The first free schools in Little Rock were opened by the Union for colored children.  They brought young white ladies for teachers.  They had Sunday School in the churches on Sunday.  In a few years they had colored teachers come.  One is still living here in Little Rock.  I wish you would go see her.  She is 90 years old now.  She founded the Wesley Chapel here.  On her fiftieth anniversary my club presented her a gold medal and had “Mother Wesley” engraved on it.  Her name is Charlotte E. Stevens.  She has the first school report ever put out in Little Rock.  It was in the class of 1869.  Two of my sisters were graduated from Philander Smith College here in Little Rock and had post graduate work in Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.  My brothers and sisters all did well in life.  Allene married a minister and did missionary work.  Cornelia was a teacher in Dallas, Texas.  Mary was a caterer in Hot Springs.  Clarice went to Colorado Springs, Colorado and was a nurse in a doctor’s office.  Jimmie was the preacher, as I told you.  Gus learned the drug business and Willie got to be a painter.  Our adopted sister, Molly, could do anything, nurse, teach, manage a hotel.  Yes, our parents always insisted we had to go to school.  It’s been a help to me all my life.  I’m the only one now living of all my brothers and sisters.

Well ma’am, about how we lived all since freedom; it’s been good till these last years.  After I married my present husband in 1879, he worked in the Missouri Pacific railroad shops.  He was boiler maker’s helper.  They called it Iron Mountain shops then, though. 52 years, 6 months and 24 days he worked there.  In 1922, on big strike, all men got laid off.  When they went back, they had to go as new men.  Don’t you see what that done to my man?  He was all ready for his pension.  Yes ma’am, had worked his full time to be pensioned by the railroad.  But we have never been able to get any retirement pension.  He should have it.  Urban League is trying to help him get it.  He is out on account of disability and old age.  He got his eye hurt pretty bad and had to be in the railroad hospital a long time.  I have the doctor’s papers on that.  Then he had a bad fall what put him again in the hospital.  That was in 1931.  He has never really been discharged, but just can’t get any compensation.  He has put in his claim to the Railroad Retirement office in Washington.  I’m hoping they get to it before he dies.  We’re both mighty old and feeble.  He had a stroke in 1933, since he been off the railroad.

How we living now?  It’s mighty poorly, please believe that.  In his good years we bought this little home, but taxes so high, road assessments and all make it more than we can keep up.  My granddaughter lives with us.  She teaches, but only has school about half a year.  I was trying to educate her in the University of Wisconsin, but poor child had to quit.  In summer we try to make a garden.  Some of the neighbors take in washing and they give me ironing to do.  Friends bring in fresh bread when they bake.  It takes all my granddaughter makes to keep up the mortgage and pay all the rest.  She don’t have clothes decent to go.