Alma’s Coming of Age
Alma was a popular girl in high school. She was very athletic, worked on the school newspaper and once ran for school office. She made friends easily, both female and male. It was difficult times in the country as the Depression affected many, including her family. She took up babysitting to make a little money to buy a few treats for herself. She once explained that she thought children needed to eat candy, because as a child, she took to stealing candy as her parents could not afford to buy it for her.
Once she babysat for a family with a couple of children. She prepared dinner for the children, put them to bed and then stayed the night. In the morning she was paid 75 cents which was enough to buy milk, butter and bread for her own family providing a breakfast which they otherwise would not have had.
Alma had several boy friends before settling down with Phil. Jack was the brother of her friend Agnes and she was rather serious about him for awhile. She lived at home with her family up until her marriage at the age of 23. She had a job in and Insurance company as a secretary, working in downtown San Francisco and apparently had a serious flirtation there with her boss.
The Bracken girls and their parents in San Francisco.
One of the family residences in San Francisco.
Alma as a young woman.
Alma was very closer to her younger sister, Mary who died at the early age of 33.
The three Bracken girls, Mary, Alma May and Alma senior.
Alma looking flirtatious.
Alma and her life-long friend Ruth at the beach.
Portrait of Alma and Mary Bracken.
Alma lived at 206 Judah Street, San Francisco during the time Phil was courting her. She worked at Great American Indemnity Company in the Bond Department on the 9th floor at 233 Sansome Street during the same phase. She also received a couple of letters in Marin County at “Wood Acre” in 1933, shortly after her high school graduation.