Figure 1.--Here I am looking rather whistful soon after arrival at my foster home in Lynn, Massachussetts (September 1940). I am aready looking a bit American with my 'hoodie' and long trousers. Graham and I were pleased to find our host family had a dog. I was shocked though that the name of the dog was 'Bum'. To us Rnglish this meant 'Fanny' or even A**e. I soon learned it was a synonym for 'Hobo'. That was the beggining of my exposure to the intricacies of American English. I would learn a lot more when school began.

We had a wonderful host who took us both in, It would have been very upsetting if we had been separated. We lived with a family in Swampscott, Masssachusetts. The husband of the family had been born in England (Leicester) and come to America in the early 1900s. He was a star football player (All American) for Dartmouth Class 1910. He was married to Miriam Blood, a well to do mercant grocers family. They owned several food markets in the Lynn area. Mr. B. worked in the HQ as a finance controller I think. I remember going in his office once and he was signing what seemed like hundreds of cheques. She was I know understand was a woindeful councilor. They had two Daughters, Deborah who was in her 20s, and Betsy about 16 and in High School. She is still alive and we call each other big sister and little brother. I am still in touch with her. She is the last survivor who lives in a community for the elderly in Hanover N.H.

Placement

We had a wonderful host who took us both in, It would have been very upsetting if we had been separated. We lived with a family in Swampscott, Masssachusetts.

Host Parents

Mrs. & Mrs B were older than our parents. We always called them Mrs. B and 'Aggie'. Aggie was their children's nickname for their father; probably their attmpt to say 'Daddy' when they were infants.

Husband

The husband of the family had been born in England (Leicester) and come to America in the early 1900s. He was a star football player (All American) for Dartmouth Class 1910 Mr. B was a flying instructor in World War 1. He had the unenviable task of re-testing pilots who had lost their nerve. He had two crashes as a result, breaking a few vertebrae in one. That always left him with a back problem. He had the x-ray films in which I took a goulish delight! Probably another reinforcement to my becoming a doctor. He was married to Miriam Blood, a well to do mercant grocers family. They owned several food markets in the Lynn area. Mr. B. worked in the HQ as a finance controller I think. I remember going in his office once and he was signing what seemed like hundreds of cheques.

Wife

She was I know understand was a wondeful councilor.

Daughters

They had two Daughters, Deborah who was in her 20s, and Betsy about 16 and in High School. She is still alive and we call each other big sister and little brother. I am still in touch with her. She is the last survivor who lives in a community for the elderly in Hanover N.H.

Family Life

We were very lucky with the family we drew. Thankfully they were willing to take us both in. Beind split up would hsve been traumatic. They were wondeful with us. And we were very hsppy with them. Actually, I think we were a bit of a culture shock for them as they hadn't had boys. We got on well. We were naughty sometimes and had to be disciplined - the discipline was grounding, early bed time, nothing brutal! Mrs. B. was I realise now, a very good councellor. And of course we had a lot of adjusting to do.

Pooches at Last

Graham and I had always wanted a dog and when we arrived at our new home we found that we hit pay dirt. Of courdse we didn't know what pay dirt was, but we were soon rapidly acquiring American English. The family had two dogs which were as radically different as two dogs can be. Bum was a sedate, sweet little cocker spaniel. Rugfgus was a whole different kettle of fish. He was only about 2 years old and wanted to hsave fun. Before we arrived the family didn't offer much oportunity for Rufus. We quickly hanged that. Both dogs quickly accepted us and we delighted in playing with them. I think they helped in our rapid adjustment as they took our mibds off what had happened before we made new friends. Here I am soon after arrival at our foster home in Lynn, Massachussetts (September 1940). I am aready looking a bit American with my 'hoodie' and long trousers (figure 1). Graham and I were pleased to find our host family had a dog. I was shocked though that the name of the dog was 'Bum'. To us Rnglish this meant 'Fanny' or even A**e. I soon learned it was a synonym for 'Hobo'. That was the beggining of my exposure to the intricacies of American English. I would learn a lot more when school began. Bum was a very congenial cocker spaniel. We must have disrupted his ratherv plsacid life as well.

Staying with Friends

Occasionally the adults were involved in social events that our presence would have been an inconvenience so we used to stay with friends. We always found that exciting, much like a prolonged sleep-over. We did stay with the Vicar once for about two weeks, when Mr. B was confined to bed with a bleeding stomach ulcer and needed complete bed rest. That was interesting as his wife let us explore the empty church while the cleaners were in. Also their grown up son had a wonderful train set. The other bonus was the vicarage was only yards from school rather than half a mile away.

Radio

We used to listen to the radio a lot in the evening together with the family. One of my favourites was the top ten on ?Friday nights. There were a few comedy programmes too we listen to. Charley MacArthy was one. We always listened to the news to follow the progress of the War. The family were staunch Republicans and didn't care for President Roosevelt. The family was never Isolationist, otherwise I don't think they would have taken us.

Rules

There were only a few rules that we were not to happy about. We were banned from chewing gum. In America for kids that meant bubble gum. But we did occassionsaly get our hads on some bubble gum and I did manage a bubble a few times.