Grandma Says: “Give generously, take sparingly.”
Grandma Fannie and Grandpa Pickett were not financially rich, worked very hard and, as far as I can remember, never complained about not having as much money as so and so. They did have neighbors who had such luxuries as televisions long before they did. It is also true in my memory when Grandma Fannie gave us grandchildren a quarter, we were lectured on the value of that quarter and the importance of spending wisely as well as saving for a rainy day. I am thinking particularly of the time when she and Grandpa were divorced and she was working as a seamstress for a department store in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. As near as I can determine, since I could find no wage statistics for a seamstress in the late 1940s, she was probably earning between $.79 and $.83 cents an hour. At 40 hours a week that would have been $128.00 a month prior to taxes. The average rent in Oklahoma in 1950 was $207.00. I suspect, but do not remember, she was living in a rooming house which would have been cheaper. Still, $128.00 was not much money even then. I do not know whether Grandpa was paying alimony and whether there was any other income such as from renting their farm property. The point is that $.25 times 4 was a lot of money (My youngest sister had not yet been born.). I am sure that Grandpa made more but I do not know his job title for the railroad.
They remarried in 1952 and did commence to build a new house on the farm property. By today’s standards it was a very modest house although, at that time, it seemed luxurious since it boasted an indoor bathroom and kitchen plumbing. I think that heat was still from wood stoves but I could be wrong. They somehow had saved enough money to build this house. They lived off Grandpa’s railroad retirement and social security. This was also the time when many changes were made to Social Security and the old age and survivors insurance program as well as the railroad retirement program.
Grandma Fannie also, as I recall, sold cream and eggs. They butchered a pig once a year and had chickens for eating as well as for eggs. The summer garden provided a lot of food, some of which was canned. Wild and domestic berries provided ingredients for pies and jams. No resources was taken for granted and nothing was wasted.
Dresses, quilts, shirts and more were sewed often using feed sacks or discarded garments. Even rugs were hand made by braining together pieces of old garments and then sewing the braids together to create the rug.
They had lived through “the great depression” and the war rationing years.
In that household Grandma Fannie managed the money. I am not sure who managed it prior to their divorce, but I am sure that she managed it once they were remarried.
As I have previously mentioned Grandma Fannie was the matriarch who gathered together folks for family reunions, funerals, weddings and other events. Although I am sure that everyone brought a dish or two, I think Grandma Fannie provided a lot of the food. I also recall that no matter who stopped by there was always coffee and ice tea in the summer and something to eat.
The advice to give generously and take sparingly was “stamped” on all that they did. It may be that I and my siblings did not connect the dots until we were well into our adult years. To my knowledge they never asked for nor received any money from any of their relatives. Folks did, of course, at times gather to help each other, but even that was limited as folks lived at some distance from each other (one did not travel as easily as we now take for granted) and were involved in their own work, family and community life.
Frugality in spending habits allowed them the freedom to be so generous. The only luxuries I recall were books, some sheet music, and some dishes Grandma treasured. Grandpa did buy tobacco and, I suspect, a bit of something to take the chill off which was consumed in the barn. They each had at least one set of “good” clothes which was worn for funerals, weddings and other special occasions. I do not recall many pairs of shoes or other store brought purchases. Repairs to shoes were made on the shoe repair stand.
I have more luxuries in my life than they ever considered, but, even so, I find it much easier to give to others than to buy for myself or to take from others. In my mind there is nothing I “need’ and compared to most of the population of the world, I have more than most. I can well “afford” to give generously and take sparingly. Thus it does not seem to me that living what Grandma Fannie so lovingly and wisely taught is worthy of any praise or recognition. It is just what one does. I want to always remind myself to stop and remember to be grateful for the life lessons Grandma Fannie so lovingly and patiently taught.
Thanks Grandma Fannie.
Written April 24, 2017
Grandma Fannie and Grandpa Pickett were not financially rich, worked very hard and, as far as I can remember, never complained about not having as much money as so and so. They did have neighbors who had such luxuries as televisions long before they did. It is also true in my memory when Grandma Fannie gave us grandchildren a quarter, we were lectured on the value of that quarter and the importance of spending wisely as well as saving for a rainy day. I am thinking particularly of the time when she and Grandpa were divorced and she was working as a seamstress for a department store in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. As near as I can determine, since I could find no wage statistics for a seamstress in the late 1940s, she was probably earning between $.79 and $.83 cents an hour. At 40 hours a week that would have been $128.00 a month prior to taxes. The average rent in Oklahoma in 1950 was $207.00. I suspect, but do not remember, she was living in a rooming house which would have been cheaper. Still, $128.00 was not much money even then. I do not know whether Grandpa was paying alimony and whether there was any other income such as from renting their farm property. The point is that $.25 times 4 was a lot of money (My youngest sister had not yet been born.). I am sure that Grandpa made more but I do not know his job title for the railroad.
They remarried in 1952 and did commence to build a new house on the farm property. By today’s standards it was a very modest house although, at that time, it seemed luxurious since it boasted an indoor bathroom and kitchen plumbing. I think that heat was still from wood stoves but I could be wrong. They somehow had saved enough money to build this house. They lived off Grandpa’s railroad retirement and social security. This was also the time when many changes were made to Social Security and the old age and survivors insurance program as well as the railroad retirement program.
Grandma Fannie also, as I recall, sold cream and eggs. They butchered a pig once a year and had chickens for eating as well as for eggs. The summer garden provided a lot of food, some of which was canned. Wild and domestic berries provided ingredients for pies and jams. No resources was taken for granted and nothing was wasted.
Dresses, quilts, shirts and more were sewed often using feed sacks or discarded garments. Even rugs were hand made by braining together pieces of old garments and then sewing the braids together to create the rug.
They had lived through “the great depression” and the war rationing years.
In that household Grandma Fannie managed the money. I am not sure who managed it prior to their divorce, but I am sure that she managed it once they were remarried.
As I have previously mentioned Grandma Fannie was the matriarch who gathered together folks for family reunions, funerals, weddings and other events. Although I am sure that everyone brought a dish or two, I think Grandma Fannie provided a lot of the food. I also recall that no matter who stopped by there was always coffee and ice tea in the summer and something to eat.
The advice to give generously and take sparingly was “stamped” on all that they did. It may be that I and my siblings did not connect the dots until we were well into our adult years. To my knowledge they never asked for nor received any money from any of their relatives. Folks did, of course, at times gather to help each other, but even that was limited as folks lived at some distance from each other (one did not travel as easily as we now take for granted) and were involved in their own work, family and community life.
Frugality in spending habits allowed them the freedom to be so generous. The only luxuries I recall were books, some sheet music, and some dishes Grandma treasured. Grandpa did buy tobacco and, I suspect, a bit of something to take the chill off which was consumed in the barn. They each had at least one set of “good” clothes which was worn for funerals, weddings and other special occasions. I do not recall many pairs of shoes or other store brought purchases. Repairs to shoes were made on the shoe repair stand.
I have more luxuries in my life than they ever considered, but, even so, I find it much easier to give to others than to buy for myself or to take from others. In my mind there is nothing I “need’ and compared to most of the population of the world, I have more than most. I can well “afford” to give generously and take sparingly. Thus it does not seem to me that living what Grandma Fannie so lovingly and wisely taught is worthy of any praise or recognition. It is just what one does. I want to always remind myself to stop and remember to be grateful for the life lessons Grandma Fannie so lovingly and patiently taught.
Thanks Grandma Fannie.
Written April 24, 2017
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