When My Grandmother Was 10

When I Was Ten

I interviewed my great-grandmother, Claudette Ringer. She was born on October 29, 1938. She just turned 73 years old. She had electricty and used light bulbs in lamps to light her house. Her home was heated with gas. When she was ten her clothes were made out of cotton and polyster. She says it was easier to clean, but they had to hand wash their clothes and use a wringer, two rollers that presses extra water out of clothes. When they washed their clothes they used three buckets of water. One to wash and two to rinse. Then they hung the clothes out on a line. Her parents had an electric stove to cook with and a refrigderator that is similar to today.

When her parents bought their food the packaging is same as today, but they had their milk delivered to the front door in glass bottles. Grandma Ringer liked this better, milk tasted better. Her family used the same brand as she does today, Tide, but instead of liquid it was powder. I thought when they took bathes they heated their water on the stove, but Grandma Ringer said they had hot water heaters, just like we do today.

My great-grandmother said that her family had a car, but they walked to school because they did not have buses yet. She had a radio, but it was like a jukeox. I did not know what that was until mom told me to think about the music player at Waffle House. She did not have a tv. She said they had a rotary phone. I asked my great-grandmother what about movies and fun things to do. She said she played with her friends. She said that they had drive-in movies and theaters like Sandhills. I think it would be fun to go to a drive-in.

Grandma Ringer said she misses the fact that when she was ten years old they never had to lock their doors, but she enjoys playing and spending time with her grandkids. She feels technology has improved our way of life, but somethings would be better if like the "old days". She did not have cell phones when she was younger.