Anne Hankins and Katherine Hankins

00:05 I'm Katherine Hankins. I'm 36. Today is November 12th.

00:11 2011 or in Atlanta and I am here with my grandmother.

00:22 My name is Ann Chapin Hankins.

00:29 I am

00:31 102

00:35 Years old

00:39 Today's date is 1/12 of the 13th of the 11th month of this to 11 year.

00:52 Barnesville, Georgia

00:58 Grandmother was I still am grandmother?

01:07 So I have some questions for you. And first I'd love to hear about when you lived in China.

01:19 So growing up in China what it was like in China 99 1st, March one of those days.

01:29 And what was it like there?

01:32 As a child how long what was it like when you were a child there?

01:38 Well, I don't remember very much because we came to the states when I was about three on furlough because of missionaries did.

01:49 You had to come to the states every 7 years when you were a missionary.

01:55 So I don't remember very much at first.

02:01 Except that I never saw it ice cream cone till I was about seven.

02:12 No ice cream unless the canals froze over.

02:17 And so you went back to China though until you were nine. Yes. We went back in a year or two.

02:25 And then I was there until I was about 7 years old. That was the next furlough, but that was a permanent one.

02:35 So what was it like to be a child in China?

02:38 I had a kind.

02:42 Thoughtful

02:45 Religious but not too religious mother and father.

02:51 And they brought me up with six brothers and sisters three of each.

02:59 But mostly it during this time they were away at boarding school because there was no school for American children in this town.

03:15 I lived.

03:19 In the house with my father and mother and

03:25 Friends that came

03:28 At times

03:30 American threads

03:33 The Chinese friends were mostly the armor the woman that came to take care of things.

03:40 And the houseboy

03:43 And the cook and the cook was by favorite. His name was

03:50 Abu

03:52 And that means brother boo.

03:58 He was like another father in a way because he just spoke Chinese. He didn't speak English at all. So we had to speak on Heidi's when we talked to him.

04:16 Do remember much about speaking Chinese?

04:25 I remembered a little little later.

04:30 Because I went to school.

04:34 And he was once a guy shouldn't remember I guess.

04:40 One little girl Chinese girl said to me in Chinese.

04:46 Oh, well, you're just in the you just did the first grade. We're in the

04:54 Second grade a baby third.

05:00 And then I got irritated and said

05:05 All right. I said this in Chinese.

05:12 You

05:16 You can talk one language. Even if you are in the second grade of the third grade, but I can talk two languages.

05:28 Chinese of America, so

05:33 Now that was nasty, but but anyway, that was life.

05:38 And so when you left China, did you go to, California?

05:45 Yes, we went to California for a little while few months.

05:51 But my mother's health. It was not very good.

05:56 We had a cousin there and who was American cousin who was very helpful with getting us used to places.

06:08 This new place of America to me.

06:14 And it was that when you saw on ice cream cone.

06:18 I don't remember the ice cream cones, but that's what it came. Finally. I finally got it ice cream cold, but about

06:29 Shopping for food

06:32 This was difficult, but my mother decided I should know how to do it. So she sent me to get some food.

06:44 And I think it was either apples or tomatoes. I can't remember which but doesn't matter.

06:51 I went to the store and they told me what the price was.

06:57 And I said, oh, that's way too much. That's way too much.

07:03 And they were puzzled about this, but I think they took a petty off baby. I don't remember.

07:12 But when I got home to my mother I told her about this the people didn't like it because I told him it was too much. Oh, she said this in this country you don't do that. You just try to get them to not get caught the charge you so much in China, but not in America. No. Well. I remembered that. I still remember it.

07:44 A hundred years or so

07:48 So after Pasadena to do go to, South Carolina.

07:53 Yes, we went where my brother was going to school to Seminary.

08:01 The Christian Seminary was in Columbia, South Carolina

08:08 And he found a house force that had a porch all the way around the bottom floor.

08:15 The first floor

08:18 If we had a bicycle we could have ridden the bicycle around the house. It was perfect.

08:25 But it needed to be a large house because there were seven of us plus two parents.

08:34 But we live there for a few months.

08:38 And then rented a house in the town of

08:48 Forgotten

08:51 Until you you spent your teenage years then in South Carolina. Yes. We did have a different house after that.

09:02 And I would all the way through High School.

09:07 And then how did you decide to go to Agnes Scott for college?

09:13 Well, I couldn't get in the first place.

09:18 So I had to choose another college and my mother thought it would be nice for you need to go to another College.

09:29 I'll think of its name later.

09:34 Which I did and I was glad to because two of my childhood friends by missionaries try to friends were both at that college and I knew somebody

09:45 So I was very glad to go to that college.

09:50 For a year or two till I caught up.

09:55 To Agnes Scott

09:58 According to entrance greats

10:02 And then I went to Agnes Scott.

10:06 Until

10:13 36

10:15 And you majored in Biology at Agnes Scott?

10:19 I started biology.

10:23 And I liked it very much in fact.

10:29 I thought the counting of the

10:33 Insects we had to use for a

10:40 Learning about

10:43 Sayings

10:45 Was very interesting because we were always trying to find a virgin.

10:54 Insect

10:56 And this was very difficult.

11:02 But we did fine and it was great fun studying biologist. And you also play basketball, right? Oh, yes. I loved playing basketball.

11:17 Because there was another person from China that I knew quite well on Mighty. She had come to America to to go to school.

11:30 And we had a code.

11:34 We we had plans for our Gabe.

11:40 And

11:43 Our plans we knew in Chinese which we would communicate loudly.

11:50 All during the game.

11:53 And thereby we would get the ball quite often and we won we would a lot of games.

12:03 Now how fair it was? I don't know but it was good. We knew how to talk in Chinese and you're also a diver to in college I learned to die, but I guess I didn't learn any fancy ones.

12:23 I waited a little later for that, but I finally learned a few.

12:30 And somebody very fortunately took a picture of me doing.

12:38 A higher

12:41 Then usual.

12:46 And I can't remember the name of it, but it was a beautiful one. That's why I wasn't it. Yes. Thank you.

12:56 Swan Dive

13:00 And so after college you you were a teacher of 4th grade.

13:08 Oh, I wanted to teach biology, but that was a year one of them Depression years, and there was no job in biology anywhere in, South Carolina.

13:22 So I had to take what was available and what was available was the fourth grade.

13:32 Do you want me to tell you anything more about the fourth grade? How long are you a teacher for 4th graders?

13:41 00 several years

13:46 And I can remember the second year I was there.

13:51 Before the school day started

13:55 There were 80 kids waiting to get in my grid instead of 40.

14:02 It was something like that because they thought I was funny.

14:08 I was different then go to get a physical therapy degree.

14:23 I visited my sister.

14:28 While I was in this college for McDonald's

14:35 And she was a physical therapist in Warm Springs, Georgia.

14:44 And I liked what she did a lot more than trying to teach 4th graders.

14:53 If the world was round did I ever teach him that?

15:00 Or did I start?

15:04 I don't know. But anyway.

15:08 Where was I So Physical Therapy you liked what your sister was. Alright physical therapy.

15:15 Very much.

15:19 And the life in that place was a little more adult.

15:28 And there were some good parties and there was swimming all the time because we

15:36 We did I work at a pool a heated pool.

15:41 And it was really just as much fun as it was work because the reason we use the heated pool.

15:50 Was because the patient could almost float completely and wouldn't have to use any exertion because he was floating so he could exercise one arm and not bother the rest of it, but the water would help.

16:12 Because it was so boring there in this pool.

16:21 So you and you and your sister and the boys when we didn't have to work.

16:26 In the morning, the Mork was all in the morning.

16:31 Try to survive polio muscles in warm water. It was very nice.

16:42 The president came several times a year and his table where he lay is a water although all the table with his arms and his head out. Of course. This is the way it was a rage so we could give treatments on this table in the water but floating.

17:05 Slightly floating

17:11 It was it.

17:18 Do you want more about this?

17:21 In the pool

17:26 There was one patient there that came to the pool everyday.

17:34 So which president was was coming? Which president?

17:40 The only one of course Roosevelt

17:45 Excuse me. That's about the only one I can remember very well. There are a whole lot of

17:54 The first president was a Chinese Dowager and she was rude. So we stayed away from her. I'm sorry that's off the off the Beet Roosevelt changed several times a year for treatment because he had Polio, you know.

18:16 Oh, could I could I?

18:20 Getaway, one minute

18:23 One night. There was a movie on and everybody was there at the movie and rushed the Roosevelt came in and of wheelchair.

18:34 Of course cuz that's what it has the way he got around there.

18:40 And we heard this child that was in the movie.

18:45 The children came to the movies to say hi, Daddy.

18:51 So I think he got called Daddy's several times, but I'm in a wheelchair because their dad is also would come in a wheelchair.

19:04 Sorry to get.

19:08 Apart from the questions

19:15 What's the story about the pool this?

19:20 Patient who came was a deaf mute. He could not speak. He could not hear.

19:31 But he could talk on his hands.

19:36 And he was down there.

19:40 At the pool we had to leave the where we stayed to go down to the pool. And there was a separate room for the men to take a sunbath. They took their Sunday as their

19:55 There was a separate room for the women to take their son bath.

20:00 Well, I found out that the president.

20:07 Was taking his son bath while this.

20:11 Death mute this man that couldn't speak and couldn't hear was taking his son bath.

20:20 And he tried to talk to the president on his hands and the president talk back. He could talk on his head.

20:30 He was a very accomplished president.

20:39 The rest of the pool was giving the treatment in the pool underwater without the

20:46 Difficulty of gravity

20:49 And so you met Grandpa there to you met Grandpa at Warm Springs.

20:57 Is that right?

21:01 No, I knew I knew him before you did. Where did you meet Grandpa? I don't remember what that is, but I don't need it. I don't remember me him at Warm Springs. Maybe I saw him.

21:19 What's in a great while?

21:22 But I don't remember meeting him there.

21:28 How long were you at Warm Springs with your sister?

21:35 A few years about 2 years

21:40 Vitamin D3

21:43 And then after that

21:46 After that, I got a job.

21:51 Where where was your job?

21:54 It was in, Georgia.

22:03 I can't remember the name of it.

22:05 What was your job in physics 4th grade again?

22:12 What after Warm Springs did you teach again?

22:20 Odo this was before walk. All right. So what what about after Warm Springs? I'm sorry.

22:32 Next up

22:35 Do you want me to tell you about Warm Springs before?

22:40 I got married sure one thing that I have spoken to you about.

22:48 I was teaching or trying to teach that the world was round. I was in geography at that moment.

22:57 The world is rattled. I had a big Globe to show them the world was round and his the map where he was on the map.

23:08 And I spoke for a little while about the round world.

23:13 And finally what I was through talking a hand went up and this little girl said Miss Hudson. I want to tell you something.

23:25 The world ain't round my grand. Mommy said the world ain't around.

23:33 Because the Bible says there's an angel.

23:40 1 Angels standing on each corner of the earth the earth is square.

23:50 Well, I realize that my finishing my teaching was pretty well done.

24:01 If I couldn't get by the the world was round, where would I go?

24:08 So I kept looking for another job.

24:11 And that's what took you to Warm Springs. That's what took me to Warm Springs because I liked what my sister did better than teaching geography.

24:27 And Savannah went you marry, Grandpa.

24:31 After Warm Springs

24:36 Yes, and where did you move after Warm Springs?

24:45 We went to Florida because he was flying for pain and where Airways.

24:52 And we had to get a house in Florida.

24:59 But before that before we got the house, we rude somewhere in.

25:06 Hotel

25:10 And then eventually you went to New Jersey. I said you eventually move to New Jersey. Is that right? Yes.

25:23 And had three kids school reasons my children had to have school.

25:38 Elizabeth slept in my memory there. I can't remember what was happening in between

25:46 But you live Georgia and New Jersey. Sorry you lived in Franklin Lakes for some years Franklin Lakes, New Jersey and Grandpa works. He was he was there all that time that when I was in Florida I mean in, Georgia,

26:08 He

26:11 Had built several churches around the city that we lived in so he had lots to do but he had a house ready for there was 7 kids. I was the youngest

26:29 Ab7 kids

26:31 So he had to have things ready and the kids.

26:37 The ones that went to high school with to boarding school in Shanghai China, that was an American School Shanghai American School

26:52 Two of them were in the state's going to college. This was quite a bit. Later.

27:00 6 years later

27:08 Franklin Lakes was a great place. The hospital was there that had been put there by the Presbyterian Mission there were several missionaries to live there. So we had

27:25 Interesting evenings together sometime, but we got so we had to have Americans.

27:34 Eagle

27:36 So you had three kids.

27:41 You had three three children.

27:45 You had my father and and and 10.

27:51 Oh, but

27:58 In Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. That's where you lived with with Frank and Ann and Tim.

28:06 Well, they live there later. But where are they were bored now. I thought they were born in Florida the two younger ones.

28:22 But they they all went to school.

28:28 Right, so you until you were in New Jersey and then you eventually move back to Florida.

28:33 Later

28:38 Dates you have me.

28:42 Well, it it don't matter that the house was built by my father and he he superintended it.

28:50 So we moved there.

28:54 And the older boys and girls wear away at college.

29:01 And

29:04 Well, all of them all of them were away at College, this is much later. Now. Is that what you want? Sure? Okay, because mod and watee.

29:18 It was they were the ones next to me and I was the last one.

29:26 So they were all away at college in the United States or

29:33 High School in Shanghai American School

29:39 And I was at home with my mother. She was my teacher.

29:44 And she was a wonderful teacher and she

29:48 Ordered all of the best reading books for

29:54 Young child

29:58 For me to read because she insisted that I must read and read and read.

30:06 Do you remember your favorite books?

30:09 What do you remember your favorite books?

30:15 Oh.

30:18 What she had ordered me where?

30:21 All the classics

30:25 Simplified to some extent

30:32 So you just have to go over the classics.

30:39 Not all of them.

30:43 I also like to

30:47 The novel that came what's a month in paper form?

30:53 That was a very very nice reading today head.

31:04 When I went well does the edge of end of that? I was six when I left.

31:15 And what were some of your favorite hobbies what are the seven things that you love to do when I was a little girl or when you were an adult what or when you are when you are an adult and later in life are favorite things.

31:34 I guess it was a dog.

31:37 A dog a dog

31:44 Yes, I said it was a it was a nice little dog. It was with us for a long long time.

31:54 But I don't remember anything else all caps. I had cats they just were there.

32:01 But the dog was a pet.

32:06 And you love to sail right?

32:09 Well, I didn't get to sail there they didn't have it is sailboats later such thing as a sailboat, but I got to the states. I love to go in a boat.

32:25 Sailor robot

32:30 And what was your first boat do you remember?

32:37 Don't remember don't remember. I remember Grandpa didn't he give you a boat for your wedding present. I guess he was the one that got the boat.

32:50 The boys had a boat, but it hung up in the underneath the second porch upstairs.

32:59 Well, they were in college, but I never used it. I went on a houseboat.

33:07 Chinese it was a Chinese boat. But but my father had to go I'm diverting here when my father had to go to his stations that he had built a church in several station.

33:22 What he had to go to preach in the station.

33:29 He would take this houseboat with a Chinese man.

33:34 On the boat to do all the

33:38 The actual voting

33:41 Because it was

33:46 It was

33:48 Maintained road with a great big or in the back and this Cooley would get all the oil.

34:01 Make us go.

34:03 In the rowboat and it took us. Very fast, but it took us.

34:10 Good many miles from the house.

34:17 I remember one night.

34:21 On the rowboat

34:25 And there was a very bad noise of guns.

34:31 Apparently it was some robbers on the canal.

34:35 So we skedaddled out of there.

34:40 And my father had a gun and shot. What's

34:46 So I guess say the robbers disappeared now might be getting just a little crooked but it's it was it happened because the man that we went to see them the government official that we went to see about this to report. The incident said, oh, I wish you'd gotten all of them. They're giving us a terrible time about the robbers. So we were free and clear but there was Trouble On the Canal occasionally.

35:22 Okay, where am I so and you're talking about China you're talking about traveling what you are on a boat in China this oh, yes.

35:40 I'm in America.

35:43 Abby you have me an American ass. No, I just I just mean your your story your story.

35:51 I don't know.

35:52 So so you left to say I'll write you love to sail.

35:59 Love to sail yes. Oh, yes. Oh, I sailed every time we could.

36:09 Which was every time the wind was there.

36:13 And no rain. We had our own boat in, Florida.

36:19 As a matter of fact all of you came to see us once and we all set down that boat all one night.

36:30 My oldest daughter slept on the floor of the boat. Everybody else tucked in somewhere.

36:40 I don't remember.

36:44 We had lots of great sales on that boat.

36:51 And

36:53 I had to leave it in, Florida.

36:58 At the last hurricane

37:02 Because I couldn't sell it. I couldn't use it.

37:10 So

37:13 I gave it away.

37:16 I remember being on that boat and I remember that you would always play where James I remember sailing along and we would have our legs off the edge and I remember you playing playing word games with us.

37:35 Well, that's good you remembered because I remembered a lot of times that we were on that phone.

37:47 Find the big kids that went to college would come by to visit and they love the boat. One of my favorite memories from my college was coming to visit you with my friend Kathy and you ask this one morning if you wanted to get up at 8 to play tennis, and we said no. Thank you will sleep.

38:11 And you win and play tennis. This is when you were 89 and you play tennis with your friends and you came back and you made us a picnic lunch. And you said come on girls. Let's go for a sail. And so we had a we had a picnic on your boat and bright wasn't there. No, just just my friend and I did it you did.

38:38 It was great. It was a great memory for me. Well, I'm glad you told me because I don't remember it. I remember doing it.

38:48 And having you there but not each occasion. I always ended people that could do that.

38:58 Okay, ask me some more. I think we're just about yeah, we have one minute. So I think I just want to thank you for sharing your stories. Oh, I didn't tell you about our life as a family that the cook came every day. He had eight children. He only got $40 Chinese dollars a month to work for us and he gave us breakfast dinner and supper he cooked.

39:28 And the houseboy did all the other work in the place all the place the sweeping in the mopping in the every other cleaning.

39:38 And then we had a woman that cable made up the bed sometimes.

39:44 But life went on my mother taught me she was my teacher.

39:53 I couldn't have any friends in.

39:57 Is he still on? I think we're just about finished. Oh, I was going to tell you what interesting thing if I could.

40:07 We were allowed to go to their houses to have dinner or play with them. They weren't allowed to come to my house and have dinner.

40:18 I have never found out exactly why but it just wasn't being done.

40:25 We didn't mix socially with even with the good friends that we had. So I wanted you to know that because I was very young when I left and that was the way I left it.

40:41 But it has changed.

40:45 Anything more

40:47 Okay, I'm sorry. I took so long for 5 years.

40:54 Thank you for your time.