Document text
Approximately 1.800 words
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TITLE:
SOUTH CAROL/NA WRITERS' A1OJECT
LIFE HISTORY
AlgARLQUWA9.,..2611124
Date of riret Writing December 17, 1938
Name of Person Interviewed 4alter L. Hughes
Fictitious Name None
''treet Address 1428 Taylor Ftreet
Place Columbia.South Carolina
Cccupation Janitor
me of Writer M. `crui,:ge
Lane of Reviser -tate Cffice
"Janitoring doesn't pay a great sight of money. But it is not
difficult work, and the pay is sure and regular. That helps keep the
wolf away." Fuel MO the cheerful greeting of Aalter HUghes.
po—
lite Negro janitor at the Arsenal Rill Presbyterian Church.
"Last linday. the Rev. Dr. Famuel K. Phillips, my big bees, said
in his sermon, qt is not what we leave when we die, but how did we
earn it while we were here that counts,
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I like that, because it was just what I was thinking.
"I wan born on March 3, 1872, in Columbia, and I have lived here all
my life. I never yen arrested and never was out of a job more than a day
or two since I was a little shaver. Way? Top, that's 'hat I call it.
I surely thankful for this, for I have seer many folks suffer for lack
of a job all along the rooky road for 66 years.
"The $14 I drew here every Saturday helps to keep my wife and I eem.
fortable. I am very thankful for it and I try to earn it. I've seen many
people who didn't have even that sum.
*MY daddy was John Haghes and my mammy was Annie (Mitchell) Hughes.
They were born in slavery and belonged to 'hits folks by the name they
took. Their daddies and marries were slaves who had been set free under
the law after the Civil War. I never heard ther talk much about slave
days. They didn't live in slavery long enough to learn much about it, and
they probably didn't discuss what they knew about it with pleasure.
"albeit of the talk I heard between Daddy and Mammy was about work and
the conditions that bore down on everybody during reconstruction. They
had any white and blaA friends during ay childhood. And they kept busy
(Icing such work as they could find in the years when every one hed to do a
lot of scratching or suffer.
"They set the work plan for me by their daily life. 1 learned early
that it takes plenty of labor to secure food and clothes. And I have
noticed that both white und black Teeple who keep busy doing somthing
worth while generally live pretty well. The wide road of crime leads to
jail sooner or later, and I have seen a considerable number land there.
Crine never pays in honest money.
"My marary was bus& washing and ironing clothes for white folks of
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quality when I became old enough to take notice of affairs about our little
home. kly daddy was so keen to
big plantations in the country,
!Daddy was a fine trainer
make a living that he would hire cut on the
if he couldn't get a job in olunbia.
of race horses, and a aood judge of horse
flesh, too. Be was erployed for several emirs on the big plantation of
General Johnson Bagood, in Barnwell county. Be trained the horses so well
that they often won races at 7harleston tracks and at the State Fairs in
Coluabia.
"Daddy worl-ed for General Fagood fror about 187i3 until 1880. He
could come hors soretimee on Sunday to gee *,amay and us children, and it
was always a happy occasion et our house. It was a happy day for all of
us when General ragood came to ,3olumbia late in 1879 to assure the office
of Governor of Flouth Carolina(1880.4992).
"We were pleased because the new governor lad chosen Daddy to drive
his carriage from Barnwell to '3olumbia. Daddy met Larry and re on the
State House steps and hugged and kissed us both.
"'The general told me as we was aomin' along that I ar to work in
the State House, but he never has told re yet what I was to do,' Daddy
told lammy. 'You just waitammy told him, eGeaeral ragood is a an of
his word, and he will not forget you.' 'Yes, Maury, I'm not worried. I
just wanted you to know that 3veryt!ling is '71-1aLht and sunny,' said daddy.
The next day after General raaood became governor, Daddy was appointed
lead Janitor of the State ;louse, and he 2.kyod there ac long as ae oral
"aaooe did.
"You pleased my so much awhile ago when you spoke of ry use of the
English laraucae. I think I'd better tell you know I learned to speak as
well as I do. I began to attend ,2idward school when I was six years old,
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and I studied there for two years. There 2 learned to spell a little,
read a little, and cipher a little, That two years at sohool was all
I bed. but I have kept up my study of books, Jammers, and magazines
to this den whomever I get a Chanel,.
°Boas of tha books and magasinee have helped me in the field of
janitoring. $0' reason fer quitting sehool was due to the fact that
Daddy died when I was thirteen years old, and I felt it was noteesamr,
for ma to welt and help Mammy rake a home for us. Lly reading aided
me, tad working for fine *flits folks further helped me to say what I
had to say so it could be easily understood,
first earni4g work was in carrying white folks' clothes,
whiuh my many had leashed and ironed, to their homes. I was not a big
boy and I'm not a big man, as you see; and white folks often gave me
mall coins for making the trip. Now and then ether white friends got
me to carry a note or a paokago, and they paid me.
"This errandkrunnimg work developed. and I vas seen adding more
to it by selling newspapers an the streets. I was proud to learn later
that the newspapers of Columbia gave me a fine recommendation when they
found out that I had applied Oar a job with T. L. Brown Brothers, big
retail grocers of that dug, who needed a boy to drave a delivery wagon.
I gat that job and hal it for three years. Then I quit and went to
work for the R. B. koKey firm The work vas eimAler to my old job a but
they paid me more money.
*That firm in a two years, booms the B. T4 Hendrix Store. and I
delivered goods far the Hendrix firm until it vent out of business in
1927. I had begun work at the Brom stars at #1.50 a week. and 'hen 2
transferred ti the -(311My store it vas raised to $10 a week. dhen
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Hendrix took the store, they raised ne to $12, and every year a dollar vas
added. In 1927, I was drawing $14 a week.
"I was not idle long after Lr. Hendrix quit. He had told us, fine
flan that he was, that his health forced hie to stee work, and he Lew° us
notice so we could look out for other jobs before the old onesended. I
talked with some of my white friends, and one of them want with me to see
about e job as janitor at the Arsenal Hill Presbyterian Church. During
the next day or two 1 was called as janitor, and I have been here from
1927 to date. I am pleased because I never have been harshly riscrimaeded
for perry work or conduct in the eleven years I have been her.
"This eleveneyeareeld Job, 'which I an lucky enough to hold, keeps
me reasonably busy. The Arsenal Hill Church is not the largest in Coe
lunbia, out it is one of the busiest. There is an average of ene nest—
ine a y at the church or at the Yunday 7chool anrex. The church and
it's annex must be swept and dusted daily. oeetines there are two or
more eeetings ie ineesOrefour hours, and I take pride in keeping the preme
ices as siickeandeepan as possible all the time.
"The office and study of the hew. Dr. S.K. Phillips: are located in
the annex, and I usually nttand to these the first thing in the morning,
before he arrives. Then I sweep and duet the church pews and floors and
return an. attend to the reminder of the unnex. There is plenty of this
sort of wort here over tEe course of a month.
111nadcition, fires eust be built in the furnaces of church end
annex for five or Six months during the fall and winter season. During
tEe gunner period, fame and ice must be looked after. f70 you see, all
told, one must keep going here pretty ree larly to keer the church lant
in apele lie order. This 1 try to do. From the treatract that I usually
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experience from the pastor, his secretary, and the eemberehip of the church,
Ism inclined to think my services are appreciated here. I'm expecting to
get a raise in pay this caving Christmas, if I live. Hints dropped to re
indicates such luck.
"I've been married twice. vy first wife was Ellen Williams. We met
at a church social in 1915, and we courted along for aleost four years.
7ometimes I thought I was hitting in high gear ie my drive for a wife, but,
like as not, at the very next ueeting I had to decide the old car wouldn't
do anything but shimmy. But I wouldn't take no for an answer, and in 1919
U lan and I were earried. 'Ao lived happily until she got sick ir 1927, and
it kept me scratching hard and regular to pay our expensee during her ill-
ness.
"Ellen's folks moved. to Ohio shortly ee-ter we eavried. And, when she
took sick, they wanted her to come to them at ..7incinnati. They wrote us and
said that if she were there they believed the eedicine, tIre climate, and
seecial attention might bring back her health. I asked her if she wished to
eo to then, and she said she would be eowerful elae to eo. But she smiled
et ee and added, dear hubby, sure would hate to leave you behind, and
I keow we could hardly eay for the
expense of e trip for rae.'
"1 was ;lain worried. :Ty white and black friends noticee my werriment
and staked me if I was sice-. By and I told thee whet ea:: trebling me. The
quiet, silent way in which the came to my aid, with dollars, half dollars,
quarter dollars, dimes, end nickels, the next few days, warred my heart for
all huanity. Ellen and I soon left for incireeti. There her folks made
her as corforteble as we cculd afford, and i kissed her and ca. e back to 1ply
work. Ellen didn't improve at :3inci eati. he made a ea,e fieht, but death
clained her in 1-30. I last looked on her face there, where we burned her.
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I came back home sad and wean. I buckled down to work, but it
vas sure lonesome at the end of the day to p hole to nobody. Not 10%
after that I met Wary Young, and vs became friends. In the course of
tire, 1 convinced her that married life ,Ats to happiest of all. Fo
Mary and I were married in 1937. -4 beri our lv,me life in a little
house in the rear of 142E Taylor :trect, clumbia. e still live
there. Lary ie a Lood houeekecTer, and she aids Et) in making a living,
when she gets a chance to work at some of Ue white folks' houses.
"Mary also helps to supply our needs in many little ways that
reckon you wouldn't think of. For instance, ir the see home whore we
live, the yard is small, btA she :,larts sugarcane, permute, Lnd rotstoes
in little corners around the house.
'ho attends tee pinrts like rest
folks look after flowers, and hr thou)ifu1ne5 jr ts r J:ect Loan
thz.t we have sme cod tLina to (lit cz ion L tiner evenings.
JJC
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