Grandma’s Stories

Dec 6th Christmas Decorated Dining Room

Working as an Orphan , could be Fun,  if the Nun in charge an I could get along? Some Nuns (I hate  to say ) just were not  really good “Role Models” for children, and should have been in other than children type institutions. But,  there were a few  of the Nuns that I have found that I liked enough to keep in touch with all their lives.

One of these, Special Nuns, was Sister M..Emeline! She was in charge of the Boys Dining Room, and I worked  for Her,  when I may have been in the sixth grade. Job changes were made in September and February  –  six month job assignments with a different Nun!

So, as Thanksgiving  approached,   I asked Sister M. Emeline, if I  could check out   the “Boys Side Attic”  –    to see if there were   any   Christmas Decorations? She suggested that I check with Sister M. Alvira,  as she was  not as bold  – to assume, that she  – could give me permission to roam around in the “Attic.”  But if you don’t ask  –  you don’t find out , anything!  I follow through with checking with  Sister M. Alvira,   was given permission, and up to the Attic!

In the Attic  – I found boxes with rolls of  red  and green garland material, silver bells , and more decoration stuff. I manage to get some of the guys to help bring down the boxes – four(4) flight of stairs to the Dining Room.  This turned out to be a real job. Had some helpers to carry these garlands along the ceiling  with a dip in the center in a Criss-Cross  pattern  around the room and making sure the dips were even and not too low. Special decorations were hung from centers and silver bells  spiralled in the windows.

Did I say  I had to confiscate a ladder  –  as I was up and down and moving tables and chairs,  eye-balling for decorations to be same height and pattern matching all around! I don’t think Sister M. Emeline , thought I could do it, but I did!  Thia was the best decorated room in the Orphanage!

Dec 4th Orphan Likes Work!

Talk about   work?  –  Kids do!   There are some jobs   I had ,  that really seem like  work,  during the seven (7) years as an Orphan.  One job was working in the dining room, had to be careful about breaking dishes!  In my early years,  did whatever I was told to do and kept my mouth shut?  But, when I was older and taller, was told by Sister M. Celestine,  to see to it that those  working  with me,   got their jobs done or  that I would end up doing it  all! I turned into a slave-driver! This was done for the sake of the Nun in charge of the dining room, Sister M.Alfred, being an older Nun. She was short and very thin and  a good wind could have blown her away!

So, on Saturdays, after breakfast, I had everyone working as fast as possible, wash and dry dishes,  clean off tables and reset for dinner, someone sweeping the floor, put away dry dishes and silverware.  As soon as we were done,  I would march myself down the corridor to the  Bakery!    Sister M. Augistella  was in charge, and everyone liked her! She seem to have bad knees and legs and she was on the older side , but lots of  Fun!

This was a good place to work, I was learning how to use the floor type mixer machines, all about the different  type doughs, making  Parker House Rolls,  preparing the different pans for baking. Sister Augistela had a way of telling and showing you just exactly  what needed to be done and how to do it. My Favorite was the process to make the  Gingerbread Cookie,  and for  Christmas  Eve Supper  every Orphan received one!

In the  ’40s,   everything was made from scratch, and that is where I really like my hands rubbing the sugar , flour and butter together for the  Crumb-Cake Topping. For breakfast every other Sunday, each of us would receive a nice slice so we made several trays , calling for lots of crumbs!

So far, I have not found a  Crumb Cake, made  and purchased , that matches  what we received as kids. I do regret not making a copy of  Sister ‘s recipe!

Dec 2nd Orphans and Things To Do! pg.2

Every store had beautiful Christmas decorations,  twinkling lights, and all kinds of good Christmas smells!  As we, girls were going from store to store we stayed close together so we wouldn’t be losing  someone or something purchased. Who’s fault would  that be?

One memory was of  classmate, Theresa Wei-land, as she was buying, Yardley’s Old English Lavender soap, a box of three bars,  for our teacher, Sister M. Alvira.  The scent of lavender was so wonderful, I was wishing  everyone used this soap. Not all the girls were able to decide what they wanted  to buy, and we were planning on another Saturday shopping trip. The main idea of shopping was to explore the outside world and see what the stores had, so we could pass the word around,  so others could  go shopping.

After seeing and some buying   –  a regular sight-seeing trip has to come to an end! We are headed back to the Orphanage, and we missed out on dinner! So, this is the best part of the trip! Some of us girls were not afraid to get into trouble by stopping at the Velvet Freeze Ice Cream store, for a Banana Split! After all we missed dinner?

Anyway, we    Orphans  had a real good time,  riding   the bus back and forth,    we probably were acting like prisoners on the loose  —   but  Christmas  Time   is a good time  to  have  “Fun”   –  especially when you are a   “Kid!”

Dec 1st Orphans and Things To Do!

7th and 8th grade Orphans leave Orphanage  for Christmas shopping!  While still a very  young kid, one good habit I set for myself,  was to save all the small change  I received  –  something worthwhile may come up  and nothing like being prepared.

Sometimes some of the kids received punishment in the form of having to do checks. Let me explain, in the 40’s  –  checks/punishment was a math problem. The Nun would give you two to five numbers  (5798). This number you would draw a line down the right side and place number 2 – then multiply the  ( 5798)  number, and  that answer would be below,   and you would put  the next number 3,   below  the 2 and multiply the new result by the 3. Each new result would  be multiplied by the next number and the Nun might require you to go as far as 12 for the multiplier. Now having a very great number,   you would start to divide,   draw your line down the left side and divide each result until your starting number  (5798 ) was the end of your division. Sometimes you could spend all you free time doing these works of punishment. So I would offer to do checks for you, for 25 cents  each.

The  math was easy for me and I would make money!   On the first Saturday of December, after our chores were  done, and every  Orphan  except the  kindergarten children  had chores to do every day!  Every six (6) months job assignments were changed.

As soon as, those of us that were going were ready to leave  –  we practically ran to the bus stop. The only bus that ran that for out to the county was the Ramona Bus.   We were headed for an area   that  had quite a few  stores and   also a large  5  and 10 cent store!