1930 - Life Changes
Philip, 8 years old at this time, tells me things suddenly became "very bad" after the 1929 stock market crash. Adolph lost the 2 homes he owned: Thatcher Drive and 2275 Jerome Street where they were living. The family probably moved into a rental within the neighborhood and there would be several more moves as times grew worse. It seems my father still had the factory. He continued paying $6.00 an hour for Sidney's violin lessons, (inflation equivalent, $59.78 in 2001) much to my mother's anguish over where they'd find money to buy food. Sid ,14, an accomplished young violinist, had been concert master of the Sherman elementary school orchestra and upon entering Woodward High School became a member of that orchestra. Newspaper articles, probably from The Toledo Blade, announce upcoming recitals Sidney was to give. Phil recalls that the whole family attended the performances.
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Gratefully, good people came to the family's aid. Sid's eighth-grade Principal, Miss McClain, a caring human being and dedicated educator became a mentor to my mother. She was a close friend of Mrs. Frank Stranahan, wife of the inventor of the champion sparkplug, for use in automobiles. Mrs. Stranahan, philanthropist devoted to the arts, became Sid's patron, probably at Miss McClain's recommendation. During her travels to Europe, Mrs. Stranahan bought Sidney a fine Italian violin--a good copy of a Stradivarius. Sid, in turn gave recitals in churches where the money was used to pay electric and gas bills.
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Uncle Julius Reiter owned a lady's suit and coat business. He was voted the best designer of ladies suits and coats in Ohio. However, he too fell on hard times, and moved his family to Kansas City, Kansas where he went to work for David Rice (relative) owner of a company called Mardel Modes.
This year, 1930, uncle Leibish/Louis died, possibly from asthma or emphysema. He was in his 60s and left behind his widow, Millie, married daughters Fanny Reiter Levy and Sadie Reiter Rubin, and sons: Harry Reiter, and Max Trager. Leibish and Millie lived at 2060 Franklin Avenue. Their daughter Sadie and son-in-law Izzy Rubin lived with them. Fanny, Robert and children Yvette and Philip/Bud lived upstairs in the Franklin Avenue duplex until 1944.(2)
Chana may have lived with us now that Julius and Hyman were gone. Uncle Hyman and family had moved to New York about 1928.
The Great Depression hit our parents hard in many ways. My father had the burden of providing for his large family. My mother, faced with economic uncertainties, was given another blow when her 3 brothers were gone. Not only would Lena miss their companionship, but most critically, she and Adolph would be solely responsible for Chana, too.
My grandmother, Bobbie, was becoming a burden. Instead of comforting Lena by helping in some way, Chana constantly criticized Lena, which ended in arguments and bad feelings felt by both. She probably couldn't help herself as she may have been in the early stages of senility. Yet she asked Philip (about 10 years old) to walk with her to the butcher shop. She would open her worn coin purse and give him a few pennies in appreciation, and a few extra for the Mickey Mouse shirt he wanted to buy. He was able to speak Yiddish and their ability to communicate left him with fond memories of her.
Sid and Stan remembered moments with Bobbie, too. Stan walked her to and from our house to her lodgings for which she was grateful. Sid said Chana made great cherry strudel, but occasionally while carefully layering the filling, a hair or two from her wig would drop in, unnoticed; Chana's eyesight was failing her. Stan recalls another extraordinary moment when he passed by her bedroom. Usually, Chana would dress up before coming out of her room-wig and jewelry in tact. This day the door was open and Chana's wig was off. Stan was taken back by what he saw--little wisps of white hair in place of the wig's thick, dark wavy strands. It was quite a shock for a young boy. When Sid was about 16 he sneaked a cigarette. Chana catching him in the act asked for one. She said she used to smoke them in Europe!! In general the children, both my siblings, and our cousins recall Chana as a "pretty tough lady". Today we understand that to mean her demeanor was that of a professional which she very much was.
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