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4:56 p.m. - 2005-09-01
the story goes on and on
The Voice of the Sparrow: The Very Best of Edith Piaf

1956

The girls enjoyed attending school at James Madison Elementary. It was only 2 blocks away. All the children in the neighborhood walked to and from school. Most of the neighborhood children played together. They played Kick the Can, Red Rover, Hide and Seek, Tag, Cowboys and Indians. The girls roller skated around the block. On Main St. where Terri, Ginny and Bonnie lived, the sidewalk pitched enough that they could just stand on the skates and glide down the sidewalk. If they were rolling too fast, they just steered into the grass. In the winter time, there was an alley behind their apartment building. All the children got their sleds and went down the incline. It could get very icy back there and sometimes they couldn't stop and would almost go into the cross street which was Bartlett St. As far as Terri can recall, no one ever got hit by a car!!

The only serious problem the children suffered, besides Terri having Rheumatic Fever, was when Ginny fell off a swing at school and broke her left arm. She had to spend the night in Memorial Hospital and even though it was across the street; Terri and Bonnie were worried about her. She did come home the next day and her cast was admired by the entire neighborhood.

Life went on, books were read, music was listened to and games were played in the apartment. One night the entire family came home after dark and when they opened the door and started up the steps to the livingroom, a bat flew over their heads. There was lots of screaming. Finally another tenant hit the bat with a broom and took it outside.

About 1957, Peggy Jo was able to move her little family to the basement apartment which had 2 bedrooms and a larger kitchen-dining area. The bathroom only had a shower and was small.

Terri wanted to learn to iron and Peggy Jo allowed her to practice on hankerchiefs and pillowcases. Once she was good at that; Peggy Jo let her iron the girls' blouses and dresses. In those days, you had to sprinkle the clothes the night before. You used an old orange Nehi glass bottle and a sprinkler top and dampened all the clothes. You put them in a pillow case to keep them damp. Then the next evening, Terri would iron while Peggy Jo made supper.

Peggy Jo had never learned to cook. Her mother, Josephine never took the time to teach her how to do housework or cook. When she lived with Leonetta, she didn't have to cook either.
Peggy Jo learned to make a meal and tried to always have a dessert, even if it was jello. However, she never stirred the jello up enough so the bottom was always rubbery. To this day, Terri likes jello that way.
Peggy Jo also always scorched the milk for vanilla pudding. To this day, Terri doesn't like pudding that way!!

One evening, Peggy Jo must have been very tired and Terri was talking back when she was asked to do something. Peggy Jo said, "Dammit, just do it" and slapped Terri across the face." Both of them burst into tears and immediately apologized to each other. It was the first and last time, Terri talked back to her mother and Peggy Jo never ever raised a hand to Terri again.

Peggy Jo was finally ready to start dating again. She was only 32 and was still a beautiful woman. She liked to go dancing and have dinner out. One night she came home about 10:00 P.M. When she opened the door; she smelled gas. She opened all the windows and woke up the girls. After the apt aired out, everyone was fine. Peggy Jo was afraid to go out for a few months after that.


Peggy Jo did not have much money to spare. She provided love and entertainment by records, music, books from the library and games. Often the whole family would dance around to music on the record player. Peggy Jo loved Edith Piaf, a famous french singer. The girls could never understand the French songs which sounds very depressing. Terri always thought one was called "MAY I KILL PA". Another favorite record which was music only was Slaughter on 10th Avenue which was a jazz record.

Halloween was a special holiday because there was Beggars Night on October 30th and the regular Halloween on Oct. 31. The neighborhood was usually generous to all the children. The upstairs tenants loved to have the girls show off their costumes which were homemade each year. The girls would spend weeks planning the costume, save up their allowance and use crepe paper and makeup to create their vision. But usually Halloween would be so cold and rainy that the magnificent outfit had to be covered up by an old winter coat. Nevertheless, the candy was delicious.

Christmas came and Peggy Jo had little money for gifts. She took the Madame Alexander dolls that each girl had been given years before and took them to the doll "hospital" to be cleaned and rewigged. She waited until Christmas Eve and bought a left over tree for a few pennies. The girls understood that money was tight.

Peggy Jo tried to save up money for an Easter outfit for each girl to wear to church. Even the First Methodist Church was only a few blocks from home.

1958

Terri was in 7th grade. She was asked to help the afternoon kindergarden teacher with the children during her study hall. She enjoyed being with the children. At the end of the year, the principal gave her a little pin with the initials of JMES (James Madison Elementary School) as a thank you for helping.

That same year, Terri helped with a newspaper the 7th grade created and printed and distributed. She wrote a couple of articles and also named the paper. Junior Hi-lights.

Peggy Jo was dating again. She brought one man home to met her girls. His name is Jack Frost - really it was. He lived in Niles, Mi. and had never been married. He took the girls and Peggy Jo out one Sunday and bought them malts. The girls were sitting in the back of the car. Bonnie who was only 8 years old accidentally spilled her malt. Jack lost his temper and yelled at Bonnie. Peggy Jo told Jack to take everyone home. She never dated him again.

Finally she started dating a man who also worked for the South Bend Tribune. He was the business editor. He was several years older than Peggy Jo and was divorced. He had a grown daughter and son. He had been living alone for several years. They got along quite well and had similar interests. He was introduced to the three girls and seemed to greatly enjoy the family of females.

Finally he proposed and Peggy Jo accepted. Ray and Peggy Jo were married on July 6, 1959. They moved to a 2 story duplex on Grandview Ave. across the street from Colfax Elementary School. Terri was going to be in 8th grade and would go to Central High School. It had grades 8 to 12.



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