Many of my posts have been about my Mormon heritage, from my father's side of the family. My mother was not a member of the church until some years after she married my father, but her heritage is just as rich. (My mother is my Aunt Mae's older sister.)
Times were rough when my mother and her siblings grew up. The Great Depression was upon them. Work was scarce, as was any extra money. Their mother and father sacrificed for the four children to remain in school.
Shoes were among the few things the family bought at a store. To save wear-and-tear on these precious commodities, the children tied the laces together and hung them around their necks on the way to school. Once there, they slipped the shoes on. This process was repeated on the way home.
I remember my mother telling me that she and her sisters had two dresses apiece. One was for school, one for church on Sundays. There were no washing machines, necessitating washing clothes by hand. School dresses were carefully sponged off at the end of each day and pressed to be worn again the following day
So, for today, I am grateful for frugal and practical ancestors.
What a neat story about them hanging the shoes around their necks.
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