My Time in Dallas, Texas (Written 3-29-96)
I lived in Dallas, Texas from Nov. '44 to Aug. '45. I did not complete my school year at Elderon, Wisconsin, as I had told the school board I would not stay past Thanksgiving if they could not find a place for me to stay closer to the school than the 3 miles I was walking two times a day. As there was no other teaching job available for the rest of the year, I spent these months in Dallas with a sister (Esther) who lived there at the time.
Arriving there in Nov., I expected it to be warm, but when I got off the train, it was cold. A "norther" had blown in and people were wearing fur coats, much to my surprise. It didn't last long however, and the warm weather soon returned.
Never having been gone from home for any length of time, this was a new experience for me. Since I had to work, I went job hunting almost immediately. I worked for Manpower for several weeks, doing secretarial work at Goodyear Tire and Rubber and other like places,but soon found a more permanent job at Texas Children's Hospital. There I worked in the admissions office in the forenoon and in the Record Room every afternoon, where I kept the children's medical records up-to-date. My hours were from 11:OO-7:00 daily.
I enjoyed these hours, since I was not an early riser. I ate both my lunch and dinner at the hospital, and enjoyed that too, as it was like "eating out" every day. Here I first ate hominy and liked it. It has not become a regular part of my diet, however, as I was unable to find it again in the north.
The children in this hospital were black, and during the months I spent here, I got to really like these little people. It helped me to understand that the skin color of people isn't important. We all have the same basic needs and concerns. I really enjoyed my job. If it had been possible to transport it to Wausau, I'm not so sure that I would have gone back to teaching school.
Aside from my working days, I enjoyed spending time with Esther and family. They had one daughter (Sharon) at the time, with whom I now share a special feeling of closeness. She was about 2 years old at the time, and I helped spoil her to death! They now live in St. Louis, and have three other daughters.
Soon came August and time to get back to Wisconsin as the new school year was about to begin. So I left Dallas by train, leaving all of its hustle and bustle behind. I would be starting my job at the Irma State Graded School, where I remained for three years.
Because of these 8-10 months I spent with Luther and Esther, I feel a special closeness to them as well. Even though they have always lived far away, they have always managed to make a yearly trip to Wisconsin, and we have always welcomed them into our home. It was a special time in my life between teaching jobs.