%%wppa%% %%photo=48%% %%size=150%%”I went to take my citizenship test at either City Hall or the Court House-wherever it was-it had big, cold corridors. I sat there on a bench scared to death, because you know me, everything goes blank in my head. I couldn’t think of nothing.” One good thing Irma did (when she was living with us) was fire questions at me around 6 every morning-and I did all right with her. Then you go to a place and you know a judge is going to be there-it’s scary.’ There were probably 50 people there-including a Canadian doctor who was asked to say the Preamble. You had to know it. I know more about the US Constitution than the kids going to school today. He didn’t pass because he didn’t know it-the judge said, “You come back in three weeks and we’ll go over it again.” And I’m thinking, I’ll never make it!” “Anyway, I’m in the hallway and this man came and said ‘Good morning. How are you today?’ “I said, ‘I’m not so good. I’m scared to death.'” ‘Why?'” ‘Well, I’m going for the test.’ You had to go by yourself into this room.”He said, ‘Oh, you’ll be all right. What’s the 19th amendment?'”I said, ‘I know that one-it’s the Women’s vote.'”See there you go-you’ll be fine, don’t worry'”Well, it comes my turn and I’m shaking in my shoes. I get in there and who’s the judge? It’s the man in the hallway.”He looked at me and grinned and asked me, ‘What’s the 19th amendment?'”I said, ‘The women’s vote.'”And he said, ‘There you go.’ And I passed! I passed!%%wppa%% %%photo=46%% %%size=100%%”Then everyone had to go back as a group and say the Pledge of Allegiance and I could hear Geoff (who was about 9 months old) rattling away in the back. They gave us all a little flag along with our citizenship paper. That was an experience.”While this story may not be overly impressive to the average reader, this story is just a simple reminder to me of the beginning of a legacy of our family and the importance of sharing these stories with each other.%%wppa%% %%photo=44%% %%size=100%%My grandmother was one of the most wonderful and interesting women I knew. As I was growing up we would visit her and I always enjoyed hearing her tell us all about her life, how she grew up, what they would do and all the fun stories she had. I remember being transformed into another world as I listened to her tell of her life in England (where she was born and raised), and then her life in the United States (she was a warbride) and raising 7 kids. Closer to the end of her life, my aunt compiled her stories and history (where she was from, her family and life) in a book (recorded and transcribed). When I read this book, it’s like she’s sitting right next to me and just talking away. It is one of my most prized possessions that I have and something I know I will pass down to my daughter one day, along with my story.%%wppa%% %%photo=45%% %%size=100%%Here is an excerpt from her book, My Life (Or What I Can Remember of It);by Dorothy Hill”Becoming a US Citizen””After I had Geoff I started to study for my American Citizenship. You had to go to Hughes High School to study, but since I was nursing Geoff, they told me I could study at home.I remember that was about the time Charlie’s brother, Gene, writes a letter and asks to stay with us-along with his wife, Irma and baby Danny, who was about 3 weeks older than Geoff-so we gave them Geoff’s front bedroom.
BLENDING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
My name is Angie Eckert, born in Belleville IL,...
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