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Excerpt from Oral History Interview with Asa T. Spaulding, April 13, 1979. Interview C-0013-1. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) See Entire Interview >>

A country boy is not intimidated by New York City

Spaulding remembers that he was not overwhelmed by New York City, although he did betray his country roots with his attire.

Citing this Excerpt

Oral History Interview with Asa T. Spaulding, April 13, 1979. Interview C-0013-1. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Full Text of the Excerpt

WALTER WEARE:
Aside from NYU, did living in New York City have a large impact on you as a country boy coming to the big city.
ASA T. SPAULDING:
No, no, no. Because when I came here and went to Whitted School that first day, I was countryly dressed, for all that means. And the city boys were well dressed. And I remember I had heavy brown shoes on. And they had these ribbed, between a clay color and a more yellow—try to imagine—brown shoes, and wore long, ribbed stockings. And they wouldn't have anything to do with me, neither the boys nor the girls.
WALTER WEARE:
Was this typical dress from where you came from in Columbus County?
ASA T. SPAULDING:
Well, naturally. You know old farm boys. I had a Sunday suit. See, we had our everyday clothes, and we had our Sunday clothes [Laughter] And, of course, short trousers, that would bloom over the knee. That's what I came here with.
WALTER WEARE:
I see, what were the city kids wearing?
ASA T. SPAULDING:
I think they were wearing long pants.
WALTER WEARE:
White shirts, or anything like that, to set them a part?
ASA T. SPAULDING:
Well, they wore their ties and their shirts and all, yes. They dressed better then then they do now. See, this dress, the way they're dressing now, started a few years ago. Where was it? In New England, on the street somewhere, where they'd dress as shabbily as they could? to this country. And then the denims and all.
WALTER WEARE:
So, you weren't overwhelmed by New York City then?
ASA T. SPAULDING:
No, I wasn't overwhelmed.