3 10 42 https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/300dac5f87053dc30c4077194fc60af7.jpg 0dd16b3f9ab66d16d814edddd2dedafe Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Judy Levin Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Esther M. Davalos Interview Keyword Familial roles Family structure Gender norms Gender roles Mexican families Shopping. Gardening OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh286_irw054 Interview with Esther M. Davalos, June 3, 1982 2017oh286_irw054 irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Marriage Feminism Gender issues Sex role Families. Birth control. Contraception. Religion Health. Medicine. Childbirth Midwifery Midwives Housing Neighborhoods. Familial roles Family structure Gender norms Gender roles Mexican families Shopping. Gardening Esther M. Davalos Judy Levin 2017oh286_irw054_davalos_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh286_irw054_davalos_acc001.mp3 Other audio 0 Men and women's roles in Mexican families So I thought of, uh, of this woman and I, uh, I thought I would call her up. Davalos delves deeper into the roles of men and women within the Mexican family. She asserts that Mexican society outwardly seems like a patriarchal one, but actually is run by women behind the scenes. She argues that by staying within the bounds of traditional gender roles, women are able to be just as powerful as men. Community norms ; Equality ; Familial roles ; Family structure ; Femininity ; Gender norms ; Gender roles ; Machismo ; Macho ; Masculinity ; Mexican ; Relationships ; Traditional family Families. ; Feminism ; Gender issues ; Marriage ; Sex role 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/e8adcfa8e389fa6132ddf46a321bc9d6.jpg &quot ; 1936 Wedding Portrait&quot ; c. 1936. Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. 676 Role of men within her culture What does it mean to be a man? Davalos points out what being a man means within the family structure. She asserts that the male head of household deserves respect and attention from his wife and children ; men work full time in order to take care of their families so they deserve to be taken care of when they come home. Breadwinners ; Family norms ; Family roles ; Family structure ; Femininity ; Gender norms ; Gender roles ; Masculinity ; Sexuality Families. ; Gender issues ; Marriage ; Sex role 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/7a4a0873960edd9f56490b961d2148a6.jpg &quot ; Woman Preparing Meals for her Family&quot ; c. 1941. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 999 On the use of birth control Did they go a, along with the not using birth control? Davalos reveals the use of birth control and family planning within the Catholic community ; she comments specifically on the different types of birth control methods used by her working class peers. Catholics ; Family planning ; Marital relations Birth control. ; Contraception. ; Religion ; Reproductive rights. ; Women's rights 17 1153 Community medicine in the early 1900s Was the--did the women, um--I'm switching the topic a little bit. Were there--di--when people got sick, did they immediately send out for the doctor once they were in the city or were there midwives or, um, women-- Davalos describes what medical care was like when she was young. Most children were born at home and women would help each other give birth. Medicine was highly centered within the community as there weren't many medical services available ; neighbors often cared for and would nurse one another through illnesses. Apartment houses ; Apartments ; Boarding houses ; Community ; Community medicine ; Home births Childbirth ; Health. ; Medicine. ; Midwifery ; Midwives 17 1444 Use of home medicine Was there a lot of use of medicines in the home, in the home nursing? In general, not for the flu. Davalos tells Levin about the types of natural medicines that existed within the homes. Herbs were the most common solution for ailments ; they were soaked in rubbing alcohol and used for rubs or served as tea depending on the illness. Herbal medicine ; Home medicine ; Home remedies ; Home remedy Health. ; Medical care ; Medicine. ; Traditional medicine 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/cfb442b721b0ebf7dcde83ae36897266.jpg &quot ; Mother giving medicine to child&quot ; c. 1915. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 1759 New mothers' healing practices Were there particular foods that were given to sick people that you're supposed to eat? Davalos begins by revealing the use of special foods for mothers after giving birth. She moves on to explain the rest of the healing process for new mothers ; women were to stay in bed for ten days and ate well, she wasn't to take the stairs and most of the house work was to be done by someone else in the family or a neighbor. Children ; Community ; Community medicine ; Family ; Healing foods ; Healing practices ; Home remedies ; Home remedy ; Mexican ; Mothering ; Mothers ; Parenting ; Work exchange Childbirth ; Health. ; Medical care ; Medicine. ; Midwifery ; Midwives ; Traditional medicine 17 2060 Making a house a home Of the different places in the city you lived, was there a place that was your favorite? Davalos explains to Levin that she never had a favorite home in the city ; as long as she has sentimental items she is able to make anywhere feel comfortable. She also briefly describes some of the housing conditions of the places where she grew up ; her family always had indoor plumbing, gas lights, and heat. She ponders that her family might have grown up differently than other Mexican families because there was always food and an income to live off of. Amenities ; Community ; Decorating ; Family ; Growing up ; Homes ; Housekeeping ; Houses ; Housing conditions ; Marriage ; Memories ; Philadelphia (Pa.) ; Technology ; Utilities Families. ; Housing ; Neighborhoods. 17 2393 Shopping Where did you shop? Davalos explains to Levin where she preferred to shop when she was younger ; she prefers the corner grocery stores to larger super markets. She finds them to be a part of the community as likes the relationships that come from shopping within the neighborhood. Community life ; Corner stores ; Groceries ; Grocery stores Neighborhoods. ; Shopping. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/25597e582cbda977bf4a0196204f7d1b.jpg &quot ; Richmond Street Corner Store&quot ; March, 27 1935. Courtesy of Phillyhistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 2488 Home gardening I remember you, you said last week when we talked that you had a flower garden. Did you grow vegetables at all? Davalos recounts her mother's vegetable garden growing up ; her mother had about an acre and a half of land that she would use to grow a large variety of vegetables for the family. Davalos tells Levin that she is able to grow some tomatoes at home but wishes that she could garden on a grander scale like her mother used to. Gardening ; Vegetable gardens Subsistence farming 17 interview Born in 1908, Esther Davalos was born as a third generation American ; her family came from Spain and settled in the part of Mexico that later became Texas. After the Mexican Revolution, which her father fought and died in, the family moved to Pennsylvania in 1918 to seek out better jobs for Davalos’ older brothers. After originally settling in Eddystone where her brothers worked for the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the family moved again to the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia where Davalos grew up, married, and spent the rest of her life in. As an adult, she worked as a Spanish interpreter for many locations within the city including a health center on Girard Avenue (that still stands today) and the Nationalities Service Center. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh286_irw054_davalos_ohm.xml 2017oh286_irw054_davalos_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Nicole Strunk Sort Priority 0014 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh286_irw054_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Esther M. Davalos (2nd interview) Description An account of the resource Born in 1908, Esther Davalos was born as a third generation American; her family came from Spain and settled in the part of Mexico that later became Texas. After the Mexican Revolution, which her father fought and died in, the family moved to Pennsylvania in 1918 to seek out better jobs for Davalos’ older brothers. After originally settling in Eddystone where her brothers worked for the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the family moved again to the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia where Davalos grew up, married, and spent the rest of her life in. As an adult, she worked as a Spanish interpreter for many locations within the city including a health center on Girard Avenue (that still stands today) and the Nationalities Service Center. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh286_irw054 Subject The topic of the resource Marriage Feminism Gender issues Sex role Families. Birth control. Contraception. Religion Health. Medicine. Childbirth Midwifery Midwives Housing Neighborhoods. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/9c9156d0d191136f3458fd1de0690de1.jpg 07e27c6a448af4744c7fcce3733fce2a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Charles Hardy Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Johnny Mulligan Interview Keyword Irish dancing Mulligan family The Irish Merrymakers WPEN Radio Cambria Athletic Club Race relations OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh262_irw030 Interview with Johnny Mulligan, July 17, 1982 2017oh262_irw030 irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Employment Dance Bands (Music) Musical families Musical groups. Music--Performance. Boxing. Boxing matches. Sports Irish dancing Mulligan family The Irish Merrymakers WPEN Radio Cambria Athletic Club Race relations Johnny Mulligan Charles Hardy 2017oh262_irw030_mulligan_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh262_irw030_mulligan_acc001.mp3 Other audio 1 Getting settled in Philadelphia Okay. So you arrived in Philadelphia then in 1922? Mulligan arrived in Philadelphia in 1922, settling in West Philadelphia, while feeling shocked to see tall buildings. He had no acquaintances in the city. He initially stayed at a hotel in West Philly and received advice on how to get settled, what to do, and where to go. Bed and breakfasts ; City Hall (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; West Philadelphia ; West Philly Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/fullsize/ccef67842b9b7af6f9116919ecdcf30e.jpg 1940 United States Federal Census for John Mulligan. 147 Dancing career You were, you were entertaining then soon after you arrived in the city? Mulligan started performing as a dancer at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Broad Street, eventually dancing throughout the city. He danced Irish dances, the &quot ; real digs and horn pipes,&quot ; accompanied by a band. Typically, such &quot ; highland gatherings&quot ; featured young girls dancing. Mulligan usually danced at Irish gatherings. He remembers not making much money so he looked for work and tried to hire an agent but the agent would not represent an Irish dancer. Highland Fling ; Irish dancing ; Knights of Columbus Hall (Philadelphia) ; Scottish dancing at the Devon Horse Show ; Scottish dancing at the Scotch Games ; Scottish jig Dance ; Employment 40.0456, -75.0262 17 Knight of Columbus Hall 424 The Mulligan family radio show on WPEN Then when my sister came over, now, and I was on radio. We had the four of us, we had the Mulligan Family. Now if you want to get this on tape it's okay. During 1930-1931, Mulligan's family appeared regularly as the &quot ; Irish Merrymakers&quot ; on a WPEN radio show that aired after &quot ; Amos 'n' Andy&quot ; on Saturday nights. Mulligan's wife played the accordion, Mulligan and his sister danced, and his brother sang Irish songs. They booked shows after the weekly radio show, leading to late nights out. He enjoyed entertaining crowds and traveling to different engagements. He remembers how his sister got a job in New York, but Mulligan's wife and his brothers did not want them to travel so they just decided to stay in Philadelphia. Amos 'n' Andy ; Mulligan family ; The Irish Merrymakers ; WPEN Radio Bands (Music) ; Music--Performance. ; Musical families ; Musical groups. 17 728 How Mulligan got bookings in Philly And I entertained in Philadelphia. Mulligan remembers playing shows at clubs all over Philadelphia, in neighborhoods including West Philly, South Philly, Manayunk, Woodside Park, Roxbury, and East Falls. He received calls inquiring for bookings. Mulligan remembers that WPEN hired him to entertain audiences at Woodland as &quot ; special entertainment,&quot ; rather than amateur hour. Bryn Mawr (Pa.) ; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania ; East Falls (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Jack Stake- Mulligan Family announcer ; Manayunk (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Roxbury (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Woodside (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; WPEN Radio Bands (Music) ; Music--Performance. ; Musical families ; Musical groups. 40.0012, -75.2151 17 Woodside Amusement Park http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/fullsize/d38747e6a88344829761ca428a4d0772.jpg &quot ; Entrance to Woodside Park&quot ; c. 1900-1920, East Fall Historical Society 908 The start of Mulligan's boxing career in Philly How soon after you came to the city did you start boxing? Mulligan started boxing training soon after his arrival, at a gym at 6th and Vine Street. He recalls training at a new location at 13th and Vine Street in the Tenderloin District, where light heavyweight champion of the world Tommy Loughran also trained. He ran along East River Drive, then trained with partners--boxing, punching bags, skipping rope, and doing calisthenics. He remembers that it wasn't long after he started training that he got his first fight in South Philly, and then started fighting at the Cambria Athletic Club. 13th and Vine Street (Philadelphia, Pa) ; 6th and Vine Street (Philadelphia, Pa) ; Benjamin Franklin Bridge ; Cambria Athletic Club ; Delaware Bridge ; East River Drive (now Kelly Drive, Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Tenderloin District (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Tommy Loughran--former light heavyweight champion Boxing matches. ; Boxing. 39.991, -75.123 17 Cambria Athletic Club https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/10/obituaries/tommy-loughran-dies-at-79.html &quot ; Tommy Loughran Dies at 79&quot ; New York Times Archives, 1982 1119 The four Mulligans boxing in Philly I was looking for a really a good job, and when I was playing soccer, et cetera, I went back, I was hired with the soccer to go to play with an Electric Storage Battery. In addition to boxing, Mulligan played professionally in a soccer league. Once known as the &quot ; fastest gun in the west&quot ; he boxed at the Cambria Athletic Club, in Atlantic City, and Lansdale. For years, he held the record with five consecutive wins at the Cambria. Other Philly boxers included “Swat” Jimmy Mulligan from Kensington, Bobby Mulligan from East Falls, and Robert Mulligan from Upper Darby. Johnny Mulligan was known as “Scotty” Johnny Mulligan, boxing as a lightweight and featherweight. &quot ; Fastest gun in the west&quot ; ; &quot ; Scotty&quot ; Johnny Mulligan ; &quot ; Swat&quot ; Jimmy Mulligan ; Bobby Mulligan ; Cambria Athletic Club ; Championship of the Northeast ; Featherweight class (boxing) ; Lightweight class (boxing) ; Robert Mulligan Boxing matches. ; Boxing. 39.9448, -75.1649 17 Lansdale Boxing Club 1312 Popularity of boxing in Philadelphia in the 1920s and 1930s Was boxing a big sport in Philadelphia back in the 1920s? Mulligan recalls that boxing was a major sport in Philadelphia during the 1920s. The Phillies and the Athletics played baseball, but there were only 8 teams in each league, so boxing had little competition. He recalls that boxing clubs attracted up to 8000-12,000 spectators to matches. 11th Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Athletics ; Benny Bass (boxer) ; Broad Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Cambria Athletic Club ; Lou Tangler- professional ; North Light Boys Club ; Philadelphia Athletics ; Phillies ; Recitera ; The Hayes Boys (boxers) ; Tommy Loughlin Boxing matches. ; Boxing. ; Sports 17 1570 Cambria boxing matches in the 1920s Did you hold any titles, Johnny, in the city? I know in Scotland you held, you held 3 titles, right? Mulligan recalls fighting &quot ; Swat&quot ; Jimmy Mulligan for the championship of North Philadelphia, beating him twice. Mulligan mainly boxed in Philly, specifically at the Cambria, known as a &quot ; blood pit,&quot ; at Somerset and Lehigh in the Kensington neighborhood. Spectators wanted to see blood and were a &quot ; good fighting crowd.&quot ; He talks about some of the famous fights in Philadelphia, and how one could fight your way up in the boxing community. He says that &quot ; if you could fight in the Cambria, you could fight anywhere in the world.&quot ; &quot ; Swat&quot ; Jimmy Mulligan ; &quot ; The blood pit&quot ; ; Cambria Athletic Club ; Kensington (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Kensington Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Somerset (section of Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia) ; Somerset Avenue and Lehigh Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa) Boxing matches. ; Boxing. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 39.991, -75.123 17 Cambria Athletic Club http://www.philaplace.org/story/1888/ Matthew Ward, &quot ; Cambria Athletic Club,&quot ; PhilaPlace, c. 2005-2010. 1989 Memorable fights against &quot ; Swat&quot ; Jimmy Mulligan What, what was your most memorable fights in the city? Some of Mulligan’s most memorable fights were with “Swat” Jimmy Mulligan, a great fighter and hard puncher. Mulligan notes that the crowd helped him beat him, because Mulligan listened to what the crowd told him to do. Mulligan's manager never said much to him, just gave him water and towels. [Mulligan and Dr. Hardy are walking down stairs] He attempts to show Dr. Hardy how to dry yourself off with a towel, like in a boxing match. &quot ; Swat&quot ; Babe Ruth ; &quot ; Swat&quot ; Jimmy Mulligan ; Boxing spectators Boxing matches. ; Boxing. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/fullsize/19201d43447483862d54cd0d7e27ecd6.jpg &quot ; Cambria Athletic Club&quot ; c. 1910-1920, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania 2220 Ethnicities of boxers in Philly --you fight any &quot ; colored&quot ; boxers? Mulligan remembers fighting Kirim, the lightweight champion of Australia, stopping him in three rounds. Mulligan says that few African Americans boxed locally during his day, and does not recall any black boxing clubs in Philadelphia. He remembers that there was one African American boxer in Kensington that was very good. However, in the 1930s, more African Americans boxed, because they needed to make money during the Depression. Mulligan recounts that Jewish and Irish men dominated boxing, with a few Italians. African American boxers ; Great Depression ; Kirim ; Lightweight champion of Australia African Americans--Social conditions. ; Depressions--1929 ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Race relations 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/fullsize/88fe4a77be48ea6daff25329d77ed109.jpg &quot ; Gang Rivals Boxing&quot ; c. 1920s, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries 2417 Playing industrial league soccer What was--what would be a typical purse--pay for a, for a fight back in the twenties at the Cambria? Mulligan recounts that the typical pay for boxing a match in Philly was between $150-200, a good living even after paying the manager. He shares that he did not approve of club &quot ; operators&quot ; who paid a boxer $25 a week, but could make you fight 3 or 4 nights a week, &quot ; like you were machine.&quot ; Rather than box for a club operator, he took a job playing center forward on an industrial soccer team for Exide [Electric Storage Battery Company]. He didn't have to work in the company if he didn't want to ; he only had to play soccer. They trained at Crescentville and played Sunday games against Budd's, Wilson Homes, Disston, and other regional companies. Boxing clubs ; Budd Company ; Crescentville (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Disston Saw Works ; Electric Storage Battery Company ; Exide (Electric Storage Battery Company) ; Industrial League ; Industrial sports teams ; Soccer ; Wages ; Wilson Homes Boxing matches. ; Boxing. ; Employment ; Sports 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/fullsize/4c7929e17ab1524fd7ebf11dafccdbbe.jpg &quot ; Like father, like son&quot ; c. 1938, The Philly Soccer Page- Philadelphia Soccer History interview After immigrating from Scotland to Philadelphia in 1922, Johnny Mulligan boxed professionally, danced with the Irish Merrymakers, and played striker for the Electric Storage Battery Company's industrial league soccer team. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh262_irw030_mulligan_ohm.xml 2017oh262_irw030_mulligan_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Bryce Evans Sort Priority 0029 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh262_irw030_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Johnny Mulligan Description An account of the resource After immigrating from Scotland to Philadelphia in 1922, Johnny Mulligan boxed professionally, danced with the Irish Merrymakers, and played striker for the Electric Storage Battery Company's industrial league soccer team. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh262_irw030 Subject The topic of the resource Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Employment Dance Bands (Music) Musical families Musical groups. Music--Performance. Boxing. Boxing matches. Sports Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio Relation A related resource <a href="/exhibits/show/mulligan/champion" title="Mulligan exhibit">Explore an exhibit about Mulligan's life.</a> https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/39f40a7b584ba4340f4f825e635e0bdf.jpg 69069ecd67b7610511d2acf2a53ac0e6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Charles Hardy Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Bertha Gruenberg Interview Keyword Blue laws (Sunday laws) Free Library of Philadelphia Philadelphia Ethical Society Southwark Settlement House Women's suffrage Women's Birth Control League Political corruption Politics and government Reproductive rights. Religion Antisemitism Anti-Semitism OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh253_irw021 Interview with Bertha Gruenberg, July 1, 1982 2017oh253_irw021 irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Minneapolis (Minn.) Plymouth Meeting (Pa.) Vienna (Austria). Jewish families. Jews--Identity. Immigrants Emigration and immigration. Language and languages. Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. Education Libraries. Neighborhoods. Housing Employment Race relations Voting Women--Suffrage Women's rights Blue laws (Sunday laws) Free Library of Philadelphia Philadelphia Ethical Society Southwark Settlement House Women's suffrage Women's Birth Control League Political corruption Politics and government Reproductive rights. Religion Antisemitism Anti-Semitism Bertha Gruenberg Charles Hardy 2017oh253_irw021_gruenberg_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh253_irw021_gruenberg_acc001.mp3 Other audio 3 Insularity of Philadelphians Could you repeat that again then? Gruenberg recounts when she first moved to Philadelphia with her husband in 1910 from Minneapolis. She tells a story about spending a weekend at a Quaker boarding house in Plymouth Meeting and meeting a ninety year old woman who thought that Gruenberg and her husband were foreigners because they were from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She also recalls that soon after she and her husband first arrived in Philadelphia, they took a trip to Atlantic City, staying at the Galen Hall hotel and seeing the Wright Brothers because they had a hangar in Atlantic City. Gruenberg thought flying airplanes was something out of a science fiction novel. Gruenberg also remembers how she wept the first time she saw Independence Hall and was surprised that foreigners were more in awe of it than Philadelphia natives. America Plan ; Atlantic City (N.J.) ; Atlantic City, New Jersey ; Bryn Mawr (Pa.) ; Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania ; Galen Hall Hotel--Atlantic City ; Independence Hall ; Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Orthodox Quakers ; Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania ; Wright Brothers Minneapolis (Minn.) ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Plymouth Meeting (Pa.) 40.102765, -75.279160 17 Gruenberg and her husband spent a weekend at a Quaker house in Plymouth Meeting. https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/habshaer/pa/pa0600/pa0624/photos/136105pv.jpg#h=785&amp ; w=1024 &quot ; Quaker Meeting House--Plymouth Meeting,&quot ; c. 1933. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 315 From Austria to Minnesota I myself was brought here by my parents in 19--uh, let me see. Gruenberg talks about when she and her parents first moved to Minnesota from Vienna in 1893. They moved to Minneapolis because Gruenberg's mother did not want to raise her children in an anti-Semitic atmosphere and they had a few friends that had also moved there. She says that both of her parents came from very wealthy families and that they were both extremely bright. Gruenberg's mother knew English very well even before the move, but once they had arrived in Minnesota she went to night school to polish her English. Antisemitism ; Europe--1893 ; Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Night schools ; Vienna, Austria Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Emigration and immigration. ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Language and languages. ; Minneapolis (Minn.) ; Vienna (Austria). 48.210534, 16.382798 7 Gruenberg came to the United States from Vienna, Austria. https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/nclc/04500/04549v.jpg#h=720&amp ; w=1024 &quot ; Immigrants in night school,&quot ; c. 1909. Photographs from the records of the National Child Labor Committee (U.S.). 407 Blue laws But when I first saw Philadelphia--I was married on the 29th of December in 1909. Gruenberg says that she and her husband arrived in Philadelphia in 1910. She talks about people using &quot ; busy bodies&quot ; to see who was at the door so that they did not have to go downstairs to check. Gruenberg also says that nothing was open on Sundays due to Blue laws, which prohibited activities other than church. She discusses the depression she felt her first few years in Philadelphia due to these laws. &quot ; Busy bodies&quot ; ; Blue laws (Sunday laws) ; Security mirrors ; Sunday Blue Laws Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Religion 17 570 Philadelphians' attitudes towards libraries and schools In Minneapolis I had been a newspaper writer. Gruenberg recalls being involved in amateur theatricals in her youth. Before attending college, she worked as a cub reporter at the Minneapolis Tribune, before it offered her the editorship of the women's page. She declined the position because her husband had been offered a job as a bank clerk in New York. She talks about how today, a woman giving up a job for a man would be unheard of, but it never occurred to her to take it. Gruenberg discusses how Philadelphia called its public library a &quot ; free library,&quot ; which to her meant that it was a charity, which in fact was its origin. Many upper class Philadelphians belonged to private libraries. She also talks about the horrible conditions, overcrowding, and filth in the city's public schools. In Minneapolis, she would not have considered a private school, but in Philadelphia she reluctantly enrolled her daughter in Friends Select School, a Quaker school. Rich Philadelphians believed that if you or your children did not attend private libraries or schools, then you were a nobody. Athenaeum of Philadelphia ; Free Library of Philadelphia ; Friends Select School (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Merchant's Exchange Building (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Minneapolis Tribune ; Women's Page--Minneapolis Tribune Education ; Journalism ; Journalists ; Libraries. ; Newspapers. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 39.9565565, -75.1682184 17 Gruenberg enrolled her daughter in Friends Select School, a Quaker, private school located at 17th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/398db05a4a0230c4604cc0504f75b09d.jpg &quot ; 13th and Locust Street Branch,&quot ; c. 1910. Courtesy of the Free Library of Philadelphia. 1065 Prejudice in Philadelphia and joining the Philadelphia Ethical Society If it isn’t a name forget it. Due to the prejudices against immigrants in Philadelphia, Gruenberg and her husband joined the Philadelphia Ethical Society. Gruenberg tells a story of a man, Michael Hardy, who was involved in the Philadelphia Ethical Society while he was in the Navy stationed in China and did a study on early religions. Gruenberg was the chairman of archives of the Philadelphia Ethical Society and Hardy was sent to her when he came to Philadelphia. Together, they worked on a study of the first fifteen years of the Ethical Society in Philadelphia. Adolf Hitler ; China--Naval Station ; Harper's Magazine ; Jewish ; Kosher ; Michael Hardy ; Philadelphia Ethical Society ; Prejudice against immigrants ; Radcliffe College ; Synagogues ; Unitarian Church ; World War I ; Yom Kippur Emigration and immigration. ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; World War, 1914-1918 39.948654,-75.1751887 17 Gruenberg and her husband were heavily involved in the Philadelphia Ethical Society located at 1906 Rittenhouse Square. Gruenberg was the chairman of archives at the Ethical Society. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/3b5b3822ca8fe5f4168513fbd6b93b8a.jpg &quot ; Philadelphia Ethical Society,&quot ; 1968. PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 1620 The move to Philadelphia I don't mean to divert you, but I’d be interested in--how did you, um--what brought you and your husband to Philadelphia in the first place? Gruenberg explains that she and her husband moved to Philadelphia in 1911 when he was the first Jew hired as a Foreign Relations Expert for Brown Brothers and Company. They had originally not been sure if they were moving to New York, Philadelphia, or London. While this was happening, Gruenberg also had a job and prospect of working as a troubleshooter for Abraham and Straus, recently relocated to Philadelphia. When working for the Minneapolis Tribune, Gruenberg wrote the first Shopper Girl column in the country. Abraham &amp ; Straus Department Store ; Abraham and Straus--Philadelphia ; Brown Brothers and Company--London ; Brown Brothers and Company--New York ; Brown Brothers and Company--Philadelphia ; London (England) ; New York City (N.Y.) Employment ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Journalism ; Journalists ; Newspapers. 39.95648,-75.1703506 17 Brown Brothers and Company, located at 1 Logan Square, is the place where Gruenberg's husband worked as a Foreign Relations Expert. This job is the reason the Gruenbergs moved to Philadelphia in the first place. 1740 Southwark Settlement House When we got to Philadelphia, there was not an apartment to rent. When the Gruenbergs first arrived in Philadelphia, it was difficult for them to find an apartment to rent because Philadelphia was a city of home-ownership. Gruenberg speculates that the industries in Kensington were able to regulate their workforce, including the communist presence, by encouraging home-ownership rather than renting. The Gruenbergs rented a place at 1523 North 28th Street in Brewerytown, but she felt bored and lonely. They began volunteering at Southwark Settlement House at Ellsworth and Front, soon living there as residents, running the milk station, and eventually serving as Assistant to the Head Worker of the settlement, making $0 a year and having to pay board to live there. Southwark Settlement House had bed bugs and as Gruenberg describes it, &quot ; just about everything else you can imagine.&quot ; She also says that on Ellsworth Street there were always drunks in the middle of the sidewalk. 1523 North 28th Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Bedbugs ; Communists ; Front Street and Ellsworth Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Homeownership ; Kensington (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Philadelphia Ethical Society ; Settlement houses in Philadelphia ; Southwark Settlement House Housing ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 39.933305, -75.146181 17 Southwark Settlement House is where Gruenberg and her husband volunteered and resided for a while after they left their original apartment. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/f904874ac17bd4076dd9da65242d54a0.jpg &quot ; Southwark House,&quot ; 1915. PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 2022 The Philadelphia College Settlement Well, one day, John Lovejoy Elliot, who was assis--first assistant to Felix Adler, the founder of the New York Ethical, came to visit. Gruenberg talks about meeting Anna Davies, the head worker of the Philadelphia College Settlement in a predominately Jewish-Irish neighborhood. The Gruenbergs asked Davies if they could come to the settlement as residents and she accepted. They lived in the Philadelphia College Settlement from 1911 until 1913 when they took charge of adult immigrant education. While the Gruenbergs were giving classes to the adult immigrants, Davies decided to create a ceremony for when immigrants received their citizenship papers. During this time, Mr. Gruenberg had been offered a job at Newman and Sons, the largest cotton broker in the world, in New Orleans, but the Gruenbergs had heard that a Jewish man had been lynched there, due to his relations with a black woman, and decided that Mr. Gruenberg would not take the job. At the same time, Mr. Gruenberg had been offered a job for the Bureau of Municipal Research as a Specialist in Municipal Government for less money, so this is what he elected to do. Gruenberg also tells a story about when Davies rented a summer home in Swarthmore and a black woman was let in through the front door, unheard of at that time. Adult immigrant education ; Americanization classes ; Anna Davies--Philadelphia College Settlement ; Bureau of Municipal Research ; College Settlement (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Frederick Paul Gruenberg ; Jane Addams ; Lusitania ; Newman &amp ; Sons ; Newman and Sons--New Orleans ; Swarthmore, Pennsylvania Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Education ; Employment ; Housing ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Language and languages. ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Race relations 39.937567, -75.150572 17 The Philadelphia College Settlement is where the Gruenbergs resided and taught adult immigrant education from 1911-1913. http://www.philaplace.org/media/philaplace/images/3/1/32629_ca_object_representations_media_3187_large.jpg &quot ; College Settlement Neighborhood,' 1894. Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Books and Pamphlets Collection (*.201). 2440 Impressions of the settlement house population and prejudice in Philadelphia I’d be interested in finding out some more about the, uh--what, what were the im--the immigrants were like. Gruenberg recalls that in Southwark Settlement House, illiterate third and fourth generation Irish-Americans came to learn the alphabet and how to read, in order to join the army. Gruenberg says that &quot ; proper people&quot ; never bothered with the areas where settlements were located. She says that there were two sections of College Settlement: one on Lombard Street for the Irish, and one on Christian Street for Jews. Gruenberg states that the Irish from Lombard Street had never been to Center City because they did not leave their neighborhood, even though it was only a five minute walk. This was shocking to her because she grew up with &quot ; the world as her oyster.&quot ; Gruenberg tells a story about trying to open a charge account at Gimbels, but she was informed that since she lived in an apartment and did not own a house, she could not get one. Christian Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; College Settlement (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Gimbel's (Gimbel Brothers Department Store) ; Illiteracy ; Irish Americans--Philadelphia ; Jewish Neighborhood (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Lombard Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Settlement houses in Philadelphia ; Southwark Settlement House Education ; Housing ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Language and languages. ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Race relations 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/2053e124abaf0258396d435f559fe1bf.png &quot ; Adult Immigration English Class,&quot ; c. 1920-1930. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 2653 Thoughts on the &quot ; Free&quot ; Library of Philadelphia But the free library and public schools were my bête noire. Gruenberg says that the Free Library of Philadelphia and the city's public schools are her &quot ; bête noire.&quot ; She tells a story about how she recently read an article on free libraries by Dan Rottenberg. Gruenberg says that Rottenberg's article was very compelling and suggested that there be a fee for free libraries in order to change the name. Gruenberg believes that since we are a democracy, powered by the people, citizens should be able to change its name. Dan Rottenberg ; Free Library of Philadelphia ; Journalists Education ; Libraries. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/68a0df13da7cc019742d9c2627c17260.jpg &quot ; The Free Library of Philadelphia, Department for children,&quot ; c. 1890. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 2730 Married women at the Philadelphia Normal School for Girls I left college at the end of my sophomore year because I went to get married. Gruenberg recalls that she left college at the end of her sophomore year to get married. Gruenberg tells a story of how she wanted to finish her degree when she came to Philadelphia, so she went to the Philadelphia Normal School for Girls at 17th Street and Spring Garden Street to enroll. She told the man at the desk her name and that she wanted to enroll and he informed her that she was not eligible to enroll because they did not accept, nor did they hire, married women. This caused her disbelief. 17th Street and Spring Garden Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Philadelphia High School for Girls Education ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 39.963169,-75.168538 17 Gruenberg attempted to enroll in the Philadelphia Normal School for Girls at 17th Street and Spring Garden Street, but was told she was not eligible to due to the fact she was married. http://www.philaplace.org/story/1044/ Sarah F. Goldsmith, &quot ; The Philadelphia High School for Girls,&quot ; Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 2009. 2798 Participation in the women's suffrage movement Were you a, uh, Suffragette then? Gruenberg discusses her early involvement in the women's suffrage movement in Philadelphia. She recalls her husband marching in a suffragists' parade in Philadelphia in 1912. Gruenberg says that young kids who had been sitting on the curb yelled a joke to him about his masculinity as he was walking in the parade, but he just laughed it off. Harriot Eaton Stanton Blatch ; Suffragette parade--Philadelphia (Pa.) ; Women's suffrage Voting ; Women's rights ; Women--Suffrage 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/e96993a5610281776abd884bdf1f7be9.jpg &quot ; Suffragettes parading,&quot ; 1917. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 2896 The Women's Birth Control League But, I helped stage the first birth control meeting in Philadelphia in 1916. Gruenberg recounts organizing the first meeting for the Women’s Birth Control League in Philadelphia in 1916. When this meeting was originally staged, there were only about 20 people who were part of the organization: a few socialists, two women from the Main Line suburbs, and elite women with money. After struggling to find a place to meet, Gruenberg received a call from a woman in the New Century Club located on 12th Street and Walnut Street, offering their building. An overflow crowd came to hear Margaret Sanger speak. A few years later, the Women's Birth Control League changed its name to Planned Parenthood, which made Gruenberg angry, leading her to no longer do much with the organization. In the late 1970s, Gruenberg received an invitation to speak at Planned Parenthood's fiftieth anniversary. She accepted and she spoke about the era during which self-abortion was a main cause of death for women. She received a standing ovation. 12th Street and Walnut Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Margaret Sanger ; New Century Club ; Planned Parenthood ; The Women's Birth Control League ; Women's Birth Control League Abortion. ; Birth control. ; Contraception. ; Reproductive rights. ; Women's rights 39.9475797, -75.1614197 17 The Women's Birth Control League was renamed to Planned Parenthood and moved to this new location. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/4d60f2e9b2a05975ce2025219530b590.jpg &quot ; New Century Club (Philadelphia),&quot ; c. 1892. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 3229 Settlement House dramatic productions In your work at, at, um, either of the settlements, did you, uh--there must’ve been problem with too many children in--amongst the immigrants. She thinks of the Southwark Settlement House as &quot ; an oasis&quot ; because the volunteers were able to open up opportunities for the immigrants. Gruenberg taught English classes, but she was mostly interested in dramatics and theater. She recalls her involvement with the dramatics group at the College Settlement. In 1912, the dramatics group put on a production of &quot ; Alice in Wonderland&quot ; at the theater space of the Curtis Publishing Company. When the Gruenbergs lived at the College Settlement, their residence was at what soon became the Music Settlement at 416 Queen Street. Gruenberg’s husband was friends with Cyrus H.K. Curtis through the Bureau of Municipal Research board. The Gruenbergs received a call from a friend of theirs in Minneapolis who was involved in the Home Dramatics Club there. He asked if Curtis would buy stories from the Saturday Evening Post and put them in Warner Brothers movies. Cyrus declined the offer. 416 Queen Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Alice in Wonderland ; Americanization classes ; College Settlement House ; Curtis Publishing Company ; Cyrus H.K. Curtis ; Home Dramatics Club--Minneapolis ; Settlement Music School ; Southwark Settlement House Amateur theater. ; Emigration and immigration. ; Housing ; Immigrants ; Language and languages. ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Theater. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/257717af844e0932765e1db534b1269d.jpg &quot ; A Dramatic Club of the Philadelphia Settlement in &quot ; The Merchant of Venice&quot ; ,&quot ; 1900. College Settlements Association Annual Reportî (Philadelphia, 1900, vol. 11) 3473 Religious ignorance You see, I'm, I'm--now one of the things that used to rile me so, in those days, women who were still of the child-bearing age could not get any life insurance. Gruenberg recalls that her friend Martha Lippincott got the Gruenbergs a summer house in Maple Shade, New Jersey, where they stayed with an elderly couple. When they first arrived, Gruenberg told the woman that they were Jewish and she had no idea what that meant. Gruenberg then explained to her that Christ was Jewish, but the woman still did not understand. Every Sunday that summer, the couple asked the Gruenbergs to attend church, but they just politely declined. Gruenberg then tells a story about a devotedly Christian woman stating that “you,” meaning Jews, “killed Christ.” She also recalls having a Christian assistant who regularly distributed religious tracts. Delancey Place (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; J. B. Lippincott &amp ; Co. ; Life Magazine ; Maple Shade, New Jersey ; Martha Lippincott--Volunteer at Southwark House ; Plays and Players Theatre (Philadelphia theater company) ; Religious intolerance Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Religion 17 3815 Politics, corruption, and defensive Philadelphians Can I--were, were you all interested in politics when you came to the city, active at all? Gruenberg notes that she was not politically active, but her husband was extremely active. She recalls after the Rudolph Blankenburg mayoral administration, Philadelphia politics became very corrupt. Gruenberg states that the article, “Corrupt and Contented” by Lincoln Steffens got her husband interested in civic work. Gruenberg recalls the powerful Republican Vare Machine, and how the Democratic Party did not have a chance. She says that the city neglected the streets, the public schools, and other public services, observing that people with civic power sent their children to private schools, and those left in the public schools simply did not care. Gruenberg notes that her husband wrote an article on the Free Library of Philadelphia for the Bureau of Municipal Research and a man, Ashworth, who was a head librarian, wrote a review saying, &quot ; who is Gruenberg anyway? He's not even a Philadelphian.&quot ; Gruenberg concluded that if you were not a Philadelphian, then that disqualified you from having a say in things. Bureau of Municipal Research ; Citizens Committee on Public Education in Philadelphia ; Edwin Rothman ; Frederick Paul Gruenberg ; Historical Society of Pennsylvania ; Lincoln Steffens ; Pennsylvania Economy League ; Philadelphia: Corrupt and Contented (article) ; Political corruption ; Republican Party (Philadelphia) ; Rudolph Blankenburg (Mayor of Philadelphia, 1912-16) ; Smedley Darlington Butler ; Vare Machine Education ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Political corruption ; Politics and government 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/3ab8efc3061f6ca3e802eef15524ae1f.jpg &quot ; Frederick P. Gruenberg,&quot ; c. 1940. Courtesy of the Historical Society of Philadelphia. interview Born in Austria, Bertha (Sanford) Gruenberg (1888-1987) moved with her family to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1893 and then to Philadelphia in 1910. There, she and her husband volunteered at two settlement houses, joined the Philadelphia Ethical Society, and became involved in the women's suffrage movement. In her 1982 interview, Gruenberg shared her observations of Philadelphians, both rich and poor, and told about her participation in the suffrage movement and how in 1916 she helped stage the first Women’s Birth Control League meeting in Philadelphia. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh253_irw021_gruenberg_ohm.xml 2017oh253_irw021_gruenberg_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Cassondra Kelchner Sort Priority 0021 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh253_irw021_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Bertha Gruenberg Description An account of the resource Born in Austria, Bertha (Sanford) Gruenberg (1888-1987) moved with her family to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1893 and then to Philadelphia in 1910. There, she and her husband volunteered at two settlement houses, joined the Philadelphia Ethical Society, and became involved in the women's suffrage movement. In her 1982 interview, Gruenberg shared her observations of Philadelphians, both rich and poor, and told about her participation in the suffrage movement and how in 1916 she helped stage the first Women’s Birth Control League meeting in Philadelphia. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh253_irw021 Subject The topic of the resource Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Minneapolis (Minn.) Plymouth Meeting (Pa.) Vienna (Austria). Jewish families. Jews--Identity. Immigrants Emigration and immigration. Language and languages. Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. Education Libraries. Neighborhoods. Housing Employment Race relations Voting Women--Suffrage Women's rights Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio Relation A related resource <a href="/exhibits/show/bertha-gruenberg/outsider" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Explore an exhibit about Bertha's life</a> https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/a6fe5feafb80a53cc24e25bab63046c1.jpg cea1c352b0fa49fbd5f0c91c98ab5c58 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Charles Hardy Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Gilda Cetrullo Interview Keyword Education Marriage Voting Holidays Religion Travel Abruzzo (Italy) OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh242_irw010 Interview with Gilda Cetrullo, June 16, 1982 2017oh242_irw010 irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Immigrants Emigration and immigration. Families. Depressions--1929 Employment Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Neighborhoods. Race relations Discrimination. Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. Recreation Language and languages. Education Marriage Voting Holidays Religion Travel Abruzzo (Italy) Gilda Cetrullo Charles Hardy 2017oh242_irw010_cetrullo_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh242_irw010_cetrullo_acc001.mp3 Other audio 11 Roots in Italy and family immigration Your name is Mrs. Cetrullo? Cetrullo describes her roots in Abruzzo, Italy. She also describes how her family came to America and why she was the last one to come over. Abruzzo, Italy ; Italy ; Parental authority ; Socialism ; Woman Abruzzo (Italy) ; Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants 4.138405, 12.264553 17 Abruzzo (Italy) 252 Staying in Italy without her family and meeting her boyfriend Well, my uncle was working--was employed by a very very wealthy family. Cetrullo recalls that she stayed in Italy because her uncle's wealthy employers had grown very attached to her. She stayed with this family when her sister joined the rest of her family in Philadelphia. Cetrullo grew up very comfortably in this environment. When she was 17 she met a boy, a socialist of whom her father did not approve. Eventually, Cetrullo’s father sent for her to come to the United States so that she would not have a relationship with him. Chain migration ; Parental authority ; Socialism Abruzzo (Italy) ; Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 320 Immigration woes So finally my father--well, at the time my older brother had, uh, finished college. Gilda talks about the immigration quotas in place in the early 1920s that made her trip to America difficult. Even though she was 20 years old, her father came to accompany her on the journey. She describes that it was a struggle to get her immigration papers, requiring them to wait for thirteen months in Italy before they could travel. Immigration papers ; Pharmacy ; Pharmacy schools ; Quotas Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/947f40cf209174f50229ca323af01d2a.jpg Cetrullo's immigration boarding registry 383 First impressions of Philadelphia And, uh, July 1923 I finally arrived to Philadelphia. Cetrullo arrived reluctantly in Philadelphia on a hot, smelly trash day and reunited with her family. She describes the day she arrived and reuniting with her family who she had not seen, and her new siblings she had never met. She also enthusiastically details a fun experience at Willow Grove Amusement Park. Willow Grove Park (amusement park, Willow Grove, Pa.) Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/6ffc732141aa65692abc1c05e11d07ad.jpg John Gibb-Smith, Willow Grove Amusement Park, 1936. Courtesy of the Free Library of Philadelphia 500 Jobs and education in America What did your father do? Cetrullo describes her family's work and her own desire to earn money as a young woman in order to return to Italy. She recalls getting an education, finding a job, and her first employer. Working for a dressmaker, she helped make Miss Philadelphia's dress, who went on to become Miss America in the mid-1920s. Even though the dressmaking shop had no union, she went on strike for better wages. Once the fashions changed, the dressmaking industry was not as lucrative, so she got a job running a sewing machine at a shirt factory near her home at 16th Street and Reed Street in South Philadelphia. 11th Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 16th Street and Reed Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Chestnut Street (Pa.) ; Dressmaking ; Labor strikes ; Labor unions ; Languages ; Market Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Orthopedics ; Pageants ; Receptionists ; Shirt factory ; Shoemakers ; Shoes ; Wanamaker’s Department Store Education ; Employment ; Immigrants 9.933504, -75.170640 17 16th and Reed St, near where Cetrullo lived. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/9b9443426bab6512ae336cc2c7402f80.jpg Ruth Malcomson, posing here with some of her awards, was crowned Miss Philadelphia in 1923 and then Miss America in 1924. Gilda Cetrullo helped make the dress Malcolmson wore in the 1924 pageant. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 831 Her boyfriend's arrival in Philadelphia And then my boyfriend came and we got married. Cetrullo had kept in touch with her boyfriend in Italy, and he eventually immigrated to Philadelphia in 1927. They got married three months later. He had fled Italy during the Mussolini regime, with stints in France and Cuba before coming to the United States. His immigration status was undocumented, making his employment unstable because he could not become an American citizen. Her husband eventually was able to stay in the United States as a political refugee. He later worked in New York as an automobile mechanic. They had two sons. Arrivals ; Automobile mechanics ; Automobiles ; Benito Mussolini ; Citizenship ; Cuba ; Deportation ; France ; Italy ; Political refugees ; Sons ; Undocumented immigrants Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Marriage 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/155a68e53edfb3e5da031c5bc5c23351.jpg Anthony Cetrullo's draft registration 1100 Working during the Great Depression But then we moved back to Philadelphia. Cetrullo and her husband returned to Philadelphia from New York in 1928 when she was expecting her first child. They moved in with her parents. Later, they moved to Paterson, New Jersey, where her husband worked in an airplane factory. Once the Great Depression hit, they returned to Philadelphia where she was able to get a job and was the primary breadwinner, which made her husband feel terrible. They never struggled too much financially, although there were stints of unemployment. 1928 ; Airplane factory ; Breadwinners ; Garments ; Great Depression ; Home ; Husbands ; Knitting ; Money ; New Jersey ; Philadelphia (Pa.) ; Return ; Savings ; Work ; Yarn Depressions--1929 ; Employment ; Families. 17 1361 Recollections of South Philadelphia neighborhoods But then when my husband started to work and I had a job, we rented a house. Gilda describes her new home in South Philly where she still resides, and her new neighbors. She discusses a lack of tensions between different immigrant groups. She recalls feeling no discrimination from other Philadelphians. 16th Street and Wolf Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Irish Americans--Philadelphia ; Mole Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) 15th Street and Reed Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; National Recovery Act (NRA) ; Social security ; South Philadelphia ; Unemployment benefits Discrimination. ; Immigrants ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Race relations 17 1586 Life in the city What, uh, what memories stand out or what part--aspects of the city or life in the city stand out from your first few years here? Cetrullo talks about her disdain for Philadelphia architecture, dominated by row houses which she thought lacked artistry. She also recalls her love of entertainment, specifically going to the movies and to plays. She notes that learning English was challenging, and how insecure she felt speaking and writing. She recalls that it took her nine months to feel comfortable speaking English. Architecture ; Continuation schools ; Entertainment ; French ; Language acquisition ; Movie theaters ; Movies ; Night schools ; South Philadelphia High School ; Television ; Theater Language and languages. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Recreation 17 1743 Naturalization classes and recollections of politics I'm interested in, in these, uh--the naturalization classes. Cetrullo recalls that in her naturalization courses she primarily learned language skills, along with American government and civics. She does not consider herself political as a person, although she voted after she received her citizenship. Americanization ; Calvin Coolidge ; Citizenship ; Civics ; Language acquisition ; Naturalization ; United States civics ; William Vare Emigration and immigration. ; Immigrants ; Politics and government ; Voting 17 1940 Holidays and religion What would be a typical Christmas in the 1920s? Cetrullo goes into detail about how her big Italian family celebrated Christmas, particularly about the meals her family ate, including eating at 11 pm on Christmas Eve due to her brother's job at the pharmacy. She recalls it as very fun ; she enjoyed the dinners, baking treats, and giving gifts. She notes that her family was not particularly religious. Christmas traditions ; Feast of the Seven Fishes ; Italian Americans--Philadelphia ; Italians ; Pharmacists Families. ; Holidays ; Religion 17 2068 Visiting family in Italy / Labor union activity Um, did you ever want to go back to Italy? Cetrullo wanted to return to Italy until her future husband finally came to America. Her parents died in 1971, as well as her sister-in-law. She eventually returned to Italy to see both her own cousins and her husband’s family, visiting family in Rome, Milan, and Abruzzo. She discusses that she worked in closed shops without unions, although she eventually worked in a shop that was unionized, where she “reaped the benefits” of the union in place. Abruzzo (Italy) ; Abruzzo, Italy ; Christmas bonuses ; Milan (Italy) ; Milan, Italy ; Rome (Italy) ; Rome, Italy Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Labor unions ; Travel 17 2256 Reflections on changes to Philadelphia Final question. How would you say--what ways, um, has the city changed most dramatically? Cetrullo notes that Philadelphia has changed, including buildings and bridges that have been added or removed. She discusses her children playing at League Island and how her husband worried about the children's safety. She is proud of her work and how she raised her children. Architecture ; Benjamin Franklin Bridge ; Field managers ; League Island (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Market Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Oregon Ave (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Pharmacists ; The Neck (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Walt Whitman Bridge Families. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Recreation 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/97ad65b00ae85cea821072c01a5b7dde.jpg League Island Swimming, 1938, Courtesy of Temple University Libraries. 2489 Vacations to Italy Oh, I forgot to mention I went back to Italy three more times after that. Cetrullo recounts her multiple vacations to Italy and her meetings with her family. She brought her granddaughter, who could not speak Italian and grew frustrated, ruining Cetrullo’s trip. But she recalls lovely vacations meeting with old friends and family. Abruzzo (Italy) ; Abruzzo, Italy ; Florence (Italy) ; Florence, Italy ; Germany ; Italy ; Milan (Italy) ; Milan, Italy ; Rome (Italy) ; Rome, Italy ; Switzerland Families. ; Travel 17 interview Gilda Cemi Cetrullo (b. 1903) was 17 when she left Abruzzi, Italy to join her parents in Philadelphia. In her 1982 interview, Cetrullo talked about her life in Italy and the United States, including her long separation from her family, her first impressions of Philadelphia, her education and work experiences, life as an illegal immigrant in the U.S., and raising a family. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh242_irw010_cetrullo_ohm.xml 2017oh242_irw010_cetrullo_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Samantha Smolko Sort Priority 0010 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh242_irw010_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Gilda Cetrullo Description An account of the resource Gilda Cemi Cetrullo (b. 1903) was 20 when she left Abruzzi, Italy, to join her parents in Philadelphia, arriving in 1923. In her 1982 interview, Cetrullo talked about her life in Italy and the United States, including her long separation from her family, her first impressions of Philadelphia, her education and work experiences, life as an illegal immigrant in the U.S., and raising a family. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh242_irw010 Subject The topic of the resource Immigrants Emigration and immigration. Families. Depressions--1929 Employment Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Neighborhoods. Race relations Discrimination. Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. Recreation Language and languages. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio Relation A related resource <a href="/exhibits/show/gilda-cetrullo/biography" title="Cutrello exhibit">Explore an exhibit about Cetrullo's life</a> https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/6077f9a01e3d936cd11882b77221cf09.png 29175eeae977dcf120533bc9b9c38082 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Marc Gallicchio Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Louise Abrucesse Tony Lombardo Margaret Olivia Interview Keyword Childbirth Prohibition Public baths. Chores. Housekeeping. World War, 1939-1945--Veterans. Couples. Manners and customs Interpersonal relations Dates (Social engagements) OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh301_irw069 Interview with Louise Abrucesse, Tony Lombardo, and Margaret Olivia, June 9, 1982 2017oh301_irw069 ohirw I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Collection irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Childhood Recreation Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. Dating (Social customs) Child labor. Employment Families. Immigrants Emigration and immigration. Diseases. Health. Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 Sanitation. Labor unions Women--Employment. Depressions--1929 Economics. United States--Economic conditions Childbirth Prohibition Public baths. Chores. Housekeeping. World War, 1939-1945--Veterans. Couples. Manners and customs Interpersonal relations Dates (Social engagements) Louise Abrucesse Tony Lombardo Margaret Olivia Marc Gallicchio 2017oh301_irw069_center_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh301_irw069_center_acc001.mp3 Other audio 0 Childhood memories and traditions Uh, my name is Margaret Olivia. Olivia introduces herself and talks about her childhood memories with her father riding the open trolleys in Fairmount Park. She says that they lived on Mountain Street, near 11th and Morris, where a neighbor took all the kids to Smith's Playground in Fairmount Park, which had a giant sliding board. She shares that she used to babysit, that &quot ; we made our own fun,&quot ; and that they used to pick up fabrics thrown out by the merchants on Passyunk Avenue to make Halloween costumes. 10th Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Babysitting ; Fairmount Park (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Finisher ; Halloween parties ; Horticultural Hall ; Mountain Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Open trolleys ; Passyunk Ave (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Smith's Playground (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; South Philadelphia Childhood ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Recreation ; Transportation 39.988261, -75.197028 17 Fairmount Park, Philadelphia (Pa.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/9ff9bc0b004427eabe61995f6b6df2ce.jpg &quot ; Fairmount Park Transit Co 32.&quot ; 7 September 1946. Don Ross Collection. 216 Dating in the 1930s W, when was, uh,--I want to go right at this and get a little personal. When was your, uh--do you remember your first date? Abrucesse and Olivia talk about their first dates at movies and vaudeville shows at The Earle Theatre, and how they lied to their parents saying they were at church to go on dates. All three name the stars and big bands they saw in the 1930s. Abrucesse shares how she stood up for a serviceman who was refused admission to the movies during World War II. 'White lies' ; 11th and Market Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Cinema ; Curfews ; Dating ; Entertainment ; Frank Sinatra ; High schools ; Jimmy Lunsford ; Marriage ; Martha Ray ; Movies ; Parental authority ; Servicemen ; The Earle Theater ; Vaudeville Couples. ; Dates (Social engagements) ; Dating (Social customs) ; Interpersonal relations ; Manners and customs ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Recreation 39.951685, -75.158111 17 Earle Theatre 1046 Market Street Philadelphia (Pa.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/579c0810a1b820da217920de9e53ea8d.jpg &quot ; The Earle Theatre,&quot ; George Mann. Cinema Treasures. 482 Tony Lombardo's courtship Anthony, right? Lombardo talks about his first date, riding a double decker bus on Broad Street, and his courtship with his future wife, who he dated for twelve years before they married. He has now been married for 45 years. He shares that he, like many children back then, never went to high school because he had to help out his parents. Broad Street Station (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Double decker buses ; Marriage Child labor. ; Childhood ; Couples. ; Dates (Social engagements) ; Dating (Social customs) ; Education ; Employment ; Families. ; Interpersonal relations ; Lifestyles. ; Manners and customs 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/802206f704ffeab73c160810ba6a30c3.jpg &quot ; Double decker bus.&quot ; May 7, 1937. John Gibb Smith Trolley Car Collection. Free Library of Philadelphia, Print and Picture Collection. 596 Lombardo's childhood and first job And, uh, the most enjoyable things we--I, I remember now... Lombardo recalls how his father walked from their apartment at 8th and Christian to his work in a coal yard at 29th and Dauphin, and how on Friday nights his father brought home nickel pies that he bought on Ridge Avenue, so the kids had to be good to get the pie. He then shares about his first job. He was a busboy (&quot ; dummy&quot ; boy) at the Bellevue Stratford. 'Dummy boys' ; 29th and Dauphin Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 8th and Christian Street (Philadelphia, Pa) ; 8th and Christian Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Bellevue-Stratford Hotel ; Busboys ; Careers ; Clothing factory ; Coal yards ; Jobs ; Pies ; Restaurants ; Ridge Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Work Child labor. ; Childhood ; Employment ; Families. 39.949937, -75.164742 17 100 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia. The Bellevue Stratford Hotel. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/aeb5175f7031e475861cab6c1d245717.jpg &quot ; Cafe of the Bellevue Stratford Hotel.&quot ; 1904. Franklin Davenport Edmunds, Free Library of Philadelphia. 767 Abrucesse's first job How about your first job? What did you do? Abrucesse talks about how at age 14 she got her first summer job with her sister at a factory that made Christmas ornaments for 8-9 dollars a week. She went to business school at Wanamaker's Institute and worked as a bookkeeper for a real estate business, 6 days a week for $12. 23rd and Walnut Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Business schools ; Careers ; Christmas decorations ; Factory work ; First jobs ; John Wanamaker Commercial Institute ; Work Child labor. ; Childhood ; Education ; Employment 39.951281, -75.178470 17 23rd and Walnut Street, Philadelphia (Pa.). Location of Wanamaker's Institute. 924 Olivia's first job, at the Victor Talking Machine Company If you hear about my first job--I still don't believe I did this job really. Olivia shares the story of how she got her first job with the Victor Company in Camden, New Jersey at the age of 15 and she had to go to continuation school one day a week. Working at Victor for 6 years, she learned how to solder electronics for automobile radios. They share stories about taking the ferry from Philadelphia to Camden. Automobiles ; Camden (N.J.) ; Camden, New Jersey ; Careers ; Continuation schools ; Ferries ; Ferry boats ; First jobs ; Jobs ; Philadelphia Naval Yard (Navy yard) ; Radios ; Soldering ; Victor RCA ; Victor Talking Machine Company ; Victrolas ; Work Child labor. ; Childhood ; Education ; Employment 39.947692, -75.127120 17 RCA Victor Company in Camden (N.J.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/1ab2f9c05c0222cd42f4b236160fd2bc.jpg &quot ; Philadelphia-Camden Ferry Service #1.&quot ; 1952. William Rapp Collection. Free Library of Philadelphia, Photo and Print Collection. 1105 Childhood memories Did the ferry have a name? Interviewees talk about what they did as kids: taking the &quot ; Lizzie&quot ; on Delaware River to Red Bank, looking for scrap metal in the dumps, picking coal from the railroad tracks, getting ice for the family ice boxes, walking the newly opened Benjamin Franklin Bridge in 1926, their first visit to Atlantic City, sports, working at the Italian Market on 9th Street, the importance dolls, and other childhood stories. 12th and Washington Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Benjamin Franklin Bridge ; Carriages ; Coal ; Delaware River ; Dolls ; Entertainment ; Ice factory ; Market Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Old wives tales ; Riverboats ; Scavenging ; Scrap metal ; South Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; The Lizzie Boat ; Trains ; Washington Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) Child labor. ; Childhood ; Employment ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Recreation ; Transportation 39.952876, -75.132296 17 Benjamin Franklin Bridge (Philadelphia, Pa.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/a951d6babf70c48a47fc83508faa3710.jpg &quot ; Official Crossing on Footbridge.&quot ; August 8, 1924. Delaware River Port Authority. 1387 Work at Victor, Lit Brothers, and Dolfingers Y, you mentioned your father worked at 29th and Dauphin. Um, did your, uh, did your parents--you know, where did they work? Olivia says her father worked at the Victor Company making cabinets for Victrolas after he emigrated from Messina, Sicily. Her mother arrived at the age of 27 from Sicily and didn't like it here. Abrucesse recalls that her father, who was from Casino, near Rome, worked at Lit Brothers starting fires in the stoves. He later worked for Dolfinger's Milk Company. Olivia shares that everybody helped each other. 29th Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Camden (N.J.) ; Camden, New Jersey ; Dolfinger's Milk Company ; Finishers ; Lit Brothers Department Store ; Marriage ; Messina (Italy) ; Messina (Sicily) ; Messina, Sicily ; Paisans ; Radio Corporation of America (RCA) ; Victor Company ; Victrolas ; Work conditions ; Working conditions Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants 38.1938, 15.5540 6 Messina (Italy) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/25c338b8cff815e491f26568b1c3a1d6.png &quot ; The Victor Dog and Victrola.&quot ; Courtesy of the Victor Cafe. 1571 The influenza epidemic of 1918 and outhouses One of the questions we have been asking people is about, um, just family healthcare. Abrucesse, Olivia, and Lombardo remember how family doctors came to their homes, charging fifty cents for a visit. Lombardo talks about his family's experience with the Influenza Epidemic of 1918, when all of his family members took ill and he helped take care of them in their 2nd floor apartment at 10th and Carpenter Street. He remembers the doctors' fears his younger brother would die, and how his aunt cut her head on a nail while crying in the outhouse. 10th Street and Carpenter Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 9th Street and Catherine Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 9th Street and Federal Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Doctor DeFao ; Doctors ; House doctors ; Influenza Epidemic of 1918 ; Outhouses ; Toilet paper ; Toilets Diseases. ; Families. ; Health. ; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 ; Physicians ; Plumbing. ; Refuse and refuse disposal. ; Sanitation. ; Sewerage. ; Waste disposal sites 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/f27eee1b1ced380f882243f57840b624.png &quot ; 3512 North Lawrence Street.&quot ; c. 1920. Housing Association of the Delaware Valley Photographs Collection, Temple University Libraries. 1796 Lombardo's recollections of his father and his parent's courtship in Italy You know, my father was a, a, a great reader of books, you know, Italian books, Italian stories. Lombardo relives memories of his father reading and then telling stories to his family and friends as they sat and ate chestnuts around a coal stove. Lombardo tells story of how his father, orphaned in Italy, was raised by his uncle to be a priest. On Saint Anthony's Day, he met Lombardo's mother, who put her &quot ; evil eye&quot ; on him so that they would get married. They ran away to a neighboring town to marry, leading to his father's arrest. They immigrated to the U.S. in 1903. Coal stoves ; Elopement ; Family ; Fathers ; Italian ; Italian stories ; St. Anthony's Day ; Traditions ; Trinity row houses Couples. ; Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Marriage ; Recreation 17 1990 More on the Influenza Epidemic of 1918 I, I just want to go back to the, um, the influenza for a second, what you remember. Lombardo, Olivia, and Abrucesse talk about the Influenza Epidemic of 1918 and how it affected their communities. Abrucesse remembers how a neighbor boy died from influenza and his parents buried him in a macaroni box. They recall how they were not allowed to attend mass inside the church and could only congregate outside to prevent spread of disease. Lombardo tells how his neighbor hired a horse and wagon to carry his daughter to the cemetery in Yeadon where he dug his daughter's grave. 11th and Carpenter Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Churches--Philadelphia ; Congregating ; Death ; Influenza Epidemic of 1918 ; Macaroni boxes ; Quarantine ; Undertakers ; Yeadon Cemetery Diseases. ; Families. ; Health. ; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 ; Sanitation. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/square_thumbnails/de3f4678ac2e6374fa05e0e979edc356.jpg &quot ; Spitting Spreads Death.&quot ; 1918. Department of Public Health Monthly Bulletin Collection, Temple University Libraries. 2186 Boarding fellow immigrants / Jewish salesmen / Nickel insurance policies Like I said, even those days, things were so hard. Abrucesse's explains that a 'paisan' is a fellow Italian immigrant who came from the same hometown. She reminisces about how communities would help each other when times were hard with boarding and housing. Arbutuses talks about Jewish hucksters who sold lines, furniture, clothing, and Metropolitan insurance nickel policies door-to-door ; and remembers her mother shopping on Dock Street. They then speak briefly about voting and their ward leaders. &quot ; Reddy&quot ; Jackson ; 9th Street and Carpenter Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Boarding houses ; Boardinghouses ; Dock Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Homeownership ; Housing ; Jewish ; Jews--Philadelphia ; Metropolitan Insurance ; Politicians ; Salesmen ; Street hucksters ; Voting ; Ward leaders Communities. ; Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Neighborhoods ; Philadelphia (Pa.) ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Politicians ; Politics and government ; Shopping. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/f249b8e02ad442824dc41eeb3d8655b9.jpg &quot ; Dock Street Market.&quot ; Courtesy of PhillyHistory.org 2534 On immigrants helping one another out / Childbirth And, uh, now I was going to say something... Abrucesse and Olivia talk about how they would help each other, provide gifts of food including pasta and sauce following childbirth, and attend each other's weddings. She notes that paisans typically lived in the same area of the city as one another. Lombardo looks back on an experience with a rat in his house. They all recall home births and the role of midwives, and how they heard neighbor women screaming during labor. Gift baskets ; Outhouses ; Paisans ; Rats ; Support ; Weddings Childbirth ; Communities. ; Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Medical care ; Midwifery ; Midwives ; Neighborhoods ; Philadelphia (Pa.) ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/3f56fee18b0880c4d27c6b3da7cf71fb.jpg &quot ; Italian Women.&quot ; 1940. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 2886 Lombardo's work history and labor organizing at Bromley Mills Right. You were talking about earlier--about t--uh, working in the cigar factory. Lombardo recalls at age 16 how he worked at 44 Cigars at 14th and Washington Avenue piling machines, eventually meeting his wife at this factory, before working at Bayuk Cigars. Not liking to work around women all the time, he worked in Bromley rug mill for about 12 years, 10 hours a day, 6 hours on Saturdays. Upon reading about labor organizing, he talked to other workers at Bromley's about unionizing. He got to &quot ; the boss's ear,&quot ; who told him to &quot ; keep it low.&quot ; Lombardo says he was the guy &quot ; that shoved the union in there&quot ; and got them overtime and time and a half on Saturdays. 12th and Washington (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 1932 ; 44 Cigars ; Bayuk Cigars ; Bill Bowman ; Bottles Union ; Bromley Mills (Adams Ave., Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Franklin Roosevelt ; Great Depression ; Harry Shields ; Oilers ; Sweatshops ; Work conditions ; Working conditions Child labor. ; Depressions--1929 ; Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions ; Women--Employment. 17 http://www.workshopoftheworld.com/frankford/bromley.html &quot ; Bromley Mills.&quot ; c. 1910. Barbara M. Auwarter and Joyce Halley, Workshop of the World (Oliver Evans Press, 1990) 3184 Lombardo's labor organizing at Weinberg Novelty Were you, um, were you an actual organizer any--were you an official in the union? Lombardo says that when he quit Bromley, he became a spray painter at Weinberg Brothers novelty shop at 913 Arch Street, where he became shop steward. One week he got fired 4 times, but kept getting hired back when he threatened to bring in the union. He worked with Local 832, part of the Bottler's Union which belonged to the Pepsi Cola union. 913 Arch Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Bottlers Union Local 832 ; Weinberg Brothers Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 39.953882, -75.155331 17 913 Arch Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) Location of Weinberg Brothers novelty shop. 3340 Life during the Great Depression Tell me about the, um, Depression. I mean, what was it like then? During the Depression, many people lost their money from the banks since the banks all closed. The interviewees recall how times were hard during the Depression and people had to start from scratch after losing their savings. Olivia reflects how she didn't go to school anymore because she had to work to support the family during the summer and her brother had to work at Frank's Water Ice when he was 16 years old. Lombardo recalls eating pork and beans every day for two weeks while his mother was sick. His father had to work at Bethlehem Steel during the Depression, commuting there by train every day. Bethlehem (Pa.) ; Bethlehem Steel ; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania ; Factory work ; Frank's Water Ice ; Great Depression ; Philadelphia Naval Yard (Navy yard) ; Prohibition ; Soup houses ; South Philadelphia ; Trolleys ; Work Progress Administration (W.P.A.) ; Work Progress Administration (WPA) Child labor. ; Childhood ; Depressions--1929 ; Economics. ; Education ; Employment ; Families. ; United States--Economic conditions 40.6259, - 75.3705 17 Bethlehem (Pa.). Location of Bethlehem Steel. http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/great-depression/ Roger D. Simon, &quot ; Great Depression.&quot ; Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, 2013. 3704 Entertainment in the 1930s You mentioned earlier some of the entertainers that you saw. Abrucesse and Olivia reflect on how they went to The Earle Theatre, The Alhambra Theatre, and other movie houses. They would pay for two movies for a nickel and they'd bring their lunch to stay there all day. They talk about how they went dancing at different places including the Wagners, Broadwood Hotel, and The Verde Hall in the 30s and 40s. Other sources of entertainment included performances from bands and artists like Glenn Miller, Paul Whitman, Harry James, and Tommy Dorsi. 1930s ; 19th Street and Market Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 8th and Christian Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Ballrooms ; Bands ; Christian Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Dancing ; Glenn Miller ; Harry Janes ; Italian movies ; Jimmy Lunceford ; Louis Prima ; Movie houses ; Paul Whiteman ; Slapstick ; The Alhambra Theatre (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; The Broadwood Hotel (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; The Cash Box ; The Earle Theatre (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; The Valencia ; Tommy Dorsi ; Vaudeville ; Verdi Hall (Philadelphia, Pa.) Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Recreation 39.924599, -75.173794 17 1628-44 Passyunk Ave, (Philadelphia, Pa.) Location of the Alhambra Theatre before demolished. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/7e3ae40cd3c3673a6a2e027d65fa00bc.jpg &quot ; Glenn Miller Portrait,&quot ; American Music Research Center, University of Colorado Boulder. 3944 Sneaking out to go dancing By twelve o'clock I had to be in the house. Olivia recalls how her mom would lie to her father about where her sisters were when they were out dancing. Lombardo talks about how the neighborhood girls would take off their shoes to run home after sneaking out to go dancing. Abrucesse recollects that her father would threaten them with a beating if they would leave the house to go to a ball. 'White lies' ; 3rd Street and Spruce Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Ballrooms ; Dance box ; Dancing ; Parental authority ; Sneak out ; Washington Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) Families. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Recreation 39.946317, -75.146944 17 3rd and Spruce Street Philadelphia (Pa.). Location of the Dance Box. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/847042ad172d50fb8f3ce877b7fd162f.png &quot ; Social Dancing.&quot ; 1942. Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Collection, Temple University Libraries. 4310 Homemade wine and recreation You, uh, you mentioned your father used to, used to read to the family. Lombardo's father would read them the Italian paper and listen to the Victrola, dancing and singing. Abrucesse recalls having all the neighborhood paisans over and they would play the piano, drink wine, and have dinner together. Lombardo's father made wine by the gallon for the neighbors and his friends during Prohibition. A gallon of homemade wine cost 9 dollars. Alcohol ; Bootleggers ; Bootlegging ; Family ; Homemade wine ; Italian newspapers ; Pianos ; Radios ; Records ; Stetson Hat Company ; Victrolas ; Wine Alcoholic beverage law violations ; Crime. ; Distillation ; Distilling, illicit ; Families. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Prohibition ; Recreation 17 https://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/e3d41644b3ba933aa88d88597b17faf0.jpg “Smedley Butler Destroying Kegs of Beer,” Philly Immigration, accessed July 2, 2018. 4525 Public bathhouses and housework Someone else we, we were talking to had, uh, mentioned they used to go to, uh--parents and his father and his uncles they used to go to the public baths... Olivia and Abrucesse recall how they bathed at public bathhouses at least once a week, usually on Saturdays. They remember how the bathhouses were very clean and they had plenty of hot water. After going to the bathhouse, all the children learned how to do house duties and each sibling was responsible for their own housework. Abrucesse remembers using the their bathtub at home to clean and scrub laundry. 9th Street and Wharton Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Bath tubs ; Bathhouses ; Housework ; Laundry work ; Public bathrooms Baths. ; Chores. ; Housekeeping. ; Hygiene. ; Plumbing. ; Public baths. ; Sanitation. 17 http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/public-baths-and-bathing/ Ryan D. Purcell, &quot ; Public baths and bathing&quot ; Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, 2013. 4689 Stetson Hat Company --Stetson Hat Company. Lombardo reflects on how he would get gold pieces instead of paper money from the Stetson Hat Company. Olivia's oldest sister was paid in silver dollars by a man who ran a shoe store. Lombardo recalls how he admired Stetson for keeping his word. Stetson Hat Company had relations in Italy during the time of WWII. Mussolini didn't let Stetson bring his machines to Italy so Stetson refused to move part of the company overseas since he made his hats with machinery. Olivia remembers how craftsmen worked in the factory to create popular fashion items including shoes, straw hats, and dresses. 23rd and Market Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Benito Mussolini ; Craftsman ; Fashion ; Gold pieces ; Imports ; Industrialization ; Italy ; Parisian tailors ; Silver dollars ; Stetson Hat Company ; World War II Employment ; World War, 1939-1945 39.977367, -75.141890 17 4th Street and Cecil B Moore Ave (Philadelphia, Pa) Location of the Stetson Hat Company Factory. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/b2fbc7155a2ce36c6fe2d308ff1f62bb.jpg &quot ; Stetson Hat Company - Sizing Department&quot ; c. 1913. Hagley Museum and Library. 4879 Party for servicemen on Market Street Back in the nineteen, uh--when did we get into the war? Olivia reflects on her time in the Y.W.C.A. during World War II. Olivia and the Y.W.C.A. had a party for the servicemen between their trips when they had nothing to do and no place to go. Olivia remembers how Mrs. Huggins and the rest of the Y.W.C.A. arranged a party on Market Street for all the servicemen. They went down the streets with posters and invited every man in uniform to come to their party. They had music, food, dancing, and mingling. It was the beginning of the U.S.O. Army ; Dancing ; Market Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Philadelphia Naval Yard (Navy yard) ; United Service Organizations (USO) ; World War II ; Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia (YWCA) Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; World War, 1939-1945 ; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/2912222af547e0cf42456cc178f995aa.jpg &quot ; Young Women's Christian Association of Philadelphia.&quot ; Swiderski, H.L., Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. interview Conducted at the Marconi Center in South Philadelphia, this group interview recounts the childhood and adolescent years of three Italian-Americans who grew up in an Italian enclave in Philadelphia. They recall their first jobs, parents' lives in Italy, home births, the Influenza Epidemic of 1918, going to public baths, and the popular culture of their youth. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh301_irw069_center_ohm.xml 2017oh301_irw069_center_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Veronica Aten Sort Priority 0001 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh301_irw069_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Louise Abrucesse, Tony Lombardo, and Margaret Olivia Description An account of the resource Conducted at the Marconi Center in South Philadelphia, this group interview recounts the childhood and adolescent years of three Italian-Americans who grew up in an Italian enclave in Philadelphia. They recall their first jobs, parents' lives in Italy, home births, the Influenza Epidemic of 1918, going to public baths, and the popular culture of their youth. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh301_irw069 Subject The topic of the resource Childhood Recreation Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. Dating (Social customs) Child labor. Employment Families. Immigrants Emigration and immigration. Diseases. Health. Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 Sanitation. Labor unions Women--Employment. Depressions--1929 Economics. United States--Economic conditions Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/35b65e295b7f6eee16342b8a5d085e25.jpg e01adfb327da056405866812d3e34947 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Judy Levin Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Max Tannenbaum Interview Keyword World War I Small business owners Crime. Education Jewish children Recreation OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh297_irw065 Interview with Max Tannenbaum, June 2, 1982 2017oh297_irw065 ohirw I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Collection irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Language and languages. Employment Emigration and immigration. Immigrants Families. Childhood Child labor. Economics. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) World War, 1914-1918 Labor disputes Labor movement Labor unions Small business--Ownership World War I Small business owners Crime. Education Jewish children Recreation Max Tannenbaum Judy Levin 2017oh297_irw065_tannenbaum_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh297_irw065_tannenbaum_acc001.mp3 Other audio 21 Introduction / Early childhood Okay, Mr. Tannenbaum, where were you born? The interviewer, Judy Levin, is interviewing Max Tannenbaum who is a Ukraine born immigrant. He immigrated to the United States when he was 19 years of age. The initial part of the interview focuses on Tannenbaum's early years growing up in the Ukraine. Tannenbaum was born 1 year after his parents married, and discusses how his family grew with multiple siblings over the years. He recounts learning Hebrew at the age of 5, and that he taught other children Hebrew while in his teenage years before he went on to find other jobs because, unfortunately, the job did not pay well. Brothers ; Careers ; Hebrew language ; Jewish citizens ; Jobs ; Siblings ; Teaching ; Ukraine ; Work Childhood ; Education ; Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Language and languages. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/3b072c534a32a97cfa7a7d6a54664dc5.jpg &quot ; Ukraine Map&quot ; , c. 1895-1917, Courtesy of the Library of Congress. 366 Big responsibilities at a young age My father used to be a, a, a guy that makes shingles on the roof. Tannenbaum discusses how his father participated in roofing work that was difficult to do year round. He states that his father struggled with finding work, which prompted him to eventually immigrate to the United States to find work. As a result of his father leaving, Tannenbaum was left to take care of his family. This prompted him, along with his brother, to travel across Ukraine to find work at a local dam. It was on this journey that they encountered wolves and had to survive in the wilderness. Careers ; Jewish ; Jobs ; Local dams ; Ukraine ; Wilderness ; Work ; Young boys Child labor. ; Childhood ; Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/bf7f5c3818d2cefd32403a41dbdcdf73.jpg &quot ; Russian Village&quot ; , c. 1909-1920, Courtesy of National Photo Company Collection (Library of Congress) Gift from Herbert A. French ; 1947. Russian village similar to the type of village Tannenbaum would have grown up in. 789 Finding work and providing for the family And I decided, I went over to that guy there that I saw that time when he came to the synagogue... Tannenbaum discusses his need to provide for his family financially, and how he approached a man at his synagogue and propositioned him for a job at a local dam. He was questioned on his ability to perform the duties, but stated he proved his strength by doing a &quot ; strength test&quot ; . After proving his ability, Tannenbaum and his brother were given work at the dam making 10 rubles a week, which he gave to his mother. Tannenbaum discusses how he also built toys and other items to make money for his family in addition to working at the dam. Careers ; Death ; Financial responsibility ; Grandfathers ; Jobs ; Local dams ; Money ; Rubles ; Tests of strength ; Work Child labor. ; Childhood ; Economics. ; Families. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/87c70b6d1e4a6d40a5426f6659f02467.jpg &quot ; Russian Ruble 10 Banknote&quot ; , c. 1909, Courtesy of Notes of the World. 1071 Fond memories at the synagogue and ice skating in the winter time Sh, she, she was a--when we used to, uh, pray in the synagogue, the synagogue was divided into two halves. Tannenbaum discusses how his mother was educated by the synagogue and would teach other women how to pray. He recounts an amusing story of when a dog entered the synagogue and scared the women. He remembers how his mother told the other boys to chase the dog out of the building. He further remembers positive memories about making wooden skates and going ice skating along the frozen lakes, as well as eating different kinds of berries that were frozen over in the winter time. Ice skating ; Jewish faith ; Jewish synagogues ; Prayers ; Winters Childhood ; Education ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Recreation ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 1368 World War I And at that time it came in when the first World War came in from when the Germans attacked, uh, Russia and France. Tannenbaum recounts how his village was in the middle of the war (WWI), and that the Germans came and settled their line close to his village. He recounts how the Germans would collect food and other items from the village to supplement what they did not have. Tannenbaum discusses how he was given a job by the German secret police to drive a carriage because he knew the German language. He was given the job to lead a horse and wagon to the front line trenches selling items that the Germans could not purchase in the neighboring villages. Tannenbaum discusses how he and the German secret police officer split their profits 50/50. German secret police ; German translators ; German-Russian relations ; Germans ; World War I ; WWI Employment ; Language and languages. ; World War, 1914-1918 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/c61f91857d995632320daa3f31093f40.jpg &quot ; WWI Ukraine and German Partnership&quot ; , c. 1918, Courtesy of Weapons and Warfare: History and Hardware of Warfare. German and Ukrainian soldiers depicting the positive relationship Tannenbaum recounted between German soldiers and Ukrainian citizens. 1823 Tannenbaum's immigration to the United States This is really interesting but could we talk about your experience when you decided to come to Philadelphia? Tannenbaum discusses why he chose to immigrate to the United states, and specifically states that he left so that he would not die while fighting in the Russian army. He recounts how his father would send him letters talking about the amazing experiences he had in the United States, and encouraged him to come join him. Tannenbaum discusses how, when he came to Philadelphia, he worked in a factory making suspenders by day and went to school to learn English by night. 'American dream' ; 7th Street and Arch Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; English as a second language (ESL) ; Family reunions ; Fathers ; Language acquisition ; Night schools ; Russian Red Army ; United States ; Upholstery workers ; Warsaw (Poland) ; Warsaw, Poland Education ; Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Language and languages. 39.953, -75.151 17 7th and Arch Street, Philadelphia, where Tannenbaum worked at a factory making suspenders. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/c39be347124f5014f11c55f23506b5cb.jpg William A. Gee, &quot ; Pushcarts Lining Marshall Street&quot ; , c. 1925, Courtesy of the Historical Society of Philadelphia. North Marshall Street pushcart businesses similar to what Tannenbaum's father would have had selling potatoes. 2436 Changing jobs from upholstery work to secretary treasurer of the union And I says why don't you let me go in the piece work? I do better work than they do. Tannenbaum discusses doing odd jobs, but says that he had a desire to join the union. He recounts how he participated in the general strike even though he was not a union member at the time. He states that his hard work paid off as he was afforded the job of Secretary Treasurer of the union. Tannenbaum recounts how while striking he was accused of being part of the Red Army, and he discusses the traumatic experience of being arrested as a result of this accusation. General Union Strike 1936 ; Russian Red Army ; Upholstery ; Upholstery unions Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/18604145566b116a972a31781479c0fd.jpg &quot ; American Federation of Labor Union Label&quot ; , c.1900, Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Union label similar to what Tannenbaum would have seen/used as Secretary Treasure of the union. 2990 From union worker to sole business owner So I decided I'm going to go and try to make an upholstery business for myself. Tannenbaum discusses how he was tired of trying to find odd jobs working in the upholstery business and ultimately decided to open up his own business. He recounts how he started out by opening up a small stand out front of a butcher shop. It was here he started the business of reupholstering strollers of the mothers who frequented the shop. Once he saved enough money and had a substantial business going, Tannenbaum decided to purchase his own store to sell his wares. Business owners ; Butcher shops ; Northeast Philadelphia ; Reupholstering strollers ; Small business owners ; Upholstery Employment ; Small business--Ownership 40.020849, -75.118281 17 C Street and Wyoming Avenue, Philadelphia (Pa.) Location of where Tannenbaum purchased an old grocery store to refurbish as his upholstery business. 3391 Prosperous businessman And, uh, and she, she was always afraid that I go too far, that I spend money, give away the 10,000 dollars for the building for-- Tannenbaum discusses how his wife was worried about his spending with the shop, but that he did very well with his job and was very prosperous. He recounts how his business was going well, but that the neighborhood began to see an increase in crime, and he was worried about his safety. He eventually decided to sell his business as a result of the crime rate increasing. Criminal activity ; Fiscal conservatism ; Frugality ; Small business owners Crime. ; Employment ; Small business--Ownership 17 3986 Returning to the synagogue And I see the synagogue there and I see there's nobody praying there or anything. Tannenbaum recounts having to move due to his wife's failing health. In doing so, he was able to find a synagogue that he could teach Hebrew in. Tannenbaum helps the synagogue by teaching new converts Hebrew and holding prayers. The interview is concluded with the interviewer thanking Tannenbaum for his participation and his impressive memory of events spanning his whole life. Hebrew language ; Jewish religion ; Jewish synagogues ; Nursing homes ; Teaching ; Wife Health ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Language and languages. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/0915212f5aff258fd0defb7b3a9438e6.jpg Scrolls of the Torah are carried in circuit at the synagogue of Congregation Mikveh Israel, Broad and York Street. The ceremony marked the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the first Jewish settlers in America. This is similar to the synagogue Tannenbaum would have attended in the 1960s when he reestablished his religion and began teaching Hebrew in the local synagogue while living in Philadelphia, PA. interview Max Tannenbaum (b. 1905) was 7 when his father left Ukraine in 1912 for the United States. For the next decade, Tannenbaum worked to provide for his mother and younger brothers. Conscripted into the Red Army after the Bolsheviks took over Ukraine, he fled to Poland and then the United States, arriving in Philadelphia in 1924. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh297_irw065_tannenbaum_ohm.xml 2017oh297_irw065_tannenbaum_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Brad Nehls, Jr. Sort Priority 0033 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh297_irw065_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Max Tannenbaum Description An account of the resource Max Tannenbaum (b. 1905) was 7 when his father left Ukraine in 1912 for the United States. For the next decade, Tannenbaum worked to provide for his mother and younger brothers. Conscripted into the Red Army after the Bolsheviks took over Ukraine, he fled to Poland and then the United States, arriving in Philadelphia in 1924. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh297_irw065 Subject The topic of the resource Language and languages. Employment Emigration and immigration. Immigrants Families. Childhood Child labor. Economics. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) World War, 1914-1918 Labor disputes Labor movement Labor unions Small business--Ownership Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio Relation A related resource <a href="/exhibits/show/max-tannenbaum/not-afraid" title="Tannenbaum exhibit">Explore an exhibit about Tannenbaum's life</a> https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/524e33db729867e5502b5eb1cca76ada.jpg 0af685fcb298642806aa8809ec8d3ecd Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Judy Levin Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Esther M. Davalos Interview Keyword World War, 1914-1918 Labor unions Immigrants Religion Gender issues Gender roles Recreation OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh285_irw053 Interview with Esther M. Davalos, May 28, 1982 2017oh285_irw053 ohirw I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Collection irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 San Antonio (Tex.) Families. Eddystone (Pa.) Diseases. Health. Dwellings Housing. Neighborhoods Neighbors. Employment Discrimination. Childhood Language and languages. Marriage Race discrimination. Race relations Racism World War, 1914-1918 Labor unions Immigrants Religion Gender issues Gender roles Recreation Esther M. Davalos Judy Levin 2017oh285_irw053_davalos_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh285_irw053_davalos_acc001.mp3 Other audio 31 Introduction / Moving from Texas to Pennsylvania Okay, presumably that's now doing what it should be doing. Davalos explains where her family came from, as well as what life was like in Texas before the whole family moved north. She introduces her mother as the resourceful backbone of the family after her father died in the Mexican Revolution. Baldwin Locomotive Works, Eddystone plant (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Influenza Epidemic of 1918 ; Mexican Revolution ; Mothers ; San Antonio, Texas ; Spain Families. ; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 ; San Antonio (Tex.) 29.446462, -98.503469 10 San Antonio (Tex.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/b3c406d0afb41baba23e99f9834450f4.jpg &quot ; Soldiers and civilians, Mexican Revolution&quot ; January 1914. Mexico: Photographs, Manuscripts, and Imprints Collection, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University. 243 Arriving in Eddystone, Pennsylvania We arrived in, uh, Eddystone, Pennsylvania where the Baldwin Locomotive Works was. Davalos recounts when the whole family moved from Texas to Eddystone, Pennsylvania. The family moved north to meet Davalos' brothers who had already moved to Eddystone to work for higher wages than they earned in Texas. Although the original plan was to meet her brothers in Pennsylvania and go back to Texas, Davalos' mother realized that the quality of living was higher in Pennsylvania than in Texas and decided to stay and open a boarding house. Baldwin Locomotive Works (Eddystone, Pa. plant) ; Boarding houses ; Boardinghouses Eddystone (Pa.) 39.860941, -75.344405 13 Eddystone (Pa.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/46e47b524c6dcb49a4f83df77e8c1493.jpg &quot ; Baldwin Locomotive Works, Eddystone, PA&quot ; c. 1910. Hagley Museum and Library Collection. 366 Influenza pandemic of 1918 Uh, then, the--they had the, the flu. Davalos explains the turmoil of living through the Influenza Epidemic of 1918. Her whole family contracted the illness except for her brother, Moses ; he stayed at home and nursed them back to health because no one was willing to help for fear of catching the flu themselves. Armistice--World War I ; Influenza Epidemic of 1918 ; Spanish Influenza ; World War I Diseases. ; Families. ; Health. ; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 ; Physicians ; World War, 1914-1918 17 http://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/archive/influenza-spanish-flu-pandemic-1918-19/ Thomas Wirth, &quot ; Influenza (“Spanish Flu” Pandemic, 1918-19).&quot ; The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, 2011. 512 The first move to Philadelphia So we moved to Philadelphia. Davalos recalls her family's first move to Philadelphia, as well as the various homes and neighborhoods that they lived in. While talking about the neighborhoods, she also mentions the kinds of people that she lived around and the languages spoken by her neighbors. 3rd Street &amp ; Lombard Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; 83rd Street &amp ; Tinicum Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Boarding houses ; Boardinghouses ; Delaware Expressway ; Fishtown (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Girard Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Interstate 95 ; Kensington (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Moving ; Philadelphia (Pa.) ; Richmond Street &amp ; Shackamaxon Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Spanish Dwellings ; Families. ; Housing. ; Neighborhoods ; Neighbors. 39.888574, -75.245417 16 83rd Street &amp ; Tinnicum Avenue (Philadelphia, PA) where Davalos’s family first lived in Philadelphia http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/d51bbed2797cfc01ff632ae6aba7666e.jpg The houses Davalos' mother owned in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Used by permission of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 779 Becoming a Spanish interpreter And then I have always been active in the Spanish speaking people, not only the Mexicans, but, uh, all Spanish speaking people. Davalos remembers the start of her career as a Spanish interpreter. She helped a Mexican man in jail who was arrested because he had mispronounced his order at a restaurant ; he had been mistaken for saying something inappropriate to a waitress and was arrested for indecency. Bilingual ; Careers ; Interpreters ; Jobs ; Prejudice ; Racism ; Spanish ; Work Discrimination. ; Employment ; Immigrants 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/d2b4f04f661902a55ef540d27f429032.jpg &quot ; Hand of friendship helps Puerto Rican Domestics feel at home&quot ; May 8, 1947. Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. 1002 Memories of growing up in Philadelphia When you think of, of growing up here, do you think of a particular neighborhood or do you have very clear memories of the different areas you lived in? Davalos recalls memories of growing up in different Philadelphia neighborhoods. She describes the differences between homes in Texas and her homes in Philadelphia. Davalos explains the family's financial situation growing up as well. 83rd Street &amp ; Tinicum Avenue ; Boarding houses ; Boardinghouses ; Community ; Finances ; Knickerbocker Stone Company ; Money ; Suburban Station ; Texas Childhood ; Dwellings ; Families. ; Housing. ; Neighborhoods ; Neighbors. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/f493b88bc7b5d9ae6b78a7eedb98eb06.jpg &quot ; Pennsylvania Railroad Building and Insurance Company of North America Building&quot ; March 9, 1931. PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 1544 More on her career as an interpreter in Philadelphia So I went to work for the, for the Health Department. Davalos looks back on her twenty five year career as an interpreter for various Philadelphia departments. She started working at the Nationalities Service Center, moved to Immigration Services, and then started at the Health Center on 5th Street and West Girard Avenue where she worked for most of her career. 4th Street &amp ; Girard Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Careers ; Friends Neighborhood Guild of Philadelphia ; Health Department (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Health District Six ; Immigration Services (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Interpreters ; Jobs ; N 5th Street &amp ; W Girard Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Nationalities Service Center (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Work Discrimination. ; Employment ; Immigrants 39.954935, -75.159831 15 Nationalities Service Center, Philadelphia (Pa.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/4f53136a967550cb6a1988c9c40ec81e.jpg &quot ; Health Center - 4th and Girard Avenue&quot ; November 7, 1957. Used by permission of PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 1939 On being a woman in a Spanish speaking culture Were you affected by that? Davalos explains her experience as a woman growing up in a Mexican household and the differences in gender roles in the Mexican family dynamic. She continues to explain the development of her own blended family ; she had married, divorced and had two children before Davalos met her late husband who had four children of his own from a previous marriage as well. Blended family ; Children ; Culture ; Death ; Divorce ; Growing up ; Matriarchy ; Mexican ; Patriarchy ; Richmond Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Women's issues Employment ; Language and languages. ; Marriage 39.985675, -75.247207 17 Davalos Family Home as of 1940 Federal Census 2375 Union involvement in Texas Were either of your, your brothers involved in the unions, in the early days of the unions? Davalos describes her two brother's political involvement in Texas Labor Unions. According to Davalos, her brothers were able to make a difference within the Texas bureaucracy, specifically regarding Mexican workers. Austin, Texas ; Labor unions ; Mexican ; Race issues ; Racism Austin (Tex.) ; Employment ; Immigrants ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/oml01 Ruth A. Allen, George N. Green, and James V. Reese &quot ; Labor Organizations&quot ; Texas State Historical Association, April 20 2017. 2551 Importance of religion Was the church an important part of your family when you were growing up? Davalos tells Levin about her religious past as well as the importance of her beliefs to her life as an adult. To Davalos, religious beliefs are the key to &quot ; a happy life&quot ; as to why she clings so heavily to Catholicism. Catholic ; Catholicism ; Christianity ; Churches ; God Religion 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/f9263fd24122115fbecb3fafbbc12ffa.jpg Program for the Mass held by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to protest against the persecution of the Church in Mexico. &quot ; Protest Mass Program&quot ; February 24, 1935. Courtesy of Catholic Historical Research Center (CHRC) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. 2773 Husband's experiences with racial prejudice Was your husband raised in the city as well? Davalos explains some general experiences with racial prejudice that her husband dealt with. Her husband was born in the United States, but was raised for much of his life in Mexico which gave him an accent. Davalos claims that his accent alone caused others to decide that they could not understand her husband or that he could not understand them before the conversation would begin. Accents ; Growing up ; Husbands ; Mexican ; Mexico ; Philadelphia (Pa.) ; Prejudice ; Self-employment ; Shoemakers Childhood ; Employment ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations ; Racism 17 2944 Gender roles and her reflection on marriage Uh, I believe that, uh, we're demasculating the men. Davalos comments on the importance of men and women's roles within a marriage and a household. She emphasizes how the gender roles are in place for a reason ; the gender roles do not hold one another back within the relationship but promote mutual respect. Feminism ; Gender norms ; Gender roles ; Husbands ; Machismo ; Masculinity ; Women's rights Gender issues ; Marriage ; Sex role 19 3151 Entertainment and recreation Do you remember--well, what, what did people do for entertainment? Davalos remembers the various ways that her and her brothers would entertain themselves when they were children. They would sing, swing, skate and she even recalls them fighting rats. She explains that when she was a child, they did much more physical activity because there were no televisions or family cars to drive them to and from where they needed to go. Active ; Boarding houses ; Boardinghouses ; Entertainment ; Gardening ; Mexico ; Storytelling Childhood ; Families. ; Recreation 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/920be5526a35ffff9e9be6222db13755.jpg &quot ; A woman and children in the shade of the trees at Fairmount Park&quot ; c. July 1943. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. 3500 Separation and prejudice I don't know where this, uh, this prejudice stuff came out of. Davalos questions where the modern day issue with racial prejudice came from. She recalls that in her childhood there wasn't such a problem with prejudice and intolerance. Davalos makes the claim that there is a general lack of love in the world because of the problems with accepting others within one's community. Along with this, she points out that society has developed to value money over the quality of a person, which she believes is different from the times that she grew up in. Acceptance ; Education ; Intolerance ; Miscommunication ; Prejudice ; Race issues ; Segregation ; Stereotypes ; Technology ; Tolerance Childhood ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations ; Racism 17 interview Born in 1908, Esther Davalos was born as a third generation American ; her family came from Spain and settled in the part of Mexico that later became Texas. After the Mexican Revolution, which her father fought and died in, the family moved to Pennsylvania in 1918 to seek out better jobs for Davalos’ older brothers. After originally settling in Eddystone where her brothers worked for the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the family moved again to the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia where Davalos grew up, married, and spent the rest of her life in. As an adult, she worked as a Spanish interpreter for many locations within the city including a health center on Girard Avenue (that still stands today) and the Nationalities Service Center. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh285_irw053_davalos_ohm.xml 2017oh285_irw053_davalos_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Nicole Strunk Sort Priority 0013 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh285_irw053_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Esther M. Davalos (1st interview) Description An account of the resource Born in 1908, Esther Davalos was born as a third generation American; her family came from Spain and settled in the part of Mexico that later became Texas. After the Mexican Revolution, which her father fought and died in, the family moved to Pennsylvania in 1918 to seek out better jobs for Davalos’ older brothers. After originally settling in Eddystone where her brothers worked for the Baldwin Locomotive Works, the family moved again to the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia where Davalos grew up, married, and spent the rest of her life in. As an adult, she worked as a Spanish interpreter for many locations within the city including a health center on Girard Avenue (that still stands today) and the Nationalities Service Center. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh285_irw053 Subject The topic of the resource Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 San Antonio (Tex.) Families. Eddystone (Pa.) Diseases. Health. Dwellings Housing. Neighborhoods Neighbors. Employment Discrimination. Childhood Language and languages. Marriage Race discrimination. Race relations Racism Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/8bc9db534b7aca5f6134ebc451c8c84e.jpg 1cabfe0585263e561aa737e157523456 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Judy Levin Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Anna Aleski Interview Keyword Older people Crime. Great Depression Marriage World War, 1914-1918 Childbirth Neighborhoods OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh282_irw050 Interview with Anna Aleski, June 7, 1982 2017oh282_irw050 ohirw I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Collection irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Employment Families. Emigration and immigration. Immigrants Coal mine accidents Depressions--1929 Older people Crime. Great Depression Marriage World War, 1914-1918 Childbirth Neighborhoods Anna Aleski Judy Levin 2017oh282_irw050_aleski_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh282_irw050_aleski_acc001.mp3 Other audio 0 Interview introduction When I have to put double locks on the door, now it's bad because too many robberies, too many killings. You don't want me to say that? Aleski talks about how contemporary Philadelphia can be very dangerous. Where she lives she has to have double locks on her door because she feels unsafe, and thinks that potential criminals do not care if someone is elderly or not. They will rob and murder anyone, she says. She notes that it was not like this in 1916 when she came to Philadelphia. Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) ; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Crime. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 17 82 Working as a file cutter When, when did you come to Philadelphia? Aleski explains that her family moved to Philadelphia in 1916 from Wilkes Barre, a coal mining region, where her family had first immigrated to in 1914. When she moved to Philadelphia she got a job as a file cutter, getting paid $5.50 a week, but the second week she had to give the foreman $5 of her pay, as a “tip” for getting hired in the first place and in order to have better placement within the factory.  Coal mining ; Employment offices ; File cutters ; Machine operators ; Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) ; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/228fba0d17486a80a8dcda564afda9d9.jpg Young men working in coal mines like Aleski's two brothers did. This was a very dangerous place to work ; one brother was killed in the mines and the other lost both of his legs. 200 &quot ; It was tough back then.&quot ; I work till I got married up there. Aleski shares that she lived with her brother and his six children in Wilkes Barre until his leg got cut off in the mine in 1916. At that point, she moved to Philadelphia and got her job as a file cutter. The second woman being interviewed recounts that she immigrated from Poland to Trenton in 1913, then moved to Burlington, New Jersey in 1917 to work in the silk mill, and then moved to Philadelphia in 1949 to work as a housekeeper. The second interviewee calls it a “tough life” ; once she got thrown off a trolley car in Trenton because she did not have five cents to pay the fare.  Burlington (N.J.) ; Burlington, New Jersey ; Mining accidents ; Polish Americans ; Silk mills ; Trenton (N.J.) ; Trenton, New Jersey Coal mine accidents ; Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/409abd87dffae6ed3299c424b2707c7a.jpg Aleski's friend was thrown off a trolley car in Trenton because she did not have the five cents fare. 406 Working as a housekeeper When I, uh, I was only 14 years old and I couldn't get a job in Wilkes-Barre, that was coal mine. Aleski recalls getting a job working for a butcher and his family, the Sundays. She worked for them for years and eventually worked in the butcher shop, earning $5.50 per month. She recounts an anecdote about finding 50 cents in the Sundays’ house, and giving it to her boss. She remembers walking to work rather than spending a dime on the trolley fare. Butchers ; Domestic servants ; Domestic work ; Domestic workers ; Housework ; Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) ; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Employment ; Families. 17 613 The Great Depression / The perils of growing old In 1921 was a depression. People have no job. Aleski discusses living during the Great Depression in Philadelphia. The two women discuss how living as an elderly person was extremely tough during that time because there was no pension or Social Security. People who had no food went to a charity to get soup as a meal. Aleski switches to talking about how welfare and pension systems function in the present day. She and the other interviewee complain about “crooks” and drug dealers in Philadelphia, wishing there was capital punishment. As this segment ends, the second interviewee asks to be done with the conversation, while Aleski continues. Great Depression ; Pensions ; Senior citizens ; Social Security ; Welfare Crime. ; Depressions--1929 ; Employment ; Families. ; Older people 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/b7be32bbc3151ad62a376641b2366cff.jpg During the Great Depression, people would wait in lines for soup. This is at the Kensington Soup Society in Philadelphia, PA. 939 Moving from Wilkes-Barre to Philadelphia Okay, so you came to the city in nineteen-- Aleski recalls a terrible storm which collapsed the mine where her brother worked in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. She did not have a job in Wilkes-Barre. She and her brother then moved to Philadelphia, where they lived with their landlords. Their house was extremely small and everything had to be done by hand. She compares the way of life as &quot ; working like the Indians&quot ; . Chain migration ; Coal mining ; Cyclones ; Hurricanes ; Wilkes-Barre (Pa.) ; Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Dwellings ; Employment ; Families. ; Housing. 41.245, -75.881 17 Coordinates of Wilkes Barre, PA. This is where Aleski lived with her brother before moving to Philadelphia. 1050 Aleski gets married 1920 I got married, and I have 7 children. Aleski recalls that she got married and had 7 children of her own, but also raised her goddaughter. The household was living with 10 people on only $35 a week from her husband's job. Her husband worked as a glazer in a shop that made leather shoes. Aleski learned sewing to make the children clothing and provide for them. She cut her own patterns from paper. She comments on how her children are doing in the present day. Arthritis ; Glazers ; Godmothers ; Home sewing ; Orphans Employment ; Families. ; Marriage 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/6ea0d52a3efe25ecd260c9eaf510bd6a.jpg The type of neighborhood in Philadelphia that Aleski would live in with her husband, seven children, and goddaughter. 1188 Visiting Poland I have my sister in Poland. Aleski talks about her older sister who helped raise her and still lives in Poland. She has visited Poland to see her sister twice, first in 1963. She discusses how she is happy she moved to the United States and became a citizen, and thinks people today have good lives.  Citizenship ; Family ; Naturalization ; Poland ; Polish Americans--Philadelphia Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 1262 Now vs. then I love it, only like I say, those young people go nuts anymore. Aleski discusses how much times have changed from when she was growing up in Philadelphia. She says that the kids today are too greedy, nothing like they used to be.  Modernization ; Young people ; Youth Crime. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 17 1323 On meeting her husband How old were you when you got married? Aleski recalls that she met her husband, Peter, when he was in Philadelphia for a funeral. He was a cousin of someone with whom she shared a house. He went back to Massachusetts because he needed to register for the draft during World War I. They wrote to each other, with him sending her letters to the machine shop where she worked as a file cutter. She remembers receiving a card with a sailor and a girl kissing in the picture, but she was bothered by this. Eventually she responded to his card, and he broke off a relationship with another woman who his mother wanted him to marry. They eventually got married. They spent 39 years together before he died of a heart attack.  Fitchburg (Ma.) ; Fitchburg, Massachusetts ; Heart attacks ; Military draft ; Servicemen ; World War I Employment ; Families. ; Marriage ; World War, 1914-1918 42.583, -71.802 17 Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where Aleski's husband was from. He went back after meeting her to register for the draft there. 1652 Living frugally in the Port Richmond neighborhood What did your husband--where did your husband work? Aleski discusses her life in Port Richmond, Philadelphia where she raised her children. She had 7 children. 2 were born in hospitals and 5 were born at home with help of a midwife. The midwife would charge $10 and stay for a week, whereas the doctor would charge $15. The midwife was educated and someone from the neighborhood. She also touches on how hard it was to live on their small income, and she could not purchase nice things for her children. Aramingo Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Birth certificates ; Finances ; Home births ; Lehigh Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Midwife ; Midwives ; Port Richmond (Philadelphia, Pa.) Childbirth ; Families. ; Health. ; Neighborhoods ; Physicians ; Poverty 39.981, -75.117 17 Corner of E Lehigh Ave and Aramingo Ave in Philadelphia, PA, 19125. http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/thumbnails/d0b8d739eed2448cd77c6ba0bde20313.jpg A photo showing Kensington and Lehigh Avenue. Aleski lived on Lehigh Avenue. 1869 Neighbors were much better than now Did people, did people take care of each other when they were sick then instead-- Aleski remembers that her neighbors in the early 1900s were much more friendly than in the present day. They stuck together and all took care of each other in hard times. Life was tough for immigrants, especially if they could not speak English well. She remembers going to night school where others called her “Greenie” because she could not speak English. She recalls working at a cigar factory in Camden, New Jersey, where an Irish woman made fun of her language skills. She liked living in the Port Richmond neighborhood in Philadelphia around many other Polish speakers. Camden (N.J.) ; Camden, New Jersey ; Cigar factory ; European ; Poland ; Polish ; Polish Americans--Philadelphia ; Telephone booths Communities. ; Families. ; Immigrants ; Neighborhoods ; Neighbors 17 interview Anna Aleski (born circa 1902) emigrated from Poland to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and eventually moved with her brother to Philadelphia. She recalls in this 1982 interview details from her work life as a teenager, her family life as she raised eight children in the predominantly Polish neighborhood of Port Richmond, and struggles of living in poverty and assimilating into American culture. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh282_irw050_aleski_ohm.xml 2017oh282_irw050_aleski_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Jordin Glover Sort Priority 0003 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh282_irw050_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Anna Aleski Description An account of the resource Anna Aleski (born circa 1902) emigrated from Poland to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and eventually moved with her brother to Philadelphia. She recalls in this 1982 interview details from her work life as a teenager, her family life as she raised eight children in the predominantly Polish neighborhood of Port Richmond, and struggles of living in poverty and assimilating into American culture. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh282_irw050 Subject The topic of the resource Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Employment Families. Emigration and immigration. Immigrants Coal mine accidents Depressions--1929 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/4a2c1aae8888f51c8813fefffb4ed7eb.JPG 608a3835246d76ca4d3a0cdcaceaf2f5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Charles Hardy Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Anna Van Dyke Elizabeth Strupczewski Interview Keyword Emigration and immigration. Immigrants Alcoholic beverage law violations Crime. Distillation Distilling, illicit Police. Prohibition Alcoholism Dwellings Housing. Great Depression Voting Politics and government Women--Suffrage. Employment Labor disputes Labor movement Labor unions Religion OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh279_irw047 Interview with Anna Van Dyke and Elizabeth Strupczewski, May 25, 1982 2017oh279_irw047 ohirw I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Collection irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Child labor. Childhood Employment Families. Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Marriage Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. Depressions--1929 Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 Neighborhoods Diseases. Health. Communities. Emigration and immigration. Immigrants Alcoholic beverage law violations Crime. Distillation Distilling, illicit Police. Prohibition Alcoholism Dwellings Housing. Great Depression Voting Politics and government Women--Suffrage. Employment Labor disputes Labor movement Labor unions Religion Anna Van Dyke Elizabeth Strupczewski Charles Hardy 2017oh279_irw047_vandyke_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh279_irw047_vandyke_acc001.mp3 Other audio 2 Immigrating for work Let me get the mic here. Van Dyke and Strupczewski share that their lives were harder when they were young. After sharing their married and maiden names and spellings, Strupczewski shares that she was born in Poland and came to Philadelphia when she was three months old. She speculates that her parents came to Philadelphia to find work. First generation immigrants ; Poland Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 116 Strupczewski's father's employment and her own work as a child What sort of work did your father do? Strupczewski recalls that her father worked on the piers, on the railroad, and at Cramp's Shipyard, where her husband also worked as a riveter. She shares that she began to work at the Wilson Homes worsted mill at the age of 12 in 1904 because she had to: “It was hard times then.” She shares that she is 90 years old now, and raised a family of seven. Cramp's Shipyard ; Pennsylvania Railroad ; Silk mills ; Wilson Homes Child labor. ; Childhood ; Employment 39.975173, -75.109242 17 Cramp's Shipyard http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/ed81ad4b842b187f565d5110a910684e.jpg &quot ; William Cramp &amp ; Sons Ship and Engine Building Company,&quot ; August 15, 1917. DOR Archives, PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 189 On children leaving school to go to work When did you, um, when did you start working? Strupczewski, the second of nine siblings, recalls that she went to work at age 12 in 1902 to help the family financially. She shares that she started as a doffer, who removed empty bobbins from the looms. She later weighed the work for the winders and spoolers, until she married, then quit work and raised a family of seven. Wilson Homes Child labor. ; Childhood ; Education ; Employment ; Families. 17 347 Continuation school It was a--pardon me. It was only around my time that you had to go to school 'til you were 14. Van Dyke shares that it was not until 'her time' that children had to go to school until the age of 14. She left school the day she turned 14 to earn $3.65 a week working at Pine Street Silk Mills near Allegheny Avenue and D Street, where her sister also worked. She was so tired when she came home she asked her brother to fetch her shoes. When he objected, she told him, “Go ahead, I’m helping to keep you.” After a short time she got a job across the street at Lupton's on Tulip Street. Van Dyke shows Hardy photographs of Lupton's, the Pennsylvania Railroad on Allegheny Avenue, her brother as a mummer, and her parents. Van Dyke shares that her father worked at a wholesale liquor store, and typically came home drunk every night. Continuation schools ; David Lupton's Company ; Pennsylvania Railroad Alcoholism ; Child labor. ; Childhood ; Employment ; Families. 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/fullsize/9b62215b6ce429e7d00ec918d7cdf468.jpg &quot ; Trenton Avenue Southeast Side-Southwest of Allegheny Avenue,&quot ; May 9, 1900, Phillyhistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 593 Giving pay to parents, walking to work, and a mountain of buttons on Aramingo Avenue Did you all take your pay home then to your-- Van Dyke and Strupczewski talk about giving their pay to their families to help support them while only keeping out 25 cents for themselves and a nickel to go to the movies. Van Dyke remembers being hungry all the time, and how she spent what remained of her weekly quarter—the ride home on the trolley cost a nickel—on food. The ladies then talk about the transition from horse and wagons or walking to the first appearance of cars on Allegheny Avenue. Strupczewski shares that it took her 45 minutes to walk to work on Somerset Avenue, so she walked through the empty lots of Aramingo and other streets to get to work. Both remember picking through a mountain of discarded buttons on Aramingo Avenue, selecting ones to bring home. Allegheny Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Aramingo Ave (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Aramingo Street ; Nickel trolleys ; Richmond Street ; Somerset Avenue ; Transportation ; West Mullen Street Employment ; Families. 39.977881, -75.110591 17 Intersection of Richmond Street and East Somerset Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/39fc61ada9892fdce2959e9d8799320a.jpg &quot ; Richmond and Allegheny Depot,&quot ; September 22, 1921. Print and Picture collection, Free Library of Philadelphia. 743 Neighborhood hucksters / First recollections of automobiles Do you remember--you say there were no cars on Allegheny Street. The women recall their first impressions of cars. Van Dyke tells a story of a Chinese man's reaction to seeing a car in the neighborhood. They then go into discussing the price of produce and food and how it has changed since that time, along with the milkman and various hucksters who brought produce and other items around the neighborhood to sell. Van Dyke also recalls that she worked for Pine Tree Silk Mills. Allegheny Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Cars ; Horse and wagons ; Hucksters ; Milkman ; Pine Tree Mill ; Pine Tree Silk Mill ; Salesmen ; Silk mills Employment ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Transportation 39.997636, -75.122242 17 Pine Tree Silk Mill, East Allegheny Avenue near Boudinot Street, Philadelphia, PA http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/square_thumbnails/aac219a3cba633faf18c9da2bdc74609.jpg &quot ; Pine Tree Silk Mill,&quot ; 1909. Robert M Staler Collection, Athenaeum of Philadelphia. 969 On 12-hour work days and domestic work They were good days. Van Dyke shares that she worked 12 hours a day, from 7am to 7pm, while Strupczewski worked from 6am to 6pm for $3 a week. Van Dyke shares that her mother came to Philadelphia from upstate when she was 11 and had to “live out” scrubbing and cleaning as a maid in a private home. Women typically came home from working long hours and had to do their own housework. For them, this was a way of life and they accepted it as normal and necessary to living. Van Dyke shares that if she did extra work on Saturday, her mother gave her 15 cents to go to the candy store. Domestic work ; Work ethic ; Work hours Employment ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 39.896120, -75.173921 17 3 Crescent Street Philadelphia, PA, location of Lupton's Metal Company 1135 Work conditions in the mills What was it, what was it like to work in the mills? Strupczewski and Van Dyke discuss work in the textile mills and the conditions they endured. They describe the monitoring by the bosses of the bathroom breaks, the attention the bosses paid to the amount of work done, and the space inside the mill. They recall specific jobs like twister, winder, and weaver. Mills ; Quillers ; Twisters ; Weavers ; Weaving ; Winders ; Work conditions ; Work rules ; Working conditions Employment 17 1221 Van Dyke's elopement at age 17 I didn't work that long, I went and got married when I was 17. Van Dyke discloses that she eloped at age seventeen with one of her brother's friends, George. She usually hid from him in the outhouse, until one day he asked her to go for a ride with him on his motorcycle. They got engaged and ran away to marry soon after that. She states that she didn't actually love him, but got married to get away from her parents. One Saturday night she walked to Kensington Avenue, near the bridge at Trenton Avenue, where he suggested they get married. The next day she pretended to go to work, but instead they drove his motorcycle to Elkton, Maryland to elope. She recalls feeling conflicted about marrying outside of her Catholic parish. In Elkton, the Catholic priest called her parish priest, a German, who said “Leave her come home!” They decided to return home and ask for dispensation from the cardinal. She remembers getting 9 flat tires on the way back from Elkton, and had to wash their hands in gasoline. They got married by the priest, whose housekeeper loaned her a hat. When they got home her mother said she was going to get it annulled. Allegheny Theatre ; Bridge at Trenton Avenue ; Catholicism ; D Street ; Elkton (Md.) ; Elkton, Maryland ; Eloping ; Family relations ; Kensington Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Relationships ; Weddings Families. ; Marriage ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Religion ; Transportation 39.992329, -75.111493 17 Former location of the Allegheny Theatre on Frankford Avenue Philadelphia, PA http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/square_thumbnails/2eafe15c4c2b3861199aca22eb22ed2a.jpg &quot ; Allegheny Theatre,&quot ; October 18 1911. Irvin R. Glazer Theater Collection, Athenaeum of Philadelphia. 1620 Strupczewski's marriage story So how, um, how did you meet your husband, Elizabeth? Strupczewski describes getting married at age 22 to a man she knew for only four months. They married at St. Laurentius Catholic Church with a mass, which was very important to her. She met her husband, who lived in Wilmington, Delaware, at lent services at the local church. Her mother bought her a wedding dress. Catholic weddings ; Catholicism ; Lent ; Religious weddings ; St. Laurentius Parish (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Stations of the cross ; Steam rooms ; Wedding dresses ; Wilmington (Del.) ; Wilmington, Delaware Families. ; Marriage ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Religion 39.976707, -75.129744 17 Location of St. Laurentius School on Berk Street in Philadelphia, PA 1818 Father-daughter relationships and the role of alcohol What were your fathers like? The women discuss their relationships with their fathers. Strupczewski recalls sneaking out to attend dances. When her father locked the door, her mother opened the windows so they could climb back in. Van Dyke says that she was her father's &quot ; pet,&quot ; and that when he became violent when drunk, she often took care of him. After discussing how frequently some men drank, including both of Van Dyke’s husbands, they share stories about local families making beer and wine at home during Prohibition. They remember the raids on illegal taprooms, as well as some of the recipes for making alcohol. Father-daughter relationships ; Fathers ; Moonshine ; Parental authority ; Police raids ; Smedley Darlington Butler ; Taprooms Alcoholic beverage law violations ; Alcoholism ; Crime. ; Distillation ; Distilling, illicit ; Families. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. ; Police. ; Prohibition 17 2205 Family life You say, Elizabeth, that there were eight people--eight children in, in your family? Strupczewski talks about the layout of her house with three bedrooms and two rooms. She describes the bonding that went on in her house, specifically around dinner time. Van Dyke also describes crossed conditions in her house, with nine children and only two bedrooms, resulting in two sisters sleeping in the bathtub. Babies slept in the beds with their parents. Van Dyke notes that parents would go down to the couch in order to get privacy. Strupczewski notes that she lost a home during the Great Depression when the bank went under. Building loans ; Family life ; Great Depression ; Home conditions ; Housing ; Polonia Bank ; Privacy Depressions--1929 ; Dwellings ; Families. ; Housing. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. 39.984432, -75.103021 17 Former site of Polonia Bank on East Allegheny Avenue Philadelphia, PA 2526 Hard times--Flu epidemic of 1918 And, uh, uh, how about the time of the flu? Strupczewski and Van Dyke recall the impact the flu epidemic of 1918 had on their communities. They describe the amount of bodies that piled up and the trouble of burying and taking care of them. The conditions of the neighborhoods during the flu were deplorable, especially with the smell of the dead bodies. Van Dyke notes that most of her family members, including herself, had the flu. Caretaking ; Death ; Disease ; Funeral homes ; Great Depression ; Influenza Epidemic of 1918 ; Rheumatic Fever ; Thompson Street and Allegheny Avenue (Philadelphia, Pa.) Depressions--1929 ; Diseases. ; Families. ; Health. ; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 ; Neighborhoods 17 2737 Good times and holidays So at Christmastime--uh, bef--right before Christmas, we had company and Mom said, &quot ; Pop, go down in the cellar and get some of that wine and we'll try it.&quot ; Strupczewski talks about Christmastime in her family. She describes how her daughter Helen wanted a nickel, a pocket book, and shoes for Christmas. That Christmas her children received toys, clothes, nickels, and the coach they wanted. Christmastime with the tree, decorations, and food was a special time for Strupczewski and Van Dyke. Budd's Company ; Children ; Christmas ; Christmas gifts ; Christmas traditions ; Presents ; The Budd Company Families. ; Holidays ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. 40.008269, -75.169083 17 Old location of The Budd Company at 2450 West Hunting Park Avenue Philadelphia, PA 2999 Dealing with death in the neighborhood I was just, you know, really fascinated with the whole influenza epidemic. Strupczewski and Van Dyke explain that when someone in the neighborhood died, neighbors helped their families. They recall that neighbors also helped one another out, collecting items to help care for one another. Van Dyke remembers a baby dying, and how neighbors helped out. The women also comment on the role of undertakers when someone died ; they showed up with ice, rather than using an embalming process. Community ; Embalming ; Funerals ; Healthcare ; Infant mortality ; Influenza Epidemic of 1918 Communities. ; Diseases. ; Families. ; Health. ; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 ; Neighborhoods 17 3295 Helping others in the community In your neighborhoods then, people on the block really knew each other and would-- Strupczewski and Van Dyke discuss the role of neighborly support during hard times. They bought food for each other, checked in with one another, and visited each other. Women especially helped to care for each other’s children. Camaraderie ; Community life ; Livingston Street ; Neighbors Communities. ; Families. ; Neighborhoods 40.002010, -75.074214 17 Livingston Street, Philadelphia, PA 3495 Rise of crime Was there much crime in the neighborhoods when you were girls? Van Dyke and Strupczewski discuss the absence of crime they noticed when they were young, pointing out it seemed to rise during the Great Depression. As people became desperate, they stole to feed their families and faced harsh consequences, which the women point out as lacking today for major crimes. Feeding the family ; Great Depression ; Nostalgia ; Rise of crime ; Theft Crime. ; Depressions--1929 17 3717 Impact of women's suffrage and voting in Philadelphia I guess you both grew up before women could vote? Strupczewski and Van Dyke recall when they had the opportunity to vote. Van Dyke remembers voting at age 21, getting to vote for her brother for committeeman. Party representatives at first did not bother persuading women to vote, as they focused on the men. Van Dyke notes that later, political operatives would attempt to go into the polls with women to make sure they voted the right way, and that sometimes the party paid citizens to vote. Suffrage Movement ; Suffragettes ; Voting ; Ward bosses ; Women in politics ; Women's suffrage Political corruption ; Politics and government ; Voting ; Women--Suffrage. 17 3929 Unions in the workplace Well Cramp's Ship yard, everybody worked in it. Strupczewski talks about the work conditions her husband endured at Cramp's Shipyard, including when workers at Cramp’s went on strike. When he tried to get a job elsewhere at other shipyards, he was denied because of fear of unions. The women note that most men in the neighborhood were pro-union. Union members vandalized the houses of “scabs” who worked while others were on strike. Cramp's Shipyard ; Cramp's Strike ; Hunger ; Labor union stigma ; Poverty ; Riveting ; Strikes ; Tool making ; Working conditions Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 39.974704, -75.108137 17 Former location of Cramp's Shipyard http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/a81481eb52efb6dc469f308bef934ff6.jpg &quot ; Bird's-eye view of Cramp's Shipyard, Delaware River,&quot ; 1899, Philaplace.org. 4220 Reminiscing One final question, how did--how--overall, how does, how does life--how do things compare, uh, between when you were young, growing up and now? Van Dyke and Strupczewski reminisce on how life when they were children compares to life now. Van Dyke and Strupczewski describe somewhat of a nostalgic feeling when looking back at the safety of their times versus the large amount of crime that exists today, referencing being able to sit outside on the step or walk down the street feeling safe while now, &quot ; you're always wondering who's behind you.&quot ; Drugs ; Memories ; Nostalgia ; Reminiscing ; Rise in crime ; Robbery ; Taprooms ; Transforming Society Childhood ; Crime ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 17 interview In this group interview conducted at the St. Anne’s Senior Center in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, women of Eastern European descent recall growing up in this immigrant neighborhood, recounting episodes from their childhoods, working as teenagers, courtship, and marriage. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh279_irw047_vandyke_ohm.xml 2017oh279_irw047_vandyke_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Arianna Denison Sort Priority 0034 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh279_irw047_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Anna Van Dyke and Elizabeth Strupczewski Description An account of the resource In this group interview conducted at the St. Anne’s Senior Center in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, women of Eastern European descent recall growing up in this immigrant neighborhood, recounting episodes from their childhoods, working as teenagers, courtship, and marriage. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh279_irw047 Subject The topic of the resource Child labor. Childhood Employment Families. Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Marriage Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social life and customs. Depressions--1929 Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919 Neighborhoods Diseases. Health. Communities. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/495ed57dc7c52795b4c1e0babdce9310.png c5228c9148120576183103807343ee64 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Philadelphia Immigration Project Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Charles Hardy Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Anna Farris Anna Van Dyke Josephine Glowacki Cecilia Boucher Interview Keyword Working conditions Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Education Childhood OHMS Object Text 5.1 2017oh271_irw039 Interview with Anna Farris, Anna Van Dyke, Josephine Glowacki, and Cecilia Boucher, October 22, 1981 2017oh271_irw039 ohirw I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Collection irw001 I Remember When: Times Gone But Not Forgotten Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Employment Families. Child labor. Emigration and immigration. Immigrants Labor disputes Labor movement Labor unions Marriage Working conditions Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. Education Childhood Anna Farris Anna Van Dyke Josephine Glowacki Cecilia Boucher Charles Hardy 2017oh271_irw039_farris_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh271_irw039_farris_acc001.mp3 Other audio 1 Introductions, schooling, and first jobs --and age, if that's not being too personal? Hardy collects names and ages of the women he is interviewing: Anna (Bahleda) Farris, 72 ; Anna (Wagner) Van Dyke, 77 ; and Josephine Glowacki, 72. Glowacki states her parents emigrated from Poland, and she was born and raised in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania until the mines closed in 1939 and she moved to Philadelphia. Van Dyke shares she got a job at age 14 and went to continuation school until age 16. They were able to get jobs just by walking down the street and seeing the sign at 16 years old. Their pay ranged from three to six dollars per week. Careers ; Carlisle (Pa.) ; Carlisle, Pennsylvania ; Continuation schools ; Jobs ; Kensington High School (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Mount Carmel (Pa.) ; Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania ; Polish Americans--Philadelphia ; Silk mills ; Vine Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Work Child labor. ; Childhood ; Education ; Employment ; Families. 39.984221, -75.126332 17 Kensington High School: 2051 East Cumberland St. Philadelphia (Pa.) http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/3cfa4fd149806bd3f5738ef7ad7497e6.jpg &quot ; Kensington High School,&quot ; July 25, 1917. PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 199 Challenges for immigrants to find work I had the same experience like you, my mother and father were the first from Europe. Farris's parents came to Ohio from Slovakia in 1906 or 1907. Her father, a machinist, came to Philadelphia and got a job as a sheet metal worker at Budd's and then Durham's Body Works, where he worked for 35 years until he died. Careers ; Durham's Body Works ; First generation immigrants ; Jobs ; Sheet metal work ; Slovakia ; Steel work ; The Budd Company ; Work Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 370 Van Dyke’s father's adoption and life in Philadelphia My father was born in Boston but his parents came from France. Van Dyke’s father was born in Boston, although his parents were from France and lived in New York. His father took sick while in Boston working on the canal, and eventually died there, while his mother gave birth to him there while caring for him. He was adopted at six weeks old by a family who came to Philadelphia. As an adult, his mother wrote to the Boston Times and found out that he had a brother. He worked as a machinist at Budd's and another place she cannot recall the name of. Boston (Ma.) ; Boston, Massachusetts ; Machinists ; Migration ; New York City (N.Y.) ; New York City, New York ; The Budd Company Adoption ; Childhood ; Emigration and immigration. ; Employment ; Families. ; Immigrants 40.008417, -75.169083 17 The Budd Company 488 Role of trade unions Did either, did either of your fathers ever tell you what it was--you know, what, what their work was like? The women's fathers worked very hard and long hours. They note how especially hard the bosses were and how strict the rules were. When they worked they had to do what the floor lady said. One woman’s husband was a toolmaker who worked at 17th Street and Cambria Street. They note unions and the difference between working conditions then and the conditions now. 17th Street and Cambria Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Electric Service Supply ; Work conditions ; Working conditions Employment ; Labor disputes ; Labor movement ; Labor unions 17 570 First jobs You're, uh--I want to include you in on this. Cecilia Boucher joins the conversation giving her name and age of 74. She says she worked at the Bayuk Cigar Factory, then in a rope factory, and later at a candy factory. As a child at 14 she walked in and asked for a job and started work as a winder, but only worked during vacation before going back to school. Farris recalls having to lie about her age to get work when she was only 14, saying she was 19. They talk about how easy it was to get a job but how very hard the work was. Boucher shares she also worked at Plumb where they made hatchets and hammers. 3rd Street and Spruce Street (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Bayuk Cigars, Inc. ; Introduction ; Thomas Henry and Sons Child labor ; Childhood ; Employment 17 728 Working conditions Well what, what were the conditions like in, in the different fields? Continuing to discuss jobs, Van Dyke says the silk mill was the best place she ever worked. She was a quill winder, but had to operate many spools at a time, which made her keep “on her toes.” At Pine Tree, which produced silk, velvet, and satin, she worked her way up to cleaner and then weaver, which paid better. At Pine Tree, Van Dyke worked 7 am to 6 pm with no lunch. Farris, who worked at Curtis, remembers having no coffee breaks, but only bathroom breaks, although during the lunch hour they could go to the nice rest room on the 7th floor, which had a bank and books to read. During work, the workers would be sent home for talking during their shifts. Bayard's ; Bayuk Cigars, Inc. ; Dan and Allegheny Street ; Job tasks ; Parental fear ; Pine Tree Silk Mill ; Silk mills ; Weaving ; Women in the work field ; Work conditions ; Work hours ; Working conditions Employment 17 http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/aac219a3cba633faf18c9da2bdc74609.jpg &quot ; Pine Tree Silk Mill,&quot ; 1909. Robert M Skaler Postcard Collection, Athenaeum of Philadelphia. 966 Outlook on work life So then I says, well--then they said, &quot ; Well, what else do you know?&quot ; Boucher tried to get a job as a cigar maker but was told &quot ; we have machines for that now&quot ; . Curtis had a lot of Scottish people working at that factory. The women describe their attitudes toward work as &quot ; you had to do it so you did it.&quot ; One father told his daughter she had to pay him back for keeping her. The entire 18.78 payment per week she received from work she had to give to her father. Cigar factory ; Curtis ; Work ethic Employment ; Families. 39.969648, -75.143011 17 Cigar Factory on N 4th Street Philadelphia, PA 1084 Family size and fathers' work Well, what else can I say? Van Dyke grew up in Richmond in Philadelphia. Her father worked in a paper mill. Another woman says her father worked as a miner until he died. Mining ; Mount Carmel (Pa.) ; Mount Carmel, Philadelphia ; Old Richmond (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Paper mills ; Work experience Employment ; Families. 17 1155 Hard work and long days What did you all do if you had grievances? The women didn't go to the bosses if they had grievances. They note particularly the long hours and work weeks. Only making about three dollars per week, one woman came home and asked her brother to fetch shoes for her and he replied no, and she said, &quot ; Well go ahead, I'm working to keep you.&quot ; A quarter or fifty cents for spending went pretty far per week going for makeup or to fund a trip home in the middle of the day to get extra food. One woman worked at the sweatshops until they would figure out her age. &quot ; You couldn't stop and talk and couldn't go for breaks.&quot ; The women would come home and be almost too tired to eat. 7th and 10th Street ; 7th Street ; Grievances ; Pay ; Sweat shops ; Work hours ; Work weeks Employment ; Families. 39.989741, -75.144486 17 North 7th Street Philadelphia, PA 1426 Memory--Nostalgia versus the realities of life So, um, in--there have been a--in talking to a lot of, of, of people, there, there seem to be, you know--everybody has basically... There are two views of the past: not too bad or very bad. The women say they wouldn't want their sons to work like that and describe being raised on soup every day. This was common among the foreign families. They are nostalgic about sitting outside during the summer on the step with their parents or not having to close or lock the door during the summer. The different nationalities lived together coexisting in their experiences ; people worked together then unlike the young people of today. Diet ; Good times ; Inter-race relations ; Nursing ; Reminiscing Employment ; Families. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. ; Race relations 17 1716 Marriage--Escaping control of fathers It seemed that--the w--um, the last time I was here, the women I talked to... Van Dyke describes marrying at 17 to get away from her father. She didn't know her husband very well and only knew him from hanging out with her brothers. They married in Elkton, Maryland and she describes sitting up all night long on their wedding night because she was worried she married a &quot ; bad man.&quot ; Farris describes a Marine coming to see her and her father taking him by the neck and pushing him out. A woman of 17 or 18 years old was considered an 'old maid.' Eloping ; Mammoth Movies ; Relationships ; Sex Families. ; Marriage 39.970872, -75.146169 17 Mammoth Theatre, 529 West Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 1902 Parents' involvement in relationships How about you Cecilia? Boucher married at 21. Her mother had encouraged her to wait to marry so she could continue to work and earn money. She knew her husband from the neighborhood. Another woman describes being upset when a boy said he would come on a Wednesday but didn't come until the following day but hung out with her father eating kielbasa and drinking beer. She describes being afraid of her father and running away and getting married. Eloping ; Relationships ; Supporting the family Families. ; Marriage 17 2045 The parents' reaction to marriage I started with nothing, 1929. One woman's father lost everything in 1929 when the banks crashed at the start of the Great Depression and wasn't able to give her any money for her wedding. Some parents were not happy about their daughters running away and marrying or marrying outside of the ethnic group. Father-daughter relations ; Great Depression Depressions--1929 ; Families. ; Marriage 17 2159 Marriage and wedding culture How, how common was this for, for people to run away and get married? The women describe eloping as being quite common at that time but others say getting married in a wedding was also quite common in the tighter ethnic communities. The mothers would cook for three or four days and the friends and family would all come together for the wedding. They say we would describe the weddings as &quot ; extravagant&quot ; . Eloping ; Weddings Families. ; Marriage 17 2248 Farm animals in the city If you all lived in the city, where, where were the chickens kept? The families kept their farm animals in their yards. They had open land behind their houses that kept chickens, cows, and horses. One father would go out to sell his baked goods and get robbed and he would buy a new horse with no money. The mothers &quot ; got headaches&quot ; from the fathers' behaviors. 28th and Oxford Street ; Community layout ; Farm animals ; Finances ; Richmond (Philadelphia neighborhood) ; Row houses Communities. ; Dwellings ; Families. ; Family farms. ; Housing. ; Livestock. ; Neighborhoods. ; Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions. 39.980455, -75.180560 17 Intersection of West Oxford and North 28th Street in Philadelphia, PA http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/2314020d4a874010c621d0f2d3e0fb67.jpg &quot ; Woman and Man in a Row House,&quot ; c. 1928. City Archives of Philadelphia. 2341 Drinking among the men My mother did too, my father drank too. Fathers drank to excess. One father came home from work every night drunk. The women also describe the plumbing, with one father only buying a toilet when the son was born because he put more emphasis on him. The fathers would especially drink on the weekends and stay up all night gambling. Often their conversations consisted of times in Europe, but some fathers got violent when drinking and the family would have to &quot ; hide the knives.&quot ; Boucher tells of her father coming to Philadelphia from Poland working for contracting and banking but spending all of his money on drinking. 2nd and Girard Ave (Philadelphia, Pa.) ; Abusive behavior ; Alcoholism ; Gambling ; Vices Alcoholism ; Families. ; Immigrants 39.969834, -75.139540 17 Intersection of West Girard Ave and North 2nd Avenue Philadelphia, PA http://phillyimmigration.nunncenter.net/files/original/720c8a0bcfba9bf565898bc2f3ca26ff.jpg &quot ; Girard Avenue looking west on 2nd Street,&quot ; September 4, 1926. William A Gee, PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records. 2555 Reflecting on their home countries and the immigration experience Did your fathers, did your fathers--how did your parents feel about being in the country? Looking back on the decision to come to America, the families didn't want to return to their home countries because of the work and life conditions that existed back home. America contained more work opportunities and the families could get food easier. One father even came as a stow away in the Navy. FBI investigations ; Illegal immigration ; Immigration experience ; Stowaways Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Immigrants 17 2749 A mother's role and duties Did your mothers work? The women describe their mothers' work at home raising the family and taking care of the household and children. No housework was easy, especially the laundry having to be done by hand. Most of the families were quite large and the mothers worked night and day sometimes sewing for other people to make extra income for the family during the day and taking care of the house and family at night. Gender roles ; Housework ; Mothers Employment ; Families. 17 2978 Taking care of the family, a full time job How many hours a day would you say your mothers worked? Mothers worked from day until night and never complained. Taking care of the kids during the night if they were sick and then working the entire next day in the house. The women note how their mothers never complained and say today's men aren't men because men then were the bosses of the house and the woman was the worker. The women didn't want the habit of the men having the women doing the chores continuing into their households. The women describe everyone being &quot ; tickled to death&quot ; to earn their pay and not complaining about their work because it was what they had to do. A mother's work ; Children ; Full time jobs ; Gender roles ; Housework ; Mothers ; Polish schools Employment ; Families. 17 3180 Ways of life I often spoke to my granddaughter... When the women tell their grandchildren about their lives they say they are &quot ; old fashioned&quot ; or question &quot ; why should I listen?&quot ; when the generations are so far apart. In order to learn the language and learn how to read, the women would imitate their parents. Many of the parents taught themselves how to read and write using the newspapers. Children ; Education ; Language ; Life lessons ; Literacy ; Retelling ; Social status ; Younger generations Employment ; Families. 17 3316 Conclusion This has been very fascinating. The interview closes and the women sign release forms for the interview to be used as part of a radio show. 17 interview In this group interview conducted at the St. Anne’s Senior Center in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, women of Eastern European descent recall growing up in this immigrant neighborhood, recounting episodes from their childhoods, working as teenagers, courtship, and marriage. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh271_irw039_farris_ohm.xml 2017oh271_irw039_farris_ohm.xml https://oralhistory.uky.edu/catalog/xt7m901zgq96 Indexed By Arianna Denison Sort Priority 0017 OHMS Object https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2017oh271_irw039_ohm.xml Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview: Anna Farris, Anna Van Dyke, Josephine Glowacki, and Cecilia Boucher Description An account of the resource In this group interview conducted at the St. Anne’s Senior Center in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia, women of Eastern European descent recall growing up in this immigrant neighborhood, recounting episodes from their childhoods, working as teenagers, courtship, and marriage. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh271_irw039 Subject The topic of the resource Employment Families. Child labor. Emigration and immigration. Immigrants Labor disputes Labor movement Labor unions Marriage Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio