On this Mother`s Day I will write about a Mother of long ago.
I saw a documentary on Ellis Island recently that may explain what happened to Peter Balk`s wife, Theres, upon arrival in America. Family stories told she was very sick when they arrived. The documentary was giving a tour of the buildings on Ellis Island. The baggage room was on the lower level. They left belongings there and were sent to the receiving room. It was a large room that would have been packed with tired, anxious people speaking many languages. The people were funneled upstairs into interview rooms where it was determined if the immigrants were well physically and mentally. Doctors stood at the top of the stairs to watch for physical disabilities. Then they were screened to see if they had enough money (about $20) to make a start in the new world. They were then directed to a set of 3 parallel stairwells down. One allowed individuals to get a train ticket West, one allowed those sent to it to stay in the New York area, and the last was to the dreaded hospital where sick ones were tested to see if they had curable or noncurable ailments. Those with noncurable diseases were sent back to their native land at the cost to the steamship that brought them. That was only about 2 per cent. I guess curable ones were allowed to recover in the hospital. At the bottom of the stairs were doors to a room where people were joyfully united with family members or sadly realized that a family member did not appear healthy enough to join them. Evidently Peter, Joseph, and halfsister Anna Mary Kruezer had the $20 and were given train tickets West for they settled in Nebraska. I can only speculate on Theres. She was ill, about 49 years of age, had borne 6 of her 7 children in a bit under 8 years, buried 5 of them death do to typhoid. We do not know her ailments. I read from another source that it might be something as simple as body lice that detained them. Did she have to go back and possibly did not survive the trip or die at Ellis Island. I can only imagine the sadness of having to leave wife and mother there on the island. I am sure she as any mother would want them to make a better life for themselves. It is no wonder they never spoke much of life before. I have heard Peter went back to Germany several times. WHY? Did he not want citizenship early because he could not freely go back and forth? He would have had to renounce forever fidelity to reigning William II Emporer of Germany at the time. I know Aunt Margaret, Joseph`s oldest living daughter, was not thrilled at the thought of Ernie going to visit Germany in the last couple decades. She feared what he might find.
Too many questions. No answers yet.
"Use it up. wear it out, make it do, or do without!"
I am optimistic that our current recession will never reach the depths of the Great Depression which was worsened by a lingering drought that made it nearly impossible to live off the land. But the phrase brought back memories when I ran across it in a magazine.
My original goal was 52-one per week. I have to date turned in 80, have a dozen more finished to be turned in, and more fabric on the table. I must say it is a most enjoyable addiction!!!
At this same home, Angie a preschooler and a friendly gadabout, proceeded to polish her sandals with white polish while wearing them. Her feet were as white as her shoes. She then went across the street to visit LT Case. He asked if she polished her own shoes. She replied "You ask too many questions." I sometimes helped with school parties. Angie`s 1st grade teacher was leery to have me chair a party but on party day I just carried and directed the 3 younger ones to a side of the room and sat them in a row while I did my party duties. She was amazed a 3, 2, and 1 year old could behave so well.
Mother always thought Angie and Nate might be ADHD and need medication until she watched Chad and Chris and their busyness.
Sarah was also a gadabout. That is one reason we built in the country to keep her home. She tried jumping rope at 3. I often walked the 6-7 blocks to get Sarah from morning Kindergarten. She was always mad when she saw me with the stroller instead of the car. Neighbor and classmate, Shellie Carroll, was mad because her mother wouldn`t walk her home.
The kids were all out in the garden one day. I was watching while I folded clothes in the house. In horror I saw Nate accidentally whack Angie over the head with a hoe. She had a pretty good gash but only yelled "I`m going to tell Mom."
Anna was always little and quiet. She crawled into her highchair every time anyone got a snack. With the many of us she might eat 6-8 times a day. For a couple of years she and Josh slept together in the bottom trundle bed. I had to get her to sleep before Josh because she told me ," Josh wiggles too much." When I went to enroll her in Kindergarten I remember her measuring herself to other children to see if she was as tall as anyone.
Josh the academic one would quiz me on my math facts after morning Kindergarten just to see if I knew them. He was a bit bewildered when in 1st grade they tried to make him count things to add them. He would busily write letters in preschool while I made CCD lesson plans. When he received a world globe for a gift he replied, " I always wanted to know (I don`t remember which country) was." He enjoyed trucks and army men also. One day he tied his favorite action figure to a helium balloon and watched dumbfounded as it flew into the wild blue yonder.
One memory I have of all the kids was when I taught CCD, I was to have a party with all grades. Refreshments were no problem-cookies and punch. Games was another story. I came unprepared. Not knowing what to expect I divided the kids by birth months into about 4 groups. They came out about even with a mix of ages and sexes. Each group rose to the challenge and came up with a game for all to play. The kids were surprisingly inventive and the group felt the party a great one. Party saved by a bunch of smart kids.
These were busy times and passed so quickly.
The sisters started what I hope is a yearly tradition-Sisters Date. We met at Texas Roadhouse in Witchita,Kansas Saturday February 28 for 24 hours of nonstop catching up. It is a fairly central location for everyone. The guys were invited to help drive. We did an afternoon of antique shopping. I found some of my everyday things there. Later Becky was determined I would get some Sketchers shoes like her and Karen`s. They are incredibly comfortable but dressy enough to wear lots of places. I found the right size but not color so will keep looking. We took hamburgers back to the room. I got a lesson there when we ordered. Wendy`s offers a Senior discount.
Becky reported on her trip to Uncle Ernie Balk`s near San Antonio and brought me copies of family documents. Most are in German so maybe Josh can translate for me. Ernie told her a couple comical stories. One was, Ernie and Mary Ellen have a hot tub with swimsuits optional rule. When Aunt Margaret visited in recent years she presented herself to the hot tub early one morning in the buff. She is now 96 years of age. Dad can`t get past the swim suits optional. May I clarify it`s couples only not a big party. He also told of meeting Amelia Earhart when she had plane trouble and landed in the pasture across from their Bison home. Hope to ask him more about that later.
Think we started something at Big Granny`s funeral by letting the Great Grands tuck her in. They did the same at Chad`s father-in-law`s funeral. They actually picked a number to see who could push the button to lower the casket.
Sunday morning we went to a large church in Goddard. We looked around and missed Phil. Here he came in vested with the priest. We didn`t get to hear him give a sermon but saw him in some action. Afterwards we headed home with thoughts of our Quitman reunion in July and plans forming in our heads for next year.
Fast forward to the land run into Oklahoma. The ever curious men Peter and Joseph made it and settled in Garfield county. Joseph eventually married Mildred Grace Rudd in a civil ceremony. She was pregnant with 2nd or 3rd child when the marriage was blessed in the Catholic Church in Bison. The family after that was pretty active in church affairs. The children were instructed and received the sacraments, some attended Catholic school part time, and when the church was built a stained glass window was bought in honor of Peter. When the church was replaced my cousin Tommy Rogers was able to buy that window and had it made into a lovely mantle piece. Joseph lost 5 baby siblings, his mother at an early age, faced uncertainty in a new world, reared 9 children, received word of his father Peter being killed in Germany by a stray bullet during WWI, endured the tribulations of the Great Depression, buried a son prematurely etc. without losing his faith. Alto he was fluent in English he reportedly prayed in German. He attended Holy Day Mass on New year`s Day in about 1940 and came home to suffer a massive heart attack and died.
All in all I think my own Dad felt his greatest legacy to me was the Catholic faith. It has carried many family members through many a trying time. One footnote-Mother and Dad began going to church regularly when Karen at age 9 asked why they didn`t go to Sunday School like her friends.
P.S. Most of the names and dates were given to me by Uncle Ernie Balk. He has visited the towns and church in Germany. The house the Balks lived in Germany still stands and is used for a storage barn.
With so many in a family-Christmas isn`t just a 24 hour event. This year it began on December 20 when 11 of us ventured to Cowtown-Ft. Worth. Some spent the night with Josh and some with Anna. Christina entertained her houseful with BarBQ and Anna had pizza. Sunday 19 of us drove 45 minutes to Grapevine`s Great Wolf Lodge with huge indoor waterpark. We enjoyed the waterpark, arcade, buffet, visit with Santa, bedtime story with lifesize animated characters, and back to our room where everyone brought their room`s chair for gift exchange and cookie decorating. I`m afraid the maid had to pick up more trash in our room than usual but we did leave some of the decorated cookies. The kids spilled out in the hall with remote control cars and other toys. Fortunately there wasn`t alot of traffic in the halls. The next morning was again spent in the water. Papa Bill even tried the approximately 3 story winding water slide. The only casualities were Baby Jett 4 months old got water dumped on his head from a tipping bucket on the lazy river, Andrew 18 months did not like the frowning animated tree in the lobby, and Josh on crutches from foot surgery got his bandages wet.
Fast forward to Christmas Eve when 12 (even years are special because Sarah`s kids are able to join us for evening Mass) joined us for midnight Mass at 5:00 p.m. Father Mickus is afraid too many will have too much Christmas cheer by midnight. I think it`s because he flys home to Chicago Christmas morning. Angie`s family ate pizza with us afterward. The following 2 days were very untraditional with chicken fried steak, a perpetual open house and 70 degree weather.
Altho Nate was not here we are pleased he arrived safely home from Iraq to N.C. about a week ago.
Mike is my baby brother 10 my Jr. He was a thin baby that spit up alot of his milk after a full bottle. He eventually grew to over 6 foot and 350 pounds altho in recent years his weight has pared down considerably. I`m writing this because after many years of torment and long hateful accusing letters I received one with little hate spewed. I beg to differ on some of his family memories but I must say most of the 3 pages of notebook paper were filled with happier things. He sent a Christmas card from "Boy`s Ranch" founded in 1939. He noted that was the year Mother and Daddy were married. He wrote his memory of May 31, 1974 (the day of Daddy`s accident) and noted Mother was the one whose life changed the most. I quote from his letter "the true test fell in our Dear Mother`s Hands. She gave it her best. But the true Secret about that date. Add the digits. They tally to 2005-the year she was set free to rest. Great set of Parents......." Bill remarked wish he could have said it to her face.
Now Big Bad Mike (many of the children actually feared him) is spending time in prayer ( he quoted many phrases from Bernard`s prayer book), trying to figure his next move, and pondering what life would have been like had they stayed on the farm. Is he changed? Maybe not but but hopefully it`s a start.
No Sisters I`m still not ready to move him in with me!
