+++ THE STORY OF ANITA +++++

3.

I was born in 1916 in a large eastern city to healthy, re- asonably intelligent middleclass parents, the youngest of 4 children. At the time of my birth, my sisters were 10, 12, and 14. I had a normal childhood to the best of my recollection, and the only factor worth mentioning in this history is that al- most everyone commented that I was "too pretty to be a boy", or that I "would make a beautiful girl". Our home was always dom- inated by the female sex; my 3 sisters, my mother and maiden aunt who was a constant visitor. My father traveled a good deal on his business and, whenhome, was usually quiet and reserved. (I never knew him very well.) There was always a lot of excite- ment, fun and laughter in our home and it was the gathering place for the friends of my sisters, so you can readily see that ve had a house full of girls all the time. I idolized them and wanted to be like them and be part of their fun.. Because of their influence and supervision, although my curls were cut at a reasonably early age, my haircuts were actually hair-trims and my hair style was more on the order of a feminine boy-cut. Actually, these "haircuts" were done at my mother's beauty par- lor, where I was always fussed over-particularly because of my "pretty face" and "lovely naturally wavy hair."

At the age of 13, my mother rented a house down at the sea- shore for the summer and, when school was over, we started our vacation there. As my two oldest sisters were now mar ied and the third one worked, my mother, my aunt and I occupied the en- tire house except on the week-ends when everybody came. I was on the beach every day, However, there were no boys my age in this area to play with and my constant companions were 2 girls my age, one of which, coincidentally, lived but a few blocks from me in the city and was in my class at school. One day while sitting on the beach talking, Gloria and Jeanne (my friends) were making un their faces and pin-curling their hair. After they finished they suggested they make me up too and fix up my hair. Just as a lark, for anything better to do, I agreed and they went to work on me. When they finished they just couldn't get over the results. They claimed I was a "beautiful girl".