I mentioned earlier that Tim and George were sent to private school in Jamaica (Calabar College) at the very tender age of 10 or 12 and went through school there until they were 18. From there Tim went directly to Nicaragua to work for an American Fruit Co. (I believe it was United Fruit Co.) Tim was fluent in Spanish and could write it as well and I’m sure this was the reason he got the job. I imagine he also took the job never having heard of Sandina and the rebellion he was leading. He was joined there shortly by Bill, who also had never heard of Sandina. There was no such thing those days as instant news and the news would take a very long time to make the rounds in that part of the world. They had not been long in Nicaragua when U.S. Marines moved in to protect U.S. property and conscripted them for guard duty.

From Nicaragua Tim and Bill found their way to the USA. Bill went first, going to Port Arthur and staying with Addie so he could attend Pt. Arthur College. He was followed there shortly by Sam who also went to Pt. Arthur College after giving the Merchant Marine a trial and finding that not to his liking. Bill met Doris and Sam met Verline who were also students there. Tim came to the US several years after Bill and Sam.

George got his first job with a Canadian bank there in Kingston. He met and married Eileen there . They came to USA in 1948 and after several months of pounding the pavement George went to work at Texas Commerce Bank in Houston.

Tim had already left Calabar when George enrolled. They would come home during the summer holidays and occasionally at Christmas depending on the availability of Transportation out of Kingston and the uncertainties of weather.

I don’t know the reasons dad had for selecting Tim and George for attending Calabar. The more I think about it I believe it had more to do with the fortunes of chance. The only times boys from the island went to Calabar coincided with visits to the island by the schools’ headmaster and he was only interested in recruiting children of a certain age. From the stories I heard Tim and George tell, the school must have been run along the same principles as military schools in Britain and America. Being taken from their homes at such a tender age must have been frightening for Tim and George as well as traumatic for mother and dad.

Most parents find practical and economic ways to provide for their children and I’m sure mother and dad were no exception. All of us boys joked (in an ugly way at times) about the “hand-me-down” clothes and shoes from Tim that we were obliged to wear. Of course when Tim came along dad was reasonably well off and could afford to give him best quality apparel knowing it would last to serve the others also. Of course with 5 boys by the time the 5th one inherited them everything was pretty shabby. I recall having to put cardboard in the bottom of my shoe to cover the holes until such time as dad could give them a half-sole; and these were “Going to Church Only” shoes. The rest of the time I went barefoot, at least until I was about 13. You can imagine how thick the skin on the sole of your feet can get after a few years of walking on rock. We kids occasionally would play a stupid game we called “rooster” where you would drive the biggest needle you could find through the skin on your heel, with the point sticking out and try to spur your opponent.

I can’t tell you much about my older sisters except for Nella. I remember how she helped us at very difficult times. Grace and Addie were married and were gone from home when I came along. I vaguely remember Lois but she left home before we really got acquainted. I remember very little of Nella’s wedding but mother and dad could always count on Nella to lend a helping hand when needed. Doris came along when I was three and Nella was a God-Send for mother because, as I’ve heard mother say, nobody thought I’d survive all the illnesses I had. I only remember my later illnesses – like pneumonia, lead poisoning, and typhoid fever at 16.

With all my illnesses I must have deprived my sister, Doris, of a lot of childhood nurturing and not having a younger brother to pick on I undoubtedly gave her a bad time as well. Edith, when she came along latched on to me like I did Sam. Although I did not encourage her, I was very aware that she was climbing trees and playing sand-lot cricket with her friends.

Well, I feel that I have pretty well exhausted most of my supply of “home-life” memories and will stop here on that subject unless you have unanswered questions that I might be able to help with. Next time I will tell you a few personal tales if you like.

E N D

1/27/04
9:20pm
End of Installment Nine