How Times Have Changed

by Maren Ward

The year? 1927. The date? December 27. That was the day Doris Belcher was born in Kimball, West Virginia. Doris is my wonderful grandmother. More fortunate than most at the time, she grew up in a large two-story home with her parents and one younger sister. Life seemed simpler then. Without much technology children did more to create their own fun. Religion was a greater deal then; people aren’t as committed now. Most of life has become more technologically advanced; however, these changes are for better and for worse.

The coal mining center of 
Kimball, WV, in 1935

Television always makes fun of the elderly. Shows have characters tell stories of walking 10 miles in the snow to get to school. Well, my grandmother actually did walk across town through inclement weather to get to school. She remembers walking over bridges, creeks, and a few hills every morning, but in West Virginia no one expected any less. At this point everyone who could go to school would. The schools were very small. This one, in particular, was a little square building holding classes for grades one through nine. After graduating ninth grade, one would travel several miles by bus to get high school everyday.

Kimball, WV, in 1963

A child growing up in the American South couldn’t be picky. Children needed to be creative and use the resources they had. As small items were significantly cheaper, kids were usually spending spare change on an ice-cream soda. Doris and her friends would each find ten to twenty five cents and see a movie on the weekends. Candy ranged from one cent -- my grandmother refers to these as “penny candies”-- to five cents usually. Selling old milk bottles was how they would obtain their money. The main form of technology was the radio. When a good show would come on the radio, it was normal for all the youngsters to gather round to listen. Otherwise, considering this was mountain area West Virginia, children would make picnics and hike up the small mountain areas for fun, much different from today. However, one precise memory my grandmother had intrigued my interest. “There was a tree outside my window. My girlfriends and I would climb out the window, on to the roof, and sit there picking and eating cherries,” she said. Without phones, iPods, and tablets, life was fine; in fact, I honestly believe it was more fun!

Many people from that generation would agree that religion was, and still is, very important to most families. Parents were very strict in keeping the day of the Sabbath sacred. No one cooked or cleaned, and children didn’t go out on most Sundays. No movies, no trips to the store, nothing! Concerning punishment with these subjects it was very brutal. If children didn‘t do what was expected, they were punished. Typically, parents were not afraid to spank their kids. My grandmother, trying to preserve her old family traditions, rarely goes out or cooks on Sunday. Most southerners in this generation were raised being very religious and well mannered. As a result, their children are raised just the same.

“Things have changed, but I like some of the changes,” she told me when asked how times are different and if she believes it to be beneficial or not. “Television, washing machines, dish washers, are all good changes. I just will never understand computers and what they do,” she concluded with a small giggle. The South has progressed a lot since my grandmother was raised in Kimball. Listening to some of her stories I wish my friends and I went on picnics together after buying “penny candies.” Times are different, but it’s all a part of growing up. We southerners need to pass down our experiences and traditions so they may live forever.

Work Cited

Belcher, Doris. Personal interview. 5 Feb. 2013.



Note: Maren Ward is pursuing an associate of arts degree at Sandhills Community College. She plans to transfer in fall 2013 to UNC-Charlotte or Elon University.

A Reaper of What She Has Sown

By A. Michelle McLeod

When you think of the South, what comes to mind?  Do barbeques and pig pickin’s come to mind? Do fried foods come to mind? Southern churches with long-winded preachers? When I think of the South, I remember my own experiences, places I’ve visited, people I’ve met, and television shows I’ve watched that poorly depict the South. I live in Vass, NC, that has lots of dirt roads and dead ends. The neighborhood where I’ve lived for many years has barely any traffic, and only the main road is paved.

When I was a child around the age of two, I began sneaking from my home that was down a hill on a dead end dirt road to my neighbor’s home across the paved road.  In my small town, no one thought twice about a child being harmed by a stranger. No one was a stranger. No one needed to include a last name when referring to someone who lived in Vass. Doors were kept unlocked all day and night. Years have passed and my former neighbor often tells me stories of things I did as a child, and we laugh at my innocence and curiosity. Neither my neighbor nor I knew at the time of my childhood that we would come together years later in a different setting.

On February 22, 1945 in Dunn, NC, a child was born to Lilly Yates, aged 19. The child was named Mary Elizabeth Yates. Shortly after Mary was born, her mother developed tuberculosis and died. Before her death, Lilly requested that Mary be adopted by her best friend. In those years, family members and friends could be appointed guardian of a child without any brows raised or any questions asked. It was assumed that a relative or a close friend would take over guardianship in the event that the birth parents were not able to do so. Mary’s adopted mother didn’t have any children so Mary was an only child. Mary’s adopted mother worked as a housekeeper where she cleaned, cooked, and cared for a child the same age as Mary. The family Mary’s mother worked for was a white family and although the family had no black neighbors or friends, the family treated Mary and her mother no different than their own race. Mary and the child her mother cared for played together while Mary’s mother cleaned and cooked.

At age six, Mary’s adopted mother was no longer able to care for her so Mary was sent to live with her maternal grandmother in Southern Pines, NC. Mary was heartbroken but eventually grew to like the new living arrangement. A young girl four years Mary’s elder also lived with Mary’s grandmother. The young girl’s mother had also passed. The two girls grew fond of each other and soon referred to each other as sisters. Mary’s grandmother was a very religious woman with strict rules. As a teenager, Mary and her sister were required to work in the local cotton and tobacco fields. Mary also worked as a babysitter to many families. It wasn’t unusual for a young girl to babysit. Work came as a priority over school. The school Mary attended was segregated. The grades ranged from K-12. In the South education wasn’t as important as providing for a family. Even though school started in August, Mary and other students didn’t attend until harvest season was over in late September to October. The teachers understood and would never count any of the missed days against the students whose families made them work in the fields.

No matter what the season, Mary had to tend to the family’s food supply. The family’s food supply consisted of hogs and chickens. The hogs were fed slop and fattened up with table food and other scraps and later became the main course for Sunday dinner. The chickens laid eggs that were used for breakfast and used in many delicious dishes. Many families in the 1950s often had to find other ways along with working to provide food for their household. Mary’s family owned a garden which harvested corn, okra, peas, string beans, lima beans, tomatoes, watermelons, and peanuts. As Mary’s school age was coming to an end, her grandmother allowed her to date, but she still had to abide by strict rules. Mary later married, but her jobs still consisted of working in tobacco fields and gardens, and raising chickens and hogs. Field workers had to work from sunup to sundown with an hour or less for lunch.

Mary always attended church, was involved in many programs, and was a member of the choir. Mary always felt like she didn’t fit in with the other children who were more promiscuous because of her religious morals that were reinforced by her grandmother. Mary continued to feel the same well into her adult life and approached her pastor. She was taken under her pastor’s wing and later was ordained as a minister. After obtaining the position as a minister for a few years, Mary was ordained as an elder and began to preach at various churches around NC. After being ordained as a pastor a few years, Mary felt that it was time she spread her wings and establish a church of her own. Being down-to-earth and having a kind heart was what made many people draw near to Mary. Mary’s Christian faith and morals were what Mary continued to cling to no matter what obstacles she had to face, and many wanted to learn what it was that made her steadfast and unmovable. Many wanted to learn how to be like Mary. Mary was ordained as an apostle after being a pastor of her own church for eleven years.

I have been a member of Mary’s church for a little over a year. Along with the Bible lessons, life lessons are also included in many sermons. I have learned a lot from Mary about hard work and faith. I have learned that faith and work go hand-in-hand. Many people don’t think about what earlier generations had to endure just to have food on the table. Many people, including myself, have never experienced working the fields, gardens, and hog pens. Interviewing Mary gave me a new insight and respect for her and earlier generations’ hard work and faith that hard work will eventually pay off.

Work Cited

Kelly, Mary. Personal interview. 24 Jan. 2013.



Note: A. Michelle McLeod, who lives in Vass, NC, is pursuing a degree in medical office administration at Sandhills Community College. She also is employed at Peak Resources Pinelake in Carthage, NC.