have a red coat that looks exactly like this; and c) there are also echoes of red and aqua obsession.
Whats the story behind this? was this a high school photo?
This was my class picture from maybe freshman or sophomore year. This was when I was enrolled with some friends in modeling school which they called "charm school" for some reason. This was the trendy haircut of the day, we were going for a "Twiggy" look because I was so skinny and had big eyes. We modeled groovy outfits for the local trendy dress shop at several venues. Somewhere are some pictures from my professional photoshoot, and one I really like that was taken at a fashion show and I think appeared in the paper.
I don't really know the back story to this one, but the cover was just so darned cool looking! Inside are about 15-20 versions of the arrangement for various players.
I can see the family obsession with red and aqua, even here. :)
Do you know if this was something Gramma performed, or Virginia? Did she do the vocal parts or play an instrument?
Gosh, I have no knowledge of this musical piece. She played piano and sang on several choruses, so maybe she performed this with one of those groups. Or maybe played ukalele! We found one with "Doroth" painted on it, no clue why there is no "y".
I, too, found a lot of old copies of the Delta Gamma publication Anchora. Gramma very helpfully told me which issue, and what page, to look for info about her:
That was nice of her. Here's her picture..
There she is! I love the fashion for posing for photos back then, very hollywood starlet-ish with the dramatic lighting and gazing pensively off to the side. She was such a social person, always the belle of the ball!
I'll take a stab and guess it is Grandpa Ernst. The profile looks a lot like my grandfather's. The piece of furniture behind my grandmother is the china cabinet that is now sitting in our foyer.