My Family

"Lost my handkerchief yesterdayÐ'....who shall find it?Ð'....watch me play". Release the handkerchief behind someone in the circle and run until you get caught. Similar to "Ring Around The Roses", this was one of the few games my great aunt, Sallie Mae, would play growing up. The children didn't get much free time back then because they were swamped with house chores, school, and church.

My maternal grandfather's name was Clarence Charlie Williams. He was one of twelve kids to Jessie Mae and Lee William Williams. Growing up in McCormick, SC, the family lived the typical life of African Americans back then. The Williams family attended New China Baptist Church in McCormick. Because this was a family of twelve, the children were carried to church in a big wagon with two mules leading the way. Jessie and Lee were both on the church choir therefore, they would park the wagon outside beside a window. The children would be obedient and patiently wait for the service to end.

Every Sunday after service the family had a big dinner "blowout" at Mama Ella Harman's, Jessie Mae's mother, farm in McCormick. Jessie Mae would gather all of the unprepared food into plastic bags, stack them high, and the family would be on their trail to Mama Ella's house to cook and unite with the family. The dinner would contain hogs (which were hunted by the males of the family), green beans, chicken, macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, etc. Rounding up the food wasn't as easy as it sounds. The children would have to pull the silk and leaves from the top to the bottom of the corn on the cob. The would also have to snap the ends off of the green beans after having them soak in water. Lee William would travel to the local market once a month with $50 to get enough groceries to last for that month. Due to young marriages and adult responsibilities, many of the children quit school. My granddaddy Clarence and his sister Hattie were the only two, of twelve children, to graduate.

My maternal grandmother's name was Geroline Ometha Walker. She was one of seven children to Elease and Homer Walker. The family included six boys: Glendoe, Norman, Calvin, Melvin, and Clyde, and two girls: Geroline and Edith. Homer Walker was a son of two slaves who just so happen to give him up as a child. He was raised by his aunt Estella Pickens. He was born with a hearing disorder.

The Walker family attended Mt. Spring Baptist Church. They walked to church on dirt road paths. The children were very obedient because Homer and Elease were very strict. There was no turning around or chewing gum in church. If mama gave you that look, you knew that you were going to "get it" after service. They family was baptized in pools. When church was over, back at home, there was no ball playing or loud noise. The children were expected to give the Lord some respect on His day.

School was very much segregated back then. The kids walked to school. The school contained one principal and four teachers. After school, they had chores. The boys would go help get wood for the fire place, while the girls would help mama scrub clothes. Since the family stayed on the farm, there were no inside toilets. They would use the bathroom outside. The girls couldn't go anywhere without their brothers. Girls also could not play outside with boys, unless