The Interview

My God Daughter had an assignment to interview someone and write
a theme based on a subject that came up in the interview. Who to
do this with became the bigger decision. There were many adults
to choose from starting with her Mom since she was most readily
available. The subject was to be a witness acount of something that
actually happened that had meaning to the person. War and other
traumatic events always play well. But who to interview.

Her Gramma Charlotte got the call. Surprised she was and needed time
to think about it and call her back. That's when my phone rang with
the question - what can I talk with her about? She didn't want to
bring up things about the wars she had lived through and then something
from early childhood in Philadelphia came to mind. I assured her that
this was a good story and had legs of learning in it.

So, the story about her enrolling in a new school in the fifth grade
when the family had moved into a new neighborhood. Moving was a
normal thing in her growing up as her Dad was a travelling salesman
and his work lead to new markets and often many new jobs. Times were
tough too, and work was where it was - not necessarily in one's
backyard.

Her neighborhood school was not available as the few remaining spots
were being held for other possible pupils in this majority Jewish
neighborhood. Mom and her brother had to travel far from their
neighborhood to the next school with openings. It was an
african-american majority school and Mom was one of but a handfull
of white students. This lasted but one school year and then the
family moved again. The experience was not one of book learning but
survival. Mom knew the sin of discrimination first hand now and in
the opposite direction from what was the usual, more "accepted" way.
This was in the early to middle 1920's.

Revisiting this story has helped me understand more deeply some of
the scars my Mom carries and what the impact of such discrimination
can do to a child in their most vulnerable, formative years.

An interesting window. And now to wait and see what the God daughter
will bring of this to her theme.


R