Margie Liliam (Bergin) Robinson Reminiscences

Margie Liliam Robinson, nee Bergin.
Born July 26, 1918 in Mississippi.
Died April 14, 2007 in California.

Part I
Written February 2006.
(Minimal editing was done on my part, just where needed for clarity)

Born in Paulding, Mississippi, a small country town, with one store, a courthouse, a post office, two churches, Catholic and Methodist, and a four-room school house.

At six years, I walked through the woods to a one room school house with one teacher who taught the first grade through the eight grade - the 2nd year I went to Paulding to a 4 room school house, grades first through 11th. Rode a bus, had to walk a 1/2 mile to catch bus. We had 4 teachers who taught one through 11th, three classes in 3 rooms, except for 2 in 1 room: the 10th and 11th. We were taught English, reading, spelling, math and the 10th-11th were taught geography and history. We had a study hall. When I was in 5th grade I got the chicken pox and then the Measles in the 8th grade.

After the 11th grade (1935) I went to a small town about 15 miles, call Heidleburg, Mississippi, to Graduate. I was 17 years old when I graduated. Stayed home until I was 22 (1940) and then was sent to Jackson, Mississippi, to a Business school to take typing and shorthand and math. I babysat for room and board until a girlfriend and myself got a job at the Selective Service which was a government job where the men were sent to sign up for the army, Marine, etc. (for World War II). We worked for 15 cents an hour, we rented us a room with a stove top, no fridge. So we ate lightly.

As I grew up in a family of 11 children, 7 girls and 4 boys. We all had chores to do, but when we weren't working we played base-ball with a ball made out of old rags and a bat cut off a tree. We threw washers in a hole as we did not have toys we made our own. We walked 4 miles to church for mass, also for catchechism on Saturday as we had no car - no radio nor TV and no electricity. We walked everywhere we went.

Part II
Written May 2006.

A friend (Marie) and I took a test to go to Washington DC, we passed, I went as a typist and she as a secretary, to work at the Pentagon and she with the Senator from Mississippi (probably Theodore G. Bilbo) for about 18 months.

(When) the war was over I was transferred to Kennedy General Hospital to figure up and type paychecks for the Boys returning from the war and Marie went to Jackson, Mississippi which was near her home. I worked at Memphis, Tennessee, until I was needed no more. So then I worked at Yellow Cab until I decided to go to Jackson to looked for a job but jobs was scarce there so I went back to Memphis as I had a friend (Marguerette Oletti) there who worked at St. Joseph Hospital as a Bookkeeper, so I find a job with Hunter Fan.

I like the job, but Marguerette and I decided to join the WACs (Women's Army Corps) so we quit and took an exam to join the WACs. She was passed but I did not, she was sent to Richmond, Virginia. They could not find my record as it was a mixed-up mess : I was baptized as Magdeline Lillian, (birth certificate says Magdeline Liliam) sent my record to the stack as Margaret Lillian and was called Margie, so I always signed my named as Margie L. Bergin.

So I decided to go to Norfolk, Virginia, as to be near Margaret (Marguerette) but she was sent to Japan. I got a job at Glokegron (?) in Norfolk. There is where I met Bill (William Robinson). We were married about 3 months later, got pregnant with Vicki (1952). At 11 months we were separated as Bill was sent to Cuba and I was pregnant with Skylar, so after 2 months Bill made for Vicki and I to fly to Cuba.

It was an old rickity plane that really was very scary and being my first plane trip I think that's the reason I am afraid to fly.

Oh I forgot to tell you first went by train to Florida to stay with Tim my brother until we got a plane to go to Cuba.

After that about 20 months Bill was transferred to New Jersey for school and I stayed with my parents in Mississippi. When Bill finished school he came by to get the three of us and we went to Berkeley, California to Navy house and spent 2 months there until we could find a house in Hayward. But then he was transferred to San Diego so we moved to Chula Vista. When we were in Hayward, Cindy was borned in Oak Knoll Hospital (1958). So when we moved to Chula Vista I had 3 small ones to worry with.

So Bill spent 24 months in San Diego, mostly on a ship out to sea. After that time he was shipped to Treasure Island in San Francisco. We rented a house in Concord, there we lived for 40 years. So Cindy was 6 years old and Skylar 10 years and Vicki 11 years... (they) all went to all 3 schools in Concord also DVC college.

I hope you can read this. I could (have) added a lot more but decided it is easier to fill in than to write it all down. I hope you are ok, I am about the same.

Love,

Your old Grand-Ma