Brighid McDonough
Dr. Liu Comprehensive Chinese Section 06 10 May 2017
Works Cited Bol, P. K., & Kirby, W. C. (2017, February 08). China (Part 5): From a Global Empire under the Mongols to a Global Economy under the Ming Dynasty. Retrieved April 26, 2017, from https://www.edx.org/course/china-part-5-global-empire-under-mongols-harvardx-sw12-5x-0 Grolle, J., & Ornstein, E. (2013, September 20). The 'Columbian Exchange': How Discovering the Americas Transformed the World - SPIEGEL ONLINE - International. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/a-923220.html
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Individual Research Project: Trade Between
United States and China ChinaUnited States WHO: Nike, Converse, Ugg, Asics WHAT: Popular shoe brands are made in China at high demand subsequently high prices in the United States. WHERE: Many shoe companies, including Nike, have been charged with human rights violations in the making of shoes in Chinese sweatshops. These factories have become heavily guarded and secretive, and many people who work in them live well below the poverty line. Over 36% of people in China live on less than $2 a day, most of them seek work in sweatshops. WHY: Shoes are made in China because labor and materials are cheaper than in the US. Companies can greatly increase their profits and can heighten their supply because goods are made for less money and in less time. HOW: Shoes are made in mass quantities all throughout China, especially in proximity to urban areas. Additionally, goods are shipped on cargo boats across the Pacific, or come to the west on planes. WHEN: Since the 1980’s China’s economy has grown exponentially in part due to the increased number of sweatshops and factories. United States China WHO: Monsanto Soybeans, Soya Soybeans WHAT: Soybeans, although originally grown in Asia, are grown in the American Midwest and are traded with China in mass quantities. Annually, the US ships about 1.79 bushels of soybeans per year. WHERE: Soybeans are grown in the American Midwest, and remain a cash crop essential to the agricultural economy. Ships of soybeans are sent to urban Chinese ports, including Tianjin, Guangzhou and Ningbo. WHY: Soybeans can more easily be grown in rural American towns, and the land is very arable and fertile. China and much of Asia relies heavily on soybeans for their diet and many Asian dishes are based around the soybean. HOW: Soybeans are grown throughout much of Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois. The plants are shipped to China on large cargo ships and subsequently prepared and often packaged in Asia. WHEN: Soybeans grow best during the spring, and are typically planted at the conclusion of winter to ensure a plentiful harvest. Attitide Scale: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPjwmRNPrUo07-Sl04OxzYYPKuH7z7iui_la04JA9UR62nbg/viewform In-depth Interview: https://docs.google.com/a/bostonk12.org/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5DoslzVHoIjUK0inmYoHGQM_x5LlASIyQjvbMmLnuqVY8sg/viewform Data Analysis of In-Depth Interview: Question 1: Why do you think American companies move their businesses overseas, namely to China? Aisling’s Answer: “Because the labor in China is cheaper than it is in the U.S. so they can hire more workers for less amount of money.” Mikayla’s Answer: “China is cheaper, so it causes Americans to lose less money. Sometimes, it is to expand their business and make more money overseas, causing them to become well known.” Gracie’s Answer: “Because chinese labor is cheaper.” I am not surprised by the answers, as Americans are aware that the vast majority of our products are made in China and other southern Asian countries. Additionally, President Trump ran his campaign on demonizing other countries for “stealing” American jobs and prosperous businesses, so it has brought issues in relation to Chinese and American manufacturing to light. As consumers, we also know that products that are American-made are far more expensive than those made in China, considering the cost of manufacturing and wages are so much lower. Question 2: Do you think it is justifiable for Chinese workers to work in poor conditions in order to make a profit for American businesses and American consumers? Aisling’s Answer: “No, I do not think so, I understand from a business perspective how it could be seen as beneficial but they are entitled to basic human rights so it is not okay.” Mikayla’s Answer: “No, if Americans aren't treated like they are, we shouldn't have or businesses in places where that happens. It is a basic human right that we all be treated safely and humanely.” Gracie’s Answer: “No, because conditions in many chinese factories are deplorable.” Again, I am not surprised by the answers to this question, as so many movements toward rights of the working people have been championed in the Western world since the Industrial Revolution. Since China is industrializing currently, they are subsequently undergoing vast cultural and economic change. Nevertheless, countless human rights violations occur in Chinese factories and sweatshops, and companies often pay huge reparations for violating the UNiversal Declaration of Human Rights. In recent decades, many Chinese companies have found it necessary to board up windows in factories or construct enormous nets around the walls of buildings as to prevent the suicide of the tired and monotonous workers. Question 3: Why do you think soybeans are so critical to the American agricultural economy, meanwhile soybean farmers remain typically impoverished? Aisling’s Answer: “Profits go to the big corporations.” Mikayla’s Answer: “Soybeans are for many products, and Americans continue to profit without ensuring that the workers receive what they deserve.” Gracie’s Answer: “Because big businesses sell soybeans and farmers gain little monetary compensation for their labor.” All the answers are again essentially the same, and Aisling, Mikayla and Gracie all are aware of the way capitalism hurts average American workers. Often in our economy big businesses and lobbyists gain enormous swaths of money while small laborers and farmers earn just enough to get by. Additionally, the soybean is so crucial to the American economy because they have a multitude of purposes and are a popular and necessary crop worldwide, so the market for soybeans never depletes rapidly. Policy Change Suggestion: I would ask policy makers in both China and the US to heighten standards for workers and ensure benefits for their labor. As China continues to industrialize, it is essential that workers are safeguarded their human rights and that the safety and satisfaction of the workers is put above the profit of the companies internationally. In the US I would also ask for policy for American farmers to change, as they deserve larger compensation for their crops, rather than gaining an unstable wage as big businesses gain innumerable profit. Summary, Conclusion, and Reflection: In researching trade between China and the US, and popular products shipped across the pacific for Chinese and American profit, I have learned that more often than not businesses care more for monetary gain than the lives and well-beings of their workers. Conditions in Chinese factories are intolerable, and American farmers across the Midwest remain disenfranchised as they suffer for the gain of multi-million dollar industries. The cost of production of goods for western consumption in China is astronomical, and the wages American farmers earn for their labor is hardly a living salary. In conclusion, changes need to happen in both Chinese and American industries to keep trade flourishing and their citizens afloat. Works Cited Alibaba. (1999). Custom wholesale shoes, mature women shoes, shoes made in china high heels. Retrieved December 22, 2016, from Alibaba.com, https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/brand-shoes-made-in-china.html APPDMZ. (2002). Soybean seeds. Retrieved December 22, 2016, from Monsanto, http://www.monsanto.com/products/pages/soybean-seeds.aspx Newton, J., & Kuethe, T. (2015). The footprint of Chinese demand for U.S. Soybeans. farmdoc daily,(5):57((5):57), . Retrieved from http://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2015/03/footprint-of-chinese-demand-for-us-soybeans.html Soyatech. (2000). Information about Soya, soybeans. Retrieved December 22, 2016, from Soytech, http://www.soyatech.com/soy_facts.htm War on Want: Fighting Global Poverty. (1951). Retrieved December 22, 2016, from Waronwant.org, http://www.waronwant.org/sweatshops-china Where are running shoes made? Are any still made in the USA? (2014, November 6). Retrieved December 22, 2016, from DMCA.com, http://www.runningshoesadvice.com/?p=927 1. My name is Brighid McDonough and I live in a brown house in West Roxbury with my two older sisters and my parents. My sisters are named Devin and Mary and we have become really close, and I miss them when they are away at college. Devin is studying to be a lawyer and Mary, to be a teacher. My dad is a firefighter and my mom is a homemaker. I loved having my mom home when I was younger, so I never had to have a nanny. I went to the Joyce Kilmer for elementary school, and it was right down the street from my house. I walked to school everyday with my neighbors and I became best friends with the girls and boys living around me. I work at a summer camp where I instruct students on how to play tennis, as well as do reading activities with them. I love being around little kids, and I love watching them gain new skills.
I have a huge family, my dad is one of nine and my mom is one of seven. I have always loved having a big family, and I have always felt loved and like I belong. Neither of my parents went to college, so it has always been really important to my parents that my sisters and I receive a good education. We could never afford private school, so getting accepted into Boston Latin was a blessing. I am not very involved in extracurriculars in BLS, but I do volunteer at my local parish and during the summer. I am a peer minister for St. Theresas, so I help middle-schoolers as they get ready for their Confirmation. I help out with all of my friends and I really enjoy it and think it is really rewarding. As I enter my senior year, I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do when I am older. I wanted to be a teacher for most of my life, but in recent years I no longer think that is the career for me. I might want to go into politics, and attend college in Washington D.C, but I am still unsure. I am excited to be taking Comprehensive Chinese, and I hope to learn more about Chinese history and culture this year as I have had very little exposure to Chinese in my language and history courses at BLS. 2. On an average day at BLS, I wake up at 5:45 and start to get ready. I go downstairs and grab breakfast and pack my bag for school. My mom drives me to the commuter rail, and I ride it with my friends to Ruggles and then take the bus to school. I eat my breakfast at my table in the dining hall in the morning, and complete any extra homework and talk to my friends. I walk to homeroom around 7:40 and talk to my friends and prepare for my first class of the day. I like when I have are at the beginning of the day, because many of my good friends are in my sections and work on projects with me. History is my favorite subject, and I take two histories this year. I like history so much because it mixes the two fundamental subjects of math and English because in some instances, there is one clear and correct answer in a history class (much like math or science,) while other times the solution is more left for interpretation or opinion (much like humanities courses.) I have lunch with some of my best friends and it is nice to have a break from academics in the middle of the day. I take the bus home so I can get to my house early because I typically have work. I tutor children in math Monday to Thursday, and I like doing it and seeing thestudents improve. I then get home around 6:15 and do my homework before my sister gets home from work, when we eat dinner. I typically go to bed around 10, and set my alarm to repeat my routine the next day. 3. What are the Similarities and Differences of Voting Rights Between China and the the United States? In both China and the United States, all citizens over the age of eighteen are eligible to vote for positions in public office, without regard to race, sexuality or religion. There are no direct elections in the US, all voting is done at a representative basis, as our political system is set up as a democratic republic. Similarly, in China, there are representatives who vote on behalf of China’s entire population. Individuals in China have a much smaller voice in their election as compared to their US counterparts, however. China is home to 1.35 billion people, and they cannot vote directly for their leader, as they exist in a communist governing system. There are many cities and villages throughout China where there are direct elections, especially in places that are not divided into districts. In the US, elections are not direct. While our political systems may differ presently, both the US and China have had a history of voter suppression and fights for suffrage. In 1920 women in the US were granted the right to vote, but it was not until 1965 that black Americans had full voting rights. Additionally, Chinese-Americans were not allowed to vote or become citizens in the US until 1943. In China, the people do not vote for their president, but he is rather picked by 3,000 deputies, known formally as the National People’s Congress in China. The people, especially among the youth in China, do not feel accurately represented in their elections, as typically only one candidate is offered and average citizens are not allowed to vote. Similarly, in national elections, states and votes are represented in the Electoral College. Each state, based on its size and population, is represented by five-hundred-thirty-eight electors. Each state is either democratic or republican, blue or red. This is a process widely criticized by many people in the minority of their states. Republicans in Massachusetts, or Democrats in Arkansas, for example, feel as though their votes do not count as they are not accurately represented in the college. In both Chinese and American governments, corruption exists, and money is not always necessarily well-spent by officials. In Chinese elections, representatives from the following parties choose a president, so the election is much less about the average citizen. The only parties allowed to participate in Chinese elections are the Communist Party and the eight allied parties. The eight allied parties are:
Elections in the people’s republic of China are based on a hierarchical electoral system, whereby local People’s Congresses are directly elected, and all higher levels of People’s Congresses up to the National People’s Congress, the national legislature are indirectly elected by the People’s Congress of the level immediately below. Governors, mayors and heads of countries, districts, townships and and towns are elected by respective local People’s Congresses. Presidents of the people’s courts and chief procurators of people’s procuratorates are elected by the respective local People’s Congresses above the county level. The President and the State Council are elected by the National People’s Congress. They also have the power to remove any of the positions they are responsible for electing. The National People’s Congress is also responsible for electing the National People’s Congress Standing Committee. It is a 175 member body made up of National People’s Congress members which meets year round to discuss and approve routine and administrative issues. People’s Congresses of cities that are not divided into districts, counties, city districts, townships and ethnic townships are directly elected. Committee members and chairpersons are too directly elected. Also, village committee members and chairpersons are directly elected. Heads of People’s Governments are formally elected by the People’s Congress of that level, but the heads of township governments have been experimentally elected by the people through various mechanisms. These include: Direct nomination and election Direct election Two ballots in three rounds Competition based on mass recommendation Nomination and elections by the masses Public recommendation and public election Vote of confidence Every March, almost three thousand National People’s Congress delegates and more than two thousand Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference delegates gather in Beijing. The government claims that, as participants in the political process, they represent the voices of China’s 1.35 billion people. Every five years the committees change delegates. Percent of Voters/Year Presidential Election People’s Republic of China (Voters represented as those within selected Committee) United States of America (Aged 18-29) 2004 80.28% 48% 2008 76.33% 51% 2012 77.13% 45% Reflection: In my research of voting rights in China and the United States, I realized how fortunate myself and other Americans are to live in a truly democratic government. I think democracies and republics are the most fair ways to govern people and give individual citizens the voices they deserve. I think China needs to reform many aspects of their government, as to allow their enormous population to have more influence on how they live and the laws mandated upon them. I also learned how different the government of China and Hong Kong are, even though their land and culture overlap in other facets. Hong Kong is a democracy and their citizens vote in mass numbers, especially those of a younger generation. People in the US and other democratic nations take their right to vote for granted and often do not vote, typically less than half of eligible citizens go to the polls. I think my research project brought awareness to our incredible fortunes as Americans, and that we should take advantage of our rights and advocate for other nations to allow their citizens to do the same. Summary: People in America can directly exercise their right to vote when they turn 18. They can fill out a ballot and directly contribute to the election of the next president of the United States of America. In China, representatives of the population vote on their behalf. The majority of the population in China does not vote in elections because they have representatives. However, in Hong Kong people can directly vote. Hong Kong is a democracy and all of China should move towards the ideals of Hong Kong as to better represent the views of Chinese citizens as a whole, considering their enormous population and countless voices and opinions. 4. Attitude Scale Questions: https://docs.google.com/a/bostonk12.org/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDYrgnQdjJGNrmTKtQJSFrEce5AlED3AktCnxN1z0hg1srgw/viewform Attitude Scale Results: Question Strongly Disagree (# of people) Disagree (# of people) Agree (# of people) Strongly Agree (# of people) Do you plan to exercise your right to vote when you turn 18? 1 2 4 10 Do you think voting rights are fair in the U.S.? 2 2 11 2 Do you think voting rights are fair in China? 3 13 1 0 Is the voting process in America or China Better & why? 0 0 0 America is better (13) Should voters be mandated to show identification before voting? 1 3 7 5 Do you think China should adopt the democratic processes of Hong Kong? 0 0 11 5 Should American voting processes be reformed? 1 8 6 1 Do you think the electoral college accurately represents the American people 0 6 9 1 Do you understand your voting rights? 1 2 9 4 Do you think it is important to have the right to directly vote? 1 1 11 3 5. In depth Interview Questions: https://docs.google.com/a/bostonk12.org/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9oc3iuR2-Egm-BcrlxOuaIu8xbBGWPt4zxesTm0VRGWWvEQ/viewform Responses to My Survey: 1. Name: Grace 2. Age: 18 3. Gender: Female Response #1: How do you think the voting systems in both the US and China could be improved? I think the electoral college should be outlawed and the president should be elected by popular votes in the U.S. I think that China should move towards a democracy to be fair to its population. Response #2: Which system of voting do you believe is more fair, China or the US? Why? The U.S. is more fair because the people have choices of their leaders. Also their votes are reflected and help directly elect their leader. Response #3: Do you believe China should become a democracy or a republic? Which would more accurately represent their population of 1.4 billion? They should become a democracy because it will help reflect their population of 1.4 billion. A democracy would allow the population to directly elect their leader and have more of a say in what goes on in their country. Second Response: 1. Name: Michael 2. Age: 17 3. Gender: Male Response #1: How do you think the voting systems in both the US and China could be improved? I think in China the voting system could be improved in that there would be more fair representation for all citizens. Communism can easily become corrupt, and does not accurately express the views of the people. I think a move toward a more democratic system would modernize the country and allow its citizens to thrive. In the US, I believe the electoral college needs to be reformed so that citizens voices are heard equally, regardless of what state they live in. For example, the democratic candidate won the popular vote in the past election, but lost the presidency on account of the electoral college and makeup of parties throughout states. Response #2: Which system of voting do you believe is more fair, China or the US? Why? I believe that while both countries could improve their systems, the US's system is more fair because people at least have the opportunity to vote for whomever they choose, although the voice of the citizens individually can get clouded. Response #3: Do you believe China should become a democracy or a republic? Which would more accurately represent their population of 1.4 billion? I think that while democracy is more ideal, it makes more sense for a republic in a country with such a large population. Nevertheless, I think representatives should be elected directly and all votes should be counted for the same value. 6. Conclusion: I have learned that different forms of government exist to serve their respective citizens adequately, although some reflect the opinions of individuals or minorities overwhelmingly. My project serves to address the partisan and discriminatory nature of some forms of government, for example the communist regime currently guiding China. While the government of the United States is far from perfectly equitable, it addresses present needs and more accurately serves our people. Voting rights is a privilege too often taken for granted, and citizens of democratic nations should share their voices and opinions at the polls to create a more fair and harmonious government that benefits themselves and the interests of their fellow citizens. Works Cited Burgio, C. (2007). Democracy in China: A distant dream. Asia Europe Journal, 5(2), 181-186. doi:10.1007/s10308-007-0119-1 Kroef, J. M. (1981). “Normalizing” Relations with the People´s Republic of China: Indonesia´s Rituals of Ambiguity. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 3(3), 187-218. doi:10.1355/cs3-3a MacLeod, C., Yang S. (2013, March 14). In China, it's an election in name only. USA TODAY Retrieved October 10, 2016. Brighid McDonough Dr. Liu Comprehensive Chinese Section 06 4 November 2016 What are the Similarities and Differences of Voting Rights Between China and the the United States? In both China and the United States, all citizens over the age of eighteen are eligible to vote for positions in public office, without regard to race, sexuality or religion. There are no direct elections in the US, all voting is done at a representative basis, as our political system is set up as a democratic republic. Similarly, in China, there are representatives who vote on behalf of China’s entire population. Individuals in China have a much smaller voice in their election as compared to their US counterparts, however. China is home to 1.35 billion people, and they cannot vote directly for their leader, as they exist in a communist governing system. There are many cities and villages throughout China where there are direct elections, especially in places that are not divided into districts. In the US, elections are not direct. While our political systems may differ presently, both the US and China have had a history of voter suppression and fights for suffrage. In 1920 women in the US were granted the right to vote, but it was not until 1965 that black Americans had full voting rights. Additionally, Chinese-Americans were not allowed to vote or become citizens in the US until 1943. In China, the people do not vote for their president, but he is rather picked by 3,000 deputies, known formally as the National People’s Congress in China. The people, especially among the youth in China, do not feel accurately represented in their elections, as typically only one candidate is offered and average citizens are not allowed to vote. Similarly, in national elections, states and votes are represented in the Electoral College. Each state, based on its size and population, is represented by five-hundred-thirty-eight electors. Each state is either democratic or republican, blue or red. This is a process widely criticized by many people in the minority of their states. Republicans in Massachusetts, or Democrats in Arkansas, for example, feel as though their votes do not count as they are not accurately represented in the college. In both Chinese and American governments, corruption exists, and money is not always necessarily well-spent by officials. In Chinese elections, representatives from the following parties choose a president, so the election is much less about the average citizen. The only parties allowed to participate in Chinese elections are the Communist Party and the eight allied parties. The eight allied parties are:
Elections in the people’s republic of China are based on a hierarchical electoral system, whereby local People’s Congresses are directly elected, and all higher levels of People’s Congresses up to the National People’s Congress, the national legislature are indirectly elected by the People’s Congress of the level immediately below. Governors, mayors and heads of countries, districts, townships and and towns are elected by respective local People’s Congresses. Presidents of the people’s courts and chief procurators of people’s procuratorates are elected by the respective local People’s Congresses above the county level. The President and the State Council are elected by the National People’s Congress. They also have the power to remove any of the positions they are responsible for electing. The National People’s Congress is also responsible for electing the National People’s Congress Standing Committee. It is a 175 member body made up of National People’s Congress members which meets year round to discuss and approve routine and administrative issues. People’s Congresses of cities that are not divided into districts, counties, city districts, townships and ethnic townships are directly elected. Committee members and chairpersons are too directly elected. Also, village committee members and chairpersons are directly elected. Heads of People’s Governments are formally elected by the People’s Congress of that level, but the heads of township governments have been experimentally elected by the people through various mechanisms. These include:
Percent of Voters/Year Presidential Election People’s Republic of China (Voters represented as those within selected Committee) United States of America (Aged 18-29) 2004 80.28% 48% 2008 76.33% 51% 2012 77.13% 45% Reflection: In my research of voting rights in China and the United States, I realized how fortunate myself and other Americans are to live in a truly democratic government. I think democracies and republics are the most fair ways to govern people and give individual citizens the voices they deserve. I think China needs to reform many aspects of their government, as to allow their enormous population to have more influence on how they live and the laws mandated upon them. I also learned how different the government of China and Hong Kong are, even though their land and culture overlap in other facets. Hong Kong is a democracy and their citizens vote in mass numbers, especially those of a younger generation. People in the US and other democratic nations take their right to vote for granted and often do not vote, typically less than half of eligible citizens go to the polls. I think my research project brought awareness to our incredible fortunes as Americans, and that we should take advantage of our rights and advocate for other nations to allow their citizens to do the same. Summary: People in America can directly exercise their right to vote when they turn 18. They can fill out a ballot and directly contribute to the election of the next president of the United States of America. In China, representatives of the population vote on their behalf. The majority of the population in China does not vote in elections because they have representatives. However, in Hong Kong people can directly vote. Hong Kong is a democracy and all of China should move towards the ideals of Hong Kong as to better represent the views of Chinese citizens as a whole, considering their enormous population and countless voices and opinions. Conclusion: I have learned that different forms of government exist to serve their respective citizens adequately, although some reflect the opinions of individuals or minorities overwhelmingly. My project serves to address the partisan and discriminatory nature of some forms of government, for example the communist regime currently guiding China. While the government of the United States is far from perfectly equitable, it addresses present needs and more accurately serves our people. Voting rights is a privilege too often taken for granted, and citizens of democratic nations should share their voices and opinions at the polls to create a more fair and harmonious government that benefits themselves and the interests of their fellow citizens. Works Cited Burgio, C. (2007). Democracy in China: A distant dream. Asia Europe Journal, 5(2), 181-186. doi:10.1007/s10308-007-0119-1 Kroef, J. M. (1981). “Normalizing” Relations with the People´s Republic of China: Indonesia´s Rituals of Ambiguity. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 3(3), 187-218. doi:10.1355/cs3-3a MacLeod, C., Yang S. (2013, March 14). In China, it's an election in name only. USA TODAY Retrieved October 10, 2016.
My name is Brighid McDonough, which is obviously very Irish. My dad’s grandparents came from County Galway, and my mom’s parents came from County Kerry. My grandmother, whom I call Nana, only went to school until the fourth grade and is barely literate. She began working in Ireland when she was nine as a servant, and only saw her family on Sundays at church. My Nana is eighty-eight, and she has not seen her siblings in over fifty years. My Nana speaks very little of Ireland, she lived in a one room house without a floor, and but she always mentions that she had to clean herself with cabbage leaves or sheep’s wool if it was a special occasion. She loves Christmas because she can receive gifts now, whereas when she was a girl she would only get an orange if it was a good year. My nana and her sisters shared one pair of shoes and one dress, and I am so lucky to have the opportunities I do since she came to the US. She came to the US on a boat when she turned eighteen, and met my grandfather in Boston. They lived in Dorchester and began a family in the early 1950’s. A month before my mother was born, they moved to West Roxbury. My mom was poor growing up, as she was one of seven, and she was never pushed into higher education, so she just barely finished high school.
My dad’s grandparents came from Ireland in the 1910’s, and began families in the 1920’s. My grandma’s family wa hit hard during the Great Depression, as her father could never hold a steady job or have valuable skills. Her father, Edward Stenson, was one of nine boys, but the Stenson name died with him. My grandfather and great grandfather were both police officers, so the Depression was easier for him. My dad’s parents met at a Forest Hills Marine Dance, and my grandfather asked to mary my grandmother that night. She promptly refused but they were married less than a year later. My grandpa was a marine in the Pacific, along with his brother. My dad always talks of how badly my grandfather’s feet stunk, as he had trench foot still decades after the war ended. I have never been to Ireland, but I would love to go and visit some of my family. My mom had to always have Christmas without any of her aunts, uncles or cousins, so I would love to give her a Christmas where she can see them. |
Brighid McDonoughComprehensive Chinese at Boston Latin School. Archives
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