SEGMENT: NON-FARM WORK
Marie South Williams>UIS Collection T-Z>UIS Collection T-Z, Segment 23
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- NON-FARM WORK
- Mrs. Williams continues her discussion of her teaching career. Tells of how students were classified & divided by abilities & how being in lowest group did not help the students learn. Believes classes with students of mixed abilities would have been better. Mentions parents feeling bad for their children in the lower groups. Story of father telling her she gave too much reading for his disabled son. This disabled boy was brought to school in a little wagon. Mentions more children with physical problems, some of whom she drove home. Recalls husband's relative with a physical disability. Describes special history programs to put on for parents where refreshments were served. Describes this 3-story brick school. No trouble with her students, "not like they do now." Principle was responsible for giving whippings (with paddle). She took care of discipline in her classroom. Some parents did not cooperate with school discipline, but most students got whipped at home if they misbehaved at school. School had outhouses at first, but later had inside plumbing as well as a cafeteria. "It was a happy life." Mrs. Williams tells of her sadness in having to leave Carterville, IL because husband could not get work.