STORIES OF MY MOTHER ….PART 5

A FEW YEARS AGO, MY MOTHER PUT DOWN ON PAPER, STORIES OF HER AND BROTHER ALBERT’S CHILDHOOD.

I am going to write these in her words. She has told me some of these stories, and some I am reading for the first time. My mother and family did not have much growing up in a small town, but, they did have loving parents, good times and stories that will endure.

When I started to school, I went to the 14th St school, on 14th St and Buffalo St. Franklin Pennsylvania.

Fourteenth School, Franklin Pa. from Venango County website

The first day of school was the longest day of my life. Albert and Mom walked me to school, and then they went home and I was really worried they weren’t going to come back at lunchtime to get me. But, when I came out the door, they were there waiting for me. They were a welcome site to see. Albert kept asking Mom and Dad when he could start school. They told him, when he turned five he could go, just like me. We had a really nice teacher, Mrs Cassidy. She would milk for all the children, whether they could pay or not. She read great stories to us about Abraham Lincoln, Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Heidi. She also taught us some Irish songs like Galloway Bay and others. I always remember the games we played in the yard and eating lunch outdoors.

14Th St School, Alberta Dean

From my mother’s school collection. Mom is the tall dark-haired girl on the far right, 3rd row.

When we had ” back to school ” night, the parents would come to our classrooms and see what we did during the day. When it was time to go to the other child’s room, they would ring the bell. Then after that, they opened up large folding doors to make one big room. We would all then have snacks. I remember, the classrooms were always hot, so the teachers had to open the large windows, that opened from the bottom and the top. They used a large with a hook to open them. There were no fans.

14th St School, Alberta Dean

From my mothers; collection.Mom is second row, third from right.

©FANNIESYOURAUNT

STORIES OF MY MOTHER….PART 3

A FEW YEARS AGO, MY MOTHER PUT DOWN ON PAPER, STORIES OF HER AND BROTHER ALBERT’S CHILDHOOD.

I am going to write these in her words. She has told me some of these stories, and some I am reading for the first time. My mother and family did not have much growing up in a small town, but, they did have loving parents, good times and stories that will endure.

Before Albert was born, we stayed with Uncle Bill. This would be Bill Harkless. He married Blanche’s sister Catherine. Ruben had been their boarder previous to marrying my grandmother Blanche. His first wife Violet Harkless died in 1930. Our house was on Myrtle St and Sassafras. Lester Baker, Uncle Tom Harkless and Daddy built it. When you walked in the front door, there was a big kitchen, then a doorway to the dining room. We had a gas heater in the dining room and living room. There was also a big gas stove in the kitchen. To the left of the kitchen, you would go upstairs. At the top of the stairs was what Daddy called a cubby hole, where they stored things. After you got up stairs, there was a big bedroom to the left where Uncle Tom, Art and George slept. Al and I had a bed in mom and dad’s room. The later, Al moved into the room with the men. We had a closet in each bedroom. There was no bathroom, we got a bath in a big metal tub in the kitchen. We had an outhouse behind our house. In the winter we used a ” slop jar “, that’s what Daddy called it. I called it a metal bucket. We used it at night and in the winter time, the outhouse wasn’t heated of course.

wringer washer

Mom had a wringer washer with two metal tubs she used to rinse our clothes. In the summer, we would hang them outside. In the winter, Daddy put up  a line across the kitchen so we could dry our clothes.

My thoughts….You can see the wringer washer in this picture. And a large cat in the window.A bathroom was later added on to the house, story later. When I would visit with Mother,  I remember the washer in the large bathroom. Also, the claw foot tub we bathed in, and felt exposed to all because the room was so large.

© FANNIESYOURAUNT

STORIES OF MY MOTHER…..PART 2

A FEW YEARS AGO, MY MOTHER PUT DOWN ON PAPER, STORIES OF HER AND BROTHER ALBERT’S CHILDHOOD.

I am going to write these in her words. She has told me some of these stories, and some I am reading for the first time. My mother and family did not have much growing up in a small town, but, they did have loving parents, good times and stories that will endure.

I was born in Franklin Hospital, October 24, 1938. Dr Cunningham delivered me. But, the date is wrong on the hospital birth record. Mom told me she was in the hospital on Halloween, I guess she ought to know. My parents were Ruben and Blanche Dean. Granddad Ewing wanted a boy, but, to his surprise, he got a granddaughter, so they named me Alberta Louise. Granddad Ewing’s name was Albert. So, mom told him if she had another child, and it was a boy, it would be Albert Louis. On March 12, 1941, my brother was born at Franklin Hospital. Dr. Cunningham also brought him into this world. I was very glad when Daddy came home and told me I had a baby brother.

ALBERT HOSPITAL

Apparently, my Uncle Al cost $38.00. Quite a bargain by today’s standards.

© FANNIESYOURAUNT

Sentimental Sunday …..1427 1/2 Myrtle St

THIS IS THE HOUSE IN WHICH MY MOM GREW UP…..

1427 1/2 MYRTLE ST, FRANKLIN PA

I started visiting Franklin Pennsylvania when I was ten years old. At the top of the hill was Myrtle St.and Sassafras St., they met up in the bend of the road. The house sloped a bit, meaning it always felt like it was going to slide off the side of the hill into 15th street!! You walked into the living room at the back of the house, and there was a slant. At ten, I thought it was neat. . Upstairs, there were two bedrooms. And there was a narrow set of stairs that led up to them. At this time, my grandfather had not yet been moved downstairs for care. He later was, so grandmother could help him more easily. There were two large beds in the front bedroom which faced down onto the street.For some reason, I remember when it stormed, my grandmother did not like that. I did, and still do like sleeping during storms.

At the base of those stairs, there was also a large bathroom, my mother said had been converted some years ago. Plus side, a large claw foot tub, which I loved. There was a wringer washer too. I have many great memories of our visits.

My mom grew up here, along with her brother Albert. They would tell all kinds of stories about a runaway wagon, overturned outhouses and of the neighbors they knew from way back.

From this house, you could walk through the woods and get to the top of the mountain to Franklin Heights. From the top of the mountain, you could see all the way downtown to Franklin, one of my favorite views.

Soon after my grandmother moved in the apartment in downtown Franklin, the house was demolished. I see the door to the root cellar still there, I never went in it!!

Attached are some photos of the house when my mom was very young with the family, and some with her brother.

Family Photos