Hilda Daley was born in St. Joseph's, St. Mary's Bay. She has lived and worked in the community all her life. As Mrs. Hilda reflects on some of her life experiences, she comments, "I'd be able to jump over the moon if only me old leg would get better."

85 YEARS YOUNG

I am 85 years old but I still think of myself as young. I think young and I feel young. I love to go to parties, to have visitors and play cards. All anyone has to say to me is "Hilda, you want to go out for awhile?" and I say, "Can you wait until I wash my face and comb my hair?"

I have lived in St. Joseph's all my life, except for one time I went to St. John's to work as a housekeeper. That was hard, unpleasant work but I survived it. As I survived many more years of hard work. It seems like I was always working hard, even before I left home – when I remember carrying buckets of water across the stile with conker bells hanging out of my skirt during the winter time.

I worked as a housemaid in many houses in St. Joseph's over the years. I earned very little pay no matter how hard I worked. Maybe $1.00 or $2.00 a month. I worked in the kitchen at Enright Memorial School for many years. A lot of the student still come to me and say, "Mrs. Hilda, I remember when you used to save me soup and hot dogs", or "I remember when you would give me soup when I had no money for lunch." I don't think Mr. Healey ever found out. But sure, what odds, it was only an old drop of soup. When I finished up I remember getting called into the gym and everybody was there. They gave me a lovely pink comforter and a silver platter. Now that was nice of them, wasn't it? I hated to leave.

I lived near the old school and hall in St. Josephs