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Sheet Music - Page one, In Old Bull Durham Tow; Page two, Night of Nights
These documents present a picture of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of black county extension agents in Durham County in the 1930s and 40s. The purpose of the North Carolina cooperative extension program was to give instruction and practical demonstrations in agriculture and home economics. Black agents implemented programs such as the 1940 “Live-at-Home” program that encouraged better management of “time, labor, and material resources.” They started programs for youth such at 5-H, and worked to improve conditions for tenant farmers. They and other community members participated in the ongoing struggle for better pay for the agents and better services for their constituents.
Estelle Nixon, Negro Home Agent
Food and Nutrition Program for Women 1940
Thomas Hamme, Negro County Agent
Spaulding Letter regarding Hamme
Miscellaneous Documents
1933 Letter from the Independent Voters League
Response to Letter from the Independent Voters League
1941 Letter to General Assembly - Letter from Commissioner Carver regarding success of program
News Articles
Negro Farm Life School Eliminated by Budget Cut
Tenants Live in Hovels in Rural Durham; The Durham Sun; March 6, 1934
Program for 1938 was Concentrated on Five Problems; 1939
Majority County's Farmers Tenants or Sharecroppers; The Durham Sun; January 28, 1939
Great Strides are Registered in Rural Work; The Durham Sun; February 1, 1939
5-H - Negro Youths Extend 4-H Work in County by Organizing Groups Known as 5-H Clubs; The Durham Sun; February 19, 1940
Agent Attacking Problems in 1940: Aims at Tenant Farm, Single Cash Crop and Non-Diversification; The Durham Sun; March 5, 1940
Entrants Will Meet Wednesday: Around 125 Already Have Filed Blanks for Competition; The Durham Sun; March 14, 1940
Negro Farm Agent Quits; The Durham Sun; January 24, 1941
In 1909 North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now NC State University) signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States Department of Agriculture to work cooperatively on demonstration work, the first such agreement in the nation. These documents present a vivid picture of the work of Durham’s cooperative extension service during Mr. Newsom’s tenure. Highlights include the “Food and Feed” program, which encouraged Durham County farm families, as part of the war effort, to produce enough food to feed their family and their livestock, and “Better Homes Week,” which promoted home upkeep, since “tumble-down homes usually represent tumble-down character.” The firing of a county agricultural extension agent results in a scathing letter in the Durham Morning Herald.
4-H
4-H 1940 Pamphlet - 4H Objectives and how to reach them, Some state goals for 1941 and suggestions as to how you and your club can help to reach them
Kiwanis 4-H 1940 - Kiwanis International Program of the Agricultural Committee March 20, 1941
4-H Program - 14th Annual Girls and Boys Club Achievement Day, May 25, 1938, included the 4H Field Song
1940s Plans
Homemaker's Project
Annual Husbands' Night Valentine Party 1940
1941 Food and Feed Program for National Defense
Miscellaneous Documents
1935 Letter to the Farmers of Durham
Better Homes Week - The County Commissioners of Durham County call upon the citizenship of the County to enter into the spirit of "Better Homes Week." Tumble-down premises usually spell tumble-down character.
News Articles
A Champion from Carolina Tells 'Em How
County Administration Has Been Working With and for Farmers for Nearly 30 Years
County Agent Lambasts Action of County Board in Leaving Farm Office; January 1934
Letter Box; Durham Morning Herald; January 31, 1934
New Farm Agent Greeted at Meeting County Board; The Durham Sun; February 5, 1934
Home Demonstration Work in Durham Wins High Praise; The Durham Sun; July 27, 1934
$37,304 Worth of Farm Produce Sold at Exchange Here in 1937; January 4, 1938
Miss Bryan Resigns as Home Demontration Worker Here; The Durham Sun; January 4, 1938
Miss Rose Ellwood Bryan; January 6, 1938
Home Demonstration Work Started in Durham in 1915; April 24,1938
Superintendent of Health Links Disease and Insects; The Durham Herald; April 24, 1938
These documents demonstrate the marked contrast in services for the poor, infirm, and mentally ill today and in the 1930s and 40s. Especially interesting is the letter from prisoners housed at the County Work House, who are complaining to the state superintendent of Welfare about the adverse conditions they are experiencing.
Durham County Work House Evaluation; August 25, 1938
Durham County Home Schedule of Days Work for Supt.; May 19, 1939
Durham County Home, Infirmary and Work House Inspection Summary; May 1, 1940
Report of Sanitary Inspection of the Durham County Home; July 12, 1940
Durham County Home State Fair Prize Awards
News Articles
13,269 Quarts Put Up Durham Garden Season
Board Asks Estimates for New Ward at County Home; The Durham Herald; April, 8, 1936
Board Splits Three to Two on Selection; The Durham Sun; December 15, 1937
Board to Consider County Home Head; The Durham Herald; April 4, 1937
County Buys Registered Jack as Step in Livestock Program
County Home Here is Being Made One of Best in State; The Durham Sun; August 27, 1938
Two County Home Officials Will be Named Defendants; August 24, 1939
County Lives at Home; The Durham Sun; October 30, 1941
The Durham County Home; State Progress; April 9, 1937
Farm on Eno River Will be Rented by County From State; The Durham Herald; October 24, 1941
For the Record; The Durham Herald; March 15, 1939
State Funds Being Sought for Infirmary; The Durham Sun; November 20, 1940
Goodbye Poorhouse!; The Durham Sun; December 3, 1936
Health Officer Places Aproval on County Home; The Durham Sun; March 31, 1938
County Home Now is Raising 40 Per Cent of Food Needs; The Durham Sun; October 30, 1941
County Home Improvements Moving Forward Steadily; The Durham Sun; September 9, 1939
County Authorizes Offer of $300 for State Prison Farm; The Durham Sun; October 3, 1939
Plans are Drawn for Additions; The Durham Sun; March 12, 1940
Repairing of Old Deranged Ward Put Off; The Durham Sun; March 7, 1938
Seek Additional Food for County; The Durham Herald; September 12, 1935
County Has No Worry About Wood Supply; Herald-Sun; March 29, 1942
Workshop at County Home is Destroyed by Night Blaze; The Durham Herald; December 8, 1939
These documents, like those in the “County Home” section, demonstrate the marked contrast in services for the poor, infirm, and mentally ill today and in the 1930s and 40s. Lots of facts and figures will be useful to researchers exploring Durham’s social service work during the period.
Board of Charities and Public Welfare Running Report; December 1930
Board of Charities and Public Welfare Running Report; June 1931
Financial Report of the Board of Charities and Public Welfare; April 1931
Durham County Welfare Report; March 1944
List of Duties and Powers of the Welfare Department; August 22, 1932
Weekly Welfare Budget Allowance Examples
Report of School Attendance Work Done by Board of Charities and Public Welfare; February 1931
Running report of the Welfare Department; March 1934
Welfare Department Monthly Report; May 1938
Money Spent on Recomendation of Welfare Department
Running Report of Board of Charities and Public Welfare; September 1932
Types of Work Done for the Welfare Department
Watts Hospital Charity Work Report, 1929
News Articles
Durham's Only Policewoman, Katherine Williams Obituary; February 13, 1935
Church People Asked to Give Food and Jobs; The Durham Sun; January 17, 1936
Distribution to Get Under Way Monday; The Durham Sun; January 18, 1936
Durham Must Meet Civic Crisis Today; The Durham Herald; January 19, 1936
Security Program Will Cost County $56,548 Each Year; April 11, 1937
More Space for Handling Social Disease Needed; May 5, 1937