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Excerpt from Oral History Interview with Ethel Marshall Faucette, November 16, 1978, and January 4, 1979. Interview H-0020. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) See Entire Interview >>

Children learned skills that would be useful for work in the mills at an early age

Faucette describes how she worked in the mills unofficially, operating machinery during workers' lunch breaks. As a result, Faucette gained practical work experience.

Citing this Excerpt

Oral History Interview with Ethel Marshall Faucette, November 16, 1978, and January 4, 1979. Interview H-0020. 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

ALLEN TULLOS:
Do you remember, maybe you don't, but do you remember the first time you went down to go to work?
ETHEL MARSHALL FAUCETTE:
No. I used to carry lunch down there to my sister and to another fellow that worked down there that lived over the other side of us. I'd carry lunch down there and while she was eating her lunch I learned to work on her job. And that's how I learned. I was already learned when I went to work, 'cause I'd work every day on her job while she ate her lunch. I learned to twist in and then after I went to work, I learned to draw in. I worked 'till they shut down down there.
ALLEN TULLOS:
In fifty four?
ETHEL MARSHALL FAUCETTE:
In fifty four.
ALLEN TULLOS:
Did you stay at the same job?
ETHEL MARSHALL FAUCETTE:
Yeah. Oh, I didn't-I worked in the weaving room, or I worked upstairs or I worked in the draw in room-I worked anywhere they wanted me to. I worked over at the finishing room, when they needed me, I just worked wherever they need me.