The rise of insurance companies and the accumulation of history
Insurance companies put burial societies out of business in the 1930s and 1940s, Spaulding remembers. Some people disliked the transition because of their devotion to ritual, but Spaulding believes the change was for the best. As he remembers this transition, he reflects on how lots of small changes can add up into history-making events, and reflects on two leaders—Richard Nixon and the Shah of Iran—who have been tested, and failed, in history's crucible.
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:
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Would black policyholders working class people, would they resist maybe
going from the old traditional burial society fraternal organization
over to a more secular kind of insurance company?
- ASA T. SPAULDING:
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No. Because these fraternal organizations insurance plans: I
don't hear too much about any of them.
- WALTER WEARE:
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I'm thinking now when you were here in the thirties.
- ASA T. SPAULDING:
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Well, they had the fraternal organizations. Remember the Royal Knights of
King David; but it went out of business. The insurance companies put
them out of business.
- WALTER WEARE:
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I'm just wondering if there was some reluctance on the part of
the masses to make this change?
- ASA T. SPAULDING:
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Well, they liked rituals. But people don't pay that much
attention to it now. It used to be, every time a Mason died,
they'd have the rituals. It's seldom done now,
very seldom. People have gotten away from it, the ceremony.
- WALTER WEARE:
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How important was the….?
- ASA T. SPAULDING:
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They served their day and generation. I look upon the things that have
happened throughout our civilisation in the nations of the world, and
the rise and fall of nations. Each one had a role to play.
It's part of the changes, part of developing a nation and a
people, and a society and everything else. I started years ago to having
a brotherhood day and goodwill day on Sundays at our church.
- WALTER WEARE:
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This is White Rock?
- ASA T. SPAULDING:
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Yes. I remember in 1963, I invited Abraham Harmon, ambassador from
Israel, to be the brotherhood day speaker. And he made a statement that
I will never forget, in going back and reviewing history. He said,
"It is never given to any man to complete the great tasks of
life, but it is given to every man an opportunity to make his
contribution toward that completion." You take it in political
life; you take it in legislation; you take it any way you want to. The
people, just like the national insurance—you know about
national insurance? And how long we've been arguing about
that? And presidents that have come and gone? And is still with us? At
some time it will be; but the person who starts with the idea may never
see it. And whether you take it in political life—just like
in business. I served my day and time. As I look at North Carolina
Mutual, I think there was a day and time for every president that North
Carolina Mutual has had. I think he had something special to offer at
that particular time. And I think it's fortunate
it's that way. It would be tragic if the thing stopped at the
passing of a person. If there wasn't somebody else to pick up
the mantle and carry on. Would we get anywhere? So, as I look back and
study organizations and things of that nature, I was a fraternity man.
But to me, now, I just don't have time to fool with it. I
feel there's too much time spent for too little. There are
other things that are more worthwhile and can contribute more to
society, than the time and energy spent on some of these things.
- WALTER WEARE:
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Did you think this philosophy in the beginning, came in part from your
background and values, the kind of traditional values?
- ASA T. SPAULDING:
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Well, I'll tell you. I think really my continuing to teach
this bible class that I have in Sunday school had more influence on my
life. At the truth, and all. Starting with my grandfather, the bible has
had more influence on my life and my philosophy of
life than anything else that I know of. And I don't mean to
be sanctimonious; I'm not trying to be that. But I think
there are certain universal truths. And somehow or other, as I look at
things, how they're happening and to people, the rise and
fall of people, what causes them to rise and fall: overambitious,
vanity. You take Nixon. I voted for Nixon when he first ran. But here
was a man who could have gone down in history as one of the greatest
presidents that this country has had. Because he had something. He had
an asset. But he had a liability that outweighed it. Just like when he
took that foreign trip and came back here, bringing those costumes and
all. He had something that was just eating at him. He could have been
reelected in what was it? 1972?
- WALTER WEARE:
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In '76 he would have run.
- ASA T. SPAULDING:
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He could have been reelected for his second term without ever resorting
to the tactics he did.
- WALTER WEARE:
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It was '72, yes.
- ASA T. SPAULDING:
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I mean there was no one on the scene who could have defeated him, but
yet, he was so possessed with this overriding ambition that he put his
dependence in the wrong things. He opened the doors to China. Many
things that he did. And he had the possibility, if he
could've just kept himself disciplined. First man to bring
the presidency shame and disgrace. Tragic. Both to him, and maybe, to a
certain extent, the country. And another passage,
"‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my
spirit,’ said the Lord". The most dramatic
experience that I've seen of that was the Shah of Iran. Two
years ago, nobody would have thought it was possible. And the ambassador
from one of my very good friends, [unclear]
. We became very good friends. I've attended several
parties at the Iranian embassy. And I have something sent me by him.
Correspondance. But the point is: I think the Shah was
trying to bring Iran into the twentieth century. But I
think he was too far away from his people. And, as to whether or not he
recognized that people power is just as important as military power. And
when we put our trust, our dependence in treaties and might and power,
and everything else, there'd better be some spirit somewhere.
You can take the best football team and put it on the field with no
spirit. There's something that spirit maketh alive. I think
that early training, and the lessons that I learned, and I studied these
things. Whether you take it literally or not, or take it symbolically,
or whatnot. There are certain universal truths that if you test them in
the crucible of history, you find that sooner or later.