THE HARRIS GIRLS CHILDHOOD IN PHILADELPHIA
Ruby - Lucy - Lee - Willie
Written By Lucy Lutz
When our Father died in 1900, Mama moved to Philadelphia and bought
a little home. This home was on a big lot and we raised on this lot about
everything we ate. We had a cow and I remember the big spring and spring-house
where we kept our milk and butter. When we were teenagers, Mama let us sleep
late sometimes and then she would go to the spring house and churn. There
was a colored man in Philadelphia who killed our hogs every year and cured
our hams and made our sausage. Lee wouldn't eat breakfast unless she had
saw mill gravy. Bogart High School was
the finest school. I shall never forget some things I was taught in this
school. The finest teachers were brought to this school. Miss Kate Huey
was so strict she would frighten me sometimes, but she was a wonderful teacher.
The school had a fine music department. The music teacher would play a beautiful
march for us to march in order to morning devotions. Philadelphia had more
good musicians than any small town that I know of. The little Methodist
Church is dear to my heart. Mr. W. G. Lenoir was the Sunday School Superintendent,
Mr. Fate Airheart was my Sunday School teacher and Miss Hattie Mae Penland
was the organist. There was a revival at this church and when they had the
altar call I went up and gave my life to Christ. Mr. Creswell was the pastor
of the Presbyterian Church. He had a good singing voice and Johnnie Mae
Kizer played the organ. I remember a song that they sang often in the church.
" That will be Glory for Me." The Baptist
Church had a revival and Mama took us every night. Willie was the baby
of the family and Lucy and I made a pack-saddle and carried Willie home.
Lula McCrary and Mrs. Peoples had the Epworth league every Sunday afternoon.
They taught us so much about the Bible. This was at the Methodist
Church. Mrs. Henry Lenoir was a member of the Presbyterian Church. She
was a gracious, beautiful woman. The Browns came to the Presbyterian Church
every Sunday in a surrey with the fringe on top. Philadelphia had a wonderful
doctor. Dr. Penland who would ride horseback day or night to see the sick.
Mr. Billy Cannon had a strawberry patch. Mrs. Cannon would give us delicious
strawberries. The only social life we had were ice cream suppers, good home-made
ice cream. The boys would ask the girls to eat with them and would pay for
the ice cream. When we had snow we would ride on sleds down Government Hill.
The only cosmetics we had was rose water and glycerin from McCrary's
Store.