Kayle Siler
Professor Akindes
Assignment #1 – Interviewing a Family Elder
1 February 2012
Name of interviewee: Theresa Pagliaroni
Age or Birth-year: 1932
Birth Place: Kenosha, WI
Relation to you: Grandmother
Date Interviewed: 30 January 2012
Place Interviewed: Grandmother’s home
Interviewed in person
Part 1: Q&A
1.
Can you describe your childhood and the popular
media that you and your family used?
We were poor growing up. Money was tight, I grew up during the
depression. My dad made $24 a week. When
the war broke out, many men went to service and women had to work in defense
plans. There was only radio when I was
growing up. We would sit and listen to stories
and we would also go to the libraries.
If you were lucky enough to be able to afford a record, some families
had phonographs. As a child we had what
was called “toy loan” stores which were a place where you could go and borrow
toys of days. If you were lucky enough
to get there early you were able to get a bike or a scooter. . .I was never
early enough to get a bike.
2.
What is your earliest memory of television?
First time I had seen television was in a
store window downtown. Everyone was in
awe because no one had seen anything like it at the time. The first television we owned was an RCA
floor model in 1944 or 1945. I know it
was black and white, I don’t remember when the color models came out.
3.
What was the telephone like when you were
growing up? What was it like to have a “party line”?
People constantly listened in on your
conversation. I always listened in on
conversations. People would call the
phone company and complain that we were listening to their conversations, then
the phone company would call our parents and they would threaten to cut off our
service. Our phone was tall with a
microphone on a mic stand and an ear piece that lifted off.
4.
Can you share an experience of going to the
movie theatre?
We used to go to the movies on Friday
nights. Me and my four brothers and
sisters would walk there and then walk back when the movie was over. My father didn’t’ have a car. It cost 12 cents to see a movie and candy
cost roughly 5 cents. Almost all movies were black and white, except Disney movies.
5.
How did you and your parents know who to support
in political elections?
We would listen to the radio or read the
newspaper. But not everyone got the
newspaper. Also politicians had what was
called a “whistle stop” where they would travel by rain and people would gather
at the stations to hear them speak.
6.
What forms of communication were present at
school when you were a student?
I went to catholic school and the nuns
rarely used phones. Most communication
was done through notes and if things weren’t resolved through the notes and
meeting would be set up.
7.
Do you remember what advertising and commercials
were like when you were growing up? What products were sold? What messages of
slogans do you remember?
There was a lot of door to door sales when
I was growing up. Most advertising was
done through radio and in store windows and newspaper. “The Fuller Brush” salesmen and women would
frequently come to our door. The sold
brooms and hairbrushes. “Walkins” sold
salves, ointments and cough medicine door to door.
8.
Things have changed dramatically since your
youth. What new forms of media have you
adopted? (internet, cell phone, hand-held devices, ect.)
I subscribe to cable, listen to a stereo,
DVD player, automatic washer and dryer, cell phone, basically all electric
appliances, comptometers (calculator).
When I was growing up nothing needed a plug. . .nothing was electric.
9.
How has media made your life easier or more
difficult?
It tells you in advance things that are
going to be coming out, lets you know what is going on worldwide and if you
miss it on the radio you are able to find it in print, pictures can be
published.
10.
How has media changed the way you communicate
with family?
Cars, telephone. There was no such thing as long distance when
I was growing up, it was far too expensive.
It much easier to communicate now.
11.
How has media informed your understanding of
politics and politicians?
You are able to compare side by side.
12.
How has media changed the way you shop or do
your banking?
It hasn’t changed my way of shopping. I guess I get more coupons in mail and newspaper
and are informed of up and coming sales.
You have to have faith in your bank and you have to trust your
bank. As long as they are insured and my
money is safe, I’m good.
13.
What forms of media do you use for
entertainment?
Television, radio, movies, newspaper, books
(if my vision were better I’d read a lot more)
Part 2: Reflection
My
grandmother’s recollection of her childhood was truly enticing. It’s crazy to think how small of a role
technology played in her upbringing, considering how dependent I know I
personally am on technology. I spend a
lot of time with my grandmother and I pretty much felt like I knew what her
answers to the questions were going to be, but to hear her talk about the
things from her upbringing that weren’t completely technologically linked was
super interesting. I know it’s not
considered “technology” per say, but to hear her tell me how uncommon it was
for things to have plugs was really odd.
It was also interesting to hear that things like milk and ice were
delivered by men on horses, and not delivered by cars, let alone that they were
delivered.
As
far as my personal day to day life, I acknowledge that I am very very dependent
on technology. I barely read books and
newspapers, but I frequently check various news apps on my phone to see
headlines. I check different social
media outlets like Facebook or Twitter, at least once an hour. I am also addicted to Brewers baseball, in
turn, addicting me to sports apps on my phone.
I need to constantly know scores, trades, stats, injury reports,
ect. As far as education and work go, I
am usually connected to my vendors and representatives through text messages,
where as I stay connected to school through campus email. Also where social media and work combine are
where I can create invitations and send out notifications of various promotions
and what not that are going on at my job.
All my banking and bill pay are also done through my phone. While I consider myself to be a very
dependent person, one thing I am extremely dependent on is technology.
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