Oral history interview:
Video 1 of 7
Link to Playlist: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2355BA874ADC9FC7
Recorded on October 11, 2009, at East Caney Baptist Church, Sulphur Springs TX. The interview conducted by Dr. Shannon Carter. Full video interview 1.02 hour.
Video production made by CLiC (Converging Literacies Center), a part of Texas A&M University-Commerce.
Subject |
East Caney, Sulphur Springs, transportation, Black community, food preservation, agriculture, medicine, healthcare, college, school, supplies, segregation, integration, church |
Description |
Wesley Pryor and Felton Askew are East Caney Community residents. Pryor was born in 1932 and Askew in 1947. They describe the history of the community. It was an agricultural community with its church, school, and shops. Transportation was not convenient on dirt roads; people used wagons. There were only 5-6 cars. People raised pigs, chickens, cows, and grew vegetables for domestic consumption. They produced their own cheese and butter from cow’s milk. Food was kept cool in an ice box or an underground well. An herbal tea was made from pig hooves and cow waste and prairie weeds were used in some homemade remedies. A doctor would only visit in serious cases. They sometimes paid for his service with the food they grew.
Askew went to college but stayed for only one year because he felt that he was so far behind the other students. He then joined the military where he remained for 23 years. Later he worked for the post office in California until he retired.
Pryor grew up in the time when Jim Crow law mandated segregation in all public facilities. After integration, Blacks were welcomed into the public. They cerebrated on the 19th of June every year by having picnics and playing baseball games with nearby cities.
They went to school in the community; it was one room school house. Students adopted used books from the other schools. The Church was the center of the community on Sunday. Marriage ceremonies were done simply at home. |
For more information
Digital Collections, James G. Gee Library.
http://www.tamu-commerce.edu/library/collections/digital/
CLiC (Converging Literacies Center)
http://convergingliteraciescenter.wordpress.com/
National Conversation on Writing
http://ncow.org/site/