PREFACE

This book tells the story of my life, and is told from three perspectives. Many events are told from a narrative point of view (headed "NARRATIVE), describing in third person what took place in my life. In each chapter there are one or more sections that I have called "Contemporary Comments." These are in the first person, and include thoughts and feelings that I had at that time (as best as I can remember). The third perspective is labeled "Reflections," and includes feelings and thoughts I have now as I look back on earlier events. As I begin to put this story together, I am hopeful that these three perspectives will enable me to tell the story as accurately and completely as possible without saying "I did this" too often and sounding like I think more highly of what happened than is appropriate.

There are a few comments from a fourth perspective. Just before my mother's death in 2004 I discovered that she had been writing a diary for over sixty of her ninety-five years. I have included some quotations of hers when I felt they were appropriate.

James R. (Jim) Hartley

2
Early Years

NARRATIVE: On Sunday night, October 30, 1938, a very unusual radio program was broadcast on the Mercury Theater on the Air on CBS. Entitled "The War of the Worlds," it used a news-bulletin format to suggest the Martians were invading earth. Many listeners did not hear the disclaimer that this was a fictional program, and thought they were real news bulletins. There was a lot of discussion the next day about the wisdom of that program.

As that discussion took place around the country on Halloween day, Lois Hartley gave birth to her third child and first son, James Robert Hartley.

His mother had several comments in her diary about her new son.

March 4, 1939 [LOIS]
Strange, how the months and years fly by now. Jimmy is already four months old—only a year ago it seemed the time would be endless until he came. How did I live without him? He seems so important to us—so necessary.

Jimmy is learning to use his voice and is so thrilled with himself. He makes one sound over and over. Also, he laughs aloud. It is one of the overtones to watch a baby learn. Wish I could learn to help them as they grow rather than to be always restricting.

September 10, 1939 [LOIS]
Another four months—six, in fact—since I wrote anything here. Jimmy has grown up to a big baby, and war has broken out in Europe in the meantime. Hitler has at last brought the English and the French down upon him, and the world has again been plunged into madness.

NARRATIVE: For a year before Jim's birth, the Hartleys had lived at 604 Cromer Avenue in Muncie (changed to 904 W. Cromer Avenue many years later). Ross had contracted to have the two-story home built in a young neighborhood, and it was a very pleasant place to live.

There is a family picture of Jim crawling backward and ending up under the loveseat, as well as another picture of Jim with his sisters in various outfits. Stories were told that when Jim wanted attention from his mother, he would sometimes reach over and grab her chin and turn her face in his direction. It must have been difficult to get attention with two talkative older sisters around.

CONTEMPORARY COMMENTS: My father purchased a new 1941 Ford while we lived on Cromer Avenue. Perhaps my earliest memory is that I did not get to ride in the car because I had wet my pants. I also sort of remember playing in the front seat and sticking my tongue on the cigarette lighter to see if it was hot. It was! I didn't do that again. Another time I was playing in the car and shifted it out of gear and it moved a bit in the driveway.

NARRATIVE: In the summer of 1943 the family sold the house on Cromer Avenue and moved to a duplex at 402 West Main Street, just west of downtown. . . . Ross was able to avoid joining the army during the War because his position as a coal dealer was considered "essential." Though gas rationing was an issue, he was able to have enough gas coupons because of his business.

CONTEMPORARY COMMENTS: I have very few memories of the War. I do remember discussions about rationing, especially gas rationing, but it did not make a lot of impact on me. I remember the radio news broadcasts. "This is Lowell Thomas with the news. . . . So long until tomorrow."

I also remember white margarine, which we did not like. And while I do not think it was war-related, I remember getting milk delivered with the cream on the top. Mom would shake it up fairly well, but the little bits of cream stayed in the milk, and I did not like that at all. I don't think I knew the word "yucky," but I would have used it if I had.

In November 1944 my parents' political views rubbed off on me in one way. I can remember writing out some very crude flyers which said "Vote for Dewey" and putting them in the mailboxes of people on our block.

REFLECTIONS: As I look back on my first six years, I think I had a rather comfortable, sheltered life. Though my parents first decade of marriage was during the depression, we were more comfortable than many others. It was the same during the War, since dad stayed home and worked. No doubt the depression and the War had a great impact on my parents, but I was somewhat sheltered from it. They certainly caught a good dose of "depression psychology," and did not spend money easily or freely.