A True Great Grandmother

Do you think history's boring? I have a story that will change your mind.

Born April 9, 1902, Mildred Savage has lived for almost a century. A woman of integrity, strength and pride for her family, she just so happens to be my great-grandmother.

Raised in a small town in Accomac County, Virginia, Mrs. Savage notes that as a youth her parents were not strict.

However, she remembers the restrictions of dating.

She did not go on dates or have a boyfriend. "I had guy friends but not a boyfriend. The adults would bust our lips if any of the kids did", she said.

On the contrary, in Mrs. Savage's teenage years, she recalled, "The boys were respectful to me. Their parents brought them up right."

As a youth in Virginia, Mrs. Savage recalled, "It was fun. I enjoyed spending time with friends and going to picnics, church and Sunday school where I could see everybody."

Though socializing was a favorite teenage pastime, Mrs. Savage also recalled some of the chores she had to do.

"I remember washing clothes, cooking, ironing and working on the farm," she said

In comparison to the amount of chores that kids do today, she exclaimed, "They are lazy. They don't do what they're supposed to."

Teens today also don't have to worry about the lack of integration in schools or dealing with racism as much.

On the other hand, Mrs. Savage revealed what school was like in her day.

She reflected, "Although I had a lot of fun, blacks and whites had their own separate schools," she said.

In spite of the fact that blacks and whites didn't go to school together, Mrs. Savage was fortunate that things were somewhat different in her town.

"In my neighborhood, blacks and whites played together as kids. It wasn't like this everywhere, but where I lived there wasn't any trouble," she said.

Mrs. Savage couldn't always be sheltered from racism. A woman of mixed heritage, she speaks on experiencing prejudice firsthand.

"Because of my fair skin color, some of my black friends no longer wanted to spend time with me. They told me that I thought I was white. My parents worked on a farm and we got along well with the whites", she revealed.

Experiencing prejudice can be a terrifying experience. In earlier years, hatred among different ethnicities was harsh. However, Mrs. Savage stated, "I think we've come a long way concerning prejudice among people. But, can you never, but you can never really stop prejudice."

Mrs. Savage has lived through a lot. When she was just 16 years old, WW1 started. In 1919, when she was 17 years old, Woodrow Wilson was president.

Among other things in her time, many science and technology discoveries were made. The first successful helicopter flight occurred in observations of a total eclipse of the sun supported Albert Einstein's theory of relativity.

In the 1900's, Theodore Roosevelt and Andrew Carnegie died. The International Labor Organization was founded and the Peace Conference adopted the principle of the League of Nations.

Although times were difficult when she was young, many still tried to continue their education.

For Mrs. Savage, however, things were quite different.

"I never went to college in those times, college was more for white because they were able to get a better education. Many of the black kids worked on the farm so they missed school," she remembers.

Today when kids complain about getting an education, she said, "It makes me feel mad."

As Mrs. Savage reflects on her life, she realizes that she has grown in wisdom and has been blessed to live such a long time.

Describing the key to her longevity, she suggested, "Be nice, treat people well and have love."

Mildred Savage's vast knowledge and sweet spirit have allowed her to preserve for 96 years.

She has shown that all things are possible when one lives a righteous life. She will continue to positively affect the world around her for years to come.