Family Interview

Andrea Vossekuil

Media and Society

February 2012

Part one - Q's & A's

I interviewed my grandmother today to find out the advancements of technology in media from her childhood to this present day.  I was completely shocked to find out some of the things I did about her disadvantages growing up.  There were a series of questions I asked her, even though our conversation could have went on for years, I was able to capture the major points concerning her media experiences.  It was quite interesting to learn things about my family that I have never known before today.  Below are the questions that were asked;

Name of interviewee: Maria Galati

Age or Birth-year: June 9, 1930

Birth Place: Santo Stefano Di Camastra

Relation to me: Grandmother

Date interviewed: 2/03/2012

Place interviewed: her home and my home via phone

1. Can you describe your childhood and the popular media that you and your family used?

During this time period, my grandma didn't have television.  However, she lived in such a small town that the people who did have television; would put them out on their balconies to share with nearby neighbors in town.  Everyone in town would gather to watch the news updates for the war that was going on during my grandma's childhood days.  The local newspaper was another way she was able to be connected to the news and war updates.

2. What is your earliest memory of television?

By the time the war was over and things began to settle, this was when many civilians of Sicily began to purchase televisions.  My grandma remembers watching television for her first time on her own family's television when she was at the age of ten.  She said this was a very exciting moment shared amongst her home. 

3. What was the telephone like when you were growing up?  What was it like to have a "party line"?

People in the town of Santo Stefano did not have phones in their homes, however, school facilities had them.  My grandma doesn't remember her family ever having a phone.  She explained that since she was the youngest, her family waited for her to turn seventeen so they can all move to America to get away from the dangerous living situations from the war.  During this time of waiting, they never purchased a phone.  There were many occasions where my grandma's family had to hide in barns so they wouldn't get killed.

4. Can you share an experience of going to the movie theatre?

When I asked my grandmother this question, she grew very interested in this interview because all she ever thought about was how scary and hard it was to hide away from the war, that she had forgotten all of the good times she had with all of her friends.  There were no malls in town, so when my grandmother wanted to go out with her friends and dress nice, she would have to go to the shop and buy material to make her own clothes.  My grandmother was only nine and had no experience with sewing.  However, the material shops would teach the customers how to sew and create their own clothing.  After doing so, all of my grandmother's friends including herself, would make themselves pretty dresses and all go to the movies together.  At the movie theatre, it was of course a black and white film and it was also a silent film.  Sound and color was not yet invented at this time.  This was my grandmother's favorite thing to do with her friends.

5. Did you and your parents know who to support in political elections?

During the times she can remember, Mussolini was president.  She remembers civilians chanting “Viva Duchi!”  To get publicity, presidents or political people would give presentations on balconies that overlooked the town.  Another way she remembers they would get publicity was the newspapers.

6. What forms of communication were present at school when you were a student?

Technology was not quite developed during this time.  Schools had telephones in their buildings; however, people’s homes did not.  My grandmother went to a catholic Italian school, where the teachers were nuns.  My grandmother’s family was considered middle class.  She remembers a small memory from grade school, when every time she walked to school she would smell a delicious scent, but was not allowed to eat the food to which the smell was coming from because it was only for the poor.

7. Do you remember what advertising and commercials were like when you were growing up?  What products were sold?  What messages or slogans do you remember? Things have changed dramatically since your youth.  What new forms of media have you adopted? (the internet, cell phone, hand-held devices)

My grandmother was from Northern Italy where technology levels were far lower than in Sicily or other areas.  They had no telephones, washers, dryers, stoves, or cellphones during her childhood.  There were some big signs, but she does not remember much.  She never seen a commercial because the only time she watched TV was on the balconies of neighbors houses, just to get updates on the war.  She still has not ever used a computer, or the internet.  She had a cellphone for a week, but quickly gave it up when she realized it was too confusing for her to become familiar with.  She loves to listen to the radio and watch television on her new flat screen HDTV. 

Part two - Reflection

Times have definitely changed since my grandmother’s time to today.  She went from basically having no electronics to having nearly everything electronic in her home.  When it comes to the advancements of education, my grandmother can now watch shows on TV to learn how to basically do anything, such as knit, cook, or draw.  The political advancements that have made drastic changes in her life would definitely be news channels, recorded speeches, and even movies.  Most importantly, the economic growth from 1930 to this present day has led my grandmother to open bank accounts and insurance policies and much more.  This interview really made me appreciate what I have in life.  I have it so easy compared to my grandmother’s past childhood.  She had to dodge hidden underground bombs to save her from stepping on them.  Living through the times of the war with no protection seemed to be for more stressful than anything I ever had to experience.  However, on a better note, she did say she loves that TV’s are now in color.  She also stated that making long distanced calls is much easier now, and much more inexpensive also, easier communicated. 

The world is constantly evolving into something more technical and advanced.  I wonder what it will be like for me to give this interview when I am eighty-two years old.