Reminiscing About the Past: A Conversation with 93-Year-Old John Olmsted
Growing Up in Chicago in the 1930s and 40s
John Olmsted was born in 1930 and grew up in the South Side of Chicago during the 1930s and 1940s. At age 93, he reminisced about his childhood and early life in a long conversation.
In the introduction, Olmsted recalled only knowing two people from his high school and neighborhood who "made it" and went to college - one who played football at Augusta College. He said when he went back to visit his old neighborhood, he didn't recognize anyone.
Living Conditions and Playing Outside
Olmsted described the living conditions and layout of his neighborhood in detail. He lived in tenement housing that was three stories high and had 12 units per building. Next to the tenements were some nicer cottages. He talked about all the shortcuts through yards and alleys he took as a kid.
There were always lots of children playing outside after school - playing Kick the Can, hide and seek, baseball, and handball. However, when his family moved, there were no other kids to play with at his new place.
School, Studying, and Reading
Even though Olmsted changed schools a few times due to moving, he worked hard and was able to skip fourth grade. He enjoyed studying and reading, often visiting the library while other children were outside swearing and gambling. This allowed him to develop an advanced vocabulary and grammar skills at a young age.
Olmsted discusses doing interpreting for his mother who did not speak much English. From a young age, he helped her read labels, recipes, understand letters, and communicate. He notes that this early experience was great education for him.
Halloween, Christmas, and Charity
When asked about celebrating Halloween, Olmsted said he participated but felt embarrassed like he was begging. He explains that his family didn't have money but his mother wanted him to take advantage of any available charity, including utilizing local political connections. He received free clothes and art supplies for school through charity programs his mother enrolled them in.
Christmas is mentioned briefly as a holiday they did celebrate.
Chicago Weather and Transportation
The extreme Chicago weather is described, including high winds, cold, snow, rain, ice, and flooded streets. Olmsted recounts walking everywhere as a kid - to friends' houses, to school, and home from his high school job. He also briefly mentions the struggle of driving in winter storms later in life.
Public transportation via the commuter train ("the L") is mentioned as well.
Being Teased and Fighting
Olmsted shares that he was teased growing up for his last name but that he ignored the teasing and eventually kids stopped bothering him. He recounts being physically small but very fast, so he would run away if kids tried to fight him. By high school when he was bigger, he only had to fight a few times before the harassment ended. He says he was never afraid of getting hurt.
Succeeding Academically
In addition to discussing his strong memory, reading skills and work ethic as a child, Olmsted shares several examples of excelling academically compared to his peers. In English class, he did very well on a test by memorizing the textbook while most of the class failed. In economics, he recounts getting an A by memorizing the textbook graphs and charts without even buying the book senior year. He could compete intellectually with other students and felt lucky to have supportive teachers.
Languages and Accents
Olmsted studied Latin and Spanish. He tried taking French in college but found the pronunciation illogical compared to the written words, so he switched to Spanish which is spoken closer to how it's written.
In the conversation about languages, he shares some trivia about why Spanish has a lisp accent in some areas of Spain - because a former king had a lisp. He also comments that French is a "prettier" version of Italian or Latin.
Biden, Trump, and the 2020 Election
Towards the end of the long conversation in 2024, politics come up. Olmsted shares his strong opinions about President Biden, calling him a compulsive liar. He cites examples of stories Biden told that turned out not to be true. He also criticizes Biden's public remarks about Ukraine that seemed openly corrupt.
Olmsted predicts that former President Donald Trump will win again in 2024. His view is that Biden seems mentally slow, confused, and unfit to lead.
Conclusion
The wide-ranging conversation provides a window into John Olmsted's early life in 1930s-40s Chicago, including living conditions, entertainment, school, work, transportation, languages, family life, and even brushes with violence. Now age 93 in 2024, he still has vivid memories from 80 years ago and strong political opinions. Olmsted exhibits pride in his academic success and personal achievements rising out of an impoverished urban childhood.
