Personal Journal #4

Journal #4Discuss the class structure of your “home” community. Are neighborhoods mixed or segregated by class? Which classes live in which areas and go to which schools? Which groups tend to shop at which stores, worship at which religious centers, belong to which clubs? Are there any venues where various classes intermingle? Are there any class-based issues the community is currently confronting -- for example, in housing, job development, or education?

I live in a medium size town called Ossining. The town of Ossining has a mixture of Whites, Blacks, and Spanish races. With very low number of those from the Chinese race. Though my town is mix it very segregated with it comes to residential homes. On the hillside of Ossining there is a lot of high class people and the south side, are apartments buildings where the lower class live. The middle class are usually scatted in various places throughout the town. Even in the schools, there are students with different races and cultures. Higher class hangs out with those of their class. Middle classes hangout with those from their class and the same is for the lower class. I remember in the high school cafeteria their was a segregation among the students. In the middle of the cafeteria are the students who are not as popular. On the south side of the cafeteria, are all the popular students. Cheerleaders sat next to each other, Athletics sat next to each other, and Jocks sat next to each other and the same for the Drama students. Basically if you were in any student actively you sat next to each other. All the outsiders where left out. There are at least two stores that the residents of Ossining Shop. One was Shop Rite which was in another town and Stop and Shop, located in Ossining. The prices in Shop Rite tend to be lower, those of the middle class and lower classed would shop there. At Stop and Shop, those of the higher class, shop there even though the prices are higher. At the Rec Center also know as the Recreation Center has diverse people joining in various at activities. No matter what activity, there were a diverse people at the Rec Center. In the town of Ossining, everyone would agree with me when I say that Lucy's Pizza, is the best pizza shop. It at this pizza shop where there is no segregation. Anyone from the high, middle or lower class will eat at Lucy's Pizza. When if comes to churches it is different. There are many churches that have a diverse people attending the congregations. There are shops along Broadway Street, in which there are Spanish corner stores, same for the Blacks corner stores. I have seen Ossining go through so many changes over the years. Recently they have change the community by building houses that not as affordable. In turn the lower classes are starting to leave the community. I guess even in the smallest town there is segregation though there is a mix race of people.