House of the Angel Guardian; Jamaica Plain, Boston / Memorial Day Story

Lately I have been dreaming of my deceased parents. Whether it is the advent of Memorial Day or some other reason, I feel compelled to share a story.

After the untimely accidental death of my grandfather, my dad was placed in the House of the Angel Guardian on August 7, 1937. At the time my father was living at the Franco-American school/orphanage in Lowell, Massachusetts. Two years previous he had been placed there with his two younger brothers and older sister for his destitute widowed father could no longer care for them.

The House of the Angel Guardian was an industrial school / orphanage situated in Jamaica Plain/Boston, Massachusetts. The orphanage was administered by the Belgian religious order, the Brothers of Charity. A historian described the home as "certainly no bed of roses under the strict rules," but it "inculcated manly virtues, self-discipline, independence, and respect for authority in its graduates, qualities useful in the military and industry...the monotonous diet of oatmeal, bread, milk, stew, potatoes and peanut butter." The Brothers taught dad the trade of printing and he worked as a printer most of his life.

Dad Far Right

 

Read Story of Dad's Parents Mendoza and Eveline Rousseau
http://milhomme.blogspot.com/2012/07/mandoza-milhomme-and-eveline-rousseau.html