Gerry Rubia and the 'Longside Club:
Step to the Music that You Hear

Questions for Discussion

Introduction

1. What were the first signs of Gerry's illness? What is it called?
2. How long did Gerry have to stay in the hospital?

Early Days and Life in a Hospital

1. What were Gerry's parents doing in the United States in 1929?
2. What grade was Gerry in when her leg started to act up?
3. Describe how osteomyelitis affected Gerry. What did the doctors do to help her?
4. What was Gerry's attitude toward the disease?
5. Did the lack of a normal childhood depress Gerry? How would you feel if you were forced to spend that long a time in hospital?
6. How did Gerry occupy her time in the hospital?
7. How did Gerry get around once she had been released from the hospital?
8. Why did Gerry decide to have her leg amputated? Was this a good idea? Would you have made the same decision?

Education and Writing

1. How did Gerry manage to complete high school?
2. What kind of course did Gerry apply for when she was 13?
3. Who wrote "The Valleys of Kilbride"?

Jobs

1. Describe one of Gerry's early jobs that she liked.
2. Which of Gerry's talents came in handy for some of her jobs? How?
3. Gerry finally took a job that she kept for 30 years. What was it?