Dust Bowl survivor, Laura Schmid Hogan, recently visited Reading High School to speak with the students there. The cast and crew members of the upcoming RMHS show, The Grapes of Wrath, were captivated by her recollections of life in Kansas during the dust bowl of the 1930's. 

She brought to life what living during that difficult time felt like 
and recounted through personal stories the images of her family life.

Ms. Hogan both entertained and encouraged the drama students by remarking, "Create a goal and work at it. You can be what you want to be."

She spoke of the importance of dreaming and keeping your hopes alive. The perseverance of people of that time and place was evident when she spoke of placing cardboard in worn out shoes because they  couldn't afford new ones. By the age of 4, Ms Hogan had many responsibilities on her farm and there were none of the comforts of today. Additionally, Ms. Hogan shared her knowledge of the real Joad family, who are depicted in the classic John Steinbeck novel, TheGrapes of Wrath.

The RMHS Drama Department will be performing this classic tale on stage on Feb. 11th and 12th at 7:30 pm at the RMHS Performing Arts Center. More information can be found at RMHSdrama.com. The 87 year old Ms. Hogan is the author of "I Laura: the Story of a Kansas Family" and a resident of Stoneham.