Biographies for Secondary Webquest
Plourde Family (Family 4)
It is September 1948. You are the Plourde family. You live in a
one-and-a-half-storey
wooden house on a small farm near the village of Notre-Dame-du-Lac in the
valley
of Temiscouata, Quebec, near the New Brunswick border. Notre Dame du Lac
has
a population of 1200 and you travel by horse and buggy to the train
station there
to pick up your catalogue order. You have about $33 to spend on a
catalogue order,
one of two you will make this year.
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Income Table
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Year
|
Income
|
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1936
1948
1956
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$554
$1,100
$2,964
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Disposable Income Table
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Year
|
Income
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1936
1948
1956
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$17
$33
$89
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Alice (Mother)
Hello.
My name is Alice Plourde. I am 37 years old and manage the house and
children.
It is my task to prepare all the jams and jellies to eat during the
winter.
I take the children with me and they help me pick berries.
I need a new preserving kettle because the old one is starting to wear
thin.
I would love to have a pretty new dress but we have little money to spend
and
practical shoes are more important. I would like to buy a small gift for
each
child.
We don't have a telephone or electricity, and I must mail my
order to
Monsieur Eaton and wait two weeks before the parcel arrives.
Go to these catalogue pages and choose a few things to
order:
- Preserving kettle (Page 552)
- Dress (Pages 49
or 63)
- Shoes (Pages 212
and 217)
- Toys (Pages 511
and 512)
Joseph (Father)
Hello.
My name is Joseph Plourde. I am 38 years old and work hard on my farm
to support
my wife and children.
I'll earn about $1100 this year from our wheat and oats, our
cows, pigs
and chickens. In addition to our farm, I will spend some of my winter away
from
my family working as a lumberjack and at a lumber mill. When I'm
away,
my brothers help take care of the animals.
I would like a warm winter coat, wool socks, and new suspenders, and I
would
like to buy a gift for Alice, maybe a nice pair of gloves.
Go to these catalogue pages and choose a few things to
order:
- Winter coat (Page 257)
- Wool socks (Page 107)
- Suspenders (Page 264)
- Women's gloves (Page 105)
Gemma (Child 1)
Hi.
My name is Gemma and I am 11 years old and hearing impaired.
I did go to school for a short while with my sister Madeleine, but the
teacher
did not have enough time to spend with me so I left school and stayed at
home
to help my mother. This is where the priest and doctor said I would be
most useful.
I would like to have a pair of figure skates and a new dress, and I
need a
winter jacket and gloves.
Here are my favourite catalogue pages:
- Figure skates (Pages 490
and 491)
- Dress (Page 175)
- Winter jacket (Page 69)
- Gloves (Page 112)
Madeleine (Child 2)
Hi.
My name is Madeleine and I am 10 years old.
I walk a mile to attend Grade 5 at the local school.
I help out at home with chores and help my mother pick berries for our
winter
preserves. I am also learning how to iron clothes and keep house.
I wish for a doll and high chair, and a pretend purse of my own, and
mother
says I need new winter boots.
Here are my favourite catalogue pages:
- Doll (Pages 508
and 509)
- Toy high chair (Page 518)
- Toy purse (Page 505)
- Boots (Page 224)
Maurice (Child 3)
Hi.
My name is Maurice and I am 7 years old and walk to school with my
sister
Madeleine.
I go with my dad around the farm when he takes care of the animals and
other
farm work and help out a little, but I am still learning.
I would like to have a bicycle and a toy tractor or truck to play with,
and
mother says I need new mittens.
Here are my favourite catalogue pages:
- Bicycle (Page 518)
- Toy tractor (Page 512)
- Toy truck (Page 511)
- Mittens (Page 112)
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