Grandparents' Day Contest

GRANDPARENTS' DAY CONTEST
(September 7—September 30)

Hola!

Isabel here—boy, did I like reading all your entries into our special Grandparents’ Day Contest held in honor of Grandparents’ Day last month. There is so much we can learn from our grandparents—like how they survived without cell phones, computers, and video games. I mean, what did they do for fun?

Our winner of the contest told us just that. Isabelle, 10, from Massachusetts took our contest to the next level by interviewing her grandmother, Kathy, about her favorite things to do when she was Isabelle’s age.

Thanks, Isabelle (ha! cool name) for sharing your grandmother’s story! Check out Isabel's entry below as well as our top runners up!

Imagine fifty years from now… what do you think life will be like for YOUR grandchildren?

Adios,
Isabel

*WINNER*

Here is one of my Nana’s best (and most informative) stories.

“One summer I was very sick. It was during the 1940's when POLIO (poliomyelitis) was a viral disease that was attacking many children. It was an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The disease was sometimes called "infantile paralysis" because scientists once thought that only children got it, and that it always caused paralysis. Doctors now know that poliomyelitis may affect persons of any age. It does not always leave the victim paralyzed. The name poliomyelitis comes from two Greek words - POLIOS, meaning gray, and MYELOS, meaning marrow. The disease is caused by tiny virus particles that attack the gray matter of the brain and spinal cord. The symptoms were a high fever and stiff neck, shoulders, back and body muscles. I had all of these symptoms. My parents called the Doctor to come and make a decision as to whether I should be hospitalized. I remember that they were both crying. In those days, the pediatrician (doctor) always made house calls. We rarely went to the doctor's office. The Doctor checked me thoroughly and told my parents just to wait until the fever broke. If it went down, I would be safe. Well, it did and I was OK but the rest of the story is very interesting.. The reason this disease (virus) was so virulent was because there was no vaccination or effective weapon to keep it from spreading. Most children were kept home, away from crowds, no movies, had to take long naps and their parents were in fear of them showing any signs of fever or stiffness. It was thought that the virus multiplied in the hot, humid weather especially in August. Then in the early 1950's an American research scientist, who worked in the field of preventive medicine, developed the first effective weapon in preventing polio. His name was Jonas Salk. A mass testing of the polio vaccine was done in 1954. Salk's vaccine was the first to successfully prevent this feared disease. So, now you can appreciate how important it is that your parents and doctors gave you all of those shots as infants.”

This is the general life of my Nana including a few brief stories.

“Hobbies: The girls all collected "trading cards." They were matches of two cards from decks of cards that had people, animals, scenes, patterns, etc. We would keep them in order of importance to us and trade them with our friends. The best thing was to get a pair. We would bring them to school every day and trade during recess and after school.
The biggest treat was on Saturday afternoons when the local movie house showed 3 straight hours of cartoons. We were dropped off by our parents (whoopee, got to go alone - It was very safe then) and ate pop corn and jujubees until we all felt sick. My favorite cartoon was "Mighty Mouse."

Every Saturday morning my neighbor (Mr. Sidney Graham, a gentleman of about 50 years old) would come over and help me with my stamp collection. I had two very large albums, which held stamps of every denomination from every country. We would have to pick up the stamp with tweezers so as not to damage it, then put a small cellophane fastener on the back, lick it, and place it carefully over the correct illustration and denomination. (We would never lick the stamp, thus it would loose it's value.)

My favorite collection (as well as my trading cards) was my "story book dolls. For instance, Snow White, Cincerella, Hansel and Gretel. Dolls from comon children's stories. They were so beautiful and real to life and I used to get one for Christmas every year. It was always a very special gift.

Sunday, after lunch, was a special time for me as my Dad taught me how to dance. He was a man full of music and a beautiful "ball-room" dancer and he would put on his records and dance with me for a long time.

My family was very musical. I played the cello and the piano, my sister played the piano and my Dad played the violin. Over the holidays we would ask the neighbors over with their instruments and have concerts and give plays. My mother and my aunt had beautiful voices and would harmonize a lot.

We only had one car, so we took my father to the train every morning and picked him up in the evening. When we were young we walked to school. Later on (7th and 8th grades) we had buses. It was very safe then to walk to school.”

(These whole stories were contributed by my Nana. Nothing has been changed and this story is just as told by my Nana.)

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*RUNNER UP*

When my grandpa was little he was a sears model. He said he was in soooooooo many catologs. It's really cool because my little sister also wants to model in catalogs. Maybe he can show my sister a few tips.

When my grandma was a little bit older than me she said that she used to run home to watch American Dance Party like they did in hairspray when they ran home to watch the Corny Collins Show. It's very cool to be able to actualy relate my favorite movie to real life.

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*RUNNER UP*

Dear Isabel,

My grandparents both died but, I can tell you some interesting stories that my family told me and my grandpa told me some too, before he died!

When my Grandpa was a kid, he lived in Brooklyn. He was about 15, and he built a boat with his friends. It was Sunday and they were supposed to go to Church. Him and his friends snuck out in their Sunday clothes. They went out on the boat and they all fell off! They went home SOAKED!! My grandpa said, " We got a punishment like you wouldn't believe!! "

My Grandpa played baseball for Bedford. He played shortstop. He was GREAT! He even got drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers! He was on T.V. too!! But , then he joined the Marines. I like that story because, alot of kids can't believe their grandparents were ever kids!! It tells me that he was a kid and he had dreams just like me!!

My Grandparents went to my uncle's house in California. They were about to leave when all of a sudden, my grandmother picked a bowl up off the table and put it in her bag! My uncle let her keep it but, he got it back later. That story always makes me laugh.

My Grandma LOVED to read. she would buy an expensive hard cover book and read it in a couple of hours! My grandpa used to say , " You bought that hardcover book today for $30 and you're done!! " I love this story alot!!

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*RUNNER UP*

When my grandma grew up, she lived in Ireland. she lived on a small island, and everyday to go to school, she took a boat, walked for five miles ( lugging wood for the school heating sistum), and got to school. the quickest way to get to school was to go throgh a mean old mans yard. everyday he would sent his bull after my grandma and her five siblings, and try to hit them with his shovel! I would be terrified!

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*RUNNER UP*

My grandfather died of Diabetes in 1997, when I was 3, but my grandmother still lives…with us! I call her Gie-Gie. Her name is Teresa, but everyone calls her Agnes, or Aggie. She was born in 1922 and she’s lived through a huge flood in 1937, the Great Depression, and World War II. I think she’s an amazing person.

One of the stories I asked her to tell me again and again when I was little was this one.

When she was my age, kids used to put bowls underneath the Christmas tree and Santa would fill them up with candy and fruit. Naturally all the children would be crowding into the kitchen looking for the biggest bowl.

Well, my grandmother’s brother, Eugene, who was somewhat of a trouble maker, went out in the back and got the big washtub while everyone else was in the kitchen looking for bowls. After all the others had put theirs under the tree, he snuck out and put his washtub underneath it.

He would have gotten away with it, too, if his mother, my great-grandmother, hadn’t come out and caught him. So he was left with the smallest bowl as punishment, sort of, because everyone else had taken the big bowls.

I think life for my grandmother as a girl must have been hard—they had nine kids and only one car and they lived in a two bedroom house. They had no TV or computer—not only are these electronics used for entertainment, but they also give warnings…weather and such. So be thankful for all your advantages!

I love her so much. I am so happy to have her as my grandma!

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*RUNNER UP*

Well i guess i should be thankful for what i have. Everyday i ask my grandparents to tell me there stories about tyere life boy do i be surprise sumetimes. We have so much technology now while back in the days they had to do everything by hand.

I am indian and my grandparents were in india too they had to was clothes outside with there own hands and struggle alot especially boys and girls because girls they usually stayed home and did chores which back in that time it was hard beczuse i went to india last year and boy is it hot u can't count on electricity all the time even if u pay the bills and there is a certain time clean water comes so u have to hurry up and fill it up with alot of jugs.

It was definalty an experience for me so now you imgine back in those days they had to work there feet off in the hottness there was no such thing as microwave or people barely had tv and there was no such thing as a computer. Tv and computer is what i live on without those two things i don't know how my days would go by. People at that time didn't really thik education was imortant they usually stayed home to help boys and mens it was really hard fort hem to find a well paying job like we have in america today we can easily go to mcdonalds at age 16 and get a job pp had to beg on there knees just to get a job tht barely paid much.

I am in highschopol right now and in my school there isn't no uniform so i wear t-shirts and jeans my grandma and grandpa always say something about what i wear cuz back then if they showed a single part of there body they will b in BIG trouble they had to wear long sleeve imagine india is so hot and long sleeve and here pp b were mini skirts that barely there hands can reach.

I am very thankful dat i have both my grandpa and grandma on my dad and mom side and i get to hear great stories from them everyday it is such an experience i tell you. I think we should all be thankful for what we have and that we didn't have to go through what our grandparents did. Because of my grandparents i am here in america whuvh i am blessed beczuse later on in life they moved to america which tey saved all there money and than after generation i was borned and i think i am gonna go downstairs and hug my granma right now and just let her know that i aperriciate her and say thankyou..tata 4 now

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*RUNNER UP*

Dear beacon street girls

My grand parents have had told me that I was lucky to have the opportunity that I have now. When they were my age they didn't go to school they could not afford it. My life sounds so different from theirs when they were my age.

Sometimes they would tell me that to stay in school and go to college that I have the opportunity to be somebody. My grandma and grandpa grew up in their small pueblo (town in Spanish) my grandma and grandpa to earn enough money to pay the the bills they had to make chairs with their bare hands. Since my grandma was the eldest of her sisters she had to take care of them.

They had many hardships sometimes they hardly had food to eat. It has always been my grandparents dream to walk on theland of freedom and justice. Then after all these years in 1994 they came America and currently now they have been married for 49 years.

I am thankful for my grandparents because of them I have the opportunities that I have now so I say to them thank you.

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*RUNNER UP*

Hi Isabel!

First, I just want to say that I totally am in love with the Beacon Street Girls books.ive read as many that have come out, and I totally think that they are the best books. My favorite book is probobly Just Kidding. Its total junior high.

Well with the Grandparents Day Contest...I definatly think that my abuela and abuelo are THE BEST. There is nobody out there that is better! I'll tell you a bit about them.

My grandpa was in the Army during World War II, and he went to war. He was not even injured, and I am so proud to be his grandaughter. He grew up to be an amazing man, and it shows because nobody I know today would ever go to war when they are only 18. He helped a lot of people, and I know this, because when he wears his World War II Veteran hat, people always thank him for his services. he is an amazing man. When he went to junior high, he told me that he was what people today call a geek. He was smart and wore glasses, but I dont think he was a GEEK. But he said that he made it through, and that his favorite year was 7th grade.

Now to my grandma. My grandma is probobly the strongest person I know. She grew up in a poor family, but she told me that she has always been happy as a child and an adult. She is so amazing, because now she is in her 70s and she is able garden, paint her house, keep her house clean, and so much more. Shes also the smartest person I know, and when I was 5, she taught me to tie my shoelaces! My grandma said that she was always on top of fashion in junior high school. Of course, the fashion is different now than it was 3 and a half decades ago!!!

I hope you choose my entry for the Grandparents' Day Contest.

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*RUNNER UP*

My great grandma was in the holocaust. What she went through no other person could go through. She lost all her family, and had to do many brave things. If she had not survived then I would not be writing this email right now. I love her dearly, and always go to see her. I love to hear her stories about when she was younger. She is just about the most interesting person I know, and will ever know.

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*RUNNER UP*

My grandfather grew up in Germany. His father (my great grandfather) owned a barber shop, and he would go there to often help his father. Then, when my grandfather was a little older than a teenager, a huge crowd from Czechoslavakia swarmed in his hometown. Because of Hitler, these people were forced to flee their homes. Many of these people were my grandfather's age, including my grandmother, Ana. She stayed with my grandfather's family during the hard times.

Finally, they decided to get married. I still have a picture of their wedding. It looked so beautiful. After time, they had a baby girl, my aunt. It was then when they decided to move to America. They took a boat to New York, bought a house, and settled down. Soon after, they returned to Germany. This time, when they went back to New York, they were accompanied by my dad. They took him back to New York, and they were staying there. He stayed there his whole life. He died this past August.

That is my grandfather's story.......but he had some intresting times. Like, he owned a company that made machine parts, and he made some of the parts that were on Neil Armstrong's space shuttle.

Even though I never see him anymore, I have pictures that remind me, he's always right there.