Ruth H. Beggs interview with Edna Mae Kemp (part two)

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. This is part two of a two part recording; it begins with Edna Mae Kemp performing three untitled songs about death. At 6:37 Edna Mae Kemp talks briefly about her children and then sings two short hymns: Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me and Coming Home (Ive Wandered Far Away From God). At 9:26 she reads riddles. At 24:37 Kemp describes her education as an African American child at a one room schoolhouse. Classes often contained 35 to 40 children, each child used a slate with a white crayon, and they were taught spelling, arithmetic, writing, geography, and English. The school occasionally offered handicraft classes like basketmaking. Next she recalls games that the students played during recess, such as jump rope and hopscotch. She also talks about the irregular school schedule because some children worked in the cotton fields during planting and harvesting seasons. Some children walked three or four miles to school and back. At 32:54 Kemp tells a supernatural story about when her father and his first cousin went hunting. She also claims that her family owned a mule that could sense ghosts. At 35:10 she sings Farther Along. At 39:51 Kemp recalls courting practices, specifically how couples often went on dates in groups instead of individually. She then talks about the clothing she wore, specifically long dresses with ruffles. At 43:04 she sings Frankie and Johnny and discusses the famous Mary Phagan murder case in which Leo Frank, a Jewish factory owner, was charged with the murder of thirteen year old Mary Phagan. The trial was sensational, and when Governor Slaton commuted Franks death sentence to life imprisonment, he was kidnapped and lynched in Marietta. Kemp says that she lived near some of Phagans family. At 44:04 they briefly discuss crocheting and childrens games, such as Kick the Can, Red Rover, and May I, and quilting and quilting parties. At 51:56 the two talk about the measles vaccine, chicken pox, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, and the increasing number of automobile accidents. At 56:00 the topic shifts to produce and farming, specifically strawberries and the best time to plant in relation to Good Friday. Kemp concludes by describing how she made potash soap and red devil lye. Edna Mae Kemp (1904-1975) was a teacher married to George Kemp (1903-1972), who served as a deacon at Sardis Baptist Church in Kennesaw, Georgia. The couple had nine children, one of whom also served as a deacon at Liberty Hill Baptist Church. African American spirituals; Scarlet fever; Farming; FOLKLORE COLLECTING PROJECT ENGLISH 307 PROFESSOR JOHN BURRISON MAY 7, 1968 RUTH H. BEGGS Good ~je~Yol I ! """' Plrl't:\} \:::J My first attempts at folklore collecting were rather discouraging; two tries brought two polite, but very firm refusals. First I approached the Dean Brothers; at the Dean Brothers Bus Station in Woodstock, having been directed there by the pharmacist in Keenam's Drug Store. This looked like an ideal place to begin. There were several men, all who,appeared to be in their mid-sixties, sitting in straightbacked chairs in front of the bus station. The station itself was a small, dusty store which sold bottled Cokes and potatoe chips and was situated on the main street in Woodstock. r asked for Mr. Dean and one of the Dean brothers listened politely to my request, then he called his brother over; I explained my mission a secondl time and then was told they were unable to help me. They explained that a few weeks ago a woman newspaper reporter had written a story on the bus station and by the use of dialect had made them look like a bunch of ignorant, uneducated folk. r tried to explain the scholarly nature of my visit, but they were firm in their refusals, so r thanked them for their time and hastily withdrew. r next deci~ded on the neighborly approach and set out to visit one of my near neighbors. The road r live on, Hawkins Store Road, is a link between Bells Ferry Road and Canton Highway. Like many of the roads in northern Cobb County, it contains houses of all types. My end, from Canton Highway to Noonday Creek, consists of custom built brick ranch style homes in the sixteen to twenty-four thousand dollar range."Across the creek there are several older, well-kept farm houses, and on down the road, close to Bells Ferry Road are more brick ranch houses on the left and Shiloh Hills on the right. Thus it is entirely possible, in a two mile drive down my road to find a four thousand dollar house, a thirty thousand dollar house, or any price range in between the two. Wild plums and black berries can be found along the road and only the sounds of crickets, an occassional rooster, or the mournful low of a cow disturb one's sleep at night. Last summer r often walked my dog Wendy down past the creek, up the hill on the other side, past the house of Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, then turned around and 2 walked back home. In the early spring, Mr. Rogers, who must be in his upper sixties, can be seen plowing the land that borders his neat, white frame house. He usea an old hand plow and a mule to prepare the land for the corn he plants each year. When I visited Mrs. Rogers she said, IINo, I don't remember any old stories or riddles, and I don't sing.n She did mention some of the older famlies down the road who might be of some help to me, but I dectcded to try the egg lady first. I was surprised when I drove up into her yard. On my last trip to her house over year ago, the trip had to be made over a dusty, rutted dirt road. But this time I traveled on a sleek, gleeming black snake, complete with bright yellow and white stripes. Chastain Road now was a main route from Bells Ferry Road to the new Kennesaw Junior College. Mrs. Kemp was home and seemed pleased to have a visitor. When told of my quest, she said, "Yes, I remember lots of old songs." So we sat and talked awhile and she mentioned that her younger sister had had a heart attack and died a week before. She talked about the songs that had been sung at the funeral and how the family didnlt want to use the songs she selected because they were "too sad'l On one of my later visits she sang one of these songs for me. All of my trips to see Edna Mae Kemp were pleasant and informal. r was constantly amazed at the energy and intelligence of this sixty-four year old grandmother and I gained most of my information in random conversation, rather than by asking specific questions. r returned two days later (April 3) with my tape recorder, and Edna Mae was ready for me. The songs she sang dealt mostly with death, not that she was in a depressed mood, but the recent death of her sister had caused her to recall many of the old songs. When asked about titles"she said that the first line of the song was the only title she knew. Edna Mae was not the least bit mike-shy, in fact, she rather enjoyed performing and when I played some of the songs back for her she said," Lord, r sound just like a white lady." The first song she sang r have not yet been able to locate in any of the collections of songs. Tape: This old world is a mean world, to have to live in, you've got to stay here until you die. 3, This old world is a mean world, to have to live in, you've got to stay here until you die. \V_\O\J1') Without a father, without a mother, without a sister, ora brother, you've got to stay here until you die. This old world is a mean world, to have to live in, you've got to stay here until you die. This old world is a mean world, to have to live in, you've got to stay here until you die. Without a father, without a mother, without a sister, ora brother, you've got to stay here until you die. That's just part of that one, I can't member -- now I'll sing one of those others, other ones. Must I start on the other? Me: Uh-huh. Edna Mae: I had a lovin~ mother, she's gone on longa before. The very last word I heard my mother say, she was knocking at heaven door. She's now in glory, I believe. She's now in glory, I believe. Sabbotll hava no end. I had a lovint father, he's gone on longa before. The very last word I heard my father say, He was knocking ~t heaven door. He's now in glory, I believe. He's now in glory, I believe. Sabbotll hava no end. I had a lovin( sister, she's gone on longa before. The very last word I heard my sister say, She was knocking at heaven door. She's now in glory, I believe. She's now in glory, I believe. Sabbotll hava no end. Edna Mae: raise so good." I 4 I had a loving brother, he's gone on longa before. The very last word I heard my brother say, he was knocking at heaven door. He's now in glory, I believe. He's now in glory, I believe. Sabbot"hava no end. ( I found a song which resembled the above in Slave Songs of the United States, No. 89. I wanted to find this one because I was not sure if I understood the last line of the song. I thought the last line should be, " Sadness hava no end," but Edna Mae consistently sang it as "Sabbot". The song in the collection read, "Sabbath has no end.") Edna Mae: This is another song though: My mother she's gone, she's gone, she's gone, to enter at the golden gate. Don't let it be said, too late, too late, to enter at the golden gate. My father he's gone, he's gone, he's gone, to enter at the goldon gate. Don't let it be said, too late, too late, to enter at the golden gate. My sister she's gone, she'~ gone, she's gone, to enter at the goldon gate. Don't let it be said, too late, too late, to enter at the golden gate. My brother he's gone, he's gone, he's gone, to enter at the golden gate. Don't let it be said, too late, too late, to enter at the golden gate. (After this song, Edna Mae settled back in her chair and sighed. In response to this gesture, I said, "Tires you out, huh?") Yes, it dol I don't have too much voice for singin h They say after you many children, my sister used to speak about- say, "You use to could sing say, "Talki.nl to so many children so much." (laughed) Me: You do kind of talk yourself deaf with them. They're something else. Uh, nine of them thoughl My four drive me crazy. Edna Mae: Me: Ma'am? I said, flNine of them though, my four drive me crazy." Edna Mae: But I think these last children, they, even in the same family -- they more trouble then the first children. Look like they do more different. Me: Edna Mae: They get worse as they go along. Uh,huh, yeah, each twenty, each century they -- I think if there's twenty years difference in them, they -- the last ones that come along are different. I say, "Some of my first ones are born i.n the other century and these last ones come in the last one (laughed) later one. Me: Well, now they've got cars and everything else to run away with. Edna Mae: Yeah, sure have. Me: Do any of yours go up to this college up here? Did any of them go out there? Edna Mae: No, my children went to Atlanta. All my children is out of school. I've got one, a nurse. And she went, she finished school in Booker T. Washington in Atlanta and she took a course, nurses course, and came down there. But my children went to Lemon Street down here in Marietta. No, she was wanting to take theM last two degrees of nursing up here at this college but I don't think she have no room because they couldn't take I think from thirty to fifty, giving nurses courses, last degrees of nursing, you know. She said she was late sending in and she afraid somebody all ahead of her.. And they give the courses down in DeKalb too. And she said she might would have to go down there. What about that that "Rocks of Ages"? That, that's a kind of -- they sing that now, don't they? Me: Yes, that's a good one. Edna Mae: Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. Let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side-uh flood. Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. (This old farmiliar song was sung to a tune unlike the one I was used to. Mrs. Kemp is often called upon to speak in church, and her husband, Geor.ge Kemp, is a deacon at Sardis Baptist Church in Kennesaw. One of her five sons is also a deacon, but he serves at Liberty Hill Baptist Church. Edna Mae: I wandered far away from God, now I'm comin!; home. The path of sin too long I've trod, Lord, I'm coming home. Comin[C home, comin' home. Ne-ever more to roam. Open wide thine arms of love, Lord, I'm cominl home. That's a song they sung when I -- baptize em. (This song was standard in both words and tune. This was one of Edna Mae's favorite songs. She said this was the song they sang when she was baptized fifty years ago. Church was a very important part of her life and the songs Mrs. Kemp sang were of a religious nature .;I asked if she could recall any superstitions or haunt stories and she said, "No, I never paid much mind to supers:\litions." She did recall one about going around the house when your baby was two weeks old, but she said she didn't think it did too much good. Edna Mae said she would try to remember some more old songs and stories for my next visit. 6 My next trip to see Mrs. Kemp was on the 15th of April and this time she was ready for me. She had written down four or five pages of riddles in anticipation of my next visit. I must admit I was a little alarmed; I worried that she might have copied them from a book just to help me out, but she said they were ones she remembered they used to tell. The living room where we sat was warm and homey. There were proud pictures of the family, a table filled with drag racing trophies won by her two youngest sons, and the bulky, over stuffed furniture that always reminded me of my childhood. The fragrance of homemade vegetable soup drifting from the kitchen served to complete the illusion that I had some how managed to escape back into time. Tape: Why is life some -- one Because we Ii? of the gr~test riddles? all have to give it up. What beats a good wife? A bad husband. What is that which walk with it's head down? A nail in the shoe. What we all require, what we occat;ionally give, but what we do not like to take, or what we very seldom ever take is-advi.ce. fJ'.PJ gave,? a knife. Why did Adam bite the apple that Eve Because he did not have What is that which is full of holes, but yet hold water? A sponge. What did Adam and Eve do when they were expelled from the garden of Eden? They raised Cain. Why are washer women foolish? They put out tubs to catch the soft water when it rains hard, Hard water. Me: Yeah, that's true, isn't it? Edna Mae: Uh, huh. What is the difference between a lady and a postage stamp? One is a female, and the other is a mail fee. Me: I've never heard of that one. Edna Mae: 7 Why is ivy like a bad woman? Because the closer she cling, clings, the grater the ruin. (laughed) What is the difference between a jailer and a watchmaker? One sells a watch, and the other watch, 'J the cells. Why should soldiers be very tired on the first day of April? Because they have just made a march of 31 days. What flowers are there between a woman's nose and her chin? Her t~70-lips. Of what time was Adam married? Upon his wedding E:ve. whlth is the coldest river? The Icets River. ( I have been unable to find this one.) What part of a fish is like the ending of a book? The finish. Why does a man permit hisself to be henpecked? Because he is chicken-hearted. ( fCeef') What is that which you can give, after giving it to someone else? Your word, you can keep~our word after you give it to somebody else. Me: Uh, huh. Edna Mae: If your uncle's sister is not your aunt, what relation is she to you? Your mother. What is that from which the word whole is taken and some will remain? Wholesome, the word wholesome. Use me well and I am everybody's, scratch my back and I am nothing. A mirror. Why was Goliath much astonished when he was hit on the head? Because he had never been hit on the head that way before. Which is the oldest piece of furniture in the world? The multiplication table. Who was the first that bore arms? Adams. Who was the fastest runner in the human race? Adam, because he was the first man. Where was Adam going when he was in his thirtieth-ninth year? He was going to his fortieth year. How many sides are there to a tree? Two sides. Tape cont.: Why shouldn't a man never tell his secrets in a field of corn? Because there are so many ears ~n the field of corn that they would be shocked. What day of the year does a woman talk the least? The shortest day. What are the three letters that turn a girl into a woman? Age. (She spoke, rather then spelled the word.) Why are the pages of a' book like the days of a man? Because they are numbered. lvhat did Adam first set in the garden of E ve or Eve? His foot -- garden of Eden, I said Eve -- his foot. 8 Which is the strongest day in the week? Sunday, because all the rest of the days are weak days. (The noises in the background are being made by my three sons. I had to bring them along and they were outside playing.) Uh, what man had no father? Josh-u-a, the son of none. What is the longest word in the English langu~ge? Smile~ because you can take the first letter off and the last lett;r, and that will leave a mile between,each word. Which travels with grater speed, heat or cold? Heat, because you can catch a cold, but you can't catch heat. What three actscQmpr:lSi):\the chief business of a woman's liille? Attract, detract, and contract. Why are two apples alike, when are two apples alike? When paired they are alike. Why are a little dogs tail like the heart of a tree? Because it is fartherest from the bark. Why is a pretty young lady like a wagon wheel? Because she is surrounded by fellows -- it's spelled two ways, F ELL 0 WS, fellows -- F E L 0 0 S, fellows. What roof covers the tenant of a noisy tenant? The roof of the mouth. What is that which never asks any questions and yet requires many answers? A doorbell. Why is that which never, which never used it's teeth for eating purposes? A comb. What is that which you can not hold 10 minutes although it, although it is light as a feather? Your breath. Tape cont.: Why is a kiss like a rumour? Because it goes from person to person. (laughed) What man do most men admire? A wo-man. Why is a little dog biting his tail like a good manager? Because he makes both ends meet. What is the difference between a lover and his rival? One kisses the miss, and the other misses the kiss. What was the first bet ever made? Was the alphabet. 9 What is that which is brought to the table, often cut, but never eaten? A pack of cards. (She laughed here at the antics of my youngest son.) What is that which no man ever yet did see, which never was, but ever yet to be? Tomorrow. What is, what is always behind time? The back of a watch. What is the best way to keep water out of the house? Don't pay the water tax. Why is the sun like a good loaf of bread? Because it is light when it first rises. What is that which is neither flesh nor skin, has five -- one thumb and four fingers? A glove. Which is the smallest bridge in the world, in the world? The bridge of the nose. How long did Cain hate Able? As long as he was able. What is that which is brought by the yard and used by the foot? The carpet. What belonged to yourself but is used by your friends more than by yourself? Your name. How do bees dispose of their honey? They sell it, C ELL, sell it. What is it which if you name it, you even break it? Silence. Tape cont.: When does a leopard change his spots? When he goes from place to place. When does a man have to keep his word? When no one else will take it. 10 All during the taping session, the papers being held by Edna Mae could be heard in the background. She seemed to be much more at ease when singing, or talking of the old days then when she was recording the riddles. When Mrs. Kemp sang, she relaxed completely and'seemed to welcome the opportunity to sing all the old songs. When the last riddle was finished, I gathered up my group and made an appointment for the next day. I got quite a surprise the next afternoon. I asked Mrs. Kemp to tell me about i2. some of her school experiences and she proceded to tell me about Fort Valley State Teachers. I had been interested in stories about the one room school house she attended as a child. I didn't even know she had been to college and taught for a few years. It turned out that she had taught at Red Rock School in the early 1920 1s, children, ~J\~"'\I\ and after she was married and had several she taught for a brief time during the depression because her husband could only make seventy-five cents a day and she could earn ten dollars a week as a teacher. We discussed this for a while, and then I again asked about her school experiences, but this time specified one room school house. Tape, Edna Mae: And we would have a slate in the school, you know- to write, have our arithmetic, and have it written on(one\~h)of these slates. We'de have white crayon, old timey white crayon, and when we have arithmetic, we would write that on that, maybe on English, we'de write it on that, and uh, different others studies. Anything that we could write, we'w0uld have it on the old slate, grat big old board. Just like a big old plaque with a something you could write with, white crayon. You could mark on that slate, and it would write white where you could understand everything. And we would play hiding seek and uh would play uh rope with the, you know, jumping rope, we would play that at school and we would play uh ball too, of course we do that now you know, children do that now, especially the ball- boys. But the girls would do that, I always liked to play ball because that is a very interesting, and and it's very exercising too, you know, for children. Yeah, I can remember a lot about the old one room school. And we would have lessons, generally we would have reading, writing,--writing, arithmetic, English, and geography, 11 Tape cont.: spelling, let me see, the main subject, that was the main subjects. First it would be arithmetic and then it'de be reading an writing, geography, English, and uh spelling, and uh, we would have some studying, maybe in handicraft, like making baskets and things like that, the older children, and making different things that you can make, uh-maybe out of bull rush, you go down to the bottom and get that bull rush grass and make different baskets and things like that too, back then in those early days. Me: How many children were there usually in the class? EdIla Mae: Well, sometimes there would be thirty five or forty children. They generally had as many in a class back then because they didn't have many studying, didn't have many grades, back then those studies mostly just carried grammar grades, up to the seventh or eigth grade. That's bout far as they carried. If you took the ~. eigth grade, why, back then they were just carrying to the eleventh in high school too. Me: I know, my mother graduated from the eleventh. Edna Mae: Uh,huh, they were just carrying to the eleventh in high school, so after you 'de taken that eighth grade, why you wouldn't have to go but three years of high school back then. I say, I can remember now my oldest daughter, she just finished the eleventh. She's h2, be 42 this year. They haven't been so very many years carrying these eight, uh, twelth grade. Me: I think it was probably in the thirties, I guess. Edna Mae: Yeah, I believe it was too. Me: Do you remember any urn, thing you said when you jumped rope, any uh, things you called out? Edna Mae: Let me see, what was it we used to say? I know sometimes that two would uh, throw the rope, one at one end, one at the other, and then they would uh, I can't remember what it was we used to say though. But I know they would let it jump, they'de throw it up and up, round and around, or somethin, but I can't remember now the words now they used to say when they jumped the rope. And they would play tit-tat-toe Me: During class probably, huh? (Edna Mae laughed here. I had misunderstood what she meant by tit-tat-toe. I thought she was talking about the game we played on paper, usually during class, if we didn't get caught. But the game Edna Mae was talking about was hop scotch, a game to be played outside.) They do that now, huh? Edna Mae: Yeah, they'de play that. They'de mark on the ground, and then you'de have to jump on different parts of the little place round to where you could make the game. If you miss em, why you 'de miss on that game, if you missed and jumped in the wrong place. And they'd' have the bell to ring, when on the first school, first opened. They'de have the bell to ring and the children would be talking, they'de have that bell to ring and then, when they got through, afternoon, you know, they'de have the children to march out, and you see, one teacher taught all those children. Me: Well, was it hard for her, the children of so many different ages? V, Edna Mae: }.rell, it was kinda hard on the teacher, I think. You know, had all these different grades and uh, different ages and would have to t.each them all that same day. But they got through it. I think a lots of children took a lots of interest in those days. More then they do now, to you know, have so many studying so many grades in one school. Me: Well, it was more of a, considered more of a priviledge,then, uh Edna Mae: Yes ma'am. Me: Not a requirement then. Edna Mae: You have to now, it's a have too now. But back then lots of children didn't get to go to school, in the summer, they would have what they called a eight weeks in the summar and then, in the winter. y Me: Well, they used to have uh, recess uh during planting times and uh, different harvest times. Edna Mae: Yeah,Bure would. They'd, have recess, let the children out cause they'de have to work in the fields, back then. Have to gather the cotton between, in the summer months. They'de have about six weeks in the summer, start I guess about the first of July, on til the middle of August, and then they'de gather the crops from the middle of August til about the middle of November and then school would open back up and stay til about the first of April maybe, then back to the field again. Me: Maybe that's why the children liked school, because they were getting out of work. Edna Mae: Uh, huh (laughed) yeah. It's a lots different than what it is now. They got along best they could, I guess. They'd. not as good a priviledge they got now. Like some of the children don't even want to walk no piece to school. And children back then used to have to walk three or four miles to school and back each day. Did your mother go to that kind? 12 Me: Edna Mae: Me: Well now she lived more uh, in a city. Oh, yes. And most of the schools were within walking distance. Edna Mae: Uh, huh. Weren't so far. But this, 'these were country people -- that used to have to walk so far, you see. Me: Edna Mae: I know, now they have a school bus to tote em everywhere. What about it. And then they can't get ready on time sometimes. Me: Well, kids up where I was were complaining because the school bus wasn't making enough stops, you know, they'd. stop about every quarter or half mile and they thought this was terrible. Edna Mae: Me: Yeah, uh, huh. Because they had to walk a little. 13 Tape contI Yeah, I said they just, I dont tha.nk they-'re hardly smart as they used to be to get up and get on time because my oldest children, I know when the bus first began to go, you know, carry -- they had to leave here at seven o'clock to get that bus. Me: Edna Mae: Me: Edna Mae: Me: Edna. Mae: Me: Edna' Mae: Me: Edna Mae: Me: boys. Edna Mae: Me: Well, mine have to go now at ten minutes past seven. Yeah. And I have one pokey one. Therds always a slow poke. But the other two get up pretty well. Uh, huh, thats good. And your baby, he's not old enough yet? No, he goes to nursery school with his father. You just have four? Uh, huh. And your second child is a little girl isnt she? Is she good? Well, she pouts, because you know, being the only girl with all those She ought to be uh, the pet. She thinks she should be, that's probably the problem. Edna Mae: Yes urn. I was trying to think of some of those songs we used to sing. Can't remember them, but there's a lot of songs we used to sing, you know though yBars ago. Just like the little plays for the children starting off. Me: Edna Mae: Me: Did you put on plays in the school? Ma 'am? Did you put on plays in the school? I had become so intent on talking about Mrs. Kemp's early school experiences, that I had failed to keep a close watch on the recorder, and became aware that we had reached the end of the first tape only when I heard the slap of the loose end against the side of the recorder. Fortunately, I had missed nothing important and the only thing I might add was the fact that Edna Mae said they did have plays and speeches on the last day of school, but she could not recall any right then. While I 14 was rethreading the tape and turning it over I asked Edna Mae if she could recall any stories told to her by her father or mother."She said she did recall one story about the time her father went to hunting. I expected to be told a tall story about hunting, but what I did get was tota11y unexpected. v Tape, Edna Mae: Yeah, he and his first cous1n, they went to huntin~ one night and the dog went to barkini'( and they went to running, so when they got to the tree, they looked up the tree, and tried to find something, but they couldn't see nothing, so they had a~ ax,~ when they cut on the tree with the ax, they heard somethin the top of the tree say, "Don't bother mel" That was so, sho nuff. And said, they out again and it said, "Don't bother me." And uh, they said by that time all the dogs tIH'H just went and run. They tucked their tails and run. Me: Did they ever find out what it was? Edna Mae: No, never did find out what it was. It say all of them, say uh, went and left. All of them left the tree because that scared them all. Said it talked out just as plain, "Don't bother me." Me: I don't blame them, I'de leave too, wouldn't you? Edna Mae: (Laugh) Yeah, That's what I thought. That was a-- I never will forget that. That was sad to me. Because Poppa talked about what a funny feeling they had. Said that somethin in a tree, "Don't bother me." And you know, you used to hear of uh, going long places uh years ago, they would call them haunts or ghostis, when you 'de go long place, be a warm feeling go along over you. I know, we us~d to have a mule, and every time we'de go along the same place in the road that mule would run away. He'de look and see something in th~ night and we couldn't see nothin, but I think there used to be somethin like ghost~s or haunts, you know, you hear.cYhese old houses, built years ago, and they call them the haunted housesf "Knd thilrtlheoPle would see and hear things in them. I think that's where somethin, somebody diB ....... somethin bad and that's just somethin to remember, to remember.wnat they did when they were bad or somethin when, years ago. People speak about now how bad people are, but I say there are just more people live, and they advertise where you can hear of it.l1,ow, ;(6ars ago you didn't hear of it. And whenever you heard of somethin like that, ~ey took on about it. But the reason you hear of so much now, they got everthing to uh, ur, you know, just like catching acting. Television and radios where you can hear about them all the time. (The last piece of material I taped on this trip was the song Edna Mae had wanted sung at her sister's funeral. She said this was her favorite and kept time with her foot.) Uh, huh. Edna Mae: Me: Edna Mae: You ready? o\~rf Tempted and tried, we all made to wander. Why it should be thus all the day long. While there aTe others, liVing a, they, bout never molested, though in the wrong. Farther along, We'll know more about it. Farther along, we'll understand why. us, Tape cont: Cbeer up my brotber, live in tbe sunsbine. We'll understand it all by and by Wben deatb bave come and taken our loved one, it leave our bome so lonely and drear. Tben do we wonder wby otber. prosper, living so wtcked, year after year. Fartber along, we'll know all about it. Fartber along, we'll understand wby. 'Cheer up my brother, live in the sunsh i.ne. We'll understand it all by and by. Faithful death said our loving master. A few more days to labor and wait. Toils up the road will then seem as nothin, As we sweep tbrough the beautiful gate. Farther along we'll know all about it. Farther along, we'll understand wby. Cheer up my brotber, live in tbe sunshine. We'll understand it all by and by. When we see Jesus comin in glory, When he come" from his home in tbe sky. Then we shall meet him in that brigbt mansion. We'll understand it all, by and by. Farther along, we'll know all about it. Fartber along, we'll understand why. Cbeer up my brother, live in the sunshine. We'll understand it all by and by. That's my favorite. IS Wben I went back the following Tuesday (April 23), I asked Edna Mae if she ever attended a quilting party or made any quilts. She said yes, she had attended a quilting party about two years ago but people weren't too much interested in such things anymore. She said starting in August, she usually made around twentyfive quilts a year which she sold. She brougbt several of them out for me to see, and all tbe work was done by hand. When I ventured that so mucb band sewing must take forever, Edna Mae sai.d she could cut a qui.lt out and have it all done i.n tbree days. The patterns she used came from books, and sbe bought ber material from a lady in Atlanta for twenty-five cents a poun~. If the patterns used were not strictly traditional, tbe complete band sewing of an entire quilt must surely qualify. I took a few pictures of some of the quilts, and then we started taping. 16 Tape: We would go to night meeting or to revival meeting and just a load of us would g<?!,.in:a wagon and maybe weIde have straw in it where we could sit downg clean uh, %-i~ straw where you could sit down in and weld, have at big time going to revival meeting and going to uh, picnic in those uh straw wagons and then we'dG' court in the buggies because back in those times we didn't have no cars, as I grew up, got bout grown, the cars just began to came, come in. Yeah, we would enjoy courting, and sometimes we would walk too. Different short distances you know. Maybe walk to church, I would walk to revival meeting many a time at night, and walk back. Me: Well, they didn't uh, have as much individual dating either, did they? Edna Mae: No malam. Me: Usually in groups. Edna Mae: Yes ma'am, they'de go in girls, maybe go to church, and come and boys, wasn't like it is now. groups then. There'd. be a crowd of boys and back, and just in groups .,~~ )il'irls 'f I,CW Edna Mae: correctly, up here in Me: Did you have candy pulling, any making taffy or anything like that~ did you ever do that? Edna Mae: Uh, no. I didn't make, I didn't ever make any myself, but some people, I heard of a lob of people making candy at different parties and things. And would have wenie roastes, have these little old places to fix wenie roastes, we'de have those kinda like they have now, only they have on places, out on patios these days. But we didn't have patios back then.(laugh) But it was enjoyable. I would enjoy going back to some of those old timey days. Here last summer, you know, we used to wear those long dresses when I was young too. And go to meetings, so last summer we had a meeting up here at Kennesaw. People come from allover North Georgia and had on those old timey long dresses, and long sleeves with ruffles and had them little hats sitting up on their head. I got my dress in there, I can show it to you. Me: Oh, have you? I'de like to see it. Edna Mae: Uh, huh, yeah. ~ee ln~er+ (The dress Edna Mae showed me was a long, plain green print dress like people used to wear. The o~ly ornamentation was the ruffles on the long sleeves.) Me: Well, You 'de be surprised, but I saw one at college long, about like that the other day. Edna Mae: Yeah, I bet so. Me: You know, they wear everything from Edna Mae: Uh, huh. Me: From up, almost up, from way up abo~e their knees to way down below their ankles. t>Tv{/J"J ~1Y1" k1Pj k~tk '&tri~Q)I.. Uh, huh. (Parts of our conversation were almost impossible to set down so I finally had to give up in desparation.) Yes, that was last summer, Kennesaw. And people came from allover, in Jasper, and all around come Me: Did they just uh you know plan this ahead of time for everybody to dress up like that? Edna Mae: Yes ma'am. We planned it ahead of time and I made mine. Some people you know, already had old timey. But I made me a old timey. That's the way they used to wear old timey dresses and have em down to your feet. 17 Tape contI on do~m to Atlanta with their long dresses on. Oh, you wanted me to sing that song didn't you? Me: Yes, if you remember some of it. (Here we were talking about the song sung about the Phagan murder case. I asked Mrs. Kemp if she remembered hearing of the case, and she said she had heard a little about it as a child. She also told me Mary Phagan was a relative of a man who lived near her house. Mrs. Kemp was nine when the case began, and the song she sang was not about the Phagan case, but part of Frankie and Johnnie. I think the reason for the mistake was from the confussion of Frankie with the name Leo Frank, the name of the villain in the Phagan story.) Edna Mae: Frankie told Johnnie to buy her a diamond ring. Johnnie told Frankie, I'll buy you most anything. If it cost my life, or if I have to hang. Johnnie told Frankie, I'll buy you most anything. If it cost my life, or if I have to hang. Me: He did too, didn't he? Edna Mae: Yeah, it cost his life. He was thinking-that's the song. I guess he had a' feeling though. You know, lot of time before people die they have a feeling wha't it will do. Those are some crochet pieces I croched then. I guess that was some of the last pieces crocheting I did. Me: They're pretty. My grandmother used to, you ~10W, did a lot of that until she's got cataracts now so she can't Edna Mae: Yeah. Me: So she can't do too much of it. You remember any uh, anything like uh, do you remember playing maybe uh, kick the can or red rover or any of those at school? '"", Edna Mae: No ma'am, I don't remember. Those must CQIlle along since I cQllle up. "- Me: Oh, I was woondering uh, you know, how long they've been playing them. Edna Mae: I think those come along when my children, older children was going to school. Me: How bout "may lit, was that, did they have that in school then. Did they play that, you know "may I"? You take giant steps and everything. Edna Mae: would take Me: My children had that. They would make marks on the ground and they steps going different ways. They called it something else, didn't they? \ 1/ ,t 1/ They called it, I've heard it called'giant steps and may I. Edna Mae: Yes ma'am. And they would jump about different, I remember my children used to have those. Things like that in school. You would make marks, you 'de have to step certain places each time. Me: Edna Mae: Oh, you mean hop scotch. Yeah, some thin like that, uh, huh. Me: \<Tell, this one, you lmo", one person ,lOuld be the leader and he "auld say um, you may take t"o um, elephant steps. 18 Edna Mae: Yeah. Me: And if you forgot to say may I, you would have to go all the way back, and the object "as to try to get up there and touch the leader and then you could be leader, Edna Mae: Yes, uh, huh. I've heard of that one but I never did play that. When will you all's school be closing? In June, the last of May? Me: Edna Mae: The last of May. You all going to have a, big to do down there then? Me: I, I don't know. I'm going to probably uh be movipg about time they close the school. We're thinking about moving. Edna Mae: You all goin to move away from here? Me: I believe so. We you knOlV, we put our house up for sale. We're thinking about moving. Edna Mae: else? Oh, you have. Are you going to stay on in Georgia or gain on some"here Me: Well we, really it's either we're going to move into, uh, South of Atlanta or else we're going to move to Florida, Which is kind of a wide range, huh? Edna Mae: Uh, huh. Yeah. Me: But, it, He's going to go to work for an airline, so it just depends which one he goes for. Edna Mae: Well, this lady "here I work out, Miss Gravelle, He was raised in Florida. They went to Florida uh, last weekend. Me: It's pretty down there. It's beautiful. Have you been down there? Edna Mae: No, I never have. My husband and boys always go down. They go right dm~ to Datonie Beach and Miami and different place. Go down to Daytonie Beach for the car races. Me: Aw. That's right, they would, huh? Does your husband go with them too? Does he like car races too? Edna Mae: Me: Yeah, he went. He's been several times. You haven't got him in one racing yet, have they? Edna Mae: No, he haven't been in one. But you know, one of my boys er, two these boys here they do that drag strip racing. But that dm,'ll here at Covington and uh, Fairburn, they don't go, and they've been to Dallas too, in that uh, drag racing. But that Daytonie Beach, that's that five hundred miles. Me: Yeah, that's pretty fast too. Edna Mae: Uh, huh. Yes. Me: It's a little bit fast for me. Edna Mae: Uh, huh. Me: Although this uh, Seventy-five going up into Atlanta is about the same thing. Edna Mae: What about that? Me: You kn01~, everybody is speeding past you and you're doing seventy-five and eighty. Edna Mae: Uh, huh, sure is. Do your husband like l.t around here, or is he just going where he be closer to his work, isn't he? Me: Well, we like it here. Edna Mae: Yeah, but is he have to, is he a pilot? Me: No, he's a mechanic, and uh he manages the shop out here. But he went to school in Flori.da and he's been promising me ever since we got married we're going to go live down there, and I said, "No~I's the time." Edna Mae: Yeah, that'll be nice. Me: It's uh, I don't know, it's so tropical looking down there. You know, all those palm trees, it really looks fake when you first go down. Edna Mae: Uh, huh, I bet they pretty too. I just seen pictures of them. I never been down there. I had a son went down there last fall and he went back up to Indianapolis thirteenth of last month. Cause when my sister law, when my sister passed we called down there, thought he was still down there. And he left the fifteenth of March and she died the twentieth. So I called back up to her sister in Indianapolis and they done got back up there. They say they like West Palm Beach. They went tof'ort Meyers and West Palm Beach, and they crazy bout West Palm Beach. That's where they have all these ball games and, you know. Me: Well you get, you know, like today, you get to stay out all the time of the year like this. You don't have any nasty weather where you have to stay in so much. 19 Edna Mae: You don't. Me: How long does it take you to make a ~lilt? You know about how long it takes to make one of them? rt'e Edna Mae: Uh, it always take if you go and piece it up, it takes.if I haven't already, it takes about two days to cut them out and uh piece them pp, and then takes me a day to quilt them. Me: Edna Mae: That's pretty quick, isn't it? Uh, huh, yeah. But there a lotta work in those quilts. 20 Me: Well, I think I could do one in about two years at my speed. Edna Mae: Yes. (Here Mrs. Kemp laughed and seemed to enjoy my comment,) Yeah, there a latta work 011 them. And when, there's a lotta thread in them when you quilt them. Lottsa thread too. Me: Well, I don't know, any hand sewing I do I always get mad cause I end up with knots in my thread. , Edna Mae: Oh, yeah. I think the more experienced YOU~;;:~~~~:Y~hing you know, the more perfect you'll do the work though. Like somebodY~~ how long it take them. I say, "After you quilt a good while" --like somebody talks,"I don't think I could quilt,"they say they don't think they could quilt on the machine, and I said, "Well, maybe you couldn't until you had a lot of experience, then you could qUilt." Say, "I believe it all be puckered and everything." I say, "Maybe so, but I've just had a lot of experience." 11e: Well, I think I could, might stand a chanch on a machine, but not by hand. Edna Mae: Yeah, Me: I'd~make such a mess, Edna Mae: I can, guess fix em real quick on the machine, but I, I guess I can make them more perfect on my hand. But uh, thing about it, they stay better when you fix them on the machine, cause you know, all that double thread all down that bottom part. Me: Well, that quilting party uh you were talking about a couple of years ago, did they uh ... Edna Mae: They used to quilt on a frame. They'de put these frames, women'd~ be all around em quilting. Me: Well, you could do uh, how long would it take to do one? Edna Mae: It'd. take us generally a day to do it, generally a day it would take cause we'd, be talking a lot (laughed) people doing talking and thing and you could~ quilt nearly as fast as you could just by yourself seemed like because it be so many around and all be atalkin. Me: But, it's more fun like that. Edna Mae: Oh, they a latta fun. Then we have lots, somethin to eat and enjoy just a big time. That's what quilting would be most, just a nice time, But I t~ink I would enjoy some of those old fashioned days coming back, just for fun. Me: Of course some of the problems you could do without, like uh like some of th Edna Mae: Uh, huh, yeah. Just think about how you hear a lot of problems when when you work and thing way back then cause you didn't know no better and it took a long time to do it. (laughed) tA<2-: I think one thing that's so nice now is these uh, these meas.ts shots. And all these shots for, you know kids. Edna Mae: Yeah, sure is. 21 Me: Because I remember we were really sick when we had the measels, and my children got shots. Edna Mae: Me: People used to ki -- uh, measels used to kill children sometimes, mama Well they still do. That's why they developed the vaccine. Edna Mae: Mama said that when I, I wasn't bout one year old when I had the measels, say I was very sick. And I know my boy next to the baby got very sick, but he got over it, course the baby now, it didn't hurt him much. Me: Well, a lot of the you know, they would go into pneumonia. Edna Mae: Uh, huh. Yeah. Me: And mine had the chicken pox. I wish they would get somethin for that. That's pretty bad. Edna Mae: Uh, huh. My little niece had chicken pox here while back. She had to stay out of school a week. She got over it all right. Me: The~'re bad too, you know when the, some of them get real itchy with them. Edna Mae: Yeah, but one thing what they used to have so bad, that's scarlet fever. It would kill so many children. It was worse than pneumonia. Me: I know my um, my little b~other had it, uh one year around Christmas, and they wouldn't even let us, you know, it's christmas and they wouldn't even let us go in to see him. Edna Mae: Me: Edna Mae: Me: Edna Mae: Me: NoL Uh, huh. They had him in a dark room, he was completely shut up. It was very bad, that scarlet fever. That was dangerous. And he had a mild case too, and it took about a month to get over. Urnmm, Yeah. It's pretty bad. And they had a lot of typhoid fever, fever too. Edna Mae: Yeah, uh, huh. That's bad too. My brother that's younger than me up here, he had the scarlet fever and ever since~ "C St s~ I; he had it, kinda look like he can't think good or somethin. Look like it kinda affected his mind, I think. (Here, Edna Mae is talking of her old bachelor brother who lives down the road. He lives in a house by himself now, Mrs. Kemp says that since her sister died, no one can live with him. For awhile, two nephews sxayed there, but Edna Mae's brother threw them both out. She said one of the nephews was doipg the cooking, and who did he think would do it now? The sister that had just died had taken care of him, but she didn't reckon he would find anyone to take her place.) Me: Edna Mae: Well, a lot of these would, you know high fever like that. Uh, huh. 22 Me: Can damage the brain. But even when we were coming along, I remember we used to have to go get those, um typhoid shots every year. Edna Mae: Me: Uh, huh. They hurt, they were terrible things. Edna Mae: But you know, when I was young and those different things come along, they didn't have no shots to give childrenvthen. That's what make it so bad. b~cK Me: Well, that's why you'd~ have a family of ten ki, children and malfbe five of them would grow up. Edna Mae: Uh, huh. Yes it's a lots better chanc@ to raise a family now then it used to be back then, lots easier in the health, because they have shots and different things to help them with. Me: Of course it's a problem when you have a nice healthy young kid go out and get killed by an automobile. You know, that kinda hurts. Edna Mae: Oh, How bout thatl That's somethin now that's worse than it used to be. You didn't have no problem with children being killed with cars back then. You know, there more killed now by cars now then is in the war. There was before this Viet-Nam war, but you know, there a lot of them getting killed over yonder now. Me: Edna Mae: Well there's more that have been killed by cars then in all the wars. Yeah, that's what they say. Me: Of course, they're strung out, one or two, here and there, and you don't miss them. Edna Mae: Uh, huh, different places over the United states. Me: But, you know if you don't get killed outright now your chances are, you know, better to be cured. You know used to if you were farming and got in some type of accident your chances were not too good. Edna Mae: Me: Edna Mae: Me: No, ma'am. Because of infection. Yes ma'am. It's a shame you can't have the best part of both worlds, huh? Edna Mae: Ooooeee, what about itl You can't have the good time all the time, like all in the Bible it s~eaks about, you must have ups and downs, have trials and tribulations, (about?) all the days my appointed time, wait until your change (chains?) comes. The harder the cross, the brighter the crown. (laughed) Oh myl All of that speaks about that in the Bible. (Here was the advantage of taping general conversations. Of couses, Mrs. Kemp spouted the sayings so rapidly, that some were almost impossible to record correctly.) You all not expecting to leave no way soon are you? Me: No, we wouldn't uh until the children are out of school. 23 Edna Mae: Uh, huh, ya'll be around a good while, all the vegetables be come in by that time. Do you like ve~etables? Me: Oh, I love em, the only thing is, you know I think uh, we've got uh a strip of land, you know, across the back of our yard where we planted corn and squash and uh Edna Mae: Ya'll done planted your corn? Me: No, we didn't. We didn't this year. We usually plant, this year all we'v'e got is strawberries. Edna Mae: Oh yeah. How, did, your strawberries -- they not ripe yet are they? Me: Well, they're getting there. We bought uh some of these real big ones, and last year I was disappointed in them, you know they were supposed to be big. Edna Mae: Uh, huh. Me: But that was the first y'ear we had them out and this year they're going to be mol'S like the size of tomatoes. Edna Mae: Oh, they nice. This is a good strawberry year isn't it? I notice my, lot of wild strawberries down here just blooming, putting on little ones. I've got some strawberries down across the branch, but I haven't been to see em. They were blooming last time I went and looked at them. Me: That's one thing I can't stand--store strawberries and store tomatoes. They are terrible! Edna Mae: They not like good country, because you use to country. They so much better, aren't they? Me: I know we used to go around stealing everyone's tomatoes out of their" gardens and then grab a salt pe salt shaker and sit around and eat them. Edna Mae: Yeah. Me: And steal people's grapes. Edna Mae: Yeah, well it the same way with these old cold storage eggs. The way th, I say oooeee, They don't taste the same like country eggs. I say, "They don't taste good at all to me'l My sister used to tell me say, "Edna, you can't eat those old cold storage eggs." And you break them. sometimes the yellow just scatter. (laugh) Me: That's the only trOUble, you get, you know you eat something that you've grown yourself and you get spoiled. Edna Mae: Me: Edna Mae: Yes. Buy something from the store and it tastes terrible. Yes. Me: Not fit to eat. I know, you know, before we moved here, even with a small yard wa had tomatoes and a couple of things growing. 24 Edna Mae: Yes. Me: Of course moving will mean I can't plant my tomatoes. Edna Mae: Sure. Well, I don't know, if you go to Florida you might can raise some down there. Me: Yes, they've got two growing seasons down there, I think I'd~ enjoy that. Edna Mae: Yeah, I think so too. Me: They can grow stuff all year around. Edna Mae: Sure, uh, if you have it in a good place aTound here you can raise it from after the frost starts on to frost come back in. But you know, you don't have too good a season here in all this ground. You just have to pick your spot here to have a good season to raise things, different things from on to the frost. Me: Is it uh, are you supposed to plant something before Good Friday or after Good Friday? Edna Mae: Most people plant after but you can plant just before Good Friday, if you plant it bout a week before and it won't come up till after Easter. They plant it so won't be no cold weather come on it after it come up. I planted some things this year, all my salad and stuff were planted before Good Friday. Cause people couldn't plant nothin this year on Good Friday cause it was wet. Me: Uh, huh. I remember, seemed to me like there was some ki.nd of sayi.ng about, if you di.dn't plant it by Good Friday, you know, it wouldn't come up rl.ght. Edna Mae: Yeah, some people have their o~m saying about friday, Good Friday, when it's best to plant. Me: Of course, if it rains, Good Fri..day is not such a good day to plant after all. Edna Mae: No, sure i.sn't. --- I meant to wash these shoes, I forgot about them. I had them on yesterday, when I wash I was going to put them in the washing machine. And I got through, I said,"0h, I was intending to wash these and I didn't.'1 Me: Well now, see that's a modern convenience. What would you do without your washing machineZ Wouldn't you hate to wash all that by hand? Edna' Mae: I got a sister-i.n-law out here, had a washing machine and when my sister di.e and my brother tried to get her to get that washing machine, and she won't use it. You know what she do? Go in there in the bathroom and wash in the bathtub. You know that's unhandyl Me: Edna Mae: Me: Well, my mother would do that lots of ti.mes. But it's unhandy. It's just uh too much work. Edna Mae: It, sure it's too much work, and she talking bout, she want an automatic. r say that wringer ki.nd is better then washing in the bathtub. You know you just got to catch them when they uh wring um, but that's the ki.nd I got, and I get 25 Edna Mae: through pretty quick. Me: Well, that's better than doing them by hand. Edna Mae: Yeah, sure is. She wants an automatic. Talk about she just as soon do em by hand. I know she could do them quicker with a wringer type, but she just, she wants an automatic. Me: Just tell her she's got to crawl before she can walk, huh. Edna Mae: Uh, huh, yeah, that's what I know, but some people, some people don't have what they want, don't want to do no way. Just like a stubborn old mule. (laugh) Don't have what they want, they won't do no way. Me: Edna Mae: they don't meanness. Me: I don't know, I've seen some people a lot more stubborn than mules. Oh yeah, they are. Lottsa people is stubborn like -- a mUle, they dumb, know better, but people, they know better then do that. I say full of (laughed) Oh, me. Did you ever make soap? Edna Mae: Yeah, I used to make potash soap, use grease, you know, and red devil lye. Yeah, I used to make it all the time when my children was little. I'de make it, and uh then we washed. We'de have a grate big old battelin place, we call it battelin e place, cut off a grate big ole tree, put those clothes up there and beat em then put urn back in and~rinch em and wash em and then hang em out. Me: Oh. Edna Mae: Yeah, that's years ago, you know. Used to~;ti~~~\t'~~~Jat branches where people just, everybody didn't use to have wells, you know years ago. Yeah, when I was young most of them though have wells at the house, but sometime it be unhandy bout drawing water and they'de carry the clothes down to the branches to wash them, you know, so wouldn't have to draw the water. Me: Seems to me like they'de get muddy though, wouldn't they? Edna Mae: No, they would, they would catch the water, have a, dig a hole down in the ground like a spring. They wouldn't get muddy. Goh, those days bout gonel I imagine they got places like that though in South Georgia, because I know when we go out, on through there several years ago, we'de see these old houses with shutters, wouldn't be windows, be shutters. You 'de have to open the shutters to see and all, you know they have things like that down there in south Georgia now. Me: Oh, I've seen some wells, uh looked like an old well with a kinda wringer over it, what did they do, wash at the wells ? Edna Mae: Yeah, I guess so. They had a winnow where they could draw up the water. Rope you know, turn over and they draw them up out of those places. That's the way they do. Lots of things have changed. Like last week, a lady come through here, I say I know she hear my sister passed. Made out she looking for somebody on Big Shanty Road, how come she on Chastene~? Stop here and wanted different things and antique things, went in there and looked at my dishes. She offered me five dollars for this (a small, rainbow hued glass dish) and this is a little ole dish Santie Claus brought me when I was little. That's antique, and I got another, that's Edna Mae: almost antique. And went on up yonder I guess my brother didn't know, and got one of these wash stands with a marble top, they very expensive and said she didn't give him but fi.ve dollars for that. 26 Me: My goodnessl Edna Mae: I say, like my sister say uh, "Bet she got bout a hundred dollars for i.t if she sold it." I sai.d,"Yeah, bet so, but he didn't know the price." those old stone washstands and dresser, they old antique stuff. (laugh) She talking about, " If you ever take the notion." There a latta dishes i.n yonder cut glass, she say, " ...If you ever take a notion to sell them.." Uh, she left a number, I don't know what I did with it. But I know where she lives. She live ri.ght there close to where my husband work, by Crestview Baptist church? Me: In Marietta. Edna Mae: Yeah, thatls all she do, shecknow bout my sister died and was old place and know they have old stuff. This completed the second side of my first tape. I started on my second tape on thi.s trip, and Mrs. Kemp sang two songs before I left,"Steal Away to Jesus~ a Song I was fatmiliar with and found in the book by Johnson, The Book of American Negro Spirituals, and"All God's Children Got Wings" (She sang "crown") also in Johnson's book. I did find out something new about"Steal Away~ I never had heard that it was used as a signal duri.ng the Civil War. Edna Mae: Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus. Steal away, steal away home, I ain't got long to stay here. My Lord he calls me, he calls me by the lightnin~. The trumpet sound with inna my soul, I ainlt got long to stay here. Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus. Steal away, steal away home, I ain't got long to stay here. My Lord he calls me, he calls me by the thunder. The trumpet sounds with inna my soul, I ain't got long to stay here. Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus. Steal away, steal away home, I ain It got long to stay here. (cough) I got so much cold, I thought I canlt sing too well. Let me see, is You got ai crown, I got a crown. All of God's children gott& crown. When I get to heaven gonna put on my crown. I'm gonnai wear it allover Godls heaven. Heaven. Heaven. All of God's children got heaven in mind. Heaven. Heaven. lim gonna wear it allover God's heaven. Edna Mae: Uh, you gotta crown, I gotta crown. All of God's children gotta crown. When I get to heaven gonna put on my crown. I'm gonna wear it allover God's heaven. Heaven. Heaven All of God's children got a crown. Heaven. Heaven. I'm gonna wear em allover God's heaven. -- .. 27 When I went back to see Mrs. Kemp on the following Tuesday, I was concerned about her singing because she still had some of her cold, but she had her songs all picked out and said it didn't bother her to sing. Some of the songs she had written dOl'll, and the last three were from a hymnal she had. Edna Mae: Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. I loolced over Jerden and what did I see, Coming for to carry me home. A band of angels coming after me. Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. If you get there before I do, Coming for to carry me home. Tell all of my friends I'm a 'coming too, Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. I'm sometimes up and Ilm sometimes down, Coming for to carry me home. I'm sometimes almost level with the ground, Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, coming far to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, coming far to carry me home. I'm sometimes up and I'm sometimes dOl'll, Coming for to carry me home. I feel that I am heavenly bound, Coming for to carry me home. S wing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. S wing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. Ware you there when they crucified my Lord? Ware you there when they crucified my Lord? Go-oh, sometimes, it caused me to tremble. Tremble. Tremble. Ware you there when they crucified my Lord? Ware you there when they nailed him to the tree? Ware you there when they nailed him to the tree? Go-oh, sometimes, it causes me to tremble. Tremble. Tremble. Ware you there when they nailed him to the tree. Edna Mae: Ware you there when they pierced him in the side? Ware you there when they pierced him in the side? Oo-oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble. Tremble. Tremble. (kept time Ware yoo there when they pierced him in the side? with foot) Ware you there when the sun refused to shine? Ware you there when the sun refused to shine? Oo-oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble. Tremble. Tremble. Ware you there when the sun refused to shine? Ware yoo there when they laid him in the tomb? Ware you there when they laid him in the tomb? Oo-oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble. Tremble. Tremble. Ware you there when they laid him in the tomb? (Shuffled papers and coughed.) Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. It's good enough for me It was good when the world on fire. It was good when the world on fire. It was good when the worlds on fire. And it's good enough for me. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. It's good enough for me. It was good for oura mothers. It was good for oura mothers. It was good for oura mothers. it's good enough for me. Give me that old. time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. It's good enough for me. It was good for aura fathers. It was good for oura fathers. It was good for aura fathers. And it's good enough for me. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. It's good enough for me. 'I It was good for the prophet ~. It was good for the prophet ~. It was good for the prophet ~. And it's good enough for me. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. It's good anough for me. It was good for the Hebrew children. It was good for the Hebrew children. It was good for the Hebrew children. And it's good enough for me. 28 Edna Mae: Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. It's good enough for me. It was goorl for Paul and Sila. It was good for Paul and Sila. (cough) It was good for Paul and Sila. And it's good enough for me. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. And it's good enough for me. It will do when I am dyin. It will do when I am dyin. It will do when I am dyin. And it's good enough for me. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. It's good enough for me. It will take us all to heaven. It will take us all to heaven. It will take us all to heaven. And it's good enough for me. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. Give me that old time religion. It's good enough for me. It's me, it's me my Lord, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me my Lord, standing in the need of prayer. It's me my Lord, and not my mother, standing in the need of prayer. It's me and not my mother, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me, a standing in the need of prayer. It's me and not my father, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me, a standing in the need of prayer. It's me and not my preacher, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me, my Lord, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me, and not my deacon, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me, my Lord, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, and not my relations, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me, my Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Everybody talk about heaven, they going there. Heaven. Heaven. Gonna shine allover God's heaven. Uh, you got shoes, I got shoes, all of God's children got shoes. Uh, when I get to heaven gonna tryon my shoes. I'm gonna walk allover God's heaven. Heaven. Heaven. Everybody talk about heaven, they going there. Heaven. Heaven. Gonna' walk allover God's heaven. Uh, you got a crown, I gotta crown. All of God's children gotta crown. 29 Edna Mae: Me: When I get to heaven, gonna tryon my crown. I'm gonua walk allover God's heaven. Heaven. Heaven. Everybody talk bout heaven, they going there. Heaven, Heaven. Gonna walk allover God's heaven. Uh, you gotta robe, I gotta robe. All of God's children gotta robe. When I get to heaven, gonna tryon my robe. I'm gonna walk allover God heaven. Heaven. Heaven. Everybody talk bout heaven, they goin there. Heaven. Heaven. We gonna shout allover God's heaven. Lord, I have started to walk in the light. Shine-in upon me from heaven so bright. I bad the world and it's folloas adieu. I've started for glory, and I'm goin through. I'M goin through, I'm goin through. I'll pay the price whatever other do. I'll take the road with the Lord dispised few. I'm goin through, Jesus, I'm goin through. I'de rather walk with Jesus alone. Have for my pilla like Jacob a stone. Then to turn from the pathwey and fail to go through. I'm goin through, Jesus, I'm goin through. And when the gates of pearl shall unfold. I shall my Savior in glory behold. He bid me welcome because he true. He'll shout blessed Jesus, I'm coming through. I'm comin through, Jesus, I'm comin through. I'll pay the price, whateve~ others do. I'll take the road to the Lord, if the lord defised few. I'm coming through, Jesus, I'm coming through. I'de rather walk with Jesus alone. Have for my pilla, like Jacob a stone. Living each moment with his face in view. Then to turn from the pathway and never come through. I'm goin through, Jesus, I'm goin through. I'll pay the price, whatever others do. I'll take the road with the Lord despised few. I'm goin through Jesus, I'm goin through. I lak that songl That is pretty. I've never heard that one. 30 Edna Mae: Yeah. That's one I always haVEr laked and I happen to look in my book and find it. An old book, in this old book here. Have you ever heard that song about uh, "If I Can Hear My Mother Pray Again"? I guess you've heard that? Me: I don't uh, I don't recall it.,I don't know if I have or not. Edna Mae: This is one song, I was teaching school, that's before I married, that's been in nineteen-twenty-fo. And I done got good and homesick and they went to singin this song and I went to cryin, told them to stop singing it (laugh) I'm going to try to attempt to sing it. Edna Mae: How sweet and happy seemed, those days in which I dream, when mem-orie calls them ni and then. And with that rapture sweet, my weary heart would beat, if I could hear my mother pray again. If I could hear my mother pray again. If I could hear her tender voice, o-then, So happy I would be, it be so much to me, if I could hear my mother pray again. She used to pray that I, on Jesus would rely, and always walk the shinin gospel way. So trustin atill in Lor, I seek that home above, where I shall meet my mother some glad day. If I cmlld hear my mother pray agin, if I could only hear her tender voice, oh then, so then I would be, twod mean so much to me, if I could hear my mother pray again. Within the old home place, her patient smilin face, was always grat in comfort hope and cheer, and when she used to sing, to her eternal te~m, it was the song the angels loved to sing. If I could only hear my mother pray again, if I could only hear her tender voice, ob then, it'de mean so much to me, if I could only see, if I could only hear her sing again. Her work on earth is done, the lifetime has been won, and she is now at rest with Him above. And some glad morning she, I know will welcome me, to that eternal home of peace and love. If I could hear my mother pray again, if I could only hear her tender voice as then, so glad I would be, t'woud mean so much to me, if I could hear my mother pray again. 31 GOSHll (laugh) That make me shout. I, it was so sad, I was home sick and I remember Maude Miller sing and I had laked the song, but I just couldn't take it that day. Remembering how I had ran off my first tape, I decided that now would be a good time to turn my second tape over. I didn't want to have to stop in the midst of a song, and many of the songs had several verses and were quite lengthy. AlSO, Edna Mae was selecting the songs, so I never knew what she might sing next. 32 Edna Mae: Lord I want to be a Christian uh in my heart, in my heart. Lord I ~rant to be a Christian in my heart. In my heart. In my heart. Lord I want to be a Ghristian in my heart. Lord I want to be more lovin in my heart, in my heart. Lord I want to be more lovin in my heart. In my heart. In my heart. Lord I want to be more lovin in my heart. Lord I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart. Lord I want to be more holy in my heart. In my heart. In my heart. Lord I want to be more holy in my heart. Lord I don want to be like Judas in my heart, in my heart. Lord I don want to be like Judas in my heart. In my heart. In my heart. Lord I don want to be like Judas in my heart. Lord I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart. Lord I want to be like Jesus in my heart. In my heart. In my heart. Lord I want to be like Jesus in my heart. Well, I might sing one more. "If We Never Meet Again" that'll be good for the end, won't it? Me: Uh, huh. Edna Mae: Ha, ha. Let me see, it's 99."If We Never Meet Again." (The book referred to here was "Heavenly' Sunlight.") So we have come to the end of life's journey, and perhaps we'll never meet anymore, till we gather in heaven bright city, far away on that beautiful shore. If we never meet again this s ide of heaven, As we struggle through this world and it's strife. There's another meeting place someware in heaven, in the end of (we never may trife.) If we never meet again this side of heaven, as we struggle through this world and it's strife. There's another meeting place somewhere in heaven, by the side of the river of life. When the charmin roses bloom forever, and where seperation come no more. If we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore. Dh so often we're parted with sarra, bene-dicti.on often quicken our pain. But we never shall sorrow in heaven, God be with you till we meet again. If we never meet again this side of heaven, as we struggle through this world and it's strife. There's another meeting place somewhere in heaven, by the side of the river of life. Where the charming roses bloom forever, and where separation come no more. If we never meet aRain this side of heaven, I will meet you on the beautiful shore. Dh, they say we shall meet by the river, Where no starm cloud ever darken the sky. ,; J, Edna Mae: Me: And they say we are happy in heaven, in the wounderful sweet by and by. If we never meet again this side of heaven, as we struggle through this world and it's strife. There's another meeting place somewhere in heaven, somewhere by the river of life. Where the charmin roses bloom forever, and where separation come no more. If we never meet again this side of heaven, I will meet you on that beautiful shore. That's pretty. JJ Edna Mae: That's pretty too, I lak that too. I lak that other and I lak that. Tbis completed my tapes on Mrs. Kemp. Tbey do not do her justice; there was so much more I could have asked and so much more we could have discussed. I always felt welcomed and I think I tend to be color-blind, or at least I forget a person's color when I am talking with him, but there were so many questions I could not ask. Mrs. Kemp is a Negro, and I am White, and although she may not have minded questions on slavery or her grandparents, I avoided these because I liked her, and wouldn't wish to do or say any thi.ng to offend her. I do know her grandfather owned about two thousand acres on Shallowford Road near Gresham Cemetery, but sold it and bought several houses in Atlanta when he got old and couldn't tend his land. Mrs. Kemp moved away and lived in Acworth for a whi.le, then moved back here and now lives on Chastain Road. It is impossible to put a person on paper, especially one as lively as my informant. Even tape failes to do them justice, A smile, the house they live in, or even the smell of homemade vegetable soup are are important elements in what makes up folk life. But folk life should be saved, even if only on tapes and in books. Mrs. Kemp's children appear to be better educated and more successful then the ordinary Negro, but this does present some problems. The children will not retain any of the old folk traditions, and without some interested person to collect them, they will be lost in a few short years, And that is why I devoted my report to Mrs,Kemp, because she had much of value to contribute. A PDF transcript exists for this recording. Please contact an archivist for access. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.