Arlene Miller, 84, is the last of her family of eight brothers and sisters. Most of them left the state, one going as far away as Alaska. She moved to Fargo after she married her husband Fred at the age of 16. I asked her what she likes about living in Fargo. "Oh, I love it," she said. Her voice got distant and quiet. "I love it. I love it. Well, I'll say I enjoy it, put it that way...been a long time." For a time, Arlene was the sole resident of Fargo, until her nephew Vernon and his wife moved in. Before that, the last resident in Fargo were Vernon's parents. Their house still stands across the street, leaning to one side and mostly taken back by nature. "[It was] kind of scary." she said. "I ain't scared at night, but I was scared for storms and snow." She didn't have much to say about the recession now, and said she couldn't remember much about the Great Depression, but she's noticed a difference in how kids are being raised today versus what it was like growing up in her time. "Kids nowadays don't want for nothing," she said. "Anything they want they get. I don't think that's right." When she was growing up, all eight kids in the family had to work to help their parents, which made it easier to put food on the table. "It's harder today," Arlene said. "I don't know how some families make it. The price of food, I just don't know how some families make it." When she was growing up, her family raised everything. Arlene remembered making her own cottage cheese and butter in her basement. "Lot easier way to raise a family," she said. "Do you think if we still did stuff like that we wouldn't be in the problem we-" I began to say. "Oh yeah," Arlene interrupted. "and the same way for people buying new cars. My son's got a Bronco he's had for 30-some years, and he's still driving it. He said he don't believe in people buying these new pickups and tearing them up like they do on roads." "It's going to get tougher, I will say that. For the people that have worked and saved their money and lost it. It's going to get worse." (photo by Clay Lomneth)
Keywords: fargo, miller, economic downturn
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Date: 2009-06-07 Keywords: fargo, miller, economic downturn |
Arlene Miller, 84, is the last of her family of eight brothers and sisters. Most of them left the state, one going as far away as Alaska. She moved to Fargo after she married her husband Fred at the age of 16. I asked her what she likes about living in Fargo.
"Oh, I love it," she said. Her voice got distant and quiet. "I love it. I love it. Well, I'll say I enjoy it, put it that way...been a long time."
For a time, Arlene was the sole resident of Fargo, until her nephew Vernon and his wife moved in. Before that, the last resident in Fargo were Vernon's parents. Their house still stands across the street, leaning to one side and mostly taken back by nature.
"[It was] kind of scary." she said. "I ain't scared at night, but I was scared for storms and snow."
She didn't have much to say about the recession now, and said she couldn't remember much about the Great Depression, but she's noticed a difference in how kids are being raised today versus what it was like growing up in her time. "Kids nowadays don't want for nothing," she said. "Anything they want they get. I don't think that's right."
When she was growing up, all eight kids in the family had to work to help their parents, which made it easier to put food on the table. "It's harder today," Arlene said. "I don't know how some families make it. The price of food, I just don't know how some families make it."
When she was growing up, her family raised everything. Arlene remembered making her own cottage cheese and butter in her basement. "Lot easier way to raise a family," she said.
"Do you think if we still did stuff like that we wouldn't be in the problem we-" I began to say.
"Oh yeah," Arlene interrupted. "and the same way for people buying new cars. My son's got a Bronco he's had for 30-some years, and he's still driving it. He said he don't believe in people buying these new pickups and tearing them up like they do on roads."
"It's going to get tougher, I will say that. For the people that have worked and saved their money and lost it. It's going to get worse." (photo by Clay Lomneth) see more »  PREVIEW |