My journey ends here...
1937
In the beginning of this year, not having had any visit of Grace McKee at the orphanage in December, Norma Jeane's mood became gloomy. In her file (dated from February 20, 1937), was written : "Sometimes she seems anxious and dull...and then she begins to stutter. Norma Jean (sic) is also prone to coughing fits and frequent colds...if she's not treated with much patience and constantly reassured, she is prey to panic attacks. I would recommend for her a strong and good family".
The depressive condition of the girl and her wide-awake daydreams are easy to understand. The orphanage took good care of its young occupants but in a kind of stifling way like in legal institutions. There reigned an objectified affection atmosphere which banned the birth of particular feelings between the children and the supervisors.
As a result of those rules, it appeared to those children, furthermore used to live together, a paradoxial indifference to the well-being of others. Each child was one among dozens, and because the staff tried hard to avoid to play favorites, they suffered from a kind of an emotional nothingness.
Despite the whole goodwill of the supervisors, the orphanages aren't places of happiness. They all acceptsimplicitely the artifical characteristic of the "family" they form, and the children soon realize that they miss something in their life.
JUNE :
Grace, true to her promise, came back to take Norma Jeane.
The last necessary documents to the guardianship of the little girl had been filled in on February 26, 1936 and the definitive agreement had been given in Spring 1937.
Monday, June 7 : Norma Jeane finally left the orphanage and lived with the Goddards at 6707 Odessa Avenue, in Van Nuys :
This day, she learned on the radio, the death of Jean Harlow.
Norma Jeane complained to "Aunt" Grace who realized that the advances of her drunkard announced more serious troubles.
NOVEMBER :
Grace then placed Norma Jeane at Ida
Martin's home, in Lankerschim, San Fernando Valley (now the area located between the Burbank airport and the Universal Studios).
At
that time, Ida Martin also took care of her grand-children, while
her daughter, Olyve, worked as a worker besides migrant farmers.
Marion had disappeared one day of November 1929,
and had never came back.
He was offcially declared dead in 1939. During this period, not being able to receive any help from the State, Olyve worked hard to feed her 3 children.
When
she arrived, Norma Jeane, aged 11, saw her cousins for the first
time : Olive was 8, Ida Mae 10 and Jack 12.
Once
again, she found herself in a family without parents, with children who
tried to restructure a life shattered by their father's
disappearance.
Exactly like in Della, Gladys
and Grace's life, hung over the image of men both capricious and
necessary, inconsistent, not very trustworthy, elusive, unpredictable
and however essential.
A new mother had also appeared; a mother substitute to who Norma Jeane had to please.
Ida Martin was an attentive foster mother but she couldn't give any answer to Norma Jeane's questions : where was Uncle Marion? Why Olyve was so far from her family.
Norma
Jeane stayed there until August 1938.
She attended the Lankerschim School (
) (6th grade), where this year, she won 2 gold medals in jumping and running.
Gladys was still hospitalized at the Norwalk State Hospital.
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