SCRAPBOOK - AN ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
Stories
Imogene -- Beatrice -- Marian -- Mary's Church
Imogene
Imogene, an 87 year old woman has always been an activist for as far back as she can remember. She states, “My parents were working class Southerners. Although they were loving parents, I was born into a family and community who were racist, intolerant of ‘different’ religions and believed in the subservience of women. As a child I must have rebelled against my parents beliefs because I remember vividly on my seventh birthday: ‘Today I am seven, I can think for myself’. That rebellion plus an education, which I was able to obtain through scholarships and the National Youth Administration Jobs in college, opened the world to me. Throughout my adult life I have actively participated in some of the great reform movements in our country, namely, civil, welfare, women’s rights and other reforms in the areas of healthcare and eldercare. I had to learn how the governmental/political system is used to effect reforms. As I reflect back on my efforts, sometimes successful and sometimes not, I realize that I have learned a lot and I am glad that I made the effort.”
Beatrice
Beatrice is a 92 year old woman who worked for the Department of Employment Security from 1945 until she retired in 1981. She was in charge of an experimental program, in conjunction with the Department of Social Welfare in the early 1970’s called WIN. WIN stands for Work Incentive Program, but for obvious reasons, the government avoided calling it WIP, which could offend the participants. The government realized that the largest population of people on welfare was mothers of dependant children who were unable to work because they were unable to leave their children. This pilot program provided daycare for the children and educational training or placement in jobs for the mothers who could eventually obtain employment and become self sufficient. This program is still in existence under another name. Bea says that she often encounters mothers who participated in WIN. They remember her and thank her for the opportunity that her program provided for them so many years ago. Bea herself was the youngest of eight children, all girls, three of whom died at an early age. Mr. Minkins, her father, who was hoping for a boy, asked the doctor when Bea was born, what the baby was. The doctor reluctantly replied, “Same old thing, another girl.” Her father said, “Now I’m done.” But, Bea said, her father had reached perfection. Mr. Minkins, who was a newspaper journalist, was committed to seeing that his children had the best education that he could afford, and although the family was not well off, four of his five surviving daughters graduated from Brown University. Bea’s parents always maintained that education is the one thing that no one can take away from you
Marian
Marian, a 92 year old woman states, “When I graduated from high school in the 1930’s I had no real idea of a career. At that time most females were scheduled to be teachers or nurses. I knew I didn’t have the stomach to be a nurse although most of my cousins were in that field. As for being a teacher there were other problems. I tended towards teaching at the elementary level, but Pembroke College in Brown University, my alma mater had no such degree. I was going to need more education but there was another problem. I was dating my husband to be and in those years women were not continuing careers after matriculation. Fortunately I had found a job as a social worker for the welfare department where I worked for two years before my marriage. My husband and I raised five children, four daughters and one son. When they had all left the nest I studied to be a librarian and worked for two years as a children’s librarian before I got a position as a social worker. I remained at this job for ten years after which I took my retirement. Currently I think women have finally broken through restrictions concerning employment and have finally become equal to men as to opportunity. It’s been a long haul.”
Mary's Church
Emmaculate Conception Church (1857-1957) >>
Back in the day, when I was a child, it was a Sunday ritual for my family to visit my fraternal grandmother who lived on Livingston Street in the "North End" of Providence. My grandmothers house was in the shadow of the Immaculate Conception Church and the parish school my dad attended. As a child, I thought "The Immaculate" was the most beautiful church I had ever seen. It was a dark, reddish brown color with stunning gothic stained glass windows, lofty spires, and three elegant gothic doors. My siblings and I visited often, sometimes to light candles and sometimes just to look at the rainbow colors of the windows which shed beautiful, beatific light on the interior of the church. It was a very special place to me, and when it was razed in 1957 along with my grandmother's house in order to create an industrial park and build a state-of-the-art "Turn Key" post office, I felt very sad.
The Immaculate Conception parish was established in 1867. The church was built in the North End of Providence and completed 1858 followed by a school and rectory in 1860. The convent, a mansion donated by George Corliss, was acquired for the Sisters of Mercy, a teaching order. The Immaculate Conception parish and its buildings were demolished in the mid 50's (1957) to make way for the West River Industrial park, an urban renewal project. The main Post Office in Providence, 24 Corliss Stret, is now located on the property.
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