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When Lisa Houseman was 15 years old in October 1959, she and her mother Marjorie visited the new Guggenheim Museum while shopping together in Manhattan. This visit sparked in Lisa a fascination with Modern architecture, design and art.
Lisa admired artists for their special personal qualities -- creativity, independence and entrepreneurship.
As a high-school girl, however, she naturally felt attracted to the guys who were handsome, tall and athletic. A few of her male classmates were somewhat artistic, and she wanted to be friends with them, but they lacked the physical attributes to attract her romantically.
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In 1963, Lisa's younger sister Baby became angry that Republicans seemed to be favoring the nomination of Barry Goldwater as their party's candidate in the 1964 Presidential election. Goldwater opposed some Civil Rights proposals by arguing that citizens had a Constitutional right to free association. Baby perceived that Goldwater and his Republican supporters were allowing the continuation of racial discrimination.
Baby's anger about the Republicans moved her toward more critical attitudes on other issues. For example, Baby felt that Americans should do much more to alleviate poverty in the Third World. The US Government should send much more aid, and individuals should donate much more to charities.
In her younger years, Baby had been satisfied by collecting money for UNICEF while trick-or-treating.
Now, Baby felt increasingly dissatisfied and critical that her prosperous family seemed to donate little to charity. Her parents responded that the Houseman family donated plenty just by paying their taxes. Furthermore, the family donated to some medical charities, such as the March of Dimes.
Baby pointed out that much of the family's money was being spent extravagantly on new furniture and art. In this regard, Baby complained that many such items seemed to be purchased mainly to please selfish Lisa, who obviously had very expensive tastes.
"Children are starving!", complained Baby. "We don't need all this Modern Art stuff. Instead of buying more, just to please Lisa, we should donate a lot more to UNICEF."
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Continued in Part 8
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