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New Year's Eve 1946

12/31/2012

Dina Licciardi and Bill Bellan, New Year's Eve 1946

Love this photo of my maternal grandparents, Dina Licciardi and Bill Bellan. They were newly engaged after having met at a USO function after WWII (They were both veterans.). Grandpa looks pretty happy, but Grandma looks kind of bored. My husband says it looks like Grandma is reluctantly holding Grandpa's hand - I'm generally not a fan of holding hands, especially in public - After seeing this photo, my husband says it must be genetic.

My grandparents were generally very social people. My grandmother loved having people over and entertaining; I'm sure they hosted many New Year's Eve parties of their own once they were married and had a home. When we were little, my brother and I would find those obnoxious old metal New Year's noisemakers in their basement and, of course, we'd drive everyone nuts with them.

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Japanese Tourists on American WWII Destroyer

12/28/2012

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Last August, my husband and I took a trip to Boston. I had never been there and had always wanted to see all of the historical Revolutionary War era places. We had just finished walking through the USS Constitution when we decided to board the USS Cassin Young, a WWII destroyer that was located in a neighboring dry dock. The volunteer guides on board, some of whom were retired sailors who had served on the destroyer during WWII, handed us a pamphlet about the ship's history. The ship served in the Battle of Leyte and the Battle of Okinawa, of course both times fighting against Japan's Imperial forces and battling for control of key islands on the Pacific Front.

These tourists were probably our age; they had kids about the same ages as ours. (The kids were having SO much fun looking at all the weaponry and equipment on board, by the way.) The adults were speaking fluent Japanese, so if they were not natives to Japan, their parents certainly were. It was a beautiful day and they were very much enjoying themselves.

Japanese tourists on board the USS Cassin Young

I think that this photo shows just how our perception of history changes over time. How would these tourists' grandparents have felt about being on an American destroyer that took the lives of some of their fellow countrymen and contributed to the defeat of the Japan that they grew up in? Probably very different emotions than what these people were feeling that day. Just something to think about, for sure.

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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I AM a Daughter of the American Revolution

12/27/2012

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Even though technically I'm not and never will be. For those of you unfamiliar with the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), you must be a descendant of an American patriot in order to join the organization. I am the great-grandchild of Polish, Italian, and Croatian immigrants who came to America between 1890 and 1920. I know exactly where my ancestors came from and where and when they entered this country; I have no physical tie to the American Revolution or its descendants.

Does that mean that I am any less of an American? Does that mean that I'm not entitled to the same rights and freedoms for which Revolutionary-era patriots fought? No, of course not, and I think nearly all DAR members would agree. In fact, I like to think that I actually have a better idea of what the "pursuit of the American Dream" looks like compared with people whose families have been here for many generations. I KNEW some of the people who left their homelands for America. Their stories, though some of them still vague and fleeting, are fresher in the minds of living family members than a family whose ancestors came over 250 years ago.

I have to admit, I don't completely 'get' the desire to join lineage societies. I DO understand their value in the realms of genealogy, especially if they possess books, papers, photos, and other documentation of people and families from generations past. I also DO understand the desire to join an organization in order to meet new people and to share common interests (I joined a women's fraternal organization in college and I'm still involved in its alumnae group). But to exclude (harsh word, I know, but accurate) people simply because they do not have or cannot prove blood connections to the Revolutionary War seems wrong to me.

People will probably tell me, "Well, you could probably join an Italian- or Polish-American society due to your heritage." True, but I don't want to. I am an American; I don't have any connections to the Old Country. I identify more with the language, history, and heritage of THIS country.

I visited Boston for the first time this past summer with my husband. We walked the Freedom Trail and took the T down to Quincy to see the Adams Homestead. I had never before walked through a burial ground in which some of the people were born in the 1600s - I loved it. I truly see the value in preserving and educating future generations about our founding mothers and fathers - something to which the DAR is also dedicated - and I can see myself volunteering within this realm of society once my kids get a little older. But, they don't want me. It's their loss.

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Friday Funny: Ten Things Our Ancestors Would Find Stupid

12/21/2012

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Most of us like to think that we live in the most sophisticated, advanced society of mankind to ever exist. But there is some stuff that has become normal in our society that our ancestors from 100+ years ago would genuinely think is stupid. (And these really have nothing to do with advances in technology.)

In no particular order...

1.) Save the Date cards for weddings
2.) Rodents, insects, and reptiles as pets
3.) Tanning salons
4.) Refusing childhood vaccinations
5.) Black Friday
6.) Clothing for pets (except for this guy.)
7.) Twitter, i.e. only getting a certain number of words to say something to someone.
8.) Professional wrestling
9.) Skydiving, base jumping, putting your life in danger for fun.
10.) Flash mobs

Hey, don't be ashamed if any of these are a part of your life (We have a pet guinea pig); but I just get a giggle out of our ancestors seeing some of these things (from wherever their spirits happen to be) and being like, "Wait, WHAT??" What else would you add to the list?

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Wordless Wednesday: December 1958

12/19/2012

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My mom, grandmother, and uncle outside their home in December 1958.

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Tuesday's Tip: Designating Tomorrow's Heirlooms Today

12/11/2012

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Family historians and genealogists are often so consumed with learning about the lives of dead ancestors that we forget that each of us living today is an important piece of our family tree puzzle. What are we doing to make sure that our treasured objects and memories are preserved for future generations? This post is meant to encourage you to think about how you want to be remembered and to remind you to take the time to set aside the things and memories that are true representations of your life and personality.

Think about physical objects you would like to leave to your descendants. In this case, I'd like you to focus on things that are exclusively yours - not other family heirlooms you have inherited from older generations. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about what you value:

- Things you had to work hard for: A university degree or dissertation, a medal from a race or other sporting event in which you participated, a volunteer or service award, a uniform or piece of equipment representing your career path, books, poems, or stories you have written (published or unpublished), your own genealogy research.

- Things of sentimental value: A wedding ring, photo albums, ticket stubs, a favorite childhood toy or book, special notes or greeting cards.

- Things you made: Quilts and knitting projects, pottery, artwork, hand-crafted furniture, recipes you created.

- Things that reveal your personality: Your favorite music album, book, or film, a personal journal, a favorite piece of jewelry or clothing, a favorite piece of artwork.

Once you decide what objects you would like to pass on, it's important that you write down what these objects are and when you received them, AND explain why they are so special to you. The grandkids are much more likely to save a couple of old concert tickets if they know that they were from grandma and grandpa’s first date. Then, make several digital AND paper copies of this list and keep them in safe, but accessible, locations. Don’t undervalue the objects, experiences, and memories of YOUR life; to future generations they will be worth more than you know.

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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My McKayla Maroney Face

12/9/2012

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For those of you who haven't yet figured it out, quite often my blog posts are inspired by current events, holidays (mainstream or obscure), and famous people's birthdays or deaths. Well, today is McKayla Maroney's 17th birthday. If you don't remember, McKayla Maroney competed for the U.S. women's gymnastics team in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She is probably the BEST vaulter ever to have come out of the American gymnastics program, but she fell on her bottom during the vaulting finals and ended up receiving the silver medal. This photo of her on the medal stand went viral and prompted countless memes with the caption "McKayla Maroney is not impressed."

I say, BIG DEAL! I was making faces like that ten years before McKayla was even born. Here is a pic of one of my favorite 'I'm not impressed' moments. This photo was taken in the summer of 1985; I was six and a half years old. I don't know where we were, but I was either hot, bored, disgusted by the food, or (most likely) a combination of all three.

Summer of '85

Do you have a photo of yourself or other family member with an 'I'm not impressed!' expression? Share it with me!

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Foto Friday: Grandpa in the South Pacific

12/7/2012

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Today is Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked Hawaii's Pearl Harbor, essentially bringing the United States into World War II. My grandfather, William Bellan, fought on the Pacific Front in the War. He is pictured here along with other Cleveland, Ohio infantrymen from the 37th Division. It was published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on April 10, 1944, with the caption:

"Nineteen Clevelanders on Bougainville. Seasoned veterans of jungle fighting after nearly two years overseas, these 37th division infantrymen have fought for control of the Northern Solomons from New Georgia to Bougainville."

WWII 37th Division Infantrymen April 10, 1944 Cleveland Plain Dealer

I know that the Solomon Islands are somewhere in the vast Pacific, but I had to look up details about this military campaign because I don't remember learning about it. Bougainville Island is located in the South Pacific, not far from Papua New Guinea. Turns out that the Bougainville Campaign lasted almost two years, not ending until the Japanese surrendered in August 1945. The Japanese took it over in 1942, built several airfields and naval anchorages, and strategically it became very important in their quest to take the other Solomon Islands, as well as in disrupting crucial communication lines between the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

For people of my generation, who are used to traveling pretty much anywhere we want with relative ease, it is difficult to imagine the thoughts of the servicemen and women who literally went halfway around the world to fight for our country. In a time before commercial air travel and interstate highways, average people of this generation rarely even traveled out of state, let alone to a different country or continent. The idea must have been, pardon the pun, foreign to them. But, they all had very specific jobs to accomplish, and I'm sure that the Armed Forces leadership didn't let them dwell too much on just how far away from home they really were.

And I wonder how my grandfather's parents, who were immigrants from Croatia, felt about the possibility of one of their children becoming seriously injured or dying in a part of the world they had never heard of and one that was completely inaccessible to them. Probably not what they had in mind when they decided to come to America to live and raise a family. (My grandfather's mom passed away in April 1946; I'm not exactly sure when my grandfather returned from his service, but I do hope it was in time to see his mom before she died.)

Today's lesson: You may find yourself WANTING to learn about moments in U.S. history if you know that one of your ancestors played an active part in shaping it.

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Happy Repeal Day!

12/5/2012

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Kind of a last minute post for today, but I just had to do something in honor of Repeal Day. This is a photo of my Dad's parents, Cas and Veronica Kowalski, probably some time in the early 1940s. (My grandfather is third from the right, with his hand around my grandmother's waist.) As you can see, they are having a grand old time and enjoying their share of 'spirits.' My grandparents were kids when Prohibition was in effect, but I'm sure they must have remembered their parents and other elders discussing it. It's a shame I never got to ask them about it; I would have liked to know how my great-grandparents got around it. (They were Polish Catholic working-class immigrants - you're telling me they went 14 years without a drink? HA!) So, let's give a toast to Repeal Day!

Cas and Veronica Kowalski having a drink.

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Advent Calendar: Our Christmas Tree

12/1/2012

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The website Geneabloggers celebrates the holiday season by posting daily blogging prompts to help genealogy bloggers record holiday memories. When I have time, I am going to try to participate. Today's prompt is "The Christmas Tree."

My family always bought a real tree. Every. Year. We lived in the suburbs so usually we would go out some Saturday shortly after Thanksgiving and drive to a tree farm in the boonies. I can't remember where we would go and I actually think it varied from year to year. It was usually pretty cold and sometimes there was already snow on the ground. We weren't picky about tree type - sometimes it was a fir and at other times it was a spruce - but we always got a big one. Not Chevy-Chase-Christmas-Vacation BIG, but still pretty big AND round. My dad usually had to saw off some of the top AND bottom so that it would vertically fit in our house.

So, we'd strap it to the roof of our station wagon (or later our big 'ole red conversion van) and bring it home. Then the real fun would begin. See, the tree stand we had was old - it was metal, rusty, and crooked even WITHOUT a tree in it! My dad would situate himself at the bottom under the tree and at least two of us would have to hold the tree by the trunk while he screwed in the trunk. It usually took several tries of screwing and unscrewing the pins in and out before the tree was straight. And sometimes we STILL couldn't get it straight, at which point my dad would get some small pieces of scrap wood and prop them under the leaning side of the tree.

Christmas 1989

Once the tree was "stable" in the stand, my parents would bring the decoration boxes out of the attic. First, the colorful strings of lights went on the tree (after my parents untangled them out of the box - usually not a small task!) Our favorites were always the bubble lights - the ones that started shooting up bubbles in the colored liquid after warming up. Then, the shiny garland went on the tree. Our garland was of different colors and varieties - some strands were so old that they were little more than strings with a few shiny tendrils left on them, and some of the strands were much more full. Then came the ornaments. Of course, this was always our favorite part as kids because this was where we could participate the most. Like the garland, we had a mish-mash of ornaments - some were antiques that my parents got from their parents, some were from craft shows, some were photos, some were personalized, some had been gifts, some we made at school, etc. It was always fun to pull them out of the boxes, unwrap them from the Kleenex tissues in which they were haphazardly stored, and remember the different times they represented. My dad would then get up on a chair and place the angel on top. Our angel was an antique and very fragile. She must have been made in the 30s or 40s - she had that Glinda-the-Good-Witch hairstyle. Usually, when we were done with ornaments and angel, my dad tried to coerce us to put some silvery tinsel on the tree as a finishing touch. That stuff got EVERYWHERE - what a mess it created! (You'll see on the photos above that there was NO tinsel on that tree - my mom must have won out that year!)

Bubble Lights!

Having a real tree in the house at Christmastime was pretty neat as a kid, and it made the house smell nice and piney. However, it was hell when it came to taking down the trimmings and getting the thing out to the curb for garbage pick-up. Even if you keep the stand full of water, after more than a month of being cut, the tree dries out, which leaves its needles extra sharp and prickley. Taking off the ornaments, garland, and lights literally hurt your hands and arms. Then, it usually took several of us to carry the thing to the door, at which point we usually would have to SHOVE it through. Oh, and during this whole process, dead pine needles fell ALL over the place - floor, furniture, toys, the dog's water bowl - whatever happened to be around. Our old Kirby vacuum cleaner was never able to pick them all up, which meant that we had to get down on our hands and knees and pick them up one by one. Tedious work, indeed.

After my husband and I bought our first home (we didn't even try to put a tree in our little apartment), we decided to go artificial. The fake ones look so authentic these days and they are SO much easier to set up and put away. Plus, they are much less expensive in the long term when compared with having to buy a cut tree every year. Our kids get just as much joy out of setting it up and decorating it as me and my siblings did with the real trees.

©2012, copyright Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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Emily Kowalski Schroeder

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