Mary Antin

If education, culture, the higher life were shining things to be worshiped from afar, he had still a means left whereby he could draw one step nearer to them. ↗

— Mary Antin

#could #culture #draw #education #had

In the evening of the first day my father conducted us to the public baths. ↗

— Mary Antin

#conducted #day #evening #father #first

No, the czar did not want us in the schools. ↗

— Mary Antin

#did #schools #us #want

On a royal birthday every house must fly a flag, or the owner would be dragged to a police station and be fined twenty-five rubles. ↗

— Mary Antin

#dragged #every #flag #fly #house

One positive command he gave us: You shall love and honor your emperor. In every congregation a prayer must be said for the czar's health, or the chief of police would close the synagogue. ↗

— Mary Antin

#close #command #congregation #czar #emperor

Our mothers are racked with the pains of our physical birth; we ourselves suffer the longer pains of our spiritual growth. ↗

— Mary Antin

#growth #longer #mothers #our #ourselves

The apex of my civic pride and personal contentment was reached on the bright September morning when I entered the public school. ↗

— Mary Antin

#bright #civic #contentment #entered #i

The czar always got his dues, no matter if it ruined a family. ↗

— Mary Antin

#czar #dues #family #got #his

The czar was always sending us commands - you shall not do this and you shall not do that - till there was very little left that we might do, except pay tribute and die. ↗

— Mary Antin

#commands #czar #die #except #left

The first meal was an object lesson of much variety. My father produced several kinds of food, ready to eat, without any cooking, from little tin cans that had printing all over them. ↗

— Mary Antin

#cans #cooking #eat #father #first