My grandma and Kit! Cool things I'm finding out!

[MorknMindy]

My husband's parents were around during the depression, but I think my father-in-law was the poorest of all. His dad was a drunk so they had nothing. They lived in the country so they'd eat whatever they could catch. He said he really hated eating opossum because they were so greasy. [img]eek.gif[/img]

I haven't read Kit's books yet since I've mainly been focusing on Felicity, Kirsten, Addy, and Samantha. I wasn't too impressed with the one Molly book I read because it just didn't seem very "historic" to me. Does the depression play a pretty big part in Kit's story?

[adriana82]

Yes! In my opionion, Kit's books are better than Molly's. They are really very well done. Each book focuses on a different aspect of the depression, while relating it to Kit's own life - which is completely affected by the depression. All the characters are very well developed (unlike those in the Molly books) and Kit's love for writing and helping is evident in each book. If you are interested in just the Depression, I would absolutely reccomend "Welcome to Kit's World" - it's a wealth of information and photos that touches every angle of the Depression. It's fascinating!

[Jane Hart]

That's amazing! I love stories like that, please tell us more when you find out!

[StarTrekCaptain]

I disagree. Molly's books are great. And the war does relte to her life. I mean, food rationing, dad overseas, mom not a stay at home mom anymore but off working at the red cross, molly learning about the war at school and having lend a hand contests, grandparents get a flat tire and can't come for Christmas becaus of rubber rationing, etc. I think it relates to the war as much as it could, considering their was no actual fighting in the US, and Molly did not live in Hawaii or anything. So how much war like could it get?

[adriana82]

OK so this is really neat. I can't wait to call my great aunt Charolotte (grandma's sister) and find out more. Charlotte was born in 1924 (same as Kit???) and my grandmother, Ruth, was born in 1927. She passed away though in 1999 so I can't ask her about this, but Charlotte is still living so I can't wait to contact her.

My mom told me that her grandmother (my great grandmother, the mother of Charlotte and Ruth) used to leave food out on her front porch for hobos - the homeless people during the depression. I think they lived in Mount Vernon (just north of NYC). They may have even taken in boarders. The hobos "marked" their house - just like Kit's - as a friendly house, one where you could get food.

That's all I know for right now, I can't wait to find out more!!! I don't have Kit, but I really am growing more and more attached to her, as I realized she is a lot like my grandmother, who loved to help out at soup kitchens with her family too! It makes me feel like I know my grandmother a little bitter, even though she is no longer living. She even had the same name as Kit's best friend!!!

[StarTrekCaptain]

Kit was born in 1922, because she's nine-turning-ten in 1932- Kit doesn't follow the same "years ending in four" plan as the rest of the girls do.
That's really neat about your grandma! My grandma was born in 1921 and died in 2001 so I cannot ask her either but I have asked her sisters, my two great-aunts, things about her.
They grew up on a farm during the depression, and they had a fmaily of eight kids (but the youngest child, a girl named Lila, died in infancy though.)
I just recently found a photograph of a little girl who looked like my grandma and I just KNEW it was her, I mean its my grandma so I could tell. Of course she looked different being a kid but I just KNEW.
Nobody in my family believed me that it was grandma in the picture, but I took it to a fmaily reunion and showed it to my great-aunts and they said, "Yes, that's Maggie!" In the picture she is holding up one of her baby brothers and standing outside on the farm, in front of 2 small building that my aunts told me one was an outhouse and one was a chicken house! We had never seen a photograph of my grandma as a little girl before.
Finding out stuff can be so fun!
COnmgrats to you! Isn't it great that our grandmas had sisters, so even when they're gone we still have soemone to ask about all this? [img]smile.gif[/img]

<font color="#051E50" size="1">[ March 20, 2005 12:48 AM: Message edited by: StarTrekCaptain ]</font>

[adriana82]

Hehe, I just remembered that my grandmother had a younger sister, named Margaret (same as Kit's real name). She passed away when I was about 4, my dear great aunt Margie.

Oh this is making me miss my grandmother though, I really wish I had speant more time learning from her.

I encourage all of you to spend more time learning about what life was like for your grandparents if they are still around! I hope I can pass it all on to my own children one day.

[amandajg]

That's so great that you can connect to history through your grandmother's sister. [img]smile.gif[/img] It sounds very interesting. I'm fascinated by the depression era. Soon after I got Kit I showed her to my grandmother (who was born in 1934). The depression didn't really effect her family, as her father was kind of from "old money". Still she loved seeing Kit's clothes and furniture in the catalogue. She slept in a bed that's almost identical to Kit's - in fact my cousin uses it as his bed now (I don't think it has flowers painted on it anymore). She also loved Kit's dishes and used to always have jelly roll cakes. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[mom_to_an_americangirl]

Originally posted by adri-adri:

My mom told me that her grandmother (my great grandmother, the mother of Charlotte and Ruth) used to leave food out on her front porch for hobos - the homeless people during the depression. I think they lived in Mount Vernon (just north of NYC). They may have even taken in boarders. The hobos "marked" their house - just like Kit's - as a friendly house, one where you could get food.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">OMG! I grew up in Mount Vernon by the trains and lived there for the first 29 years of my life and taught there and my mom is still there.

When you talk to grandma find out where she lived. I will be able to even photograph some of the areas for you as I am down there twice a week.

I can also give you a ton of historical documents and information on the 1920's and 1930's in town. My family lived there since they came over. My godmother was born in 1901 and left a rich history of her life during the depression and the war years.

I also know the real Kit and her family so I can give you some info on that!

Lorie

[JuliaAM]

Wow, Lorie!!! What a small world it is! Adri-adri, I can't wait to hear what you find out. I'm going to have to bookmark this thread because I just love Kit's story! Kit's World Book is the only World book I have and I can't wait to hear more about her life and times. Adri-adri and mom_to_an_americangirl, maybe you two should get together and share a website dedicated to Kit's times. I can't wait to read more and see pics!

Julia