Daniel Globig

YMI340

Barb Hall - Interview

How many old ladies does it take to cause a migraine, stop traffic for two hours, and hold up a telemarketer for about 40 minutes? In my case with Barb Hall, I think she could do all three over and over just like the energizer bunny. Her mouth just kept going and going and going! I really appreciated her wisdom in ripe young age of 75 years old. She was not only gifted with enduring speech as she grew older but she was gifted with breath on her first day, April 26th, 1935. Salem, Massachusetts was her teen stomping ground. During Barbs high school experience she took dogs for walks, watched kids, roller skated every week with friends, and did many other things in the summer. She stayed with her sisters a lot to watch the kids but she did not stay put in just one place. She went all across the nation for a while when she was growing for many different chores and trips. Early on she got a job and worked with kids and babies. There seemed to be a struggle to find relationships for Barb since her mother would make sure she was not around guys for extended amounts of time. Her mother wanted to just ensure they were not getting sick of each other, since the fun runs out after a while, as Barb put it. Following this response, Barb continued down a trail of about 15 minutes giving me advice for any possible relationship! This was really funny since this nice old lady was ignoring my questions so she could tell me her hopes for me. When I finally got her attention back on topic, she told me how there were not many pressures for her since her father was strict and she just obeyed him like a good little girl. Most teens would supposedly obey the curfew among other things. However, she was not always a good little girl. One night she decided to go out with some boys. She even went out of town, but returned, only to be grounded for three weeks! One of her more memorable extracurricular activities was dancing at St. Marys church. There would be old nuns with sticks who would smack the students if they were too close to each other. There were less sticks and nuns at block dances, which occurred frequently as people would play music

1.11.10

Dr. Widstrom

Ethnographic Narrative

Daniel Globig

YMI340

Barb Hall - Interview

through nearby houses. Barb took many dance classes for fun. From neighboring mothers, she would also learn, along with many of the other girls, how to bake, sew, stitchetc. Tutorials like this took place every Tuesday or so! She had high values and morals because her parents instilled them so much in her life. Barb told a hilariously random story. She was running up some stairs in an undisclosed area when a boy approached her. He asked if the lumps came with the sweater she was wearing! Telling the story, I could hear some laughter, but when she first heard this, as a teen, she was on fire. She wanted to kick this guy in the shins but instead she ran away. I wonder if she really wanted to kick him somewhere else but she did not say so. During the adolescent years, her mother tried her best to tell Barb about her body. So Barb would take everything she heard in school and dialogue with her mother. Her mother went even further to discuss things such as mood swings. This was not surprising since her family was very close-knit. The small size of the house greatly encouraged closeness both physically and relationally. She would chat with her four sisters constantly but - she learned the most about boys from her mom and her brothers. After this, I asked, What was the typical amount of time expected for people to become an adult? Her response was quite surprising. Aside from noticing bodily changes and thoughts toward boys she seemed to always be a kid, until age 14. She married at age 18 and was told it would not work, since it was an early marriage, but she was proud it did work. They lived a long healthy marriage until she became widowed. Before her marriage, she was given quite a lot of house chores. She would do a lot of baby-sitting, go to the store, and do various jobs around the house, like washing the dishes. The most popular activities were skating, dancing, sledding, and watching movies. This is when they cost only 12 cents. Prices were floor level and apparently, expectations were also low. Education and college was not emphasized at all and very few people moved on to college. Barbs brother only

1.11.10

Dr. Widstrom

Ethnographic Narrative

Daniel Globig

YMI340

Barb Hall - Interview

went to the 10th grade. Side-by-side with this lack of educational focus, she could remember how the canvas shoe was the thing. Apparently Ellen DeGeneres and Dr. Oz have these shoes. All the other styles are, according to Barb, out today but people could not afford them at the time. Perhaps, education would be the only means by which students might reach out of a depression and get themselves some canvas shoes! Although, Barb told me she just was not very concerned with education, like most other teens she knew. Celebrities of Barbs time were all on the Radio. Jack Hope, Bing Crosby, Jimmy Stewart, Jack Binny, and Red Scoutin. These seemingly boring radio days were followed up with strict assumptions of obedience. Barb and her siblings would go to school, come home, and get homework done right away so they could help their mother get things done. It was a high priority to get the room cleaned and help around the house. This house responsibility, however, was not the only emphasis of teens at this time. Apparently, the popular teens were typically associated with being smart. Those who had more money were not necessarily stuck up, toward Barb, but they were definitely sporting the best clothes. Barb did not really have any set ideas concerning future career aspirations but she wanted to be a nurse. Her well-off friend went on to college and probably became something important. Like education, race was not as important to Barb, when she was growing up. Where Barb grew up, there were both African Americans and Caucasians; everyone seemed to get along. The world was not anything but a safe and prosperous to her. Part of this probably came from her residency; she lived very close to a military base. During the depression, everyone would quit education and go off to the military or some kind of job. Taking into account Barbs past, it is not surprising Barb believes youth are growing up too fast. She grew up at a time and place in which youth were allowed to be children for much longer. They were not expected to do much aside from pull together and help with certain chores. Her teen years were the

1.11.10

Dr. Widstrom

Ethnographic Narrative

Daniel Globig

YMI340

Barb Hall - Interview

years of hard economics but low expectations. Thus, she was surrounded by people who sought to remain tight knit and assist each other. Barbs teenage experience serves as an example of how certain times of economic value, combined with certain social subcultures, and mixed in with certain family and community tightness can create an entirely separate mindset concerning education, prosperity, adulthood, community, morals, and religion (among others).

Future: Have groups of youth go to the houses of older persons in the church, and just listen to the stories of these wiser persons who have experienced so much. Ask interview questions like this. Even give some of the questions beforehand. Have ice-cream or snacks. Make this fun and memorable.

1.11.10

Dr. Widstrom

Ethnographic Narrative