This beautiful child is Lena Loschiavo, age 11 selling baskets outside a market place in Cincinnati in 1908.
No school for this daughter of Italian immigrants. She had to work as did so many children to help support the family.
God love her. Look at that smile and the eagerness in her shining eyes.
These children were amazing and helped make America great.
Lena would be 121 years old this year.
These children didn't realize what they were building. They had no idea how important they were.
You can click the old photos to make them a larger.Though to see them in high definition and much larger, you will have to go to Shorpy's site. Link is at bottom.
Here is my own wonderful 'famous anonymous kid', also just turned 11.
I see Lena in her face. Brighter with modern photography of course. The old photos sometimes were darker than normal.
Thank God she does not have to work like that and can go to school. She is a great grand and great great great great great(back to the early 1700's) ... granddaughter of immigrants.
In 1900, little Bertha was only 5 and shucked oysters to help the family. She started work at 4AM and put in a long hard day.
Imagine a child of this age using those sharp awful knives to shuck open oysters? Imagine the accidents they had. Hard, dirty , smelly work for anyone least of all a little baby like this.
These kids were something else and did not complain of their lot in life, hard and unfair as it was.
Detroit at the turn of the last century..
These children had a bit easier life. But then again, who is to say whose life is easy and whose is not?
And easy does not always mean better.
Americans have always made the best of things whatever their lot.
Our kids seem to rise to the occasion.
School kids, 1909. Clean, bright and happy.
May all our children be this way.
Old Photos are from Shorpy.com
Anonymous kid photo from "Me"
Garfield sounds like a fun cat. Some cats are such characters! Those photos and stories remind me of my grandmother... what a life she had including striking out on her own at age 11 to work and then bringing her younger brother to live with her. There's a lot of wonderful kids today but also an epidemic of kids that feel entitled. Of course, they said our generation- Spock babies- were spoiled too. :) (((Hugz)))
ReplyDeleteWonderful thoughtful post Annie,
ReplyDeleteMy mother had many photos like that. Both my parents migrated from Italy. My mother at 14 worked in a blouse factory in the garment center on 7th ave. in the city. She related many stories about young children coming over who ended up working in sweat shops. I think most of us can trace our families to those times when things were not easy. They truly were America's Brightest Stars. Thanks for sharing. The "famous anonymous kid" is a real cutie!
Have a lovely evening my friend. Hugs
Those dear little ones grew up to be the wonderful women who struggled to give their children all the advantages they'd missed . They appreciated the opportunities America provided and were proud to be a part of this wonderful country...each of them an inspiring success
ReplyDeletestory !
Hope you were able to enjoy the beauty of this early taste of spring ! Take care , my friend !
Hi Annie,
ReplyDeleteWonderful post! My Granny told me wonderful stories about those times when my relatives ended up on Ellis Island and growing up in America as Jewish German immigrants. Your Grandaughter looks older than 11. What a beautiful smile. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs, Dru
What a wonderful entry, Annie! Gorgeous photos too :) and the "famous anonymous kid" is so pretty and has such a beautiful smile! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.
Have a lovely evening and weekend ahead.
This is indeed a wonderful post. I love it, and the pictures are beautiful
ReplyDelete