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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEastgate Panel 11Eastgate Home Interviews Bernice Thomas Good afternoon, today is Tuesday October 17, 1995. I am interviewing for the first time Mrs. Bernice Thomas. This interview is taking place in her home at 620 Pasler Street in College Station, Texas. This interview is sponsored by the Historic Preservation Committee and the Conference Center Advisory Committee of College Station, Texas. It is a part of our memory lane history project. Good afternoon Mrs. Thomas, will you tell us your name and where you grew up and when you moved to this area here in College Station, Texas, just a little bit of your history as a young lady. Ms. Bernice, will you talk and tell us about yourself a little bit. Bernice- I was born in Burleson County. I went to Center Point school. I married and I lived in Burleson for a while and I leA7 and moved to Bryan and later moved to College Station, I have very nice neighbors, we owned a business and I enjoyed running my business, I enjoyed my neighbors Ms. Gilbert, Ms. Irene McGee and Ms. Nettie Eaton all those were my neighbors, we got along fine. Later we went to Temple, lived there for a while, came back, then moved back to Temple again, then we went to Washington in 1946. Started living at home in College Station, my husband transferred backwards and forwards out of town and I stayed home to raise the children and we continued to run our little cafe. Ethel- OK. Ms. Thomas, I �m going to ask about your family, how many did you have in your family at the time you started) staying at home? I knew about that you had nothing but girls and no boys. Bernice- Yes, I had one boY4 Ethel- Did you? Bernice- Yes, he died a short time after he was born. I have two little daughters Frances and Lula, they are both married and out of my house now. We continued to live there and we continued to run the store. Ethel- Have you just alway lived right in this area of College Hills? Did you live in any other part of College Station? � Bernice- No, I have always lived here. When I moved from Bryan, I moved out here in'39 and I have been here ever since. Ethel- And I noticed that, You mentioned about the girls all married here and went to school here. Bernice - They went to. Ethel- Lincoln? Bernice- Lincoln Center and... Ethel- Lincoln High School? Bernice - They went to Lincoln Center and Lincoln High School, then they went to A &M Consolidated. When they integrated schools, they went there. Ethel- That was about in 19¢6 I think. Bernice- Something like that and they, they finished high school there and Lula went to A &M. Then she later went to a University in Houston and Francis went to a Business University in Houston. They both went there. Ethel- Yea, and where are y now? Bernice- Lula is in Houston still and Luberta, is in Houston and Frances is in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ethel- And Frances is your daughter who married a military person, wasn't she? Bernice- Yes, she married Larry Terrell form Welborn. Ethel- And he has been in the service for twenty something years. Is that right? Bernice- He has been in serv�ce to my recollection, for about 20 years. Ethel- Twenty years, that's a long time. He is retiring about now, is that right? Bernice- He retired about tw'p months ago. Ethel- Do you think they will move back here to Texas? Bernice- Not right now because they will live in New Mexico until their son gets out of high school and there daughter is ii} college at The University of Texas at Austin. They're putting her through college. 2 Ethel- And you said that you did do some traveling with your husband before you had your children. About how long did you stay in Vancouver? Bernice- We stayed in Vancouver pretty close to a year and we stayed in Temple off and on, I guess two years. Ethel- Because of the work your husband was doing? Bernice- Yes, because of the work he was doing. Ethel- After settling back here in College Station and with your family, do you remember back then about your shopping, did you go do your weekly shopping or monthly shopping, or how did you shop and where did you go? Bernice- Well, we shopped in Bryan and we mostly shopped at Food Town. We never did too much shopping out in College Station, we always mostly did our shopping in Bryan. Ethel- There is very little here during that time in College Station. Bernice - That's right, that's right. Ethel- Do you remember the names of your doctors? I know there were doctors here in College Station because Dr. Walton was one. Dr. Walton and there was a dentist here, do you remember did you use any of those. Dick you use Dr. Walton or Dr. Cooker, the dentist? Bernice- I use Dr. Richards and Dr. Lindsey and Dr. Kahil. Ethel- And they were all do ors in Bryan. Bernice - They were in Bry . Dr. Walton was in Bryan too. Ethel- Yes, there were several Walton. Bernice- Yes, he was in Bry too. Dr. Kahil was in Bryan and Dr. Richard was in Bryan and Dr. Lindsey was in Bryan. Ethel- I suppose those doctors are still practicing or have they sort of retired? Bernice- Dr. Lindsey is still doctoring and Dr. Kahil is still doctoring and Dr. Richardson and Dr. Walton, are dead. Those are'Ithe only two that I remember being dead. Ethel- Do you remember the time and how did it effect your life during the times of depression? Were you still traveling, that may have been the reason why you were moving around. Bernice- No it wasn't. Duripg the depression, I was at home with my parents because that was like in'25 or 30. I think it was in'25. I was at home with my parents. Ethel- Well, while you were home with your parents, did your family raise a lot of there own food to eat? Bernice- Yes, they did. Ethel- The gardening, the meat, and all? Bernice- My parents raised chickens, cows, hogs, ducks, geeses, everything and they always had a garden. Ethel- Now do you remember anything about your family and what they did and how did they use their leisure time for celebrating, social events, or entertainment? How did you have fun when you were still at home with your parents? Bernice- Well I can't remember too much of my past, but I like going to school, school closings, and church activities. My father was a deacon for as long as I can remember and we use to go to O'Bethleham Baptist Church to celebrate whatever school or social that was going on in school. Ethel - And that is in Burleson County. Bernice- Yes, all that is in Burleson County. Ethel- When you first moved here in College Station, can you describe some of the modem appliances and anything you had? How did you, how did you come about getting when you first movers up here, did you move into a house with a modem appliances or did that come later? Bernice - That came later because when I first moved here, I moved with my sister. After that I moved to an apartment, I had a wood stove and I had a wash on a rub board. I didn't have no refrigerator or nothing like that, that came later after I moved back to my own house. Ethel- Do you recall when you moved here to College Station, your first job? Did you ever work outside of your home? Bernice- My first job was irking for a doctor on the college. Dr. Simble, I worked for them as a maid. I worked in the cleaning pressing shop, then I left there. Ethel- Was that up on the campus? Bernice- Yes, and then I left there. I worked at the laundry, Ayres Laundry and then I worked at A &M Consolidated Schools. I worked a while at Dr. Hamlin's Hospital. Ethel- That was one of our permanent black doctors in Bryan, wasn't it? Bernice - Right. Ethel- And he had a hospital and had a little clinic, sort of, didn't he? Bernice- Something like that. I worked in the hospital there for a while, I felt like if anybody else could work on a job, I felt like I could work on it too. I would always try to find a job that somebody else was doing, I felt could do it too and I did. Ethel- Do you recall or were you living here when Franklin Roosevelt canpaign train came through? Can you recall when Franklin D. Roosevelt's train came through College Station? Bernice- A train came through but I don't know whether it was his train or what, I remember it was a train came because at the depot they had it staked off to where you can't get to the train but we could see it and I remember that. Ethel- In the way of, you ha¢ told me that you all had a business at one time. Bernice- Yes. Ethel- What kind of business was it? Bernice- It was a store, cafe. Ethel- What all did you sell during that time? Bernice- We sold barbeque, eve sold pies, we sold sandwiches, hamburgers. Ethel- Just a nice little place to come and eat. And you had tables and chairs? Bernice- Yes, we had tables and chairs and if the children wanted to dance, they had a place that they could dance. Ethel- Did you have anyone else to help you besides just you and your husband just ran it? i Bernice - That's all, my husband and I ran it all the time. Ethel- And it was mainly for,' a community? t . Bernice - Right, right. Ethel- How many hours were a you open during the week? 5 Bernice- We were open in the evening from about 4 o'clock on till 12. Sometimes we would open earlier than that. Sometimes we would open at 8 o'clock cause we had people come in for lunch and we would open for that d then we would rest a while and then we would reopen for the night shift, for those that got off lat in the evening. Ethel- Now in your business, most of your goods that you needed were delivered or did you have to go someplace to pick it up? Bernice- My husband would go pick it up, sometimes they would deliver it, but he would go pick it up. But most of the time he would go pick it up. Ethel- In talking about the community, you have only one church in this community, is that right? Bernice - Right. Ethel- It's the baptist church Bernice- Yes, College Hills Baptist Church. Ethel- And you are a memb�r there? Bernice- Yes. Ethel- You joined that church. Do you know who was your first pastor? Bernice- Reverand Howard. Ethel- Howard, Reverand Howard, where was he from? Bernice- He's from Houston) He pastored there and after Reverand Howard left, Reverand, Reverand... Ethel- You had a Reverand Casell that came for a short time, didn't you? Bernice Yes, Reverend Cas�n, Pm trying to think of the pastor. I think Reverend Bolton was there for a while. Ethel- Reverend Bolton. Bernice- Bolton and Reverend Wilson and after Reverend Wilson, Reverend Harris. Ethel- And Reverend Harris Was there how long? Because he just retired didn't he? Bernice- He was there for 37, years. Ethel- 37 years, that's a long time. And he came over here. Was he from your area, Burleson County? Bernice- No, he's from West Texas. Ethel- Was he? Bernice- Yea, I know he use to pastor West Union and College Hills. Ethel- Can you see the chan ties that have been made? Bernice- Oh, yes, there's a lot of changes been make since Pve been here. Ethel- Most of your neighbors are all gone, the original ones. Bernice- Oh, yes, they are. Merman is still here. Ethel- Who was really living in the little groups of houses? Bernice - Ms. Irene, Ms. Lo ey and Ms. I can't think of the name of the other one, and Ms. Harris also use to live there. ( Ethel- Lovey Heard. Bernice - And huh I can't think of the lady's name that lived in the other. We had real good neighbors that lived there. And the most of them died in those little houses. After Herman lived in the one in the corner and Ms. Everett Ball and them lived in there too. And Tool and them used to live in one. I mean that's about, the Hudgins, Booker T. Hudgins lived and Jesse Johnson liver) right in front of College Hills iBaptist Church. Ethel- Out of the community, I know the whole community has grown it has changed, how many of them as you can recall, the beginning group, any of the early ones still around. Bernice- No, none of the ea1y ones are still around. Ethel- Out of the majority, ifyou can recall of College Hills made up of the community here, where were most of those people from that came to build up this community? From different places or were there a lot of..; . Bernice - They were from different places because I do know where from Ms. Irene came from Castle Heights. Ethel- So she came from ou� of the Bryan area out here. Bernice- Now Ms. Deckanim, I don't know where they came from out here. Ethel So they were really a group of people who everybody had to meet and get acquainted and become friends. Bernice - Right. Ethel- So all your neighbors you really had to make friends with them. Bernice - The Eaton's, they came and Mr. Oscar and them Mother was up above them they came too, and I think all them came from Bryan, I think. Ethel- Really, getting to the College Hills area close to East Gate back on Texas Avenue, Do you recall the business places that were there like the Luke's Grocery Store and the Blue Tops. Bernice- Yea, I know about the Blue Tops and Dr. Walton had a clinic and the White's had a grocery store down in there. Ethel- Was that Luke's Patra I nella's Grocery Store, Luke's Grocery Store? Bernice- I know it's Luke's Grocery Store but I don't know whether he's a Patranella's or what but I know it was there and the filing station where Mr. Phillip used to work. Ethel- Yes, my dad worked there at that Mobil. Bernice - And then there was another one up above I think. Ethel- I think they call ... Ami on Harris worked there. I think that was an Humble at that time. Bernice- Yea, and huh the G�ocery Store was Louise Mays and Seven Eleven and I believe there was..... Ethel- And then there was a Pharmacy in there wasn't it Black's Pharmacy? Bernice - Black's Pharmacy, here huh right there Allison. Ethel- I think that's a bicycle hop now. Bence- No, it's a Red Lobster' in there somewhere. Ethel- Oh, is it? Bernice- I can remember therm. Ethel- Now the Blue Tops was more of a little motel wasn't it? Bernice - Right. Ethel- So, I guess alot of the people that were coming in for games and activities they... Bernice - They would stop there. I think the Brims used to run that. I think that's what they were. Ethel- Huh, do you remember what it was like in this area when there was a big football game? Bernice- Yes it was kind of hectic for people to get there but they would always go because they would take the children. They would always have to leave the car and walk. They love to go but I never was too much of game fan myself. Up there at the North Gate they had a grocery store up there. I can't even think of the name. Used to run that store up there. Ethel- Was that the grocery store they used to call Charlie's? Bernice- Charlie's, yea, the theater was up there. Ethel- The campus theater. Bernice- Yea. Ethel- And there was a Holic s Boot Shop in there. Bernice- Shop there. Ethel- And the laundry was in there. Is that where you worked? Bernice- No, I worked in the �aundry down here on Highway 6 behind that filling station where your dad used to work Al's L undry. Ethel- Yes. And huh I notice at the names of some of the streets here they were named for some of the people that lived in this area. Bernice- Well huh, I don't knew who, this is named after old man Pasler. Lincoln, I don't know who Lincoln street was named after. Ethel- And then Tarrow Street that was named for the principal of the high school, Tarrow. And then there's a Payton Street. Bernice- I don't know where Payton Street is. This is Pasler and the... Ethel- I think on over sort of to the back is... Bernice- Preston Street. Ethel- Is it well that's probably for Mr. Tommy Preston. Bernice- Right, Pm trying to think I don't know the name of the other street, but I know College Hills and Preston Street, there probably is a Gilbert Street somewhere in here because somebody came in here once asking about it. But there is suppose to be a Gilbert Street right there. Ethel- Oh is it because that's where Mrs. Gilbert lived right up there. Bernice- But really, they made a street out of it, it's not suppose to be a street. Because that's street is suppose to come in on Banks Street. And they put apartments there and that's why they've got Gilbert Street there. Ethel- Because Banks was huh a family that lived and had a little business also. Well I don't know if we've missed anything or n' so if you can think of something that you feel that huh would be something that the historical ( committee could use we'd like to, if I have forgotten anything you can mention that you feel somethiog that you can relate to me that would be of importance to the committee of this community. I know it's a very pretty community would so many new homes here. And the homes are so nice. Bernice - And I know it would really help alot if they would make these people clean up these lots and things it would be a whole lot normal. Smith last time I heard from him he's in the hospital I don't know what he's going to do about his. i Ethel- Yea, well we just have 'to take one day at a time and wait. Bernice - Honey, don't tell me but what I can't understand that the college can give the older people so many days to do what they' want done and they can't give, they've given him years to clean up his act over there and he hasn't done it. Because when they got ready to build this house here, I had a store, the store was sitting in where this house is sitting. Ethel- The store that you had.. 10 � Bernice- And they gave me just like so many days to get it torn down and clean off, and I had to. And the two houses sitting over there. They ain't asked no question they just pushed them down. They bulldoze them houses dq wn which was my mother -in -law's house. Ethel- Really. Bernice - Their rent house. They didn't ask no questions, they didn't give you no orders or nothing, they just went in and bulldozed them down. Ethel- Now how long have you been in your house here? Bernice- Pm on my fifth year Ethel- Oh are you? Bernice- Yes maam. Ethel- Well this is really nice.1 Well, you know sometimes we don't know a lot of times what and why some things are done the'Iway it's done. Bernice - That's true, that's for sure, because then I asked them why they did give me so many days to do mine and then he got ya rs to do his and he hasn't did it yet. Ethel- Well that's life isn't it? Bernice- Sure is, that's right, esides that someone said that I was prejudice but Pm not prejudice I think what works for one works for the other one too. Ethel- Treating everybody right. Well, ok thank you so much Mrs. Thomas. Bernice- Your're sure welcome. 11 �W • • Ethel - And it's just been delightful talking with you. So, if there's anything, that a, I need to get back with you Pll give you a gall. Bernice- I hope so. Ethel- Ok, thank you. Bernice- You're sure welcome. 12 City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project Oral History Stage Sheet Memory L ane: Interviewer 11 Interview Place r Z Special sources of informa Date tape received in office Original Photographs Yes Describe Photos Interview No Interview date Interview length j_ # of tapes marked # of photos Date Recd Interview Agreement and tape dis Given to interviewee n_Z, Date Signed / Transcription: First typing completed by First audit check by Pages Date Sent to interviewee on // 9- S Received from interviewee o Copy editing and second audit check by J y �fJi /� C Pages 12 — Date /S Zr (name) Final copies: Typed by remarks: Pages Date Proofread by. 7) Pages Date 2i Pages Date Photos out for reproduction: Where to: Date: Original photos returned to: Date: Indexed by: Date Sent to binilery by Date Received from bindery Date Deposited in archives by: Date eceived Yes � No es,tn ctions- If yes, see remarks below. Yes No "00� Pages Date !S fna The City of College Station, Texas Memory Lanes Oral History Project INTERVIEW AGREEMENT The purpose of The Historic Preservation Committee is to gather and preserve historical documents by means of the tape - recorded interview. Tape recordings and transcripts resulting from such interviews become part of the archives of The City of College Station Historic Preservation Committee and Conference Center Advisory Committee to be used for whatever purposes may be determined. I have read the above and voluntarily offer my portion of the interviews with (Name of Interviewee) In view of the scholarly value of this research material, I hereby assign rights, title, and interest pertaining to it to The City of College Station Historic Preservation Committee and Confer c enter Advisory C mWee. Interviewer (signature) Date Interviewer (Please Print) HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE City of College Station, Texas 77840 ORAL HISTORY DATA SHEET I hereby give and grant to the HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE, City of College Station, Texas, for whatever purposes may be determined, the tape recordings, transcriptions, and contents of this oral history interview. Also, permission is hereby given for any duplications of original photos, documents, maps, etc. useful to the history project to be returned unharmed. Interviewee releases, relinquishes and discharges CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from all claims, demands, and causes of action of every kind and character, including the cost of defense thereof, for any injury to, including the cost of defense thereof for any injury to, including death of, any person, whether that person be a third person, Interviewee, or an employee of either of the parties hereto, and any loss of or damage to property, whether the same be that either of the parties hereto or of third parties, caused by or alleged to be caused by, arising out of, or in connection with Interviewee provision of historical information, whether or not said claims, demands and causes of action in whole or in part are covered by insurance. /Vf /-7 - % Interviewee (Please print) Signature of Interviewee Name ` ..r,F 7-1 77?40 Tel ephon®► ,o y6 Date of Birth Place of Birth D u Interviewer (Please Prin J Signature of In erviewe � s��r S ir ecc Place of Interview INTERVIEW STATUS: Completed, In progress List of photos, documents, maps, etc. Interviewee agrees to and shall indemnify and hold harmless CITY, its officers, agents and employees, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, causes of action, suits and liability of every kind, attorney's fees, for injury to or death of any person, or for damage to any property, arising out of or in connection with the use of the items and information referenced aboved by CITY, its agents, representatives, assigns, invitees, and participants under this grant. Such indemnity shall apply where the claims, losses damages, causes of action, suits or liability arise in whole or in part from the negligence of city. /0; D. City of College Station Memory Lanes Oral History Project This is 7 aenl Today is �� � /7 , (month) (day) (year) I'm interviewing for the !_ time (- Mrs., er helve This interview is taking place in College Station , Texas. This interview is sponsored by the Historic Preservation Committee and the Conference Center Advisory Committee of the City of College Station, Texas. It is part of the Memory Lane Oral History Project. Have each person introduce themselves so their voice is identifiable on the tape recorder.