"Warning Long"
I come from illiterate parents. My Dad was born in 1912, and he made it through the 3rd grade. By that time, he was 12 and had to begin work at the sawmill. He was one of 7 children.
My parents could sign their names, but both had difficulty reading. I often wonder if the reason Daddy told me growing up that you're smart and are going to college one day, was because of his unrealized dreams. That thought saddens me as poor children of that day couldn't dream of school. Their dreams were shattered by long work hours and responsibilities on the farm.
Grandpa had 120 acres of land outside Jay. This wasn't where he was born, but he had migrated from Garland Alabama to NW Fl, where he found sawmill work. He didn't read, but Grandma did because I remember she always had the Bible open when I visited her. Perhaps her German immigrant parents could read and taught her. I will never know. Her grandfather was born in 1815 in Germany but had made his way to the US by 1845.
His name was Michael Kraemer, which was amercanized to Creamer, and his wife's name was Mary Odom. Their son Josiah or Sy, as everyone called him, was a fiddler. My aunt told me that people would pay him to fiddle at gatherings such as weddings, and that's how he eeked out a living.
My Dad played spoons and a harmonica, so he was from a musical family.
My mom was born in 1924, a few years after the War, and a few years before the great depression of 29. She was one of 8 children, all of whom survived to adulthood. That was some kind of miracle because her Mom died of starvation at aged 51. My grandpa ran a little store called the Hinky Dink in Jay on Morristown Rd. When he would leave the store, he chained the door up tight lest any of the kids or grandma would " steal" food. When a meal was cooked, grandma always said, "I'm not hungry," and gave her portion to one of the kids. I cried the first time my aunt told me this because that's something that any mother who loves her children would do.
Growing up, the only reading done in my home was from my sister Ruby. She was 12 years older than me. The Bible was her constant companion, and she read it to me a lot. She also graduated high school. The first child of Mama and Daddy and the first one to graduate high school. Her picture used to hang in the halls of Jay School, and when I got there, I purposefully looked at all those framed pictures until I found hers. I think these photos are housed at the Jay Museum now.
I wish that I had taken a photo of her hanging in the long hallway when I was 15, but my thoughts weren't of preserving my history then. It was boys. Lol.
I started this story wondering how my children, grandchildren, and my little great grandson are so smart. My parents were illiterate. I was the 3rd to finish high school in my family. My brother Leeroy went back to school later in life to get a better job at the Sawmill. I dropped out of day school in 10th grade, but I went back to night school and finished when my original class did. I did a yr and a half in 6 months. My children were the same way. It was so hard to get them through school after 10th grade because they were bored like I was. My oldest got her GED and became a nurse. She knew all her colors, ABC's, could read some and write her name at 3. My middle one graduated 4th in her class, had scholarships from everyone, but didn't pursue education. My 3rd never opened a book from 10th to 12th grade and graduated with a 4.2 GPA.
Where did this innate ability come from when I had two illiterate parents? Some say that we are custodians of wisdom from generations past. Maybe we're born smart or not. I don't know. Maybe my dad's desire manifested itself in his children. I'm definitely not smart enough to figure out why Mozart or Einstein children just happen.
I guess this struck me this morning as I see how illiterate we've become since my childhood. We are regressing as a nation instead of the other way around.
My paternal people came from England and Ireland to this land for opportunity in the 1600s. They were college educated, writers, musical, and written about in many history books. My Mom's people were from Scotland, Netherlands, and Germany. Her family had a Dr in the 1700s. Her 2nd Great Grandfather was educated and had a beautiful signature on his pension papers. When did education in my family get lost? Why are we in America pushing for illiteracy again when our forefathers worked so hard to rise above their circumstances.
Anyway, all these questions came forward after seeing my 18 month old great grandson pick a magnet off the stove door and say "yellow." He knows his colors, takes direction well, and is so inquisitive and reasoning as only an active mind can be. Are all children born smart, or does our environment make us smart? Why are some children born to illiterate parents smart and some that have educated parents illiterate? Did my dad telling me that I'm smart make me smart? Do parents that call their children dumb make them so?
Ramblings of my wordy thoughts this morning. Lol. I know that many of you are educators, so please enlighten me as to your thoughts on innate abilities versus nurtured ones.
Thank you for reading and for your care for me. I love y'all. Always, Kimmee.
