(Streamed audio file of interview for this question using RealPlayer)
02/02/1987
This is February 2nd, 1987. This is an interview with Ms. Fenimore at her home.
| Back to "F" Interviews | Index of Interviews | Protocol | Home |
Q: Okay, I want to ask you a question. How many years were you in education as a teacher?
(Streamed audio file of interview for this question using RealPlayer)
A: Does that include the music, too?
Q: Yes ma'am.
A: Forty-seven full-time and seven part-time.
Q: Okay, and as a principal, how many years were you a principal?
A: I'd say about thirty-nine, probably.
Q: Thirty-nine.
A: That is as close as I can get to it.
Q: How many schools did you serve in?
A: Five schools, but I was not principal in the first one. I became principal in the second one.
Q: So principal in four schools.
A: Yes.
Q: Okay, the last school that you served as principal in.
A: Hunterdale Elementary.
Q: Do you want to describe that a little bit?
A: Oh, it is a nice great big brick building and it was just wonderful. We moved from the Spring Building in Sedley because it wasn't quite up to par; and all the teachers and the pupils moved to Hunterdale. And that was it.
Q: Okay. And what years did you serve there as principal?
A: From '65 to '70.
Q: And they called you back in from there.
A: And then I went back for the music.
Q: And you served there in music.
A: Seven more years.
Q: Seven more years. Okay, why did you decide to become a principal?
A: I didn't. The Superintendent decided. The one at Lexington. He said that you have been doing so much work I want you to take the principal's place, and the other principal left anyway.
Q: Okay, when you transferred, you decided to stay in principalship?
A: Well, that was the way I was recommended all the way through.
Q: You had no trouble with that.
A: No, when I came to Southampton County, the Superintendent up there wrote to the Superintendent here all about me, I reckon.
Q: The last school that you served as Principal, what was your school's philosophy?
A: To do the best you can with whatever you have; and whatever you do, do it the best you can.
Q: Now was that your philosophy or the school's.
A: It was mine, but I think it was the school's, also.
Q: Okay, any particular philosophy they had written out or anything. Do you remember?
A: No.
Q: Okay, so how did you develop that policy?
A: By trying to, I tried to treat the children as I would want them to treat each other and me and the teachers. And I did stand behind my teachers.
Q: Okay, how did you create a climate for learning at your school?
A: Well, we had to have discipline. There is no doubt of that. You can't teach without it, but there is a kind of discipline that can be pleasant. And I would say we had mostly that kind of discipline.
Q: Was that something you developed or something that you developed with your teachers?
A: With my teachers, all of us together.
Q: What leadership techniques did you use?
A: More by example than anything else. Of course, I had to see that things went right on the buses and so forth, and the playground.
Q: So you were out with them.
A: Oh yeah, I went out with them some. But before I came to Hunterdale, I was out with them all the time. But when I came to Hunterdale, I had a little bit more to do and we had a coach, so I didn't have to be out on the grounds as much.
Q: Is that true with all five schools, pretty much?
A: Yes, oh yes, I played ball with them all the time.
Q: Is that right? What techniques would you say were successful?
A: Oh, I think the main on, the main two. I would say, are to try to get them to see that every little thing they did they should do the best that they could. That was one of my main philosophies--no matter how small, to do it the very best that they could do it.
Q: Are you talking about the students?
A: I'm talking about the students.
Q: Okay, How about the teachers?
A: Well, the teachers too. I think they used the same philosophy. Most of them, of course, there are exceptions sometimes.
Q: What about unsuccessful techniques? Did you have any that didn't work out to well?
A: Well, sometimes you have a ruling set up that didn't always, doesn't always work. When a parent didn't think, maybe, that you were giving a child justice when you were trying to uphold the principal which we still upheld the principal.
Q: Any unsuccessful techniques with your teachers?
A: Yes, we had to get rid of one.
Q: You don't need to name the person. I just want to ask you that question.
A: We had some that looked for other jobs, but most of them were, we had excellent teachers.
Q: On the ones that weren't successful, I'm just curious for my own information, did you try any leadership techniques yourself on that person to help them out? Or. . .
A: The Supervisor did most of that.
Q: I see. What role did you play in public and community relations?
A: Well, I belong to everything there is to belong to. Do you mean like now?
Q: When you were serving as principal?
A: Well, I was a member of the PTA, of course. I attend that and church. I've worked in the church all the time I have been here. At one time I was a member of the Women's Club but then when I left Sedley, I was no longer a member.
Q: What do you think teachers expect principals to do?
A: I think they expect the principal to stand behind them if they are right. Because, I guess, most of the time they think they are right. And I did stand behind them when I thought they were right, and I think that's important.
Q: Do you think that has changed now since the time that you served as principal?
A: I think parents enter into it more than they use to. But I'm not there, I shouldn't say that, though because I'm not there to deal with that.
Q: In what way?
A: What do you mean?
Q: Do parents enter into it.
A: I think, parents show, maybe, show more interest by attending school and coming to speak, to talk to teachers more than they use to do. And they have those parent teacher conferences now more than they use to.
Q: Do you think that is good or bad?
A: I think that is good. I think it is excellent. I think parents and teachers need to get together on things to understand each other.
Q: How did you evaluate teachers?
A: By their attitudes and by the work they did. Attitude was pretty important.
Q: Did you evaluate them by written?
A: Oh no, no.
Q: Observation.
A: No, no, no, just observation, but we had to supervise them (.?.) regularly and he or she, whichever it was took care of most of that.
Q: So you didn't have to do much.
A: I didn't have to do too much of that sort of thing.
Q: What techniques did you use to make teachers feel important?
A: I gave them things to do which would make them, gave them the feeling of authority that they could do things on their own. I didn't try to dictate what they should do or how they should do if that's what you want, that's what you mean.
Q: I guess there are different ways of making people feel good and that's what I'm getting at.
A: I think I would praise my teachers when they were doing a good job. I always did.
Q: What is your philosophy of education?
A: To do the best you can with what you have. That worked for me. I have always felt that that was an important thing to, to, to teach children. No matter how small, to do it the best you can do it and then when you get to the bigger jobs you do real well. Does that sound sensible?
Q: That sounds sensible. What is your philosophy of teaching?
A: Oh, I loved it. And when I see my students now, I just love to see them. It gives me a real big thrill to see them.
Q: So your philosophy of teaching, is any different than your philosophy- philosophy of--of education.
A: I wouldn't say, I wouldn't say so because I think I--I just feel that education is so important and what it should mean to a child's greater life. To me that--that's important to try to get them to see that.
Q: What is your personal leadership philosophy?
A: Not to be so bossy but to try to lead in the right way and not, you know, not saying that right, am I. I don't mean I was a dictator. But when something didn't go right I didn't mind saying so. And if it went right, I would raise in praise.
Q: What year did you start teach--teaching school?
A: '23.
Q: 1923.
A: Primary teacher.
Q: And became principal when?
A: Let's see. Around '31, I think, I think it was about 1931. It was when I was at that second school. '31 or '32.
Q: What does it take to be an effective principal?
A: Well, I think some of those same things that I have said to--to stand by what you believe and try to do what you think is best regardless of what other people's opinions are.
Q: Do you think you were an effective principal?
A: Well, I will let somebody else say that. I will let somebody else say that.
Q: What pressure did you face as a principal?
A: Well, there were some. I remember one instance. Are you supposed to give instances?
Q: Sure.
A: We had a football team and we had a cheerleading team, cheerleaders and the teacher who was in charge of it had told those children that if they missed more than two practices that they would not be able to be on the cheerleading team. Well, this one little girl did miss them and, it wasn't anything necessary, I mean, she just missed them and the teacher told her she could not cheer anymore. The father came to see me, and by the way, he was a policeman or state cop, he came to me and he said I used to have a lot of respect for you. So I said to him well if it were your job wouldn't you stand behind what you had told the people you would do. He didn't have much answer for that. But anyway he came back in a year or two to visit and told me how glad he was to see me. So I think I did the right thing.
Q: Sounds good. What other pressures would you have as principal as far as your own school is concerned?
A: Ah, we had bus problems occasionally. I remember one day a principal told me that she had eight children misbehaving on the bus and so I called them in and talked to them just as nicely as I could and I said now don't let it happen anymore. Well it happened again and I talked to them again and I said now if it happens anymore I'm gonna to have to paddle you and there it is.
Q: Yeah, it's a good size paddle.
A: And so it happened again, and I had all eight of them to paddle in one day. I was more worn out then they were. I didn't paddle them too hard, I guess, but anyway I did it. I didn't have no more trouble.
Q: Did you have any trouble with the parents?
A: No, not one word, that was a surprising thing. Not a word.
Q: If you had to do it over again, what would you do to better prepare yourself for the principal's job?
A: I don't know. It was just shoved on me so that I had no time for preparation except by just seeing what other principals had done. But I think I did some things a little bit differently than the way some of them had done.
Q: In what way was that?
A: Well, you know, in that poem I was reading, I said one of them was (.?.). She was a Rockbridge, I ought not say that, a Rockbridge person, but anyway she was, she, I don't know how to, she just gave into children too much. I put it that away. She just gave in entirely too much. That's the only way I know how to describe it.
Q: She was a principal?
A: She was a principal.
Q: Before you were.
A: Yes.
Q: I see.
A: I followed her.
Q: You didn't give in that much.
A: Not that much. I wasn't mean. You ask some of my children around here.
Q: How did you handle teacher grievances?
A: I didn't have too many of them, thank goodness. Very few. We worked together beautifully. I don't think any faculty could have worked together any better than we did. We really did. I--I--I-- I can't think of any--any grievances between teachers particularly.
Q: Did you ever fire a teacher?
A: I didn't have that authority.
Q: If you did, would you have fired a teacher?
A: I had one I would have. She was finally fired but I didn't do it.
Q: What happened in that situation? You don't need to give names.
A: She sat in the classroom while she was suppose to be teaching, and was crocheting. Doing things like that. The supervisor found it out so that stopped for the next year.
Q: Was she an experienced teacher?
A: She had been teaching for a few years but I don't think she's teaching now.
Q: I see.
A: She's not too old to teach but I don't think she's teaching now.
Q: How can we improve education today?
A: Good grief! When parents, and teachers, and children can work together. I think that is a big thing and understand each other and understand their goals.
Q: How do you think they can do that?
A: I going to fail this test.
Q: It's not a test.
A: No I think by getting together--attending PTAs for one thing, and attending conferences and things like that and you know we, in older days, we, teachers had to visit homes. I remember on the older report cards, monthly report sheets that we did we had to say how many homes we visited, but, of course, that has all past, but that was good. Because we knew the home life but that is not required anymore.
Q: How can we improve teachers today?
A: Letting them see those same things. The importance of a relationship and the importance of cooperation.
Q: What things do you think our education institution to train teachers the stress of today to improve our teachers?
A: The same thing it seems to me. I think they should--they should certainly stress doing good work and doing their very best, I don't know--I don't know how else to say that.
Q: Okay, how did you handle the Civil Rights Issue?
A: The first--the first child--the first one in Hunterdale--we had one black student sent in by the AHA, and the first child, she was a sweet child, a girl and she cried, and cried and I talked to her but she was sent there and she did, she did pretty well. But then next year one of the colored schools in Franklin (.?.) was completely, completely integrated but we got along alright.
Q: Did you have any trouble?
A: I had one big--one big black boy told me one day he said that no woman is going to tell me what to do. I said well if you are going to stay at this school one is going to tell you what to do. That was the end of that I never heard anything more from him.
Q: How did your teachers handle the Civil Rights issue?
A: I think they did real well. I really do. They realize that it had to come and I think they did--they did a good job and they still do a good job (.?.). There are some lovely black people at Hunterdale, very good.
Q: How about the busing issue?
A: I think it's alright. I don't know of any problems.
Q: How would you have handled the busing issue? Did you have trouble with that?
A: Well, the only thing was that case I told you about. The eight that misbehaved and I had to use the soft spot of that paddle.
Q: I was referring more to the Civil Rights compliance.
A: Oh, I didn't--I didn't have any trouble, I mean that was the only--only incident that I can remember that amounted to anything and they all--those eight were black and white. They were just plain misbehaving.
Q: And you paddled all eight.
A: I paddled all eight of them in one day. And that's the paddle that did it. The Board of Education.
Q: I'm sure glad it wasn't me!
A: The Board of Education that's what is written on it.
Q: What procedure should be used before a person is selected to become a principal? I'm talking about now.
A: I think they should be well educated. I think they should, I think they should be church--going people. They should know how to have proper relations with other people; how to cooperate with other people. I think all of that's important.
Q: In any of your situations where you served as principal, did you have assistant principals?
A: No, never did.
Q: This might be a repetition question, but as a principal, what was your biggest concern?
A: The progress and welfare of the children.
Q: What was your biggest headache?
A: Sure that that took place. Oh me! Are you going to grade me on this?
Q: No, I'm not going to grade you. You're doing fine. What do you think of career ladders for teachers?
A: You mean changing from one career to another or going up the same. . .
Q: Going up the same, looking at the school system.
A: Well, I don't know what the school's, school system does about it now. We used to have classes every now and then on certain subjects but I don't know whether they still do it or not.
Q: They take some courses, I'm sure.
A: Yes, I'm sure they do, I'm sure they do. I know we used to.
Q: Do you think teachers ought to progress unto higher levels of education as far as like in your case when you became principal? Do you think that should come from the teacher's ranks?
A: Well I--I--I think that came from the teacher's rank with me. But I think that all depends on that teacher.
Q: What do you think about merit pay?
A: Merit pay? I don't believe I--I really don't believe I don't know--I think it would cost hard feelings even if it were right. I think it would cost hard feelings. Am I wrong?
Q: I'm--I'm not going to judge you. Every person has different views.
A: It seems that a person who does an excellent job should, maybe, get some merit pay but I still say that I think there would be hard feelings.
Q: Did you have merit pay when you taught?
A: No.
Q: Not in any of your five schools.
A: No, I don't think they had it in this county that I know of.
Q: What do you think of the standards of quality, and that sort of thing established by the State Board--State School Board?
A: They worked the supervisors to death. I know that. I have I still have a friend who is a supervisor and in fact I see him every week. He comes over and visits me, I shouldn't say that (.?.). Anyway, he had to write so much about standards of quality and he said so much of it was not carried out. It was just too much to be carried out, and he wrote and wrote and wrote. It was such a big thing but what they're doing now I don't know.
Q: What do you feel the characteristics associated with effective schools, real good schools?
A: Well, that's some of the same things I've said I know I'm repeating myself I know. I can't help but say that I think an effective, good school is one that puts the progress of the children and their welfare at the top, I think so. I don't think any student can progress if they don't.
Q: Anything else you want to add to that?
A: I don't know anything else to say.
Q: Okay.
A: I've said it all.
Q: What do you think of the testing procedures that we have today such as the SAT's?
A: I don't know much about these. I never had no dealings with them myself. I don't know.
Q: Did you have testing procedures when you taught?
A: Well, we just had the tests the teachers gave, that's all. We had standard, some standard tests, too.
Q: Okay, that's what we are talking about.
A: Oh yeah, yeah, we had the standard tests.
Q: What did you think of those?
A: Well, they were alright, I guess they were alright. I don't think everything should depend on those scores on those standard tests, though. Promotion or anything like that, I don't think should depend on those.
Q: What other factors would you regard if you were in the position to determine--decide on the testing?
A: Oh decide what?
Q: In other words, you said that you don't think testing ought to be the only thing.
A: You mean the state testing that shouldn't be the only thing, I think the teachers testing is the main thing.
Q: I see.
A: That's what I meant.
Q: Okay, what was the single toughest decision you ever had to make as a principal?
A: Oh Lord! Well, as a principal not a teacher.
Q: No, as a principal.
A: That's a tough one. I never had so many big decisions that were so hard to make, really. I really don't know how to answer that.
Q: Got one as a teacher then.
A: Well, I think, that incident with the cheerleader was one of the biggest problems I had.
Q: You were just a teacher then.
A: No I was the principal. I was the principal but I was not the teacher who had charge of it but I had to handle it.
Q: Not too comfortable.
A: Well, I felt like I was doing what I should do because the teacher had told her that if you missed that many times she just had to do it and she had to stand behind what she had said and I had to stand behind her.
Q: When you served as a principal, were you a manager of a building or an instructional leader?
A: Both in a way, of course, we had janitors, had janitors, but the administrative crew would come over and check, you know, and everything.
Q: Were you the boss?
A: We had a maintenance man in the county.
Q: Were you his boss, as far. . .
A: No I wasn't his boss but I would tell him when I needed something or when ever there were needs we would communicate with the office.
Q: What was your key to success as a principal?
A: I don't know whether I was successful or not. I think I have to repeat myself again. I think the fact that I was pushing child welfare and cooperation more than anything else. I think would be it.
Q: Do you think you were successful?
A: I don't know, I wouldn't say I was successful, I wouldn't say that I would have to let somebody else decide that.
Q: Not even for $64,000.
A: Well, I have heard some mighty nice things said to me but I don't repeat them.
Q: What was your own Code of Ethics as a principal?
A: To treat everybody fairly. I have said that so many times but I still think.
Q: What are your feelings about the responsibility of the principal for identifying and developing future school administrators?
A: Well, I know teachers and principals both are always criticizing administrators, but I don't know whether it was always well--based or not because what would please one wouldn't please the other. I don't think teachers should have anything to do with that.
Q: Do you think as a principal that you have a responsibility to identify teachers who might make good principals?
A: If I was asked, I think so, but I have never been asked to do that.
Q: Did you when you were administrator or principal of your school did you find any teachers in your system that you thought would make good principals?
A: I think so. I think there have been some.
Q: Did you say anything to them?
A: No--No, because all that came through the office. I didn't have anything to do with that.
Q: Okay, here's one. Describe your typical work day in terms of how you spent your time.
A: Are you talking as principal?
Q: Yes ma'am.
A: Remembering that I taught every year except for the last year I was principal. That was the only year I didn't teach anything. A typical work day would be greeting children that came in with tummy aches to the office. Or it would be answering notes that teachers would send up. It would be answering the telephone. I had a secretary though that did so much of that stuff the whole time. I had a secretary--when I was--the whole time I was principal because I couldn't have done it and done the teaching too. I remember the first year I was principal up here I taught full--time. I didn't have any spare time and I have to be called to the telephone every little bit, so one day I said well I gonna count how many times I had to go; it was thirteen. I thought, well, that would never do. Each year I taught a little less until. . .
Q: We were on the question--I asked you how you spent your typical day at work. How did you spend your day--most of your time--when you were principal your last year when you didn't have teaching responsibilities?
A: I had the children that had any medical problems they would come to the office and I would take care of that. Going to the nurse (.?.) Bandage (.?.) The secretary took care of that. Keeping records and getting reports ready.
Q: Did you spend most of your time in the office?
A: I did the last year. I did some visiting in the rooms. (.?.)
Q: How do you account for your success as an administrator?
A: (.?.) I--I did, I repeating myself over and over. But you asked me how I account for my success (.?.).
Q: What caused you to choose retirement when you did?
A: Age. I had no choice. I had no choice.
Q: Did they force you to retire?
A: Yes.
Q: And you stayed in music for how long.
A: Seven years.
Q: Seven years.
A: I did six then skipped one for surgery and did another one and stopped.
Q: Do you go back to the school now at all?
A: Yeah, I go the first, yeah, I was there this morning. I go the first of the month to help them do the monthly reports, attendance reports. I've been doing it ever since I stopped up there.
Q: As a volunteer?
A: Yeah, all of us volunteer.
Q: Keep your hand in the pile.
A: Yeah, that's right--and they are so nice to me. I went in there this morning and I said I asked a favor of you and they did these songs for me. So I was so glad I had one that you could get one.
Q: I appreciate that very much.
A: They've been very nice to me. It does make me feel that I'm not entirely useless. But I go as a pink lady at the hospital five or six times a month. And I go to the nursing home, East Pavilion, and play sing along once a month. So I stay pretty busy along with Retired Teachers Meetings; Delta Kappa Gamma, I'm a member of that. So I keep fairly busy.
Q: Your piano playing skills sure are great. I enjoyed the song we sang awhile ago.
A: Thank you. I tried to look at the words and I missed some of the notes. I didn't do a very good job.
Q: You did a super job.
A: I played for Sunday School at the Methodist Church in Sedley. I can't wait to take that cowbell and whistle out there when I go back.
Q: I think they are going to like that very much. I'm glad you are not going to give up your original whistle.
A: I told a best friend of mine in Sedley this morning after I came home I told her I had brought this cowbell and whistle and I said I wondered how I could get them out there. She said for goodness sakes wait until you could be there yourself. I can't be there next Sunday because my guests are coming and I'm not going next Sunday and she said wait and take it yourself because I think it will be so much fun for you to present it yourself. I said alright just as you say, so I'll take it Sunday week. I want to see what they gonna do with that cowbell.
Q: It will be interesting, won't it.
A: It will.
Q: What have I not asked you that I should have asked you on this tape?
A: I think you have asked me everything you could have asked me. I don't think you have missed a trick. You didn't ask me if I love teaching but I did and I've missed it but I don't want to get back in it. (.?.)
Q: Did you love being a principal?
A: Uh-uh, very well.
Q: Understand you might have a poem you want to share and I like for you to read that if you would. I going to record it.
A: My Teaching Career Way back in 1923, young and much afraid, To the Valley of Virginia my way I shakily made. Mr. Richard Irving was our Superintendent there In good ole Rockbridge County, Mountain beauty rare. I was to become a teacher in a little two room school. I worked with grades one through three and teach them every rule. The little school was called Alone down by a rippling creek. The kiddies rode their ponies or walked while their learning they did seek. Five happy years I spent there with Douglas and then Crabtree. (They were the principals.) Those days alone I can't forget, They meant so much to me. I made a move in '28, to Palmer on Buffalo, with Morrison, Reed (.?.) I stayed a year or so. I started with grades four and five, The principal then was Slough. Emily Boulifant came the following year, She was quite a lady I vow. I later went up to grades five and six, Then the principal's place I rose. This position was quite new to me and kept me on my toes. There were Johnston, Weeks, and Deacon, Montgomery and Shanner, too. We found ourselves quite busy there was so many things to do. Then into Lexington I moved and lived with Ellen and Frank, we drove out to Palmer every day through weather sometimes rank. It was in 1936 that the Southampton I made my way. After an interview with Mr. Jenkins, it seem I was here to stay. Blackcreek was my destination, A little three room affair. I taught the fifth and sixth grades and served as principal there. I boarded with the Drewrys, it was a delightful place to be. After two years with them. my mother came to live with me. We found a small apartment with the Roskins at Blackcreek. Mr. Roskins was the minister there and he preached to us every week. During my stay at Blackcreek, Mr. Jenkins changed his base, He was destined for the State Board and Mr. Watkins took his place. After six years at Blackcreek, I came to Sedley town. There for twenty-three years I laid my belongings down. At Sedley there were Rawlings and Bailey, Bessie Dickens and Johnson too, We worked together for many years, a very cooperative crew. We had apartments at Ducks and Owens, Then a little house brand new. Then from there we moved to Turners, There was nothing left to do. At Turners we lived for twenty-two years. That you see was quite a stay. But sadness came during that time when in '59 my mother passed away. Then Mr. Watkins retired. Mr. Hager took his place. His stay, however, was rather snort. Then came Mr. Trice's smiling face. When Sedley closed its doors, and Hunterdale came into view. Again I made a move as did pupils and teachers too. Supervisors have come and gone Puckett, Harrison and Hall, But Mr. Powell is the one that I liked best of all. For five years I worked at Hunterdale t'was a pleasant place to be. But it all stopped in 1970 when 65 caught up with me. So in May of 1970 the Parent Teacher Association set aside a night for me, t'was quite a celebration. My friends of mine did congregated, many friends of mine did congregated my what a time we had. So many kind words were said I hadn't time to be sad. Retirement came not only for me but for Mr. Trice as well, And Mr. Harver then was called to Courtland town to dwell. And Mr. Trice knew how I felt with nothing definite to do. He said the music here at Hunterdale is just the job for you. In '73 I made a move to Scottswood I did go. I bought myself a little house quite close to school you know. For six years we played and sang and we had lots of fun. But bad fortune came in '76 and sent me on the run. But God has been so good to me and he has brought me through, So I hope to pray and sing again as he would have me do. Now session '77-'78 is drawing to a close, I feel it's time to retire again how I miss it no one knows. I've loved working with the children as they have sung along, For there's nothing quite so sweet as children's voices raised in song. I hope I can keep busy and not sit around and mope. I try to be of some use somehow that will be my only hope, So many thanks to all of you for all that you have done. To make my years so pleasant now I'll be on the run. There's been another little test which I really like to do, When at the first of every month registers and reports come into view. And I think if I'm needed available I try to be, When the first of the month rolls around, if they're not tired of seeing me, so I'll be there tomorrow morning.
Q: Fantastic, I appreciated you sharing that. You left out one verse but I'm not going to ask you about that.
A: I know that. I did. Had so many people's names in it. Of course, no one would know who they are, but anyway.
Q: Before we close the interview want to ask where you went to school? I never asked you.
A: Longwood.
Q: Longwood College.
A: I graduated Suffolk and then I went to Longwood and I came so near not doing that I came so near taking secretary course and a friend of mine came along she said Ethel come and go to Farmville with me that it was State Normal School for Women then. Because I graduated in '22. And she talked me into. And the first year I went through summer and of course, I didn't get a school so. I thought I believe I like that. So I came home and I worked in the Drug Store that next winter and the next summer I went back to Farmville and that year I got my school in Rockbridge County. And I have been I taught ever after that. I wouldn't stop and go to school in the winter I kept right on teaching and went to school summertime until I got my degree.
Q: Fantastic! I appreciate you sharing this time with me.
A: Well, I hope my answers have been fairly sensible. I--have they been alright?
Q: They've been fine.
A: You wouldn't kid me.
Q: No.
A: You wouldn't kid me.
Q: I tell you if it wasn't. I enjoyed meeting with you and your cake was good and your hospitality was super. And I appreciate you taking this time.
A: Well, it was nice to meet you. Margaret Anne told me what a fine fellow you were.
Q: Flattery will get you everywhere. Thank you very much.
A: You're certainly welcome.
| Back to "F" Interviews | Index of Interviews | Protocol | Home |