The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-06-19
RIGHT IN OUR
OWN BACK YARDS

Have you ever sat around Won
dering IL certain things will ever
happen and suddenly find that they
are happening right before your
very eyes? That is exactly what
happened TO me this Sunday morn
ing. Here sit at my window
wondering il democracy will ever
become a reality and find that Il
IS a real thing right in my own
back yard Looking out my win
dow and listening 10 the sounds
al around me. find democracy
al work just as ! have found il at
work a hundred times before. It's
one Of those cases Of not being
able 20 see the forest for the trees.
Below NE, and just outside his
garage door Mr.. Jackson. my land
lord, is putting the finishing ouches
20 his screens, winding up job
Of painting his house on Clements
street As he wia,ds his brush
he IS holding a conversation with
the people next door.
They are Italian and while put
tering around in their victory gar
den they encourage Mr.. Jackson
10 hurry up and get his seed
planted lest il be too late to raise
a victory garden. On the right
side OF the Jackson home neighbor
Serbian pronounced, Cher-kane)
Russian who has been in this
country over IS years. also babies
this garden as he joins this back
fence conversation which is as
American as the flag waving from
the back window OF a house across
the alley on Grand street.
From the kitchen can hear the
mingled voices OF Mrs. Ida Jen-
nings and Mrs. Giacobbi (pro-
nounced Ta-ko-by). wife Of an
Italian war worker who has lived
in the Jackson house for abou,
Is years. This conversation be-
tween Mrs. Jennings and Mrs. Gia.
cobb is almost a daily ritual. for
since. becoming neighbors they
have made il a point 20 exchang,
baked goods; Mrs. Giscobbi excel
ing in the art Of baking bread ant
Mrs. Jennings being an expert a
cake baking. incidentally, Tn
girls and boys around our editoris
rooms, having tasted Mrs. Jenning
cake. have adopted her as 90
OF an office mother.")
There is a rap at my door m
I open it 10 find the Giacobbi twir
about ten years old-there wi,
ny Sunday papers They are &
punctual as a school marin. tn
twins would like to watch owe
my shoulder as I write this column
or leaf through my pile OF maya
zines, but their mother is calm
10 them, warning them not 10 an
noy Mr.. Wood. for she considers
bad manners for children to ammo
older people a. work.
am called 10 the telephone an,
fnc that Rexie Serbian. the Rus
sian girl next door. is inviting u
over for an holr Of music am
conversation this evening. This
a standing invitation but Rexi
always calls on Sunday. either b,
phone or in person. 20 remind u
hat we have a Sunday eveninl
engagement. Rexie is a membe
Of the Michigan Opera company
speaks and sings in four la guage
with voice tina; is as beautiful a
the roses blooming in the flowe
garden next door. She is employee,
as a telephone operator and ha
many stories 20 tell Of wha: goe
on in other languages.
Mrs. Serbian. mother OF Rexi
and three other children. speak
very little English. although SIT
has been in this country almost
quarter OF century She says !
she can speak well enough 20 vel
come people 10 her home. sh
thinks that is as good as is neceS
sary. Mrs Serbian. is perhaps on
I = a