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Chestine Epps Curry, Suwannee County; "[T]he black went to separate schools, not equal schools, not equally as they should be, as the white school in Suwannee County. They were thankful to be able to learn how to read and write because they were once, wouldn't 'llow the blacks to be part, to go to school to read and write in the United States. The black school were poorly equipped. As they say, some had pumps. It was a spring. The children had to go to the spring and get water. They didn't bring 'em wood, so sometimes the boys would have to go out and cut wood and bring it back. We had a heater. This was at Smithville, that's the name of the school. Smithville. Then the black schools, as I say, was poorly heated. Sometimes, as I say they had school in churches. I remember the school was so poorly built and had plenty ventilation 'til we went in the church. Sometimes we'd have school in the churches."
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James Cooper, Suwannee County; “I think the good thing was that we knew that we were coing to have equal access to whatever was available. Good teachers, whatever you want to call 'em. Good supplies. Good facilities. Had that now. The other part, the downside of it is that we began to lose control of our black kids. Certain things you had to be cautious about doing. Where it wasn't a issue when we were all black. I'll do this and I'll see your mama later and I'll tell her why I did what I did. Now you get in another setting, you got to treat everybody the same, so if you going to be cautious with whites, you had to be cautious with blacks, if you want to be equal. The same things that we used to say to 'em, we could no longer say in that setting, because we would be deemed as [unfair] when they go back home and tell their parents about what's going on."
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Walter Mae Philmore, Suwannee County; “[I gave birth to all of my children at home.] Had'em right here in this bedroom right here (taps the wall). [They were delivered by midwives.] Ms. Beasley was the first. Ms. Upson was with Dot, but she was born in Montgomery. Ms. Beasley with the second one, LeAnn, with this marriage, second marriage. From LeAnn on to Junior and then from Lorenzo and Arnold and Ramona, Ms. Patterson. Ms. Patterson right out there. She died couple of years ago. She was a hundred and something. Hundred and something. But all these children, my children, was born right here, except that one, in this house, reared up right here on this ground in this house."
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