Preserve your family history
While your family is still around
by Dr. Cathleen McGreal
In the 1930s, teens would turn the radio
dial to NBC and make up steps when Let’s Dance
aired. They thronged to the Palomar Ballroom in
Los Angeles to hear Benny Goodman. In 1938, the
King of Swing played Carnegie Hall! But these
dancers weren’t carefree, and life wasn’t as
prosperous as their parents had envisioned it
would be when they were born.
Parenting: Always a journey into the unknown
When the Great War ended, parents didn’t know it
would eventually be called World War I. They
envisioned a long period of peace. As families
were blessed with children in the
1920s, few anticipated that each year crept
closer toward the Wall Street crash. Yet World
War II and the Depression shaped the lives their
children would lead. The economic disaster built
a generation’s sense of identity; children
learned the value of a dollar and strong
intergenerational bonds were forged. Parents
longed to provide more, and youth were
determined to help out. Adolescents listened as
Martha Tilton’s voice soared next to Goodman’s
clarinet, “We kiss, and the angels sing and
leave their music ringing in my heart.” They
were poised for the future: Finding love and
wondering if dreams for work and school could be
fulfilled. To their parents, the future looked
grim. Having been through the “war to end all
wars,” they sought comfort in prayer: “Do not be
afraid, little flock.” (Luke 12:32) Parents
couldn’t guarantee children rosy futures.
Instead they helped children grow in
relationship with God, who would always be there
for them.
“He will call upon me, and I will answer him”
(Psalm 91:15)
Young adults of the World War II era answered
the call of their nation. Many looked beyond
themselves for the strength to endure. The depth
of their faith was evident then and can still be
seen among today’s elderly. To deal with
uncertainty and fear, they called upon the Lord
and listened for God’s answers. Today’s youth
are making plans for their futures in the shadow
of global unrest, too. They can learn from the
past. Encourage them to ask older family members
to pull out old photos and to share stories of
the Depression and the war. There are so many
stories that haven’t been heard that will make
history and faith come alive for later
generations. Visits with older relatives can be
fascinating when the family comes eager to
listen to a storyteller. Write down the stories
and make family collections. As more members of
the “Greatest Generation” reach the end of their
lives, a song from their youth resonates the joy
of the life of the Kingdom of God: “We meet, and
the angels sing, the angels sing the sweetest
song I ever heard …”
Email questions and comments to:
mcgreal@msu.edu