Reflecting on the Greatest Generation as we

Eugene Hotel View
Monthly Newsletter of Eugene’s Premier Retirement Community
Reflecting on the Greatest Generation
as we approach July 4, 2012
By Ruth Waugh
W
e are members of the
Greatest Generation in
the history of the United
States. Those of us who were born
around 1915 confronted the deprivation of the Great Depression as we
reached adolescence. If our birthdays
came a little later we joined the earlier
group in the battles of World War II.
Together we rebuilt the United States
after the greatest military conflict in
history.
Tom Brokaw in his book The Greatest Generation sketches the lives of
many of our age mates who achieved
national prominence. The true greatness of a nation, however, depends not
on a few leaders but on the character
of the multitudes of ordinary folk—
you and me, our siblings and parents.
During the depression the most
severely impoverished citizens came
from urban workers who were laid off
with absolutely no income for three
or four years. The companies they
worked for declared bankruptcy and
simply locked the factory doors. Unemployment stayed at 25% for most
of the population for several years, but
in the cities the rate was higher, often
above 27%.
Meet Your Neighbors
Getting to know
Ruth Waugh...p. 2
Tom Gup in a new book, A Secret
Gift, How One Man’s Kindness and a
Trove of Letters Revealed the Hidden
History of the Great Depression, quotes
from letters written by residents of a
town in Ohio who pleaded with his
anonymous grandfather for $5.00.
Five dollars during the depression
was like a hundred dollars today, and
it was more money than many had
seen in a long time. Ground beef sold
for eleven cents a pound; a dozen
eggs were ten cents; a gallon of gas
was eighteen cents. Even at these low
prices, basic commodities were still
out of reach for families who had had
no cash income for several years.
Reluctance to ask for charity characterized most of the letters quoted by
Tom Gup. One woman wrote: “I am
a poor woman with a sick girl trying to work and help keep home for
a crippled sister and myself. We are
one of the thousands of misfortunate
families who have seen better days.
... if I thought this would be printed
in the papers I would rather die of
hunger first as I haven’t been a beggar
in my life.”
Another man described the menial
tasks he did to try to earn a little
July Events
Activities and calendar
for July...p. 3-6
July 2012
money: “For the last four years I have
been out of work. I will go ahead and
state the jobs my wife and I do before
we ask for charity. Picking cherries in
season and selling them as late as 12
O’clock at night…. We have started
as early as February to gather and
sell dandelions…. I have been selling
Liquid Solder and Styrtie pencils, but
I find that house to house selling is a
hard job with money so scarce.
…if you don’t feel we are not worthy of your donation, secretly as you
promised, please destroy this letter so
no one will know I wrote it.”
Each of us, as resident of the Eugene
Hotel, has his or her own story to
tell of our family’s experiences with
the Great Depression, World War II
and the rebuilding of America after
the war. I recently completed a short
monograph about my own parents’
life during those years. I am not a
writer. On the other hand I did have
some one hundred year old photos
my mother had taken of her young
adult life that would surely get tossed
into the trash when my own children
cleaned out my apartment. I also had
my memories of growing during the
years of the Great Depression. As I
am the last surviving sibling, these
recollections, too, would be lost upon
my death.
I ventured into the Round Table
Writers Group here at the Hotel,
hoping that the writers would not im-
Ongoing Activities
It’s happening at the hotel
every month!...p. 6-7
Continued on page 7...
Critic’s Corner
Lunch at Big Stuff
Barbecue Restaurant...p. 8
My parents personified the Greatest Generation...
Character and kindness in difficult times
By Ruth Waugh
My mother, a schoolteacher, met and
married my father when she taught
in the village where he lived. For the
first eleven years of their marriage they
lived in a two room log house my
father had built with logs he dragged
down from adjoining hills.
In 1927, at the height of a real estate
bubble, they bought a brick home.
Electricity replaced kerosene lamps;
central heating replaced a wood fired
stove that had to be replenished
during cold winter nights; hot and
cold running water replaced buckets
of water carried from a well; a flush
toilet with soft white paper and a
septic tank replaced an outhouse
with a Sears and Roebuck catalogue.
Confidence ran high in our home.
Beginning on October 24, 1929,
a series of convulsions rocked the
stock market. The stock market fell
40% by November 1929. Directors
of financial institutions had made
investments on margin and were
forced to liquidate their leveraged
purchases at any price. Thousands of
workers were laid off as the companies
they worked for declared bankruptcy.
Because these workers had little
money, prices for farm products fell,
often below the cost of production.
The stock market did not return to
1929 levels until 1947.
From the beginning of their marriage
my parents were determined to be selfsufficient. They paid their bills first.
This history no doubt influenced the
bank to accept only interest payments
rather than foreclosing on my parents’
mortgage.
My mother assumed the responsibility
of providing food for the family. She
planted seeds saved from the previous
year. She watered and weeded the
plants all summer and bottled or
dried each vegetable and fruit as it
matured. She took pride in storing
enough fruit and vegetables to feed
the family all winter. Farm animals
provided meat, milk and eggs. We ate
excellent nutritious food all during the
depression.
My mother’s reputation as a
superb cook led the foreman of a
construction company to ask her
if she would prepare a noon meal
for a crew of ten men. She accepted
the challenge hoping to earn cash.
She cooked meals like the ones she
prepared for her family. She served the
meals family style on the dining room
table where she served Thanksgiving
and Christmas dinners. She picked
peas from the garden and added them
to new potatoes in a cream sauce. She
killed chickens to accompany corn
on the cob. She baked rolls to come
out of the oven just before the men
arrived. She prepared homemade
cakes and pies for dessert.
The men said they had never eaten
such extraordinary food, and they
not only praised the food, they also
showed their appreciation by eating
second and third servings at every
meal. My mother found that the cost
of the ingredients she had to buy left
her no money for her efforts.
Men who had left their families
to seek work walked through the
countryside asking for food or work.
Their unshaven faces, shabby and
unwashed clothes made them seem a
little sinister. Mother fixed sandwiches
or plates of leftovers and fed the men.
One man used our towel and left
scabies, the seven-year itch. Mother
boiled sheets and clothing, and we
rubbed some foul smelling salve on
2
the bites until we were rid of the pests.
Another time three men arrived on
Friday evening looking for work. My
father did have work that needed
to be done on Monday when some
farm equipment was available, and
he agreed that they could stay for the
weekend. The men ate everything
mother put on the table on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday. On Monday
when my father went to where the
men had been sleeping, he found that
they were gone and had stolen some
expensive tools.
Nothing my parents did during the
depression would be called heroic in
the usual sense of the word. And yet as
I reviewed their lives, my pride in their
fortitude and stubborn independence
grew. They went without necessities
in order to maintain their household,
and they shielded their children from
the anxiety and fear they must have
felt. They represent the thousands of
ordinary people who gave stability
to the country in a time of economic
upheaval. They coped with the first
of three major historical events that
brought the United States from an
agrarian nation in 1929 to a world
leader in science, literature, medicine
and manufacturing in 1959
The dictionary defines a generation
as a span of 30 years. Congratulations
to the members of the Greatest
Generation who contributed to the
country between 1929 and 1959 and
who now live in the Eugene Hotel
Retirement Center.
Ruth Waugh
Activities &
Special Events
By Tina Vellody, Activity Director
Political Activist Medea Benjamin
Benjamin is best known for co-founding
Code Pink along with her husband,
activist and author Kevin Danaher.
Code Pink: Women for Peace advocates the prevention of future wars
and social justice. Benjamin also
co-founded the San Francisco-based
organization called Global Exchange,
which advocates fair trade alternatives
to what she describes as corporate
globalization. In addition, she has
been involved with the organization
United for Peace and Justice. Come
hear Medea speak in the lounge on
Monday, July 2, at 3:30 p.m.
Fourth of July All American Lunch
The Eugene Hotel will celebrate
America’s birthday with a special AllAmerican themed lunch for residents,
including hot dogs, hamburgers,
fried chicken and more! Lunch will
be served from 12 to 2 p.m. on July 4
(no dinner on this day).
Resident Collections Show & Tell
Whether you collect stamps, coins,
or anything else under the sun, you
have something to share. Bring your
collection to the lounge on Thursday,
July 5, at 2 p.m. to show your collection to your neighbors and share
something interesting about it. If you
need help gathering your collection,
ask a staff person to help.
First Friday Art Walk
Tour the wonderful myriad of local
art on the First Friday Art Walk,
located in downtown Eugene. The
hotel bus will drop us off at the first
gallery and we will leisurely walk to
several downtown gallery locations to
check out the different art works on
display. Board the bus at 6 p.m. on
Friday, July 6.
Cabaret Style Social Hour
Join your friends and neighbors in
the lounge at 4 p.m. on Wednesday,
July 11, for appetizers and spirits at
our cabaret style social hour. Pianist
Angela LeCompte will entertain us
with piano and singing. She is classically trained and has an extensive
repertoire of popular classic tunes for
us to enjoy.
Maurie Jacobs Park Walk
Enjoy a leisure walk by the Willamette River at Maurie Jacobs Park, a
local jewel here in Eugene. The bus will
board on Friday, July 13, at 11:30 a.m.
Drum Jam with Tina
Last month’s drum jam was such a
success that we have decided to make
it a monthly activity. Come and get
“jamming” with us in the lounge on
Monday, July 16, at 3 p.m.
Oregon Carousel Presentation
Discover the history and craftsmanship behind carousels, learn how
the Albany and Salem Carousels
got started and see pictures of other
carousels here in Oregon in a showing of “Oregon Carousels, Creating
New Traditions.” Salem historian
and videographer Darrell Jabin has
researched the history of carousels
in Seaside, Portland, Salem, Eugene
and one being built on the Southern
Oregon Coast. He also spent many
hours talking with volunteers who are
carving and painting the carousel in
Albany. Darrell has been producing
3
videos on Oregon history for a number of years. He will be here to talk
about how he got started producing
videos and share his informative and
entertaining video. Join us Thursday,
July 19, in the lounge at 7 p.m.
Wine & Cheese Party
Join us in the lounge for some international wine and cheese tasting
on Friday, July 20, at 2:30 p.m. The
party will also include live piano
music by Guss Russell.
Garage “Saleing”
Come “sale” away with us on our trip
to find some treasures. The summer
garage sales should be in full swing
now so there is sure to be something
for everyone. Join us for some “saleing” fun on Saturday, July 21. Board
the bus at 9 a.m.
Heartstrings-All female barbershop
quartet
Featuring members of the Greater
Eugene Chorus, the Heart Strings
Quartet will perform their old-time
music for residents on Wednesday,
July 25, at 7 p.m. in the lounge.
The Greater Eugene Chorus is the
Eugene chapter of Sweet Adelines
International, a worldwide organization of women singers committed
to advancing the musical art form of
barbershop harmony through education and performances. Come hear
Heartstrings perform some love songs
for us!
Gem & Bead Fair
Make sure to keep some beading
projects in mind for this month’s
Gem & Bead Fair! The Lane County
Fairgrounds will host the Gem &
Bead Fair on the weekend of July
27. The hotel bus will head to the
fairgrounds at 12 p.m. on Friday, July
27, so we will be some of the first
people to find the good buys. The fee
is $7 for the whole weekend.
TUESDAY TRIPS:
The Living Rock Studios
Located in Brownsville, The Living Rock Studios is not only a castle
made of stone and cement. It is a
work of art; a wonderland of rock,
art and history. Within its solid walls,
visitors see things to enlighten the
imagination. A hollow tree over two
stories high made of petrified wood
and lined with sparkling crystals,
beautiful woodcarvings, and original life–size oil paintings of various
species of birds. The building stays
cool all year round so be sure to bring
something warm to wear during this
trip. We will have lunch at Randy’s
Main Street Café, and then enjoy a
guided tour through the Living Rock
Studios. Tour fee is $2 each. Board
the bus at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 3.
Three Rivers Casino for lunch and
shopping in Old Town Florence
Tuesday, July 10, may be your lucky
day! Residents can choose to go to
the casino or enjoy lunch at Driftwood Shores and shopping in Old
Town Florence. The Eugene Hotel
bus will board at 9:30 a.m.on Tuesday, July 10.
South Santiam Fish Hatchery
In 1925, the first fish hatchery on
the South Santiam River began
operations about 5 miles upstream
from today’s present site, rearing
annually approximately 100,000
Spring Chinook in dirt ponds for
release into the South Santiam River.
The present site came about with
the construction of Foster Dam. In
1968 the facility was dedicated for
the rearing of Spring Chinook and
Summer Steelhead. This facility was
built and annually funded in part by
the US Army Corps of Engineers to
compensate for the loss of spawning
and rearing areas above the dams on
the South Santiam River. We will
have lunch at The Point Restaurant
in Sweet Home followed by a guided
tour of the hatchery to learn more
about their practices in their efforts
to protect the Chinook and Steelhead
Salmon in the area. Board the bus at
10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 17.
Brass Ring Carousel in Albany
Albany’s Brass Ring carousel is a
non-profit, volunteer organization
dedicated to building a traditional
Victorian carousel in Albany’s downtown historical district. This project
is funded through donations, grants
and fundraising activities. All work is
being done by hand with volunteers
of all skill levels, including carvers,
painters, sanders, fundraising organizers and people willing to help with
restoring the mechanism. There will
be a menagerie of animals, totaling
more than 54, all hand carved and
hand painted in the traditional style of
Dentzel and Muller. Lunch will be at
Loafer’s Station, where there are many
options to enjoy, followed by a guided
tour of the carousel on Tuesday, July
24, at 10:30 a.m.
Historic Homes of Coburg
The National Historic District of
Coburg boasts of more than 20
“historic homes,” exhibiting a variety
of architectural styles common in
the late 1800s. Admire the charming
verandas on the Carpenter Gothic
homes or the quiet simplicity of the
numerous cottages and bungalows.
On Tuesday, July 31, we will have
lunch at Chief ’s Wild Wings Restaurant in Coburg and enjoy the history
and beauty of this charming community while taking a guided driving
tour of the historic homes. The bus
will board at 10 a.m.
ONGOING ACTIVITIES
Monthly Preview
Join us in the lounge at 1 p.m. on
Monday, July 2, as we go over the
calender of events and discuss important issues pertaining to the Eugene
Hotel. We will have ice cream treats
to enjoy during the discussion.
Women’s Group
You’re invited to join the Eugene
Hotel women’s group which meets
the first and third Wednesday of
every month in the library at 10:30
a.m. This month the group will meet
on July 4 and July 18. Topics of
interest will be discussed. All female
residents are welcome to attend!
Tea and Poetry
Enjoy tea and a pastry at the monthly
poetry get-together at 2 p.m. in the
lounge on Thursday, July 12. Guest
poet Jane Capron will be joining us.
Eugene Hotel residents sip on root beer floats as they map out
their world travels at the Nifty Nineties get together last month
6
Nifty Nineties
The monthly get together for
residents who have nine decades (or
more) of life experiences will be held
at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, July 13.
Out to Lunch Bunch
Thank you Grace Runyan for critiquing our last Out to Lunch Bunch outing to Big Stuff Barbecue Restaurant.
This month she has selected Lee’s
Mongolian Grill for us to try. At this
restaurant, you choose your meats,
vegetables, and sauces for the cooks
to sauté in front of you on their large
Mongolian style grill. This should be
an interesting sight to see! Join us for
the Out to Lunch Bunch on Wednesday, July 18, at 11:30 a.m.
Sunday Night Supper Club
Hungry and you don’t want to eat
alone? Meet in the lobby on Sunday
evenings at 5:30 p.m. and we’ll walk
together around the corner to Mezza
Luna Pizza for the Sunday night
special of pizza and salad. This is an
ongoing gathering.
Shopping Trips
This month the 12 p.m. shopping
trips will include:
7/6 Gateway Mall
7/13 Valley River Mall
7/20 Oakway Mall
7/27 Walmart
Reflecting on the Greatest Generation
Continued from page 1...
mediately identify me as an imposter.
I found friendship and acceptance.
They all assured me that I could tell
of my experiences. I had no idea that
I would gain so much insight into my
parent’s lives and in the process learn
to understand myself.
Join the Round Table Writers Group
in the kitchen on the designated Thursday of each month to hear the writings
of the people who attend or to get
inspiration for your own writing.
Monthly Birthday Party
Residents who are having a birthday
during the current month will receive
a complimentary lunch invitation for
themselves and a guest, to join other
residents at the birthday lunch on
Wednesday, July 25, at 11:30 a.m.
Round Table Writers
Bring your writing to read and share
with others: a poem or a selection
from a memoir, script, short story,
novel or essay. Critiques and input
will be given, if solicited. Listeners
are welcome. Meet in the resident
kitchen at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July
26.
Hotel residents get moving on Eugene Hotel’s own Jeremy
Retallack’s bicycle rickshaw!
Beading with Tina
There will be some beading fun in
the resident kitchen on Monday, July
30, at 2 p.m. Whether you have a
project in mind or you want to just
play around with some ideas, this is
sure to be a great time for all!
Pinochle
Feel like playing a game of Pinochle?
Join your fellow Pinochle players
every Friday at 1 p.m. in the second
floor billiard room.
Eugene Hotel residents and staff admire the beautiful flowers on
dispaly at the Eugene Flower Show.
7
Critic’s
Corner
Big Stuff Barbecue Restaurant
By Grace Runyun
Under lowering skies, the Out to
Lunch Bunch traveled to historic
Cottage Grove. Not one blue spot
in the sky foretold of the lovely drive
home under blue skies filled with
puffy white clouds. With Pat Doty’s
help, Tina Vellody eased the Carea-Van through the streets to Big
Stuff Barbecue Restaurant on Main
Street, which is located in a building
that was a general merchandise store
during the heyday of gold mining on
Bohemia Mountain and the development of the lumber industry in the
area.
We slid into the circular booths
and Tina and Pat helped the wait-
ress serve us in a restaurant where
patrons picked up their food when
it was ready. The ten of us enjoyed
enormous sandwiches filled with
beef, pork, or chicken served with
spicy and sweet sauce on the side
as well as barbecued ribs. Some
discovered the sauces to be very
tasty when mixed. Various drinks
helped cool the spiciness – iced tea,
soda pop, and ale. Most thought
the food was very good. In addition, displays on the walls down
the middle of the building held
pictures of historic events and a lot
of western Indian traditions. On the
old brick walls were displays of Indian
pictures and artifacts.
To add to our pleasure, we stepped
into the Bohemian Mining Museum
next door and had many pieces of
mining equipment explained to us
by the knowledgeable docents at the
museum.
Next month we will go to Lee’s
Mongolian Grill for our Out to Lunch
Bunch on July 18. At this restaurant,
you get to choose the items you like
and they are cooked right before your
eyes on a large Mongolian style grill.
Eugene Hotel
Rummage Sale
Saturday, August 18
Start saving your
miscellaneous items now
for this annual event!
EUGENE
HOTEL
Retirement Community
222 East Broadway
Eugene, OR 97401
541 343-8574
Judi Jackson, General Manager
Visit us on the world wide web at www.eugenehotel.com or contact us at [email protected]