Pat wore an eye patch to help her eye gain muscle strength. It hindered her school performance. Listen to what happened when she was finally able to take it off:

Pat Schlager b. 1936

Pat Schlager was nine years old when WWII ended. Her mom had prepared for the day. Listen to Pat talk about her own personal parade through the streets of Braintree to celebrate the end of the war.

Pat Schlager b. 1936

Pat Schlager was a cheerleader at Braintree High School during her high school years. I am in awe that she can remember her high school cheers from the 1950’s!

Pat Schlager b. 1936

Photo Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection

I had to wait to post this story until I got the photo from Flo’s daughter because it just make’s Flo’s story that much more fun. I think these uniforms are fantastic. Hear all about the art of baton twirling on Long Island in the 1950’s here:

Flo Grady b. 1934

Flo Grady was old enough during WWII to understand that everyday items were in short supply. Here family received ration coupons for items such as sugar, butter and gasoline. Listen to her story:

Flo Grady b. 1934

When Flo and her husband were married, they road tripped down the coast for their honeymoon. When they returned, they had only 26 cents left. Listen to Flo tell the story here:

Flo Grady b. 1934

Back in the day, when you went to Nantasket Beach, you went to a specific section of the beach designated for your town. Listen to Mary & Barbara tell us about Little Weymouth.

Mary Stokes & Barbara Falvey b.1936

In 1949, 42,000 cases of polio were reported in the United States and 2,720 people died, most of them children. Everybody knew of somebody who had died from polio or was crippled by it, and 1949 turned out to be a record year. At its peak in the 1940s and 1950s, polio would paralyze or kill 500,000 people worldwide every year.

Mary Stokes and Barbara Falvey grew up in the same neighborhood in Weymouth. Polio was a serious concern and they had a close call when their friend and neighbor was diagnosed with the disease. Hear their story:

Mary Stokes & Barbara Falvey b.1936

When Rosemary Chirillo was a child, she was the only one brave enough to go to the basement and feed the coal furnace. Listen to her experiences with coal and kerosene during her childhood in Hingham…

Rosemary Chirillo b. 1942