Celebrating Reading! Linda Claire 2023My maternal grandparents both were highly educated. Henrietta was a graduate of the Chicago School of Music and George was a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in Engineering. This photo is c1919. I believe that this photo is from the farm house in Benton Harbor, MI. My father told me that Henrietta made a condition of her move from the city to the farm was the promise that she could have her piano. Henrietta could easily read Latin and Hebrew texts.
One of the gifts that our family has continued to pass down through the generations is a love of reading and storytelling. I have compiled a precious photo collection in this blog. I selected photos that focus on books and reading with the hopes that they will help demonstrate how reading is often a way that knowledge is passed from one generation to the next. Parents reading to children and families reading together are powerful reminders of the quality level of joy that we get when we read together. When I look at these photos, I also experience a bond that I feel spanning the decades. As always, I hope that my blogs help open up our memories and generate our anecdotes and stories about these captured moments. I hope this blog provides a snapshot of my beloved family members at various stages of life, sharing a common activity that bonds them.
This is a photo of my paternal grandfather reading. I have estimated the age of this photo as 1942.This is a page from a digital scrapbook that I made several years ago. Mom loved to read to her children and grandchildren. I estimate the photo of my mother as 1943.Walter Mayer was the husband of my Great Aunt Babe (Helen Grayer Mayer). Stories of Walter always included references to his kind and gentle nature. Reading an actual newspaper was very much a part of our daily lives. I believe this photo was taken at 1517 Harbrooke Ave., Ann Arbor, MI. I estimate the date of the photo to be from 1954.This is a photo of Aunt Babe reading to me and my sister Mary Ann. We were at our home of 1517 Harbrooke Ave., Ann Arbor, MI. I estimate the date of this photo as 1956. Aunt Babe has her hair in pin curls. Sections of the hair were twisted up and held in place with a metal clip. If women wore their pin curls outside the home, they put on a fashion scarf or a bonnet. The title of this book is “Peter Goes to School.” This is one of my favorite photos of my father, Robert Lawrence Hess. He is reading us a Golden Book on safety. Golden Books have very much stayed popular since their debut in 1942 (12 years before I was born.) I estimate the photo date is 1956.I loved sitting in my Grandmother’s lap while she read, sang songs and told stories. This photo appears to have been taken at our home at 1517 Harbrooke Ave., Ann Arbor, MI. I estimate the photo date to be 1956/57.This is a photo of my father – Robert Lawrence Hess. I estimate the date to be 1956. My father’s brilliant career meant that much of this time was spent in reading and writing technical papers.Every fall our photos were taken for school. This is my sister Mary Ann. A common photo prop for school photos were books. I estimate that this photo is from 1959. My mother served for many years as a Sunday School teacher at Bethlehem Church in Ann Arbor. This is a photo of her reading to her students.This is my photo from 1960. The book was just a photo prop supplied by the professional photographer, but I had already become an avid reader. As a young girl, I had very blonde hair with very dark brown eyes. My hair is now white…but LOL…I still have very brown eyes!
This photo is from an estimated date of 1962 – taken in front of our home at 1517 Harbrooke, Ann Arbor, MI. Slater’s book store was located on State Street in Ann Arbor and was one of the exciting highlights of our childhood. Our family friend Winnie Martin worked in the children’s section and would always greet us and guide us to treasures to be found in the store. The children’s section was located at the very rear of the store on the main level. I was just exiting this store on 22 November 1963 when the whole city got quiet and grief stricken with the breaking news that President Kennedy had been shot. I remember just standing on State Street as the world seemed to move into a slow motion reel with all the grown ups and students beginning to cry.
Grandma Pet often gave us books as gifts. This is one of the books that she selected for me. I valued everything from her so much. I estimate this book was a gift to me in 1962.I estimate the date of this to be March 1962. Mary Ann was quite the good pianist and our family loved Winnie the Pooh books. In fact, Dad read every book in the Pooh series out loud as bedtime stories for us.One of the all time favorite photos of cuteness. Not exactly reading but it looks like cowgirl Khaki decided to take an impromptu nap while writing out Valentine cards. Adorable. I estimate the date of this photo is 1965.Every time I see his smile, it floods me with memories. Bones and Madalyn played such an important part of our family life. Amy is getting treated to a story read to her by Aunt Marie.I can see Amy has the book Corduroy in her reading pile – one of our favorites. I estimate this photo to be from 1984.A photo of our dear family friend Winnie Martin with Kristy and Amy. I estimate the date of this photo is 1985.I look so happy and I was so happy reading to me niece Kristy and my daughter Amy. I estimate this photo date as 1985.Amy was an early reader and a devoted reader. To this day, Amy is still always checking out a find from the library. The tradition is being passed on to her son who reads every day – I am so proud! I estimate this photo date as 1987. This was taken at our home at 609 S. 1st Street, Ann Arbor, MI.I am sure that Bones was as happy as a clam watching Kristy and Amy reading. This photo was taken at 2629 Danbury Lane, Ann Arbor, MI. I estimate the date to be 1987.What a fun photo of Amy. I estimate the photo date to be 1988. The photo was taken in the Living Room at 2629 Danbury Lane, Ann Arbor, MI.It looks like Amy is just starting a new read…I estimate this photo to be from 1989. This photo was taken in the kitchen of 609 S. 1st Street, Ann Arbor, MI.I am guessing that this was a Sunday morning with Jack and Amy sharing the Ann Arbor News. I estimate this photo date as 1990. The photo was taken in the living room of 609 S. 1st Street, Ann Arbor, MI.Amy in her Penguins hockey jersey – one of her favorites. I estimate this photo to be from 1990. The photo was taken in the living room of 609 S. 1st Street, Ann Arbor, MI. It was popular to put a sort of film over your windows to keep out the cold – you can easily see this on our front window.This is a photo of Khaki’s baby shower in 1991. It looks like one of her gifts was a storybook.It looks like Blake is interested in what he can see on the computer desk! I estimate the photo date to be 1992.Mike is already interested in reading! I estimate this photo is from 1992.Yes…Mike did have very red hair for a period of time. I love this photo of my children sharing a story together. I estimate this photo is from 1992.It looks like Blake is also using his storybook to pose some of his toys! 1993.What a precious photo of the Barnes family reading together- 1993.Big brother Blake is introducing Kevin to the world of reading. 1997.Mike is busy reading in the family antique rocking chair. This photo was taken at 549 Lancaster Ct., Saline, MI. I estimated the photo date is 1998.Mike reading with his sunglasses…I wish I could figure out what book this is? I estimated the date for this photo as 2000.Kevin at his preschool library. The photo is from 2000.It looks like Kevin is enjoying an I Spy book. Photo date 2000.Kevin reading from the computer monitor. Photo date 2000.Grandpa taking a look at Kevin’s new book. 2004.Kevin…2004. Is this a book about cars? I like this reading position!Amy and Drew. 2008. What are they reading? I love this photo!Amy and Drew got married in a bookstore. 9.10.11What a wonderful venue for a perfect wedding in NYC. 2011.This is a photo of the Wiesner home in Portland. I love seeing the cookbooks here. Amy is a fantastic vegan chef. Photo 2017.Grandma Pet (me) and EJ had fun posing his Star War guys next to the storybook. 2018.Seriously, I love this photo for 100 reasons. It is fun to see an Auntie M blanket, a lego toy, The Hobbit book, and Amy and Drew both reading from electronic devices. PERFECT. 2019.This is a stack of books from a Little Free Library – reading became even more important to me during shelter-in-place CoVid times. 2020.Sometimes I think of funny poses…this was a fun book. 2020.Never stop learning…what a goofball outfit. 2020.I like this fairy – she lives on my front porch. 2020.A great photo of Khaki at her Ann Arbor home – by a bookshelf in Kevin’s room. 2021.I like this interactive book. 2021.I got a new bookcase and am getting ready to load it up. 2022.It is fun to use photoshop!Mike in a German bookstore. 2023.
telling life stories 