Part A- Growing up in the 1930s
Letter one: In your first letter, describe your home and neighbourhood in detail. Include lots of specific and interesting information so that the reader of your letter can visualise your environment. Tell your friend about your family. What types of activities do you enjoy as a family? What is your standard of living? How do your parents make a living?
Dear Olivia,
My name is Abigail Cullen and I am a white girl at the age of 10 years old. I was born in 1920 and I am now 10 in 1930. Life is very hard at the moment. My fathers business is having a tough time at the moment and we can not afford to go to church any more, all day and all night my family and I have to work. We were called a 'bad family', last Saturday when my father and I were walking hand in hand down to the corner shop to buy some milk for my mother and our maid. I was outraged and my father just continued walking. My neighborhood is very big. We live in the city and own a beautiful little cottage just off Smith Street. We also own a small portion of land in the country where my family and I go hunting. Of a day my mother helps take care of other woman’s children when they are working. I think this is funny because she leaves us in the care of our nanny in the mean time. We have a chef, a nurse, a handy man, a nanny and two maids but this does not mean we are wealthy, this is considered as normal. Just the other day my friend Amber’s father stole from his work place! Everybody was disgusted. I am not allowed to be seen with Amber anymore, my mother told me last night. Good gracious! I really liked Amber she was my best friend but I must not disobey mother. My father tells me that I am not allowed to be associated with the poor white children that live behind his business. They look so hungry and lonely. My father tells me that they are just having a tough time with their business and I will be able to play with them some day. So I watch them silently from behind my fathers desk of a day. Although I am still mad at the little white boy, I am becoming more forgiving as I observe his environment. A few months ago when I was waiting for my nanny, Jodie to pick me up from my fathers business, because I had to go and see my sick grandmother in hospital. The little poor white boy that I watch daily ran over to me and asked me to play with him. I apologised and said that I couldn’t because my grandmother is sick and I am visiting her at the hospital to say goodbye. He looked hurt and slapped me across the face and said, "It’s because your father told you, you couldn’t isn’t it?" He walked away as I started to sob silently to myself. I was so shocked to even comment on his behaviour. When Jodie pulled up I hopped in the back of the car. She asked me why I was crying and I replied, "The little boy hit me." She replied, "Hit him back!" Now I realise that my nanny Jodie has influenced me into the young woman I am today. I love her dearly and if we had to let her go due to money constraints I would be utterly devastated. She has raised me for 10 years, from birth to now! I hope that every thing is going to be ok. Life is hard but I love very minute of it. I hope you are not having any troubles. How are you? How is 2010? If I had to summarise the 30’s into one word it would be hard.
Love always you dear friend,
Abigail
Part B- Letter two
In your second letter, tell about your school and your friends. Describe your school, classes and teachers. Who are your friends, and what are some activities you enjoy doing together? You should also describe what's going on in the world around you. What's happening in the nation politically and economically? Tell about popular fashions, music, radio programs, and other interesting facts.
Dear Olivia,
I am a 16 year old black girl living in the 1930’s. My name is Grace Shania. I am a small-town girl, growing up just outside Birmingham. Times are hard. My mother, father and my ancestors were born into slavery. I am not allowed to get married my mother told me when I was just 10 years old! I am devastated as in my class there is a boy I like very much. Just the other day he gave me some flowers, that he picked from his mothers rose bush. I was delighted. My parents are poor, working class black people. My mother works all day serving and catering to Mr, Mrs and Miss Cullen’s needs. She never gets a break. She even is not allowed Christmas off. My father works in mining and comes home late every night. He works equally as hard as my mother but still we have no money to spare. I wear clothes that my mother makes for me. We get the material from Mrs Cullen’s scraps. They waste a lot of material but for this I am grateful. I get lots of new and exciting material almost once every 3 weeks! When I was little I was oblivious to the discrimination issue I was involved in. It was not until I went to school that I found out I was different and that I was not wasn't until after I went to school I found out I wasn’t allowed to go to certain parks and couldn’t couldn't swim in certain places due to my skin colour. I had not even encountered a white kid in my young years. Sometimes when I am having a tough time I remember back to the time when I was oblivious. It was a great time indeed. My best friends name is Georgia Pearl and I always spend weekends with her and her family on their farm down South. I am payed $5 an hour! We pick berries and clean around the house. Georgia’s white family is so kind.
Love always you dear friend,
Grace
