Georgia BIOS:  Gladys Metcalf   
   U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore
   Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of
   Congress.Copyright status not determined.
   
   0001
   
   Written by,
   
   Mabel V. Jones,
   
   307 First Avenue
   
   Rome, Georgia.
   
   [Home?], Georgia,
   
   February 16, 1939
   
   (Mrs.) Marguerite R. Thomas,
   
   West Seventh Street, Rome, Ga.
   
   Recreational Center
   
   Gladys Metcalf, although reared without a mother, lived a life of ease
   and indulgence in her early youth. Her father commanded a salary quite
   adequate to care for his two daughters, and to assist his aged mother
   and father, who, in turn, cared for his two motherless girls,
   indulging them rather more than was necessary, or quite good for their
   character building, as they considered that life was to be ladled out
   to them on a golden platter, at their command.
   
   Gladys attended boarding school, where she graduated with honors. She
   is quite an artist, and also writes poetry. While she has never taken
   any lessons in art, she draws quits well, and her poems, which she
   writes on all occasions, and on many subjests, but mostly about
   children, are quite worthy of mention, and Good Housekeeping and other
   magazines of note have told her they considered then good, but not
   quite in line for their magazines. She in very persistent, and keeps
   hoping to be able to let them published some day. Below is given one
   which she wrote one evening, after having received a scare over a
   misadventure of one of the boys:
   
   THE WORKING MOTHER'S PRAYER. Be with my little boys, dear God,, I
   pray;I must leave them with You here again today--Those ever-racing,
   reckless little feet---Go with them when they chase across the
   streetTo search for balls that have bounced out of sightPlease, God,
   stay here 'til I get home tonight!Four little hands, God, on two
   little boysChoose danger often when they choose their toys---Those
   jagged, rusty cans, the broken jarsThat by child-magic turn to trains
   and cars,The many things they handle thoughtlesslyPlease keep those
   four hands safe today for me! 00022I know You're busy God, but the
   designOf all the Universe seems working fineAnd running smoothly, so
   You won't forgetMy boys---They are such little fellows yet,And You're
   so wise, God, You must surely knowHow very anxious mothers' thoughts
   can grow.And then, when work is through and I can comeBack where my
   heart has been all day--at home--In thanks to You, I'll say on bended
   knee,"Dear God, You've been so very good to me;--And, even though
   they're safe within my [sight?]--"Please, God, stay with us through
   the night."
   
   Married at an early age, not realising that the man she married was
   irresponsible, or rather, not taking the matter into consideration as
   of any importance whatsoever, she found several years of her life
   rather stormy. Although her husband was quite faithful to her, and was
   kind and pleasant at home, a willing worker, and a pleasant companion,
   without the assistance of her husband's people, and sometimes that of
   her own father, she would have had very hard rows, as he could not
   resist the temptation to drink, and money in his pocket meant self
   indulgence to such an extent that the family needs were neglected.
   
   Of a very alert mind, having come of a family who possessed unusually
   bright minds, and were outstanding in literary and legal professions,
   she was yet without any experience as to ways and means of making
   money for herself and her two small boys, of whom she is very proud.
   The welfare of her children is the most important interest in life to
   her, and no sacrifice is too great to make for them.
   
   her disposition is pleasant, and although her hair is "red", the usual
   application of a fiery temper supposed to accompany it fails to
   materialize, as she is calm and reasonable in all her dealings, and
   her patience with her children is really rare.
   
   00033
   
   After trying various places for {?} in which she had no experience,
   she was finally able to secure employment through the Government on a
   .f. A. Project, being placed in the office of the Recreational Center.
   When first entering the office she had no experience whatsoever,
   except that she had learned to type on a borrowed machine, used at
   home. Her work was not so hard and her employer kind and helpful, and
   she learned very quickly, and is now quite able to handle all matters
   pertaining to her work without difficulty. She is now studying
   short-hand, alone, having secured a manual and learned the
   fundamentals of the study, and taking as much dictation as possible in
   her routine work.
   
   Even though Gladys, all of her husband's people, and all of his
   friends (for he has a charming personality and makes friends easily)
   tried to help him overcome his drinking, he allowed the habit to grow,
   and it eventually affected his disposition, his ability to work, and
   life became a nightmare of worry, fear and uncertainty. Finally,
   realising that it was unfair to her children, to her mother-in-law,
   who was loyally standing by to help her in her fight to care for her
   children, and to herself, one secured a divorce. Still caring deeply
   for him, not only as her husband and the father of her children, but
   as a diseased, rather than a self-indulged person, she carries the
   load of maintaining the home, educating her boys and giving them the
   high ideals of a Christian home, with chin up, and a smile for all,
   although an {acne?} is deep in her heart.
   
   Her greatest burden is having the children ask for their "daddy".
   Their father, though very weak, was devoted to his family, and was
   never too busy to build a toy for his boys, or show them the rules of
   a game, or enter their play with them. He was always a "pal" to his
   sons, and if he is 00044never able to be with them again, they will
   always treasure the memory of their father, as they only saw his
   gentleness, and were protected from the unpleasantness that went with
   the life he was living.
   
   Through her work she has "been able to secure rooms for herself, her
   mother-in-law and her children at a much cheaper rental than she could
   otherwise get it, being near the playground, and are under the
   supervision of a very able director, who is also a friend of Gladys.
   The environment of her home is not of the standard to which she is
   accustomed, or that she desires, as the children are thrown with
   children of illiterate classes to some extent, and they quite easily
   acquire their [verucular?] of speech, and other {manneriame?} Billy,
   the younger son, only six years old, in his baby days used very
   correct English, very unusual to a child of his years. Since moving
   into this community, he has adopted the Manner of speech of the
   children he plays with, [?] few days ago, the playground being closed,
   as the leaders had gone home, some children came to the door. Billy,
   in a very courteous manner, went to the door and said: "The playground
   is closed, Miss Collock has already "came and went."
   
   The mother often worries lest, by trying to give them the material
   things they need, she gives them an environment that will be
   detrimental to their character building; then, she will try to figure
   that the best in them will develop with hardships, and she usually
   stays "on the fence as to whether she is right or wrong."
   
   For a person who has had no hardships in youth, and nothing to bring
   out the steel in her character during her early days, Gladys has
   developed a wonderful strength of endurance, and with it all she
   carries a pleasantness that is rather contagious to those with whom
   she comes in contact. (The usual remark that is made when speaking of
   her is that she is "trustworthy" or "good")
   
   00055
   
   The older boy, "Sonny, who is nearly ten years old, is very large for
   his age, and is considered by anyone who doesn't know his age, to be
   about twelve or fourteen. He is larger than some of the fourteen year
   old boys who are his associates. His mind is very bright, and he
   masters his studies easily. During the first three years of school, he
   was an honor pupil almost every month, unless kept out by illness.
   Since moving to the present location, although his marks are high, his
   average being 95.45 to 94.62, he has not been able to attain the honor
   roll. His mother will be elated the first of the month, being
   confident that he will make it this month," and when the card comes at
   the end of the month with one or two demerits, she slumps, for her
   disposition is to be either in the heights or the depths - there is no
   middle course. After talking the matter over with the teachers in that
   ward, she has been advised that it is hard for any boy to make the
   honor roll in this particular grade, as a certain element is in the
   ascendent, which demoralises the whole grade, and "Sonny" is not
   perfect - just a boy. This month he made "A" on every subject, 100 in
   attendance and 99 in deportment. A note from the teacher said: "This
   beautiful card spoiled by chewing gum" and it was learned that on the
   last day, "Sonny" had a mouth full (almost a whole package) of gum,
   and did not try to keep the teacher from seeing it, but rather
   displayed it, so the general conclusion is that he is afraid of being
   called a "sissy" by the boys in the grade, and deliberately failed to
   make the honor roll.
   
   Billy is not quite so bright in his studies; it is harder for him to
   grasp a subject, or else he is too energetic (or nervous) to
   concentrate. He was rather handicapped in starting out, as his books
   did not come and the other classes were ahead of him and he could not
   catch up easily; then too, his teacher said he was very sensitive, and
   it is noted in the home that his feelings can be hurt very easily. He
   is bright, small of status, white-haired 00066and freckled faced, with
   his front teeth wideapart; in fact, a freckled faced boy, shown on a
   magazine cover.
   
   The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are very close companions; each
   striving at all times to do something that will help the other, and
   praise for the other being constantly given. It is quite unusual to
   find such companionship existing between mother-in-law and
   daughter-in-law. The work of the home is carried on by each of them,
   the grandmother caring for the home and the children while the mother
   works, she doing quite a lot of the work at home after her office
   hours. Gladys prepares breakfast in the morning, dressed the children
   for school, prepares their lunch, and does as much as possible to
   "clean house" before she leaves, as the grandmother does not rest well
   at night, and sleeps late. The grandmother prepares the dinner, sews,
   and sometimes does the washing on the washing machine that is
   furnished by the Community Chest, but as it is rather hard for her,
   and she is susceptible to cold, Gladys does much of this work after
   she returns at night. The ironing and other work is divided between
   them, the one having the most leisure doing the job.
   
   On Saturday, most of the house-cleaning in done, and everything laid
   aside for Sunday morning, when Gladys dresses the two children and
   herself for Sunday school and church, which is missed only on the
   {rarest?} occasions, and the children consider it a part of their
   weekly to attend; Sunday school is just as essential to them as day
   school, and they carry their Bibles to reach the standard of
   excellence. When the meals are served, Grace is always said at the
   table by "Sonny" but Billy will not allow anyone to begin eating until
   it is over.
   
   00077
   
   The general health of the family is good. The children have had the
   usual ailments of measles, mumps, sometimes tonsilitis in a light
   form. At this time Sonny has the mumps, but is getting along nicely,
   and except for being out of school, it is of little consequence. The
   grandmother had a very serious throat infection about a year ago, but
   her sister took her to the hospital for treatment, taking care of the
   expenses entailed. She was fed through the veins for a week. She
   recuperated from this illness, but is not very strong. She has other
   children who are in much better circumstanes financially, who could
   give her every care and attention, and are willing and anxious to do
   so, but she feels that she can be of use to Gladys and her children,
   and will not leave her to go to her own children to live.
   
   The diet for the family is varied, The main item on the menu being
   milk and butter. The grandmother and smaller son, Billy, both depend
   almost entirely upon milk as a diet. Sometimes Billy will eat nothing
   but milk and bread. About three years ago the situation was rather
   acute, as the family budget would not allow for a sufficient amount of
   milk for the family. An aunt bought a cow, payinh $5.00 for her, snd
   found her to be a five-gallon a day cow, when properly fed. At the
   present time they are unable to keep her at home, as there in no barn
   at the Recreational Center, where they are now living, so a man in the
   country is feeding and caring for her, and giving the family a gallon
   of sweet milk per day, which cares for the situation very nicely. They
   have been offered a nice sum for the cow, but are unwilling to sell
   her. They also have grown vegetables quite often and most of the time
   they keep a small garden, with turnip greens, collards, onions and
   lettuce. At this they are minus the garden, also, but they manage to
   get the 00088vegetables cheaply. They also serve dried beans, butter
   beans and peas often. Very little meat is used, although the
   grandmother and smaller grandson are great "meat eaters."
   
   The main recreation, or diversion, for Gladys is the association with
   her husband's brother and his wife. The two families have always been
   very close, and now they spend each week-end together. One Saturday
   and Sunday will be spent at the home of Gladys, and the next week-end
   with the brother-in-law and sister-in-law; each carries a small supply
   of groceries to help care for the week-end meals, without expense to
   the other. They all attend Sunday school and church on Sunday
   mornings.
   
   The home is rather hard to describe. It was at one time a home for
   under-priviledged children, but the house has been abandoned and a new
   one built. The old building was taken over by the local sponsors as a
   recreational center for the children in this district. They also
   installed a washing machine for the benefit of the women in that
   community. A janitor is kept to keep a fire and hot water for the use
   of the women in their washing. Each person is allowed to use the
   machine, wlth hot and cold water, one hour, for a dime. The
   grandmother looks after the engagements and collects for the use of
   the machine, which amount is turned in to the sponsors for the partial
   up-keep of the machine. The old home is large, and from the outside
   looks very nice, setting back from the street, with a large yard, with
   big cedar trees surrounding. The walls are bad, the plaster being
   broken in many places, the floors sunken, and the room which the use
   is badly lighted. They have to burn electric lights all day, but
   anything over the dollar minimum they pay is provided by the sponsors.
   They furnish their own fuel, but the house rent is given them for the
   care of the home and services rendered. The greatest inconvenience is
   the bedroom 00099facilities, all having to sleep in one room, but with
   plenty of ventilation. They have a nice, new, gas stove, but their
   quarters are too small to care for their furniture, having the use of
   only two rooms (although they have access to a large sun parlor,
   formerly a glassed-in sleeping porch for the children at the Open
   Door) with furniture for five. They have placed their piano in the
   recreational hall for the supervisors to use in their plays; their
   machine in the sun parlor, where the leaders sometimes make clothes
   for needy children in the community; their dining table is also in the
   sun parlor, and magazines and other articles are kept on this, and in
   this way they are well cared for.
   
   Insurance is kept on all the family. The mother-in-law's insurance is
   kept paid by her sister, and Gladys keeps small policies on both the
   children and herself, also one on her former husband, knowing that if
   misfortune should overtake him the family would have to meet the
   expenses.
   
   Gladys is very loyal to the administration, feeling that she in very
   fortunate to live in a country where the leaders are interested in the
   masses to the extent that our government is, and is confident that
   now, that she has had some experience in the business world, she will
   be able to carry on.

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