School Pictures

Today was school picture day in our house.  It got me thinking about all of the school pictures I have.  Not only my children's, but all of mine, family, friends, and friend's children.  They are always fun to look at and compare from year to year.  How many arguments were there about what to wear and how to style hair?  There are so many stories behind those smiles.

One thing I noticed is how few of these pictures have anything written on the back of them.  How old were the children in them?  What grade were they in?  What school did they attend?  Little details that were common knowledge to the people looking at those pictures at that time, but big missing details today.

This has made me be very conscientious about putting details on the back of my children's school pictures.  It also gets me excited about putting the pieces of the school picture puzzle together for all of the others that I have.

Diane Odgers Veasey
(1951 - 2002)

Little Treasures

These two buttons celebrating honor attendance in Delaware schools in 1938 and 1939 belonged to my paternal grandmother.  She would have received them when she was 14 and 15 years old.  They must have been important to her because she kept them her whole life. 

Three Pictures in One

This is a picture of my paternal great-grandfather, Hayward LeGates, taken in December 1963.  He is sitting in my grandparents' living room, maybe posing with one of his Christmas presents.

I believe the picture on the table next to him is one of my uncle's school pictures.  The picture hanging on the wall is from my grandparents' wedding day.  I have a copy of the same picture in my living room.

Getting to Know Someone Through Pictures

My paternal grandmother died over a year before I was born.  As I was growing up, some people told me I looked like her.  It was flattering in a creepy sort of way.  Flattering because those people also told me what a nice lady she was.  Creepy, I guess, because she died so young and I never got to meet her.

My uncle had the best stories about her.  Like how one time she hid one of his Christmas presents so well that she found it months later and gave it to him.  And how when she drove and he sat in the front seat, she would put her arm out in front of him EVERY time she put on the brakes.  I loved hearing all of his stories and it gave me a glimpse into what kind of a mother she was.

Maybe it's my memory, but I only remember seeing a limited number of pictures of her.  There was one that hung in my uncle's living room like she was still watching over everything in the house.  My uncle said she didn't like getting her picture taken.

One of my biggest surprises and favorite discoveries has been all of the pictures of her from so many different stages of her life.  I feel like I'm learning who she was.  I can put a picture to all those stories.

Ellen LeGates Odgers
1924-1970

 

My New Favorite Old Photo

As I go through so many old photos, I have begun to notice that they are pretty much the same.  Everyone is dressed up and they are usually standing outside of their home.  They look nice, but what were those people really like?  What did they do every day?  What did they wear when they weren't dressed up?  What did the INSIDE of their houses look like?

And then I found this phtoto.

Ellen LeGates (1924-1970)
Kathlyene LeGates (1927-2008)

It is my paternal grandmother and her younger sister.  It was probably taken in the early 1940s in Ocean City, Maryland.  Maybe they were rinsing off after a day on the beach.  I love to look at their matching bathing suits and caps.  I love the smiles on their faces.  I can only imagine how cold the water was and how much fun they were having.

It gives me a glimpse into what they were like back then, what kind of sisters they were to each other, what kind of fun they had together.  It makes me excited to find my next favorite photo.

Why Start a Blog?

I have been interested in genealogy for as long as I can remember.  I always loved hearing family stories and sitting at the kitchen table when my granny would bring out her old pictures.

I began seriously researching my family tree five years ago.  As time went on I began to acquire tons of pictures, documents, and keepsakes.  I realized researching was more than following the tiny green leaves to see how far back I could go.  Every person was more than just a name.  Every person has a

story.  Every person's life mattered.

These thoughts led to a new passion.  I decided to dedicate most of my time to documenting and preserving all of the STUFF that I am fortunate enough to have.

I still get excited every time I see one of those tiny green leaves, but now is the time to share the memories, the pictures, and the things that my family cherished.