preview

Biographical Essay: Doris During The Dust Bowl

Good Essays

Doris is my great-great aunt born on November 25, 1917, in Salina, Kansas. Nowadays if someone is born anywhere other than a hospital it is weird, but then it was not. Doris was born in her house. She lived in a 2-story house with a “big room”, also known as a living room, on the main floor and one bedroom upstairs. Doris’s family consisted of 5 people altogether: Mom, Hilma; Dad, Carl; 2 brothers (LeRoy, they also called him Sandy, and Lauren), and Doris. Doris was the youngest by eleven years. She lived in Salina during the Dust Bowl, she was 12 years old when the first storm hit. Many people struggled during the Dust Bowl but since Doris’ father and his friend started their own taxi company, they lived well. Doris said, “My dad was an …show more content…

She hung out with friends, went to games, and went to the library. When she hung out with friends they would go roller skating or even go to the movies. They went to the movies at least once a week. She said that the movies prices ranged for ¢.10 to ¢.25 depending on what mood the ticket salesman was in. When they would go to high school games they had an activities pass that allowed them to go to all the games for free. When she went to the library she was only allowed to check out one book at a time. In the summer, she spent a lot of time running back in forth between her house and the library. In the winter, Doris remembers going sledding. Doris did not have to work while she was growing up, but she did babysit. She said that she bought pantyhoes with her money she …show more content…

She said that the worst memory she had was her great aunt and uncle’s death. Doris said this was the first death in their family. Doris had many good memories that she shared. Her favorite memory was of her older brother Sandy playing Santa, he was 11 years older than her. She remembered him leaving on Christmas Eve to go to the YMCA to play basketball, at least that is what he told her. A few minutes after he left, Santa came to the house. She remembered being sad for Sandy because he missed Santa. She also remembered thinking that Santa had the same shoes as Sandy, but she didn’t put two and two together until later. Doris learned to enjoy what you have and not take things for granted. Doris’s advice to me is to help others when in need. Doris does not feel that living during this time was much different. She was unable to express that she had any good or bad experiences because of living in the Dust Bowl. By the time the interview was done, she was tired and having a hard time understanding what was being

Get Access