HEIRLOOM

I am participating in the #52Ancestors challenge. Each week I will follow a prompt and write about an ancestor.  You can join too, click the link on the top left.  The stories about our ancestors are what helps to keep their memories alive!  

This weeks prompt is HEIRLOOM.

These two autograph books belonged to my mom, Virginia DiMaggio Crowley.  She attended Ryerson High School in Brantford Ontario.  I love these little books and remember looking at them when I was a little girl! I would try to imagine my mom as a young girl with her friends. I am grateful to have them in my possession and plan to pass them down. 

This first book was a Christmas present for my mom in 1935.  The little sayings in the book are so funny and corny to read now.  

One interesting thing is my mom's surname.  It was not popular to be of Italian heritage in the 1930's, so the family went by Maggis instead of Di Maggio.  It is heartbreaking to me they could not use their beautiful surnames because of stereotypes that were placed upon them.

This book has a list of classmates that signed their autographs.

The first person to sign the book was Mom's only sibling, my Aunt Eva.

Lilian was my mom's best friend growing up and they kept in touch well into their 80's.  

Some of the sayings are just so funny. 

I especially like what friends signed in the back of the books.  

She had two books one from 1934 and the second 1935-1936.  It was interesting to see how the tone of the little sayings changed in the later book.  

They seemed more mature. 

Maybe a even little melancholy. 

Sometimes a little inspirational.  

I think they realized that things were going to change and they might not see each other again.

Some good advice for the life and times ahead. 

 

Guess who was the last one to sign the book?  That's is right me!!  I remember when I was about nine or ten and just looking through these books and asked Mom's permission to sign it. She said YES!!   
I have a feeling there might be a fight when it is time to pass these on to the next generation.