Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Summer II/Section 013/JuliaRhodes

Overview

Julia Rhodes was the mother of eight children during the early 20th century.

Biography:

Early Life:

Julia Rhodes was born in Tallapoosa County, Alabama in 1904. After Julia’s father relocated the family to the town, Rhodes began at a local school due to her inability to work because of her young age. Although she was able to go to school, she often chose not to, as she did not enjoy going. At age fifteen, she got married to twenty-year-old John who worked in the mill .

Adulthood:

Rhodes became the mother of eight children, two girls and six boys. Of the eight children, only one was old enough to work and provide for their family. Because of this, Rhodes found it difficult to be financially capable of raising eight kids. Herbert, the eldest child, is able to work in the mill in the morning and attend school in the afternoon. Myrtle, the second oldest child, was forced to quit school to raise her younger siblings while her parents worked at the mill. After being able to go back to school, Myrtle was embarrassed for being too far behind all the other kids. The solution was homeschooling with a few lessons each week. In 1938, the eighth child was born, meaning Rhodes had to leave her job at the mill. This was a challenging time for Rhodes and her family, as that meant one less paycheck to keep them stable during the 1930s. Rhodes was battling with a tobacco addiction in 1938. Ever since she was a young child, she had possessed the tobacco dipping issue. She was embarrassed by her addiction, as she was very reluctant to discuss the matter, but with any addiction, it is very hard to quit. The tobacco addiction was passed onto the eldest son, Herbert, but he eventually quit smoking. Rhodes’ family was overall, a loving family who cared about one another throughout trying times .

Social Context

Employed Women and Life Working in the Mill:

In the early 20th century, it was very common to be employed by a local mill. Life in the mill industry was dangerous, but was often the only job many could get, as a quarter of the US was unemployed. If one was lucky enough to keep their job in the early 20th century, it was almost guaranteed that they would see lower wages and reduced hours . Mills were sought after for many because they often employed young adults as well as women . For women, the employment rate went up after The Great Depression hit. Although women were now making money for their family, it was not all perfect. They were put through demanding working conditions with less pay than men . The reason for the plethora of new jobs for women was The New Deal, made by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Employment opportunities were coming to light and many women jumped at the first opportunity for employment. Life in the mill was facing a declining economy and therefore increased competition. The solution for these setbacks was engaging in “Stretch Out”. Stretch Out was when the employees did more work in the same time frame, without an increase in pay . Because of this new way of working life, labor unions began to form. Labor unions are where groups of employees form a group that goes on strike because of harsh working conditions and unfair pay, or treatment. Although labor unions were mostly the only way reform would happen, many who were employed could not go on strike due to needing the income. Eula McGill, a textile mill worker and labor union organizer was born into a family in Alabama of textile workers. McGill said labor unions were “the only answer for working people” and although some were not able to join, most all workers supported those demanding change .

Economic Downfall:

When The Great Depression hit in 1929, the economy was at the lowest point it had even been. Many who were a part of the hardest hit industries, like coal mining and manufacturing, were the ones who lost their job . In Alabama, the stock market crash was felt as early as 1929, and was not over until World War II began, which is much later than the rest of the nation as a whole. The economic downfall not being over until the war is because of the newfound jobs for men, women, and even children . This era shaped a new economic state for Alabama, as many inequalities were found throughout the depression . During this economic downfall, 9,000 banks across America fail due to instability. Nationally between 1929 and 1932, an average of 120 banks per state had gone through banking failure. It was also more common for banks in smaller, rural areas to fail as they depended greatly on agriculture . Specifically in Alabama, many farm families began suffering the financial aspects of the depression due to cotton prices plummeting, thus also affecting cotton mills.After the establishment of The New Deal, agriculture as a whole became fewer, larger farms rather than many smaller ones. The number of tenants renting from those who owned the land was less, due to the increase in good paying jobs supplied by World War II. The New Deal, founded by President Franklin Roosevelt, provided financial relief for many as they were facing unemployment, and therefore on the brink of poverty .

Citations

Downs , Matthew L. 2014 “Great Depression in Alabama.” Encyclopedia of Alabama. http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3608.

Wheelock, David C. 1995. “Regulation, Market Structure, and the Bank Failures of the Great Depression.” Review (00149187) 77 (2): 27. http://search.ebscohost.com.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9507113161&site=ehost-live&scope=site.

Thomas, Harry. “Life and Work in Southern Mills.” Documenting the American South, 2009. https://docsouth.unc.edu/highlights/mills.html.

Rotondi, Jessica Pearce. “Underpaid, But Employed: How the Great Depression Affected Working Women.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, March 11, 2019. https://www.history.com/news/working-women-great-depression.

Konkel, Lindsey. “Life for the Average Family During the Great Depression.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, August 31, 2018. https://www.history.com/news/life-for-the-average-family-during-the-great-depression.

Cain, Maude. Julia Rhodes.” Federal Writers Project. Chapel Hill. Accessed 2020. https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/03709/id/982.