Clear memories of yesteryear

The older one becomes, the more accurately the past can be remembered. It is strange that old people forget daily details of life, but clearly remember events of long, long ago. As one of those who cannot remember breakfast, it is astounding to remember so clearly things that happened so many years ago.

While I was not present for Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic, I did see his plane when I was about five. “The Spirit of St. Louis” was on display in a St. Louis museum. I remember it clearly. The aircraft was small and some onlookers wondered how they suspended it from the ceiling but I saw the wires. Ha!

Who could forget the first movie they ever saw. I remember distinctly. It featured Tom Mix and was shown in a tent behind a saloon in a little town in Illinois. Taken to the show by an older cousin, I was not impressed. Later I remember going to a real theater for “Alice in Wonderland”. I cried and had to be taken home. I thought those strange people were going to eat Alice.

Then there was the coronation of King George VI of England. He ascended the throne of the British Empire after his brother, Edward, gave up his royal position because he was in love with an American divorcee. I was not there but there was talk of the event for months between my mother and her sisters. They thought Edward was a scoundrel.

I was more interested in the princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret. For years, I believed that there had been some mix up at a hospital and that I was really a princess and they were plain little girls living in rural Illinois. It never occurred to me that we were born on different continents.

People who lived in that time must remember the Dionne Quintuplets in Canada. Multiple births were a rarity back then and “five, oh my goodness”. There was as much attention being paid to those five little girls as is paid to Brittany Spears today. Years later I read a book about the quints and discovered that their lives were really very sad. I remember their little faces well and I can almost name them all.

I never saw any part of the flight of Amelia Earhart but it seemed that people talked about the mystery surrounding her for months. What really happened to her remains a mystery.

Who could forget the tragedy of the New London School? By the time of the terrible explosion, my family had moved to Texas. Like everyone else, they grieved with the families of the 500 children who died. I remained uneasy in school for years.

I distinctly remember the tragedy of an airship called the “Hindenburg” which blew up as it landed in New Jersey. There was no television but the voice of radio announcers told the story. Later there were films at the movie theaters as a part of what was called “News of the Day” of something like that. Except for those films, the only pictures one could see were in the newspapers. No one has ever invited me to fly aboard a blimp, but I wouldn't go.

I remember the assassination of Governor Huey Long of Louisiana only because my Louisiana relatives thought he was so great. My parents were doubtful about his motives. I remember, too, that Long's death was the first time I had heard the word “assassination”. I thought it must be naughty until it was explained.

I remember hearing and reading a lot about Gloria Vanderbilt, another well-to-heiress. She was called “poor little rich girl”. I would have traded places with her in a heartbeat.

I would write more about my memories, but the telephone is ringing and I can't find where I put it. Wherever it is, my glasses are there too.

Joy can be reached at jstephenson73@hotmail.com