The 52nd edition of the Carnival of Genealogy has been posted! Lisa has done a terrific job with this latest edition which is on the topic of Age. Grab yourself a tall, cool glass of your favorite summertime beverage and head on over and check it out. Great summer reading for all genealogists :-) Enjoy!
I want to send out a huge thank you to Lisa for hosting this edition of the COG. I really appreciate when my genea-buddies pitch in to help me out. And I love seeing what others do with the COG!
And thanks to the footnoteMaven for the wonderful poster :-)
Call for Submissions! The next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be a “carousel” edition. Just as carousels have a variety of animal figures so, too, will the next edition of the COG have a variety of topics. All subjects are welcome but please limit yourself to one submission. Submit any article you’d like (genealogy-related of course!) and if you'd like an introduction for it, please write your own and include it on the submission form. I will be hosting the next edition here on the Creative Gene blog but I won't be writing any introductions this time around. The deadline for submissions is August 1.
Submit your blog article using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found at the blog carnival index page. Want to know more about the Carnival of Genealogy? See my Frequently Asked Questions page.
Showing posts with label Carnival of Genealogy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carnival of Genealogy. Show all posts
Friday, July 18, 2008
Carnival of Genealogy, 52nd Edition
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Born An Uncle
I'm going to admit right up front that I don't know how (or if it's possible) to pull up the "oldest" or "youngest" people who accomplished a given event using my Legacy software. So when I decided to write about the oldest mothers and fathers on my family tree for the Carnival of Genealogy I was stumpted as to how to go about it. I used the help menu and did some searching but couldn't find a way to do it. In the end, I just clicked on the chronology of each of my direct line ancestors to see who was the oldest woman to give birth and who was the oldest to father a child. There may be indirect families with older mothers or fathers but I have too many families in my Legacy database to click on them all. So here's what I came up with...
Of my direct line ancestors, the woman who gave birth at the oldest age was my great grandmother, Karolina Furman. Karolina married Krzysztof Laska in 1883 at the age of 19. They had 6 children together, the last being born in 1911 when she was 47 years old. The child, a daughter, died the next day. At the time, Krzysztof and Karolina's 3 oldest children were married and had already given them 4 grandchildren.
Of my direct line ancestors, the man who fathered a child at the oldest age was my great grandfather, Szymon Lipa. Szymon married Ludwika Knot in 1876 at the age of 34 (she was 19). They had 11 children together, the last being born in 1900 when he was 57 years old. The child, Boleslaus Francis Lipa, lived to be 41 years old. At the time Boleslaus was born, Szymon and Ludwika's 2 oldest daughters were already married and had given them 3 grandchildren. So Boleslaus was born an uncle.
If anyone knows of a way for me to look up the oldest mothers and fathers to become parents in Legacy please leave a comment. I'd be happy to update this post with anyone else in my database that might surpass these two oldest parents.
Friday, July 04, 2008
Carnival of Genealogy, 51st Edition
The 51st edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is posted at Destination: Austin Family! Thomas MacEntee has done a terrific job of putting together a wonderful collection of articles submitted on the topic of: Independent Spirit!
With the upcoming July 4th holiday, there is no more perfect time to honor someone from your family whose life can be summed up in one word – INDEPENDENT! Do you have a relative who was feisty, spoke their own mind, was a bit of a free spirit? Anyone who most people might consider a “nut” on the family tree but you know they really just followed a “different tune?” We all have at least one person whose character and habits may have made them seem “ahead of their time” and now is the chance to tell us their story.
Thank you, Thomas, for hosting the COG!!!
The upcoming 52nd edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will focus on the simple topic of AGE. As family historians, we take time to carefully mark the birthdates of our forebears. We print out family tree charts including this all-important data. We make it a point to note at what age family members have married, had children and passed away.
Take some time to look over the data that you have collected on members of your family tree, and share a story of age with us for the upcoming edition of the carnival. Do you have a member of the family who went to work to support the family while still of a tender age? Someone who accomplished something that was typically done by others beyond his or her years? A couple who married young? A couple with disparate ages? A family member who accomplished something of note at an advanced age? How about family members that lived many years, outlasting many of their relatives and friends?
With the understanding that "age is often a state of mind", share your family story about someone whose story stands out because of their age, either young or old. The deadline for this edition is July 15, 2008 and will be hosted by Lisa at 100 Years in America. Submit your blog article for the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Carnival of Genealogy, 50th Edition is Posted!
Bill West has done a terrific job with the 50th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. The topic for this edition is family pets. You'll enjoy the reading the many heart-warming stories of pets remembered long after their time on this earth as well as those who still provide us with companionship and laughter. This edition is a real gem. Don't miss it!
The 51st Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be hosted by Thomas MacEntee on the Desination: Austin Family blog.
"The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Independent Spirit. With the upcoming July 4th holiday, there is no more perfect time to honor someone from your family whose life can be summed up in one word – INDEPENDENT! Do you have a relative who was feisty, spoke their own mind, was a bit of a free spirit? Anyone who most people might consider a “nut” on the family tree but you know they really just followed a “different tune?” We all have at least one person whose character and habits may have made them seem “ahead of their time” and now is the chance to tell us their story.
The deadline for submissions will be July 1st."
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Carnival of Genealogy, 49th Edition
In this edition you'll meet some beauties and cuties, hotties and bodies, beaches and sneetches. Well, OK, maybe not sneetches. But you'll definitely feel the steamed heat of summer fun in the sun. So pour yourself a nice big glass of Sangria on the rocks, grab your laptop, and head for the hammock. It's time for some summer sizzle! (Oh, and if you pour a whole tumbler of Sangria you're much more likely to see some sneetches ;-)
robert lord presents Lord and Lady: Swimsuits and Our Family History posted at Lord and Lady. Robert starts us out with a great article that will make you hoot and holler, whistle, applaud, and laugh out loud. Don't miss his fantastic collection of vintage swim wear photos and his endearing story of rescuing a damsel in distress. Not to be missed!!! Thanks Robert!
Janet Iles presents Bathing Beauties? posted at Janet the researcher. Janet shares with us some precious photos of her family at the beach where they owned a cottage. In the first photo you can practically see her sister shiver, a clue that this wasn't a Florida beach ;-) Head on over and see for yourself! Thanks Janet!
Ken Spangler presents No Swimsuit Models Here! posted at Beyond Fiction. I always have to hand it to those who take on the challenge of writing for the COG even when it's a struggle to come up with something that fits the topic. Such is the case this time around for Ken. Ken's article is unique in that he paints a great picture, with words, of his first trip to an ocean beach. It's a wonderful first person account of his experience. Don't miss it! Thanks Ken. We always enjoy your articles!
Bill West presents HOUGHS NECK posted at West in New England. Bill shares some lovely photos taken at his aunt and uncle's cottage during his youth. He also shares some happy and some not so happy memories from those days. Head on over for a visit at the cottage with Bill. Thanks for sharing, Bill!
Laura presents The Virtual Dime Museum: At Rockaway Beach, 1892 posted at The Virtual Dime Museum. Laura has the most darling old photo of kids at the beach. Except that they're not really at the beach ;-) Check out her article for all the details and links to some great vintage postcards of Rockaway Beach. Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Thomas MacEntee presents Dayvare, Eveninkvare, Svimvare! posted at Destination: Austin Family, saying, "Please do not laugh at my outfit!" Thomas isn't a big fan of swimming and he shares with us just why that is. But he does enjoy beach and cottage socializing and has worked out just the perfect wardrobe for those times. He also reminds us of the old days (1960s-1970s) when we used to use tanning agents to soak up more sun for a better tan. Ugh! Thanks for sharing, Thomas!
Debra Osborne Spindle aka "Tex" presents Swimsuit Edition: Bathing Beauties in the Family posted at All My Ancestors. Tex takes us to the swimming hole by her grandmother's country store where she spent her summers as a child. And she also shares a great picture of her mom on her honeymoon... what a real beauty! For someone who grew up in arid country, Tex managed to find some great summers-at-the-lake photos to share! Stop on by and check them out! Thanks for sharing, Tex!
M. Diane Rogers presents Carnival of Genealogy – “Swimsuit Edition”: Newdale, Manitoba, Canada 1908 posted at CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt'. Diane has the most wonderful period photo, you just have to check it out. Maybe you'll have some guesses about the Merry Widow Camp she references. It sure sounds interesting to me! Thanks for sharing, Diane!
Randy Seaver presents At the Beach! posted at Genea-Musings. Randy is blessed with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world right in his neighborhood. So it should come as no surprise that he has a great family beach photo to share with us along with lots of wonderful memories of visiting those beaches as a child and with his own children. Great article Randy!!! Thanks for sharing!
Sandusky Library Archives Research Center presents Sandusky History: Glenn Curtiss' Record-Setting Flight to Cedar Point posted at Sandusky History, saying, "On August 31, 1910, Glenn Curtiss set a record for the longest over-water flight when he flew his Albany Flyer over Lake Erie from Euclid Beach in Cuyahoga County, Ohio to the Cedar Point Beach in Sandusky, Ohio. The distance was sixty-three miles. It was also on the Cedar Point Beach that football great Knute Rockne perfected the forward pass, when he was employed at Cedar Point as a lifeguard in 1913." All of us from the Midwest are familiar with Cedar Point the amusement park but probably less so the beach. But hey, they do have a terrific beach at Cedar Point. I was there a number of times as a child and always enjoyed it. Thanks to the folks at the Sandusky Library for sharing their Sandusky and Cedar Point beach stories with us!
Becky Wiseman presents Two Stylish Ladies posted at kinexxions. If these ladies' swimsuits don't make you grin, their smiles certainly will! It's quite obvious that Becky's grandmother and her sister were enjoying themselves when this charming photo was taken. It's a great period photo. Stop by and see it! Thanks for sharing, Becky!
Cheryl Schulte presents The Dancing Darlings of 1899.... posted at Two Sides of the Ocean. There's just nothing like seeing someone who typically dressed "prim and proper" in a swimsuit. It gives you a whole other outlook on them. Add to that one of the most charming "sisters" photos you'll ever see and you've got the makings for a great family history blog post! Stop by and see Cheryl's photos. They are just fabulous! Thanks for sharing, Cheryl!
Apple presents A Dip in the Pacific Ocean posted at Apple's Tree. Apple had the pleasure of vacationing in Hawaii and her mother joined in the fun. What terrific memories to have and hold! And they are made all the better with family photos that capture big smiles and warm sand beaches. Thanks for sharing them with us, Apple!
Chery Kinnick presents Bashful Bathers posted at Nordic Blue. Chery introduces us to the bashful bathing beauties in her family, and they are lovely ladies indeed! Stop by and meet them and while you're there, check out the photo of her grandfather Ernest Johnson. Tell me if I'm wrong but I think he has Paul Newman's eyes and nose and Robert Redford's jaw and hair. He's a handsome one! Thanks for sharing your bashful bathers with us, Chery!
Janice Brown presents New Hampshire's Vintage Beach Babes (and Boys) posted at Cow Hampshire, saying, "My family "struts their stuff" in vintage swimsuits." Janice has a fantastic collection of family swim wear fashion photos. You just have to see them! They show the progression of swim wear over time and are wonderful period photos! Thanks so much for sharing them with us, Janice!
Jasia presents Some of the Bathing Beauties in My Family posted at Creative Gene. I was surprised at how many old family swimsuit photos I was able to come up with when I started looking for them. The choice of which to share on my blog was not an easy one but here you will see three of my favorites. You might also like to revisit a blog post I wrote a while back on vintage swim wear fashions, Was Your Granny a Fanny Dunker? Enjoy!
Lori Thornton presents Family Beach Stories: Not Much to Tell, Few Pictures to Show posted at Smoky Mountain Family Historian. Lori takes us to several beaches she remembers visiting and shares some great photos too. She's currently visiting some New England beaches and has some great new photos on her recent blog posts. Check them out! Thanks for sharing, Lori!
Steve Danko presents The Swimsuit Edition posted at Steve's Genealogy Blog. Steve has a couple really wonderful photos of his mom taken during WWII. Lots of women sent "pin-up" type photos to their loved ones over seas during that period. These pictures of his mom strike me as those sort of photos... fabulous! Thanks for sharing, Steve.
Terry Thornton presents The Swimsuit Edition . . . posted at Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi, saying, "It is not a pretty sight --- so be warned! But you asked for swimsuits and here I am! LOL!" Terry has a terrific sense of humor which is evident in this blog post. Stop by for a good chuckle! Thanks Terry!
Jessica Oswalt presents At The Beach ... posted at Jessica's Genejournal. Jessica shares some brief memories of family visits to beaches around the country. Thanks Jess!
Elizabeth presents Back to the Beach: 1940's Suimsuit Edition posted at Little Bytes of Life. Elizabeth has some darling photos of her mother and aunt from the days of their youth. She's not sure where the photos were taken. Stop by and check them out and let her know if you recognize the areas. Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth!
Denise Olson presents The Swimsuit Edition posted at Moultrie Creek. Denise has a great little video she put together showing some wonderful photos of her mom and aunts at the beach. Her family grew up on the sands of Florida beaches so she probably has a much bigger collection of beach photos than the rest of us. Fortunately, she's willing to share some of the best of them with us. Thanks Denise!
Amanda Erickson presents Bathing Beauties - 4 generations posted at Random Ramblings. Amanda treats us to 4 generations of bathing beauties in her family. The best one is of her by herself... she's a natural fashion model!!! Check it out and see if you don't agree ;-) Thanks for sharing, Amanda!
Wendy Littrell presents Childhood on the Water posted at All My Branches Genealogy. Wendy had a great backyard pool!!! Her article reminded me of how much fun we had over the years in our backyard pool, but ours wasn't nearly as nice as hers. Prepare to be envious when you see the aqua blue water of Wendy's pool. It's inviting! Thanks so much for sharing, Wendy!
Jewelgirl presents COG - SWIMSUIT EDITION posted at Searching For Family Branches. If there was an award for the coolest vintage sunglasses Jewelgirl would win hands down. Check out her cat-eye glasses! Tres chic! She also shares a great period photo of her mom and a friend looking very attractive! Thanks for sharing Jewelgirl :-)
Miriam Robbins Midkiff presents In the Good Old Summertime posted at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors. Girlfriends, a sisterhood. That's what Miriam's photo says to me. It also says summers days and good times. Check out this wonderful period photo see what it says to you! Thanks for sharing this wonderful photo, Miriam!
footnoteMaven presents Oh Grandma - What big bathing boots you have! posted at footnoteMaven. Is there any subject that footnoteMaven doesn't have covered in spades in her personal photo collection? Nah, I don't think so either. Lucky for us she's willing to share her treasured photos. She has some beauts this time around. Don't miss out on her fine examples of early 20th century beach attire for the shy. Thanks for sharing fM!
John Newmark presents Sunshine Day posted at Transylvanian Dutch. John got to visit Hawaii when he was just 5 years old and he has the photo to prove it! (We know he's not making it up because his mom went on record confirming it.) He was a real cutie... stop by and see for yourself! Thanks for sharing your beach photo with us, John!
OMcHodoy presents Walking on Sunshine posted at Orations of OMcHodoy. Colleen shares some wonderful fun-in-the-sun pictures of happy family times. There's not a lot of water in these pictures but then there aren't any lakes where Colleen lives. She used to live by Niagara Falls and I kinda thought she might share a photo of someone in her family in their swimsuit getting into a barrel... but I guess she decided to keep those summer fun photos for another time ;-) Do stop by and see her great family shots. Thanks for sharing, Colleen!
Lisa presents The waves' rippling song": South Beach, Staten Island posted at 100 Years in America. Lisa's grandparents lived right by a beach in NY so they and their children had lots of opportunities to enjoy summer days at the seaside. She's got some great swimsuit photos and even a poem to share with us. Stop by and check it out! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Craig Manson presents Carnival of Genealogy: Gulf Coast Summer 1962 posted at GeneaBlogie. Craig not only shares with us some of the cutest kids-at-the-beach photos you ever did see but he also reveals the first major writing project of his life. It was undertaken at the age of 8 and I think you'll agree that it was a well written and well illustrated masterpiece! Thanks for sharing your first vacation trip with us, Craig! OK everybody, all together now.... "aww, you were soooo cute Craig!"
And last but not least we have Donna presenting Genealogy Illustrated: Swimsuit Edition posted at What's Past is Prologue. Donna shares the most adorable "under the boardwalk" photo with us along with a couple other photos showcasing some neat period swim wear. Fun, fun, fun! Head on over and see for yourself! Thanks for sharing, Donna :-) Donna ends her post with, "Let’s load up that car with beach blankets and cold drinks, and call in sick to work…it’s time to head down the shore!" Sounds great to me Donna,! Who else is ready to hit the beach... Hey wait for me! And don't forget your cameras!
That does it for this edition of the COG. Pretty fun, eh? And the best part is we didn't have to cover ourselves in sunscreen and bleed through the wallet putting gas in our cars just to check out the chicks and hunks! See how environmentally conscious we genea-bloggers can be?
And now it's time for a call for submissions! The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: family pets! Bring out those old photos of Snoopy, Garfield, Rex and Bob! Tell us the funny, charming, and cute stories about the pets you remember or remember hearing about. Introduce us to the furry, feathered, and scaly members who have a place on your family tree! The deadline for the next edition is June 15, 2008 and it will be hosted by none other than the flutaphone master himself, Bill West!
Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Technorati tags:
carnival of genealogy, blog carnival.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Carnival of Genealogy, 48th Edition
Sandusky Library Archives Research Center presents Sandusky History: Hansen posted at Sandusky History, saying, "The Archivist at Sandusky Library posted this blog entry about Helen Hansen. Helen went out into the community of Sandusky and took pictures, interviewed residents, and corresponded with residents and descendants of former Sandusky area residents. Helen was a writer of local history books and a local history newsletter. She paved the way for present day researchers to learn more about the pioneer families who founded the city of Sandusky. She helped in obtaining acquisitions to the Follett House Museum. She was a dynamic lady, even in her late 90's! While she was not a mother biologically, she was like a mother to many Erie County researchers and genealogists." Great intro, 'nuff said!
Kathryn Lake Hogan presents She Was One Smart Cookie! posted at LOOKING4ANCESTORS. Kathryn's mom was certainly "one smart cookie". This is a very touching tribute to a woman devoted to nursing and her grandchildren. Stop by and appreciate! Thanks for sharing your mom with us Kathryn!
robert lord presents Lord and Lady: Mom How'd you Get so Smart posted at Lord and Lady. Here's an interesting story with a twist. Robert tried to pull one over on his mom but you know how moms are... Check it out! Thanks for sharing, Robert!
Randy Seaver presents How did mom get so smart? posted at Genea-Musings. Randy's mom got a college degree at a time when not many women did so. She was also artistically gifted. Do stop by and read Randy's tribute to this lovely woman (and check out the great period photo). Thanks for sharing, Randy!
Bill West presents West in New England: MOM posted at West in New England. Bill writes a lovely tribute to his mom, acknowledging among other things her love of reading. Now why doesn't it surprise us, Bill, that your mom loved books? Thanks for sharing!
Laura presents The Virtual Dime Museum: Perseverance, and Learning to Smile Out of One's Eyes posted at The Virtual Dime Museum. Laura writes a great tribute to her grandmother who overcame a lengthly illness and graduated high school at the age of 22. What perseverance! It turns out that she was quite the writer too. Now why doesn't that surprise us, Laura? Thanks for sharing!
Ken Spangler presents Just What Is ?Smart?? posted at Beyond Fiction. There are all sorts of ways to measure "smarts" and that's what Ken tackles in his very insightful and honest article. He has beautiful pictures of his mom too! Head on over and read Ken's take on the subject. I think you'll find it thought provoking. Thanks for sharing, Ken!
Jasia presents Mom Was A Student Of Environmental Education posted at Creative Gene. My mom didn't have an advanced degree but she was quite knowledgeable about the world around her. She took to learning from the technology of her day, radio and TV. Come meet her!
Miriam Robbins Midkiff presents Mom, How'd You Get So Smart? posted at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors. Miriam writes the intro to 3 delightful articles written by her mother. She gets extra credit for finding some great photos (she didn't know she had scanned) to share with us. Thanks Miriam!
Faith Valk Robbins presents "School Years: Part I" by Faith L. Robbins , School Years: Part II" by Faith L. Robbins, and School Years: Part III" by Faith L. Robbins posted at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors. Welcome to Faith, a first time COG participant! Faith writes warm and wonderful stories of her school memories via her daughter Miriam's blog. You'll enjoy these honest and heartfelt stories so don't miss them! Thanks for sharing, Faith! We hope you'll write for the COG again!
Janice Brown presents My Brainy New Hampshire Mom posted at Cow Hampshire. Janice's mom had a knack for numbers and loved to read. And apparently she became bilingual by circumstance not by choice. It all combined to make for one very sharp lady. Would you have guessed any different knowing Janice as we do? Thanks for sharing, Janice!
Janet Iles presents Mom, how did you get so smart? posted at Janet the researcher, saying "After my father's death, my mother and I took a few special trips together. We shared a room. How could I remember which set of towels was mine in the bathroom? My mother's answer was "Mine are on the right because mothers are always right." And she was right!" I just had to include that snippet because it's a great intro to Janet's wonderful tribute to her mother. And you just have to see her image of an antique school bus... picture a Model T converted to a "snowmobile" pulling a covered wagon on sled runners! Absolutely precious!!! Thanks for sharing, Janet!
Wendy Littrell presents On the Spot Education posted at All My Branches Genealogy, saying "She is a storyteller, a confidante, a friend, a teacher, a world traveler, a cook, a seamstress, a pilot, an accountant, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a grandmother, and a wonderful Mom!" Well, I just couldn't write an intro any better than that! Stop by Wendy's blog and read about her amazing mom. Thanks for sharing your wonderful tribute Wendy!
Apple presents Apple's Tree: Mom's School Memories posted at Apple's Tree, saying, "This was written last year. I'm quite proud of Mom and her recent decline is very hard to watch." Apple has some wonderful memories of her mom's school days recorded in this article. We never want to see the decline of our loved ones but remembering the touching moments of their lives will keep them in our hearts and memories for many years to come. Thanks for sharing, Apple!
OMcHodoy presents The Smartest (Mouthed) Mom on Earth posted at Orations of OMcHodoy. Colleen shares the little that she knows about her mother's school years and regrets that she doesn't know more. She has a great story to tell about her mother's class ring and a message to parents and children everywhere. Visit Colleen's blog for all the details. Thanks for sharing, Colleen!
Steve Danko presents Gee, Mom, How'd You Get So Smart? posted at Steve's Genealogy Blog. Steve's mom was working on computers back in the days when most people probably had no idea what a computer was. It fits because she had a knack for working with numbers and details. Stop by Steve's blog and check out some great school pictures of his mom. Thanks for sharing, Steve!
Craig Manson presents How'd My Mother[-in-law] Get So Smart? posted at GeneaBlogie. Craig's mother-in-law seems to have an insatiable curiosity and that's what has contributed to her wanting to learn how to repair a car... at age 50... when she didn't even drive or own a car! Hat's off to this lady!!! Thanks for sharing her with us Craig!
Becky Wiseman presents Lessons Learned posted at kinexxions. Becky's mom credits flexibility and a willingness to learn as the keys to her success in life. A social personality didn't hurt her either. Check out her charming grade school picture on Becky's blog and read more about her too. Thanks for sharing your mom with us, Becky!
footnoteMaven presents A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody posted at footnoteMaven. fM looks into the life of her mother as a school girl and finds that she doesn't know as much as she'd like to. I think everyone reading her post will identify with her feelings. Great period photos too. Don't miss this one! Thanks for sharing Lillian with us, fM!
Elizabeth O'Neal presents Momsense: How'd You Get So Smart? posted at Little Bytes of Life. Elizabeth gave her mom one of those personal history books to fill out with questions about her life and laments now that her mother never filled in the pages. There's a good lesson to be learned here... give your mom or wife or self one of those books and nag, nag, nag until it's complete! That said, Elizabeth has some wonderful photos of her mom's school years. Do stop by and meet her! Thanks for sharing your mom with us Elizabeth!
M. Diane Rogers presents Mom, how'd you get so smart? Carnival of Genealogy posted at CanadaGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt'. Diane's mom had a real love of learning and got her college degree as a senior citizen! Yeah! What a great attitude! Do stop by and read more about Diane's mom. Thanks for sharing her with us, Diane!
Thomas MacEntee presents Smart Is As Smart Does posted at Destination: Austin Family. Thomas shares with us another affectionate article about his mom and what she taught him. This one has a precious photo of his mom at age 10. Head on over and don't miss this read. Thanks for sharing your mom with us, Thomas!
Terry Snyder presents The Year of the Great Bean Soup Dilemma posted at Desktop Genealogist. We'll end this edition with a bit of humor courtesy of Terry. This one will make you laugh and charm you too! Check out Terry's blog for a great read. And while you're there, add her blog to your feed reader... she has an RSS feed of her own on her blog now :-) Thanks Terry!
That concludes this edition of the Carnival of Genealogy. Can you feel the love and admiration we have for our moms? I never cease to be amazed at what our talented crew of authors comes up with. Thanks to all who participated!
And now it's time for a Call for Submissions! The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Swimsuit Edition! Why should Sports Illustrated have all the fun? This is your chance to show off the bathing beauties in your family. Pull out the old photos of Grandma Moses in her seaside bloomers, Auntie Mae in her pin-up girl suit from the 1940s or 50s, cousin Paula in her psychedelic bikini from the 1970s, or even yourself in your Speedo! Let's have some fun here! Memorial Weekend is knocking on the door and that means the start of the summer sun, sand, and seaside season so let's get in the mood with summer fun photos. What? You don't have any swimsuit photos you dare to share? No problem! Tell us your best family beach stories instead! The deadline for submissions is June 1st.
Thanks to the members of the ScanFest crew who suggested the Swimsuit Edition topic!
Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.
Technorati tags: carnival of genealogy, blog carnival.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Mom Was A Student Of Environmental Education
My mom, Lucy, began her formal education in the fall of 1923 at Sill School, a Detroit public grade school that was located on the southeast corner of 30th and Herbert streets in Detroit's west side Polish community. The school was a short walk from her home, right at the end of the block and across the street from the bakery her family owned. It's where she first learned to speak English (the family only spoke Polish at home). She only attended Sill School for one year, kindergarten, before she went on to attend Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary grade school. Sill School opened in 1905 and was closed some time ago. The building has since been torn down.
Here's is a photo of Lucy's kindergarten class from Sill School, Detroit, 1923.
Lucy's family were members of Assumption BVM parish, located at 5207 Lovett Street, in Detroit. The parish had a grade school (opened in 1913, grades 1-8) and that's where Lucy spent her early years. Classes were taught by the Felician Sisters in both Polish and English. Mom had lots of great memories of Assumption School. She was a good student too, as can be seen from her report card. Back then report cards had numbers instead of letter grades.
This is my mom's report card for the 8th grade (1931-1932) from Assumption School. The words in the column on the left (in Polish) are the months of the school year. Grades were given out beginning in October (Październik) and ending in May (Maj).
The subjects extend across the top. [Op. Dni Szkol.=days absent from school; Obyczaje=manners; Katechizm=religion; Hist. Kościóła=history of the church; Rachunki=accounting; Gramatyka=grammar; Hist Polska=history of Poland; Czytanie Polskie=reading in Polish; Kaligrafia=handwriting; Liturgika=bible studies?; Hist. Stan. Zj.=history of the United States; Czytanie Ang.=reading in English; Sylabizowanie=spelling; Gram. Angiel.=English grammar; Civics; Literatura Eng.=English literature; Literatura Polska=Polish literature; Egzamin=examination; Szkolne=school; Podpis Rodziców=parents signature]
The grading scale is across the bottom. [Skala=scale; 100 celująco=100 excellent; 90 dobrze=90 good; 80 dostatecznie=80 satisfactory; 70 niedostatecznie=70 unsatisfactory; 60 źle=60 bad]
The report card was signed by Siostra Marja Mansuetta (Sister Mary Mansuetta).
Lucy graduated from Assumption School in May of 1932. Here is a picture of her graduating class.
And here is a picture of Assumption School and Church (One building, church in the basement, school on the main and second floors).
Back in the 1930s, high school didn't start until the 10th grade in Detroit. So that meant that mom had to attend middle school for one year before going on to high school. She attended Condon Middle School (public school), located at 1314 W Grand Blvd, in Detroit for the 1932-1933 school year. I have no pictures to share of her middle school year. I remember her telling me that she was really bored while at Condon. Her studies at Assumption had taken her beyond the level of 9th grade classes at Condon, something not uncommon with a Catholic school education.
In the fall of 1933, Lucy entered the new Detroit Northwestern High School (public school). She didn't want to go to Northwestern. She would have preferred to attend the neighborhood high school where all her friends were going. That would have been Chadsey High School. But her older sister, who had missed a good deal of school due to illness, had chosen to go to Northwestern to avoid being with her grade school classmates who had teased her because she "never knew the right answer when called on". Her mother told Lucy she should go to Northwestern because she was already driving her sister there and she wasn't going to drive Lucy to yet another school. So, reluctantly she went.
Lucy's high school years were not particularly happy ones. She did well enough in her classes but she didn't know anyone and making new friends didn't come easily to her. Add to that the fact that she was in high school in the midst of the Great Depression. She wasn't allowed to join any after school clubs or activities because it was too far to walk home and her mother wasn't willing to make a second trip to pick her up from school. Instead she joined the Young Ladies Sodality (a social club for young ladies) at Assumption Church and eventually became treasurer and vice president of the organization. She also joined the church choir. Her friends and social life continued to center around the church and continued after her graduation from Detroit Northwestern High School on June 18, 1936.
So ends Lucy's formal education. She didn't go on to college and as far as I know she never took any other formal classes. That wasn't the end of her education though. Lucy's education continued on in the form of what I think of as "environmental learning", in other words, learning from sources in her environment.
As far back as I can remember, mom had a radio in the kitchen and it was almost always on. She rarely listened to music on that radio preferring to listen to Detroit's local all-news station, WWJ (950 on the AM dial). For someone who was a SAHM, she was amazingly knowledgeable on current events. She once told me that she kept the radio on all day to keep from getting lonely. I did the same thing myself for many years (now I'm a CNN junkie ;-) .
One of mom's favorite radio programs was Bob Allison's "Ask Your Neighbor" on
WWJ (the program still exists... you can listen to it on the internet, by podcast, or on WNZK 690 AM, another local radio station, and amazingly it's still hosted by Bob Allison!). The show began on Febuary 5, 1962 and featured recipes and household hints. It's a call-in show where one person might call Bob Allison asking how to get a chocolate stain out of carpeting and someone listening who'd discovered how to do just that would call in with the answer. Recipes were shared, as well as gardening tips, cleaning and storage tips, and advice on just about anything that needed doing around the house. My mom was a big fan and long time listener of Ask Your Neighbor. She learned about more uses for vinegar from that show...When it came to politics, my mom was big fan of talk show host Lou Gordon's television show, "The Lou Gordon Program" which aired on Detroit's local public broadcasting station, WKBD-TV (Channel 50) beginning in the late 1960s. She really enjoyed seeing Lou take on politicians and challenge their views and their party positions. He was a controversial one that Lou!
In the 1970s, after my dad died, my mom was a loyal watcher of "Wall Street Week" hosted by Louis Rukeyser. She wouldn't answer the phone or talk to any of us who came into the house while this show was on. At about the same time, Monty Korn had a radio show called "Money Talk" on our local station, AM 1270, WXYT. These shows were the basis of Mom's financial education and they served her well. She started investing in the stock market after she went to work full time and it was simply astonishing how well she did with her investments. I guess Louis and Monty knew what they were talking about!
My mom's day wasn't complete without reading the Detroit News. As far back as I can remember we subscribed to this daily newspaper which was home-delivered about 4pm each afternoon. My dad used get home from work about 4:30 p.m. and that's usually when we'd sit down to dinner. Right afterwards mom would do the dishes and put away the leftovers and then she'd sit down to read the paper. She was a clipper too! Oh boy did she love to clip things out of the paper... articles, coupons, recipes, ads, etc. And bless her heart, she was a recycler too. When she and my dad were done reading the newspapers they would get bundled up and taken over to the paper drives held every so often at her local church to help support the parish school.
Most evenings mom would go to bed at 10 p.m. She had to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get my dad off to work so watching the late news was something she only did on weekends.
My mom wasn't one for formal classes or "booking learnin' ". The only book I remember her checking out of our local library was a how-to book on reupholstering furniture. But you'd never know that to talk to her. She was a very bright, articulate woman who knew what was what about the world around her. And she sure knew how to cook, clean, garden (don't get me started on her green thumb!), and sew with the best of 'em! (And she used vinegar in more ways than you can imagine ;-)
What I remember my mom saying about education: "Your education is something no one can ever take away from you. You have it for life."
Happy Mother's Day, Mom.
Digi-scrapping kit: "Inherent Blessings", created by Netta of the Creative Victorian blog. Yellow paper from "Lovin Spring" kit by Jan Hosford on the Jan Hosford Designs blog. I also used an overlay created by Adeyeo of the Adeyeo blog.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Carnival of Genealogy, 47th Edition
NORTH AMERICA
MASSACHUSETTS
Randy Seaver presents Leominster, Massachusetts posted at Genea-Musings. Come visit the city where the plastics industry was born (who knew?) and the downtown area has been preserved over the years. Walk the streets and think of Randy whose family lived there for 4 generations. Thanks for sharing, Randy!
Bill West presents BRIDGEWATER posted at West in New England. They're makin' brick in Nunkatateset... sounds like a song refrain doesn't it? (Maybe the melody to "Do You Know the Way to San Hose?") Stop on by and see what the heck I'm talking about in Bill's article about his ancestors' home town of Bridgewater. Thanks for sharing, Bill!
NEW YORK
Lidian presents The Virtual Dime Museum: A Place Called Home: Woodhaven, Queens posted at The Virtual Dime Museum. If your turn of the century ancestors spent time in the kitchen (and who didn't back then ;-) they likely made use of the wares from Woodhaven. Head on over and learn for yourself what that's all about. Thanks for sharing, Lidian!
Robert Lord presents Lord and Lady: A Place Called Home just a One Stop Light Village posted at Lord and Lady. As a child, Bob used to play in a building built back in the early to mid 1700s. What a history his little town has! Stop on by and you'll leave with a good old fashioned feel-good feeling. Thank for sharing your wonderful little town with us Bob!
Thomas MacEntee presents Home to Lowville posted at Destination: Austin Family. At first glance this article seems to be an overview of the home towns of a number of Thomas' ancestors. But near the end Thomas has a link to his previous articles on Lowville and that is where you'll find a real gem. One of his previously written articles has wonderful information and pictures from a pamphlet on Lowville written in 1895! It's precious! Thanks for sharing Lowville with us Thomas!
ONTARIO
Janet Iles presents A Place Called Home posted at Janet the researcher. Here's a story of a town that is no more. No wonder Google Maps came up blank when I did a search for Markham Township, Ontario! If I'd read the article before I started searching it would have saved me some time ;-) But head on over and see what has become of Markham today! Thanks for sharing Markham Township with us Janet!
SOUTH CAROLINA
Denise Olson presents Charleston Connections posted at Moultrie Creek. Charleston had a more structured society than the laid back ways of Florida. So says Denise in her look back at the Charleston connections in her family. Visit Denise's blog and read more about them! Thanks for sharing, Denise!
OHIO
Amanda Erickson presents Fred Seibert and Kenmore, Ohio posted at Random Ramblings. Amanda shares with us a fascinating story with wonderful pictures. Kenmore, Ohio is more than just the home of Fred Seibert (union organizer and outspoken member of the Communist Party), it's Amanda's home as well. Do visit Amanda's blog and learn more about her town. Thanks for sharing Kemore with us Amanda!
Wendy Littrell presents The Town on the River - Carnival of Genealogy Post posted at All My Branches Genealogy. Please welcome Wendy, a first time contributor to the COG! Wendy tells us of a town named for the Indian term "black bear town". Stop by and see a photo of her grandfather's old cobbler shop and learn about this "town on the river" and how her ancestor first got there. Thanks for sharing Roscoe Village with us Wendy!
Sandusky Library presents Sandusky History: Prout's Station posted at Sandusky History, saying " Frank Prout was married to a distant cousin of mine. Dorene Paul, Reference Assistant Sandusky Library". A proud line of Prouts can claim a connection to the original A. W. Prout who first settled the town that was named for him. Stop on by for nice little visit and learn more about Prout's Station. Thanks for sharing this town with us Dorene!
TENNESSEE
Elizabeth presents It’s Greener in Greeneville posted at Little Bytes of Life. Prepare for green overload! Wow! This town is really green. One look at the photos and you'll know what I mean. Elizabeth treats us to a description of her visit to the town her ancestors were from. Great story! Stop on by for visit. Thanks for sharing Greenville with us Elizabeth!
MICHIGAN
Jessica Oswalt presents Saint Joseph County, Michigan: My Thoughts and Reflections posted at Jessica's Genejournal. Jessica describes for us the lush countryside that is Saint Joseph County. Head on over and learn about this land of her ancestors. Thanks for sharing Saint Joseph County with us Jessica!
INDIANA
Becky Wiseman presents Whitley County - A Place Some Ancestors Called Home posted at kinexxions. Becky tells us of Whitley County, an area of rolling hills and rich farm land in her native Hooiser State. Becky's written about her family in this area before and includes links to those articles here. Thanks for sharing Whitley County with us Becky!
MISSISSIPPI
Bob Franks presents The Homecoming posted at Itawamba History Review: The Itawamba Historical Society. Bob has a way of painting vivid images with his words. This article on Itawamba County is a fine example of that. Take few moments to visit his blog and see for yourself. Thanks for sharing Itawamba County with us Bob!
Terry Thornton presents A Place Called Home: Weaver's Creek Bottom posted at Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi, saying "The notion that "home" to me is a place I've never lived may be difficult for some of your readers --- but "home" to any aging adult is just a set of memories. And those memories enable me to select when and how to visit a placed called home. So although I never lived at Weaver's Creek Bottom, my soul is centered there because my memories all bounce and dance around that small locale where once my great-grandparents, grandparents, parents and a host of aunts and uncles and cousins lived. I can drive through those hills now completely empty of houses and barns and people and known I'm home. Thanks for letting me share my attempt to write about the place I call home." Couldn't have said it better Terry! Thanks for sharing Weaver's Creek Bottom with us!
ILLINOIS
Lori Thornton presents Home: The Late 19th Century Version posted at Smoky Mountain Family Historian. Lori has some wonderful photos of her ancestor's home town of Oak Grove which became Carlock. It's a small town with the usual small town charm. Head on over and a look-see! Thanks for sharing Oak Grove and Carlock with us Lori!
MINNESOTA
Chery Kinnick presents A Gem That Sparkles Still posted at Nordic Blue. You've probably never heard of Leonard, Minnesota. I certainly hadn't before I read Chery's wonderful article about this small town in rural Minnesota. It's a charming story of a charming town that wants you to visit! Mozy on over and read all about the town of Leonard and Chery's ancestors who called it home. Thanks for sharing, Chery!
Sue Edminster presents Bemidji Minnesota, Mom?s Home Town posted at Echo Hill Ancestors Weblog. The COG is pleased to extend a very warm welcome to first time participant, Sue Edminster, who's family comes from a town that knows what cold is all about! Here's a great article with some wonderful photographs. You won't want to miss this one. Stop by now and find out what else Bemidji is known for besides being cold! Thanks for sharing Bemidji with us Sue!
TEXAS
Ken Spangler presents A Home Called Blackjack! posted at Beyond Fiction. Blackjack is a fitting name for a town in Texas, don't ya think? It just so happens to be the town where Ken's family hails from. It's one of those small towns where everyone knows everyone. Stop on by for a visit and learn about what life was like way back when in Blackjack, Texas. Thanks for sharing with us, Ken!
MONTANA
Susan Kitchens presents Billings, Montana—History by Mystery presented at Family Oral History Using Digital Tools saying, "How a collection of letters in the attic (dating from 1916 on) compel a meandering exploration of the history of Billings, Montana. The research informs the letter reading. And I learn more about boom times, boosterism, drought, and bust. And maybe find a hint in the larger history to explain a smaller family mystery. Bonus: fetching pictures of a woman standing on her horse! And the best in 10-gallon hat fashions." I will only add that