Orphan Train History: BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!

Monday, September 19, 2011

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!

How shameful to log onto my BLOG and see that my last entry was May 7th! Unfortunately, life can sometimes get in the way of the things we really want to be doing and that is the case for me I am afraid. But, with the pieces of my life falling - finally - somewhat into place, I am again focusing on the thing that I love to do most.....spread the word of the Orphan Train Movement to just about anyone who will listen!

I completed the 2010-2011 school year with a wonderful SKYPE AN AUTHOR presentation to the students of John B. Dey Elementary School in Virginia Beach, Virginia and am working to add more SKYPE visits to my school calendar for the new school year. In fact, I just received an email from a teacher on Long Island who will be using my books in her classroom this Fall and is interested in a SKYPE visit once they have finished reading. SKYPE is an amazing way for schools to 1. bring an author into the classroom and 2. save lots of money, which schools have very little of anyway. If you are a Teacher, a Media Specialist, or have children in 3rd-6th grade, spread the word about this great resource and help me bring the history of our OT Riders back into our school curriculum!

School visits as well as presentations through the DE HUMANITIES FORUM are also on my agenda and on October 6th I will be signing books at the SENIOR/BABY BOOMER EXPO at the Timonium Fairgrounds in Towson MD from 3-5 pm. In Novemeber I will be visiting and speaking with the residents of Normandy Estates Retirement Community in Blue Bell, PA. This is another great venue since seniors are almost always interested in history - especially a piece of history they never knew existed.

And my final update for now..... The long awaited opening of the DiMenna Children's History Museum in New York City is nearly here - NOVEMBER 11th! I will keep you posted :)

So, I hope I havent lost too many of you to my long absence.....please stay tuned for what I hope will finally be regular postings.

---- Donna Nordmark Aviles

1 comment:

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ORPHAN TRAIN RIDER PROFILE

VERY SPECIAL TWINS

Nellie & Nettie Crook rode an orphan train from NY to central Kansas in 1911 at the age of six. Their mother, who was French Canadian and born in Vermont, married a farmer from New York at the age of 16. Nellie remembered the day in 1910 when she and Nettie, along with their little brother Leon, were taken away. "Mother had Nettie on one knee and me on the other. I said 'Moma, why are you crying?' She said, 'I'm not crying,' and she was trying to smile. But just then the man came with the dray wagon to take us to the orphanage."

In the orphanage, although the children had separate beds, every morning the craetakers would find Nellie in bed with Nettie. They lived there for nine months, never seeing their brother Leon since boys and girls were kept separated.

On September 11, 1911, the girls left Kingston Orphan's Home, leaving Leon behind. They traveled with name tags, a blanket and a brown sack with a sandwich. Their clothes, although too large, were clean. Arriving at the station in Kansas City, Nellie and Nettie were put on stage to sing "Jesus Loves Me" to draw a crowd. Thanks to the kindness of escort Anna Laura Hill, the twin sisters were not separated as most siblings were.

Nellie and Nettie were placed with the Chapin's in Canton Kansas. They had no children of their own and Mr. Chapin was very kind. Mrs. Chapin however was cruel to the girls. When word of their harsh treatment reached the Children's Aid Society, the girls were picked up from school and placed on another train - this time to McPherson - where they lived with an older couple in their 60's who cared for them properly.

Both Nellie and Nettie graduated from college, helping each other by taking turns working while the other completed her studies. They married, raised families and lived into their 90's.

My first profiled rider is my grandfather OLIVER NORDMARK who, along with his younger brother EDWARD, rode the orphan train from the Children's Village Orphanage on Long Island NY to Bern, Kansas in search of a home. The year was 1906 and Oliver was 8 years old - Edward 5. In Bern, they were fortunate to be placed together with Henry Blaur and his wife who lived on a farm a mile out of town. Unfortunately, it was an unsuccessful placement. Having no children of their own, the Blaurs were not prepared for the rigors of raising 2 young boys who always seemed to find ways to get into trouble - throwing eggs at the barn, chasing the hogs with barn slats, etc. After one year, the Children's Aid Society was called to remove the boys and they traveled further west on the train to Mankato, KS where they were lined up on the stage of the Mankatko Opera House and chosen by 2 separate farmers. They would not see one another again until Oliver was nearly 18 and Edward was 15. Find out more by reading my books, available at http://www.orphantrainbook.com/ !

Orphan Train History

Orphan Train Rider

Monday, September 19, 2011

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN!

1 comment:

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