The Bond Between Mary and Frieda

The deep sisterly love that survived inequality of schooling and marriage and became a source of poetry.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Let Us Be Good

Let Us Be Good The Evening Vows Mary would lie in bed rehearsing her misdeeds and then say, "Fetchke, let us be good." Her sister always answered with equal aspiration. The Shared Repentance Fetchke shared Mary's degradation and her plans for salvation. The sisters were partners in conscience. The Childhood Friendship They were constant companions in play, prayer, and mischief. The bond was sealed before America.

Sisters in the Secret Primer

Sisters in the Secret Primer The Shared Lessons Mary learned Russian by watching Fetchke rehearse and by stealing the primer. The two girls studied side by side whenever possible. The Rebbe and the Copybook They were taught by Reb' Lebe and Isaiah the Scribe, and later cut off from lessons by poverty. Their parents sought the same education for both. The Early Equality At this stage no one had chosen between them. Frieda still shared Mary's academic path.

Parting at the School Door

Parting at the School Door The Two Destinies Mary ran on winged feet to the schoolroom; Frieda was led to the workshop. One had sunshine and a teacher's smile, the other the foreman's stern command. The Calico Dress Frieda had made the dress and smoothed it over Mary's shoulders. She did not grudge what she was denied. The Hidden Longing Longing she felt, but no envy. At that fiat of her destiny she became a woman while Mary remained a child.

The Evening School at Home

The Evening School at Home The Kitchen Table The family gathered around the kitchen table to study English and arithmetic. Mary was the teacher and Frieda one of the diligent pupils. The Flame of Reading Frieda's cheeks flamed with the excitement of reading English monosyllables. Her eyes shone when Mary explained that they were George Washington's Fellow Citizens. The Sister's Glory Frieda heard Mary praised at work and wore the crown of her sister's pride. Vicarious joy was her reward.

The Aeneid in the East Boston Kitchen

The Aeneid in the East Boston Kitchen The Lamp and the Sewing Mary read aloud from Longfellow and Whittier while Frieda sewed. The lamp shone on brown roses and the baby's rattle. The Death of Dido When Mary translated the Aeneid's account of Dido's death, Frieda forgot her sewing and leaned forward in rapture. There were tears of delight in her eyes. The Shared Sublime Mary's education was enriched by giving it away. Frieda's humble kitchen became a high place of poetry.

bedtime in early childhood

the Polotzk schoolroom years

Mary Antin's first day at school in Chelsea

during the Chelsea years after Frieda began work

evenings after Frieda's marriage