“The whole family was so enthusiastic and so colorful and so interesting.”

Abstract Catherine Littlefield is born on September 16, 1905, and takes her first dancing lessons from Caroline (Mommie) at the PRR-YMCA in 1908. Mommie also teaches Jeanette MacDonald and stages recitals along with her husband (Big Jim). The Littlefields live for a time in Ambler, Pennsylvania, and later in Philadelphia, and have three more children: Jimmie, Dorothie, and Carl. As a young girl, Catherine also takes lessons with Philadelphia dancing master C. Ellwood Carpenter and performs in his ballet corps. Mommie helps Carpenter teach. Big Jim works as a lifeguard in Ocean City, New Jersey, and operates the Littlefield Riding Academy in Philadelphia. The Littlefields move to Llanerch, Pennsylvania. Big Jim serves with the YMCA in World War I.