Document text
WOMAN AND TM'. WIANQING
Written by: Mrs. Daisy Thompson
Augusta, Georgia
Sited by:
Mrs. Leila if. Harris
Supervising 'Mita°
Georgia Writers' Proleot
Area
Augusta, Georgia
February 16, 1940
Mrs. J. R. Byrd
214 Masonic Building
Augusta, Georgia
February 8, 1940
D. T.
WJAAN AND THS ChabiGING TIMAS
"It seems as though I have always worked witn cotton
in some form." Said Mrs. Blount as she pressed some dress
material. "Why before I started in the dressmaking business
I usea to help pick ootton. In fact i earned the money to
buy my trousseau in this way."
This busy little woman operates a dressmaking establisnmant
in one of Augusta's lar6e buildings on Broad Street. The place
is a mecca for woman who for various reasons fail to find sat-
isfactory olotnes in the ready-to-wear shops.
We are now citizens or Augusta and nave made it our home
for quite a number of years." She went on. "aowever, I was born
and reared in Walton county, near Mansfield, Georgia. My parents
lived on a farm and had eight otildren four bays and four
girls. I am the elaest and there are three girls and three
ooys still living.
"My father was a good provider, but it kept him going
pretty hard to support such a large family. We did manage to
live well, but I can assure you there was flat much surplus
money floating around our domicile. Sverybody ndd to help when
-2
cotton picking time came. We pioked cotton to get the
money to buy our olothes. As I told you before I earned
my wedding clothes in this manner. I didn't mind, tuough,
for I Wall going to marry my Joe.
"My mother lived to be 74 years ola and my father will
oeleOrate his 87th birthday in May.
"How Cto country children amuse themselves?" I questioned.
"Well," she answered, "I suppose we amused ourselves Just
as other normal children do. The little girls loved their
dolls and pets kittens, puppies, chickens, and even white
rats. The little boys also And their pets and all kinds of
things.
"I guess that sometimes we would be real smart and help
do the work around the place and than again we would feel terribly
imposed upon when motheT called upon us for assistance. Oh, yes,
we were just normal kids. Of course when we 4ot large enough
we were assi4ned certain duties that must be done before we
could play.
"My father humored me quite a oit and we were great pals.
3ometimes wnen he want flailing he would take me along and did I
love to go with him. I remember o I one occasion when he went
fishing he carried me and one or the boys. When we reached the
river be left us on tha riverbank to await his return. Be had
put out some trot lines, and ne got in his bateau and rowed over
to the trot lines. In just a little while he came back bringing
a catfish that weighed 28 pounds. You can just imagine how ex-
cited we were. We carried that big fish home and took great
pride in showing it to everybody we could find. We invited ali
the neighbors and had a oatfish supper that night. We had lots
of fun and plenty to eat.
"It was great run to go visit my grandmother. I recall one
occasion when my fatner and I made a visit to her home at Conyers,
Geergia. The railroad station was three miles from our house
and we had to walk to tale train. I started walking but soon got
very tired, and as I was such a little girl, my fattier took me
up in hias'arns and carried me. Wnen we dot to grandmotner's house
she gave me a big rag doll and I name a it Dick. I just adored
that doll and when we dot ready to do home I aeld fast to my doll.
As we were walking along I reit something pulling and when I
looked down there was a big olu dog with Dick's foot in his
mouth and he aid nia pest to tate my doll away from ms. I screamed
and my fataer chased him away and SdVO4 Lick for me.
"The grown boys and girls in our community used to have
parties ware we danced and played dames. ivory vial/tor in the
neidnborhood was always invited. One night Joe brought a
young lady to the party anu when I saw him I said:
"Aello Joel"
-4
"It mate the girl furious to have me speak to her escort
in such a familiar manner.
"Not long aster that Joe and I began to have dates and in
a few months we were married.
"Did you ask: me it we were married at home?" 3iie asked
smilingly. "Oh, yes, we were. You see, my parents' don* was
not very large and we „invited just a raw friends. The young
folks refused to de left out so easily so they got together and
not only filled the house, but lots of them were in the yard.
So we ;woven them we were gams and marched out on the porch
and were married there where all ot them could witness the
ceremony.
"In those days the young men very often wore frock -tail
coats for dress -up ocoasions. My grandmother would tease ms
so when I would walk home from Sunday -School with him. I
denied emphatically that I even liked him. But she said, 'Never
you mind, honey, some of these days you will marry that frock
tail fellow.' Of course she was just teasing, but she proved to
be a good prophet for just a little ater Joe and I were married.
"You're right, we didn't get our schooling as easily as
modern children do. There were no school busses and we had to
walk three mules to school. We ot useu to walking but I can't
ever recall turning down a ride when it was offered.
"And twat tuat reminds ma of a story i once heard or an
old liegro woman who was walking along the road carrying
a basket or clothes on her head. After a while along
came a man driving a team or mules nitoned to a wagon.
Feeling sorry for the old woman he asked ner if she
wouldn't like to have a rids. be repliod: 'Yassir,
Boss, I sno would.' With that she orawled up in the
wagon. After driving a mile or so the man turned his
head to make soma romark to the woman &vie discovered that
she was sitting rlat an the floor of tae wagon with the
clothes still on her head. 'Why don't you put the (sloths*
down Mammy and rest your head?' He used solicitously.
jhe answered right up; 'Lawsy, Boss, l's so grateful
to have dia ride myself, aat I wouldn't tuink of imposing
on you to oarry my clothes.'
"Wa married wneu we were outh ctuite young and we have
four ohildren 2 girls and 4 boys, and they are all living.
We lived on the farm for five years after we married and then
moveL, to Covington, Georgia, *hers my husband had obtained
work with a Furniture Manufacturing company. He received a
good salary which enabled us to live very oomiortaoly.
"Then the price of cotton, and in fact ail farm products,
dropped very low _Ind :.13 tile farmers had little to spend,
-0
business suffered. TAis recession lasted for auito awhile
and then my husband accepted a position with the Smith
Manufacturing Company at Madison, Georgia. This firm op-
erated a general repair and blacksmith snop, sold wagons
and ouggies, .ind also ran an undertaking plea..
"The proprietor of the place died before he had been there
very long and no worked for the widow and aer sons i"or about
eix years. Thin the Brown Manufacturing Company offered him
a more remunerative job which ne accepted. This concern op-
erated a flour 411u a grist mill, manufaotured ice, aria sold
fertilizer.
After anottter year Jos changed jobs again. This time he
went to work for the 3azter Milling Company. Ala work was
hard,ne tied long working hours, and the position entailed
great ueal of responsibility. This overwork eventually caused
him to have a nervous breakdown. Ior ,;luite awhile his mind
was affected en a he was never actually violent, we were
careful not to cross him. We nurse carefully anu after
a complete rest hie health improved anu in a snort time he was
able to zo brick to work.
"In 1917 when the Unite u jtates oecame involved in the
World ;bar, salaries were greatly increased and by strict economy
we were able to is,Ive enou-a money to make a down payment on a
-7
home af our own. It was not long before we had paid quite a nice
amount on it. Unfortunately, when peace was declared the market
broke, salaries were out, and we were dealt quite a hard blow.
"6everal years previously, believing business would warrant
suon a venture, Joe had opened a business of his own. 4* carried
practically the same line of merchandise as did the llama for whom
he bad worked, excepting of course the undertaking business, he
sold carriages, buggies, wagons, fertilizers, and some commodities.
he extended credit to the farmers; then when the depression came, he
was unable to collect and consequently we lost our business and our
home.
"Tne boll weevil also got in its deadly work. They praoti-
(sally destroyed the cotton and damaged other crops as well. Prices
dropped so low that what little the farmers were able to salmage
brought almost nothing and consequently they had no money with which
to meet their obligations. Sweet potatoes sold as low as 40 cents
per bushel; corn as low as 50 cents, and other produets sold accord-
ingly.
"Joe and I educated our children the best we could. We have
given nlic,4)f them a grammar school education and the equivalent of
two years in high sohool.
"After losing our business and our home we moved to Augusta
and made
before Joe
and helped
new start. The children *soured work and it wasn't long
was able to pick up temporary work. I took in sewing
all I could. I have kept it up and at tae present time
lived entirely beyond taeir means. Many borrowed money from ths banks
to buy luxuries they couldn't afford. When things Began to level
themselves after the close of the war a depression was inevitable.
"I think President Roosevelt is a wonderful man." dhe remarked.
"I feel that he has done more to help poor people than any other man
could have done.
"To my mind one of the greatest accomplishments of the Now Leal
has been the organization of the Civilian Conservation Camps. The
training given the boys will be of lasting benefit. They have °hanged
many a boy from a liability to a valuable asset to his country. They
have kept thousands of boys off the roads just idly roaming over the
country hiking and beating rides on freight trains, eta. Many of
them have booms good citihsons.
"We have worked hard and bad our ups and downs, but we are very
happy and enjoy our home so muah. When any of the ohildren get out of
work they know they are always welcome to come home and stay until
they are on their feet again. It would be a great pleasure to us to
keep our brood together at all times but of course that is impossible.
Boys, pakticulariy, love to get out and run around and see something
of the world.
"I recall one time when one of our boys decided to hitch -hike
to Raleigh, Noel& Carolina. It was not nearly so exciting as he had
expected. He said he only met ono man who treated him kindly and he
was a person whom he had known before. he obtained employment at a
bakery but worked only one night for when the proprietor demanded his
-11
strap that broke the camel's back. It Was simply aisgraceiul.
"I have a friend who firmly believed in women's rights and
1)nged for tae day when we would nave a.say-so in our overnment.
The first she had the opportunity to register she coulan't
get there fast enough. The next morning the paper publisned a list
ot the would-be worlan voters. When her brothers read the paper
they were very indignant and for a while made things very unBom-
fortabie for her.
"Today, every woman who is eligible is expected to vote and
is considered unpatriotic if she doesn't.
"Now we nave women evangelists, lawyers, doctors, nurses,
congresswomen and others. Women now practically run tne cnurches
ar4i other religious organizations.
"And today we even have ladies riying." sine exclaimed. "I
wonder what next."