When looking back at history, it is easy to blindly focus only on the distinguished individuals and most memorable events. Though these have a great amount of importance and remain influential on our lives today, it is both valuable and insightful to consider the general population and their alluring lives. Additionally, the fact that these individuals are not featured in history textbooks or taught to students as a part of a common curriculum does not make their stories any less excellent, but could potentially provide for a new outlook on our past. In 1934, as America was in the midst of The Great Depression and countless citizens were struggling to find their way through the country’s economic downfall, Ruth Green was born in in Burlingame, California. Though caught in a time in history of great distress and upheaval, Ruth considers her upbringing to be “steady and comfortable”. Due to her especially young age at the time and well-off family, Ruth is fortunate enough to remember the feeling of always having a warm bed at night and enough food to eat absent from the burden of food stamps or rationing . In her somewhat nuclear family, Ruth had a twin brother named Peter, a sister named Mary and an older brother named Bill. Mary, after witnessing Ruth’s inseparable relationship with Peter, began calling Ruth the nickname ‘Polly’ due to its euphorious combination with the name Peter. Though Ruth revealed that she has somewhat always resented her sister for starting the nickname, her life as Polly would prove to be unforgettable. Emerging in the primary grades Polly excelled in her academics, but Peter, who was less fortunate, struggled with dyslexia from an early age.
…show more content…
Under the school’s recommendation, Polly was placed in a grade ahead of her struggling brother, thus separating the twins for the first time. The two then proceeded to continue on to different high schools; Polly to Notre Dame Catholic high school and Peter to the local high school in their neighborhood. According to Polly she was very athletic and excelled in every sport she attempted; often with awards and trophies. This, her superb academics, and her attendance at such a renowned high school made the process of being accepted to a top college “very easy”. Polly proudly expressed the rarity of her achievement and explained that during that period of history, being accepted into a respectable college was difficult due to the lack of education in lower income neighborhoods and the remaining economic hardships from the Great Depression. Following high school, Polly enrolled at Pomona college in Claremont, which today has an acceptance rate of 12.1%. As the effects of World War II spread to the United States, though Polly remained uninterested in politics and was unaware of international events and the resulting propaganda, both of her brothers were drafted. Bill who was stationed in Korea, was overseas for a much longer duration than Peter and was also affected psychologically in ways that Peter was not. As Polly described, Bill had always been a “sweet” and “warm” person but returned from the war very callous and distant. For Polly, Bill’s return was the greatest insight she had on the effects and nature of war and she would carry those feelings with her for the rest of her life until Bill recently committed suicide at the age of 85. Amid her enrollment at Pomona College, Polly met her first husband who attended Stanford. In an effort to be closer together, Polly transferred to UC Berkeley where joined a sorority and continued her dedication to academics. During her upbringing and especially her time at her all girls Catholic high school, Polly had always been an advocate for women's’ rights. But, after witnessing her fellow sorority sisters’ behaviors, Polly’s faith in women diminished. According to Polly, it was “very eye-opening to see the results of constant partying” and she felt as though her sisters were in the need of stricter guidance.Consequently, Polly made the decision to focus solely on her studies and self growth until getting married after graduation. Following college Polly became increasingly interested in assisting dyslexic children with their reading skills, especially because of the history of dyslexia within her family. After discussing this passion with her sister,
Under the school’s recommendation, Polly was placed in a grade ahead of her struggling brother, thus separating the twins for the first time. The two then proceeded to continue on to different high schools; Polly to Notre Dame Catholic high school and Peter to the local high school in their neighborhood. According to Polly she was very athletic and excelled in every sport she attempted; often with awards and trophies. This, her superb academics, and her attendance at such a renowned high school made the process of being accepted to a top college “very easy”. Polly proudly expressed the rarity of her achievement and explained that during that period of history, being accepted into a respectable college was difficult due to the lack of education in lower income neighborhoods and the remaining economic hardships from the Great Depression. Following high school, Polly enrolled at Pomona college in Claremont, which today has an acceptance rate of 12.1%. As the effects of World War II spread to the United States, though Polly remained uninterested in politics and was unaware of international events and the resulting propaganda, both of her brothers were drafted. Bill who was stationed in Korea, was overseas for a much longer duration than Peter and was also affected psychologically in ways that Peter was not. As Polly described, Bill had always been a “sweet” and “warm” person but returned from the war very callous and distant. For Polly, Bill’s return was the greatest insight she had on the effects and nature of war and she would carry those feelings with her for the rest of her life until Bill recently committed suicide at the age of 85. Amid her enrollment at Pomona College, Polly met her first husband who attended Stanford. In an effort to be closer together, Polly transferred to UC Berkeley where joined a sorority and continued her dedication to academics. During her upbringing and especially her time at her all girls Catholic high school, Polly had always been an advocate for women's’ rights. But, after witnessing her fellow sorority sisters’ behaviors, Polly’s faith in women diminished. According to Polly, it was “very eye-opening to see the results of constant partying” and she felt as though her sisters were in the need of stricter guidance.Consequently, Polly made the decision to focus solely on her studies and self growth until getting married after graduation. Following college Polly became increasingly interested in assisting dyslexic children with their reading skills, especially because of the history of dyslexia within her family. After discussing this passion with her sister,