Stanley Davis interview with Tom Ryle, Dot Arrington, Roxie Arrington, and Henry Duke (part one)

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. Please note that this audio contains racist language from 24:42 to 32:20. This is the first of a two part interview in which Stanley Davis interviews Tom Ryle, Dot and Roxie Arrington, and Henry Duke. The audio starts with Tom Ryle disassembling the stereotype that rural folks are lazy and sit around all day making up madrigals and music. At 1:41 he specifies that he grew up during the Great Depression when farmers worked all day on the land, and any folk expressionism happened at church. At 3:52, Ryle tells a story about visiting a Church of God Sanctuary in Ringgold, Georgia, that hosted revival meetings every summer. During the sermon, several women started speaking in tongues and convulsing. Ryle notes that the Church of God was particularly conservative, viewing libraries as citadels of sin and the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, as wicked. At 12:00, Ryle tells stories from Chattooga County about practical jokes. First he explains how to make a tic-tac, a piece of twine tied to a nail, that could make an incredibly loud noise. Then he recalls a humorous example from Halloween night in 1940, when a tic tac was set up in front of the school principals house. At 18:17, Ryle tells a funny story from his childhood about visiting Ringgold with his father. They saw a man yelling and throwing snowballs at passersby. His father responded by tackling the man and rubbing snow into his cheeks. At 24:42, Ryle lists phrases he learned from the Black children in his community. He says that they were good friends, and he liked spending time with them because they were more creative and told better stories than the white children. Some examples of slang he learned are your vines (clothes), your pad and your poke (home and wallet), and are your jaws tight? (are you raging?). Tom Ryle was born in Catoosa Country, Georgia, between 1923 and 1929. Roxanne Arrington (1886-1973) was born in Franklin, Georgia. She was married to Lewis Madison Arrington (1888-1945). Henry Duke (1885-1970) was born in Big Springs, Alabama, to Alonzo Woodville and Frances Moore Duke. He married Mary Jenney Duke (1886-1919), and they had one child, Letha Mae Brown (1910-1987). He later married Julia Arrington Duke (1897-1990), and they had two children: Lillian Bovean Yates (1924-2009) and Heddie Woodville Duke (1926-2008). Additional biographical information about the interviewees has not been determined. AHC Oral History Cataloging Worksheet File Information Catalogue number \v\t:;;~,, Source Field* (ContentDM) ;>,,, Release form Yes o( ._N __o ,, ) Transcript Yes or No scanned: From Yes or No individual: Object Information Enter information about the Title (interviewee name and date of interview) Description (bio on interviewee) i{)t ,, r-:; .O'~: . Default text: Contributed by an individual through <your org. name> Georgia Folklore Collection OR: Donated by through <your org. name> Creator (Enter either an individual's name or an organization) Collection Name (within the organization) Burrison Folklore Class Georgia Folklore Archives Creation Date Exact Date (yyyY-mm--dd) (use only one) 1--------------+------------------J Year (if only the year is known) Circa (4 digit year) Year Span Object Type Image_ Text Text and image_ Video and sound Sound only ',l Media Format Reel-reel (VHS, reel to reel, etc Recording Hours: extent Minutes: Derivatives Access copy: Yes or No Recording clip r./_Y_.,.e.,..s,.. .o r No Time code for Beginning:~"'~ clip (h:m:s) 1 i Notes (interview summary) From To Access copy format: Clip extent: \ Recording issues (background noise, echo, static, etc.) Subject Information Enter information about the content of the obect here: Subject Date Exact Date (yyyy-mm-dd) (use only one) Subject Who Subject Location Year (if only the year is known) Circa (4 digit year) Year Span Last Name First Name Country State From Ml Town Subject What (LDC subiect headin s onl AHC Cataloger Will complete this for you. . .. Keywords Burrison, John To Personal names See subject who for additional names Local Name Corporate names Geographic locations Topics FOR FOLKLCHE 300 By: StBnley Da.l'is Winter 1969 o::1d I are c. t fo11tlo::cG r:eople, t th.e noti6n .that the people the11 ve got nothin' to do, just I a~1.1f\tci y l:rhel?e I g:.~ff11f ' P~"e Cl)r1 0 1('7 .+: . .,,,, ...., ._,, .,..,_ . ..., . I\ 1;1.x-1.der re&lities of the ~ .. oaths ,Jo/:- for J':1.os.t of t.te r.~eople there to wring a 1>: ers, and onJ .. y o.ne t:Lr:1e a tJ?e cter. dicl .t.1ot t .'Z:i I D H to. D, Yes. ti:~o citJr l:tr.-:tits Clrnr of God of this CDC:,G :Lt of :folk 1 38, .nov t].:10 ' 2 of' 3 exci tecl ~~ of ti:e Ch~rch; she stood 1-,.rsf:l s:arglin 1 lrith a handf~ ll of be-be shot. e:res. And at f'ii-st I (Lid. l~ot recogn1se in 1' a.n.d she body else took it little fella to be ~eholdin', beca~se I was nfraid that any _;Lrrn' t D .. 4 tv10 or t~1ree go1n 1 at once. Ar:.d fin@lly it cot to cl D. Dead t? thE1 la ostecl thDt cc:lled "I';-,, t I dor, 1 t 811 of it. You' 11 ha1rc~ to ect@d ~y claTity of conditio11s. On the soco o:f t I look on these ~eople th0l wos in Ctattanooga 5 ys tt1ey orG so~t of R then. ck0d:::..ess, the Einr31rah thc.t 11eo abo11t to fell 2-t ar tl:e \ifciS a kind of poet?}'' in th_e 1ra:r th.ey practj_sted thei.r es it. /c C :tLVu tt'.e cl:cy i)OLCS D. Ye2.h. s:l.ng the so so forth iclee of t ell tl1EJ Chl..:;c h of Goel ces in the 2eiehtorhood. D, Well, like I soici I th D. D. Catoosa Co1'.nty :Ls tl:etic conditionn. ', A toi i:,..,,,,,~. 6 trbat.evHr ottache-d to ther I cot a soi0 tr, o.c:e-week rein1tr:tion ftS ; le.era by incipal of the hi[l1 school a tic-tac. to G you slip it ~nder the 1-rea ther-tc/i"diJ .g cf t~ .e vi ' st:r-t.1:.g pJ.r: ce J .. s (.\_,'" ' - . -. a -de-v-i-1-ismn crew .. So, on Princi?el~ place a arounc there the his ~:eather-bord I cot :Ln Well., 7 the lichts they ca e up. The~ pretty I clo r::ot 1:tant to give ~1iD nr:.r e for JOl~X' recordir:1 fasl1ioned n1 t-shirt Lt 1fElS SO He 1fent as he got l.~o he I jest let the t,1ii:e go l D. Yea, tt.at's l vras co::_n t to his hcl:LSG ide. After a wh:Lle Soon. cs Cid I started on that twi~e m in. ready. ~ forgot to r1entior that his wife ner1~'lous i -1....- :, high-s tr1,1.ng~ 0Ji'\ crl!.el uf tI:is !~ a. ,, __ f, ,,- I -""'"~ f.i:ao CJ:;~_ over +;,c, D. 8 of the house, a,:d t,:en I jerlrnd :Lt theire u .. n.til the o:r tiJ e. A./1c: on :Lt. so tickled tht:t I f'o::::."lcot to let t"tij_n.e dOlTL. in ti~.-;,e Anc t1}~1,, be :rei1 f_"lc1,-YCc. tl12t was o pretty good t )\ to we.re dark clot;:-:_s. --" for ne to len11"e, so st1},,< 1etly cor. ., pe.risor to ~-rhat YlSUallJ-cr ;~:sed for h_1;1J:ior :Ln th2 t "Dltt ce. 301 s 02,rl the- local ' injoyed S; liqo1)_r, I So the bead of fa ct C;z; toosa. ssE::d D, ll. D. r.:_a L .. e , I j_f in :,-rt.A tL:.e:."'e .J--she mcHle a snow be go 9 f'EitLer fath.er SBid to 1 to fa.cs ce. I could cive you aLd l see Lo :rea~;on to exr ose that on ::ro1}r ta :')e recordiL1 Yes ghost .stor:les, I LlOS I doL' t the>: CB.11 .. eked cJr tt":_ere a therr. ;,:;e called of cl1stb. s, t' s 10 D. 3.. orig and the l\:illieu of tl1e~::l v.rEr s, l don't Lt:01.r t t I z)articularly care to relate I see s21C tl~at l told. @nd ell the rest is kind of s tbat. I frequeLtly visited tl:e1r scl1ools. 1 friends in ~oth ca::1ps but honestly the white ores were r1 .. etty t/1 tonechanics of story " :tnve.r:ti D, TL.c:tt s tl:.e se H, 1Iha t is co1..,rect D. l'~ just a poor city 1oy, ',-_e2n D. 11 Or are you D. vi.nes 2::e yo11.r clotlfS, t, D, D, is D. ts or--- attitude., or,. greTl t;ii-1 :lngual and thrcn:.gh "'ll:J.l"iot:_D circoris tances 30's. 12 Do you D. Oh .. R,. to. c:uce- D. A 6.uce--ar:.d-B-q_uarter ...... Well 1 to ;n.-:.t it tnir-(:J" }(inz II s Engllsh -- a J.Ce-a.D.d-aElectre L These :cecordir:;. g aI'e of To!:,~ Hyle, P. C. 13 this. dee-r ,j cd off :ln.to tl1e s .in_g 0 1 vrater. She r.-ras so f'rigr"J.tel'::..ed that it we.s goj_n 1 to 1,:0,'::,S so she co-.::~ld 1 nt ... r:Lnse the clotlt:s s~;"e dj_c1n' t k.t~o1t1 f,, 'h'hat to do. So, t'::e i,:,,rood tt1a.t she th.e fire p cc up a fat ligha1d ;\mot and tit the deer or.t the l'"l .. es.(1 a..~~d }tilled ' And then she- htr.d to to tLe house i:;o sm: ebo n'i li .: I, _, to helo 'er pull the deer auto tie spring. the:r J::.-o"Ved thei.r l:e1ongin 1 So this the r~le go. So, wten nhe got to Georgie a He:2.rd Coun ' took rcots. Dot Arx5.ng ton o:f r,,,G ton t-- ~ ~-n . ,7 ,. -- -~ thickit ad the~~ o.ne said ''~o I c@~ 1 t so, I}m afraid o' dogs. 11 Well 1 e wo11t Ee s2:Ld a garde~ ~Tith jest I sta~ted cc~oss t a l:Lttle 15 G) f'a.ce .. "'~l:ere, c: J.i~ctle ol' road tu::2r.ed off or: to1:.: o' tte hill .. lie went thGTe ox:c1 ,,._re,:Ltcd t til t!:..e li.ttle nig[;ers cot the~e. rie r1u1 OJ] -;: (" to death, ~jest ske~~ed 1 02:i so ' ted i~ the door a t J. t wv.z. on.e .PlE~/S 16. He, 16 };::Lcls ,,ru_z s 11 s r.all s. 1l:ey1 d rag dolls t 11ey' d got si i'ell 1 I c'..one ~ ogot I er LEJ e, got O'' stick ho~se and I put oiit. I had c1 to lag' a"b,o~t.lt. thc1t long. ,And then e,raone to co\:':e see t ;,, she t l1.r ., 0, ' tho1.;..ght pla 3r that da.y. kids played. They And e~s dresses a~d sech es a J)rea c:her. I [il11a told 'e:m I 1 s t.:1 preecher' s c~randson. I \latex: r.o _preacher, 1:.nxt 1 1 s He'd have folis'd shout I ~-:ean to The 1.ro1r.en Yo11 c jest hear it all CTG!' the ho~se. Ar~d I jest 17 I sLo CJ.:Lch: 1 t \'t::.at to do.. It 6.1 1 t h11-rt ol 1 >Ia Yer:,r :"sacl.. LLa1Jfhter_/ a god and ~o here-after a~d all sech as that. t, the good 01r Lo:cd n.01;.J is sendin.g 8 1iiful tl'2-ir:gs OE us, end I' 11 tell :rou this.er:. 61"\.:Jout t''.-ie }~oores. Folks 'J.sed to sD.y so, the.c.. lateI on sor:.o of' the- ores did die, tut, it was the est ones; Uncle J:L:, Uncle Ed tE:.cl Uncle Ree~es, so they'ar dead a~~d said one da: -- said l1e reconed Fanny1 d just live oc and thundar e.x:d 1i tnicg str10.cf1 1 em. He lwd one son called Willian s :fj_rst J:-.:cDrr:l.ge, ore he, lei't J_ 1". . J he 1 d sold CTrar,.cL-.2. 1 s oxen~ Ar1d thet ::r.sde her c1ad [;;eccruse u.se tt.e o:z:.eE for plolri1--: 1 Grendadd:/ ca1:.1e fJ\ac}: \then Daddy :Ln the :tloor. :Ee told GrandJJa see -it. 11 :Lf he tad~'t ~een a pretty od 101:1 she cuuna1.1 1 t ' d Qor::e went ore thnt had seen Gracdaddy, a!:6 said they'd slept together in the Julie Dul::e IIer1r? D. on the ground--says he 1d go out thar up to b.ep 1 e;,t_ out tc 1i ve, ;.ro1J :<r:uvr, se-ch 2. s that. 1 as to see 01' Daddy. 1,nd so, she pi.eked toJ .. d er c'.on 1 t C..o thD t. 11 6,dy Duke he went o-wer the over tte J.og to e p 1 t :f' r o:J :-:it t t I er-1 Julie D, Julie D. said to I e:-c. 0 1 , D" c1 0, :c - c.:. ,_ ,) ' he sho did have us wor~--he didn't the ccur:tr:t, he a.Did ol' ::::a.n Lill .ArringtoL ha c~ l:.ids O'J'Gr or y 1211 'Jon 1 t do no 1;'.ro11t. So, one c':,Dy we' s in tLe cot\,, re took our s2 c}rsjest got to hittir1 c,r.:d }:nockin1 one 2.nlbther about ,,,:ith cotton. So, olt Dach:ly he slipped Ar:.O. 1,,re haprened to 1?:Je out close to a peac'.h tree. d J.uck--hard luc:: 3 Use to hal'ei 6a~~'.ces and ol 1 tr~fr~.oFt Lula If 20 Go do\.,trl ;fonder t-ehi21d the corn Whe-:e tl1e 'ol co-1,J died w:L th the hollo1i-.1 horr:~ -Shout Lule. .I Sh---, 1J.t t Shout~ Sho1...1.t L1J.la .I Shout~ Shout~ 1'.hro1:led tLc hook :i.n the ::;,1idd1e o 1 t~-1_,~ pond Shout L1.1lat Shouti Shcut~ Shout Lulai Stoutt Shoutt 01' Joe C12,r'.: he hed e little houze Sixteen stories high, An 1 every story in that house Was filled 1,.rj_th chicl:::en pie. Can't you say mana a 1 tel? Got to scy ::nana. ~ El.1Jenize Now, give ~ea little to cJtud~' snottier oi:e. l' L, go:Ln' Won' t Be Lor,.g. " LPlays lianj.Q./ Let's soe go }larching I.n ~1 11 Picture on the Wall u It's a picture of J~Y mother A.:Jd I l.mo11sr there is no ot:1e1' That ca:: te.}::e tLte 1 a ir:lt got tiE1e to tell you no"\'1' Down th.e road he I d l''un Racoon on the E;I'our:d Recoon you son-of-a- S'he or:. the- 110.J.l. 21 I' 11 tell yoi..:; of' a fair yol~ng r::cJn. Who ilr:d he 1.,Tas ta ght and sick BecaEse i:.e could not pray" l w~ st-:. l cc,uld sing it out, teach weo:cJle not to All rn.y sin.s been taken .8"\18:Y Glory halelulis to EJ_s Hane n-s1..1.gar Babe 11 Thar' s 8, weddin1 west at1.d I go.ta go, Sugar Thar s wedcUr: 1 west 8.rld , gota go, Sugar Q .L Tl:1ar 1 s B wedcUn' west 8 i~J::1 I gate go1 I' 11 f99 lDa cl:-.: j_n a day or so ' flu ear Babe. If yo1:1 get r:lv,rried tn::d I c&,n 1 t; coJ.11e, Bali,e Bahe Kill ol' Dct11no a11d SD"Ve n:e so; _e, Suga . r Dabe. 22 23 I's do-.:,:r:c. :l.n the woods ar~a a. sittir::.1 on C:;l log, iS~..1g2.r Babe I'S dOT/X: the woods 2 ;_;j_ ttin I on 2 log, Ghot tb.e red-bUG, J,eilled tLe hog, 81J.g2r JJr be. 111igl1.ter1.1 eva heard it? I'll pick :l t. LPlays ;:r,hJQ/ i;,Jb.en she cot~es She'll She 1 11 be c: or:in 1 1 round th.e :-:~ounte.:tn Wben she coLes. A PDF transcript exists for this collection. 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.