Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2022/Fall/Section093/Ed Grace

Overview

In the small town of Daphne, Alabama, Ed Grace, the local potter, was interviewed about his life endurances on October 7, 1938.

Biography

Personal Life and Career

Ed Grace was originally from Choctaw County, prior to his move to Daphne, Alabama. When he came to Daphne In the year of 1930, potters were not very common due to the low income and how time demanding the job truly was. But for Grace, it was an occupation where he could use his creativity and craftsmanship. As he made his way from Choctaw County, he found that the amount of potters in the area was very low, so he decided to start his own business. In Daphne, there were many average potters. However, Grace was one with outstanding skills and talent. As he perfected his work and business, he became the best in the area. Many townsfolk in Daphne were eager to be trained by Grace because of his outstanding skills and in total, he trained twenty men. Business for Grace was slow, but it kept him stable. He was a very local and independent man and liked running his own business as well as not having to depend on others. Grace also believed that it was not necessary to have salesmen. He mostly used just one helper but if business was pretty good, then he would use two. Grace worked in very tight quarters. His shed was approximately one hundred feet by fifty feet and covering the floor was remnants of dirt and clay he used to create his pieces. The most popular piece of work that Grace created were charcoal burners. These charcoal burners were so popular because of how fast he can make them. Apart from the burner, he also created art like strawberry, oil, and flower pots, urns, and knick-knacks. To actually bake the clay, Grace has two huge furnaces and two warehouses to store his creations.

Family and Social Life

Ed Grace had a wife and six children, all of which were in grammar and in high school. Grace and his family also owned a forty-acre farm a mile from Daphne where he soon hopes to start a pottery plant. He plans for his family, once out of school, to help him with his business. The farm his family owned contained clay, some of the best in the country, that he used to create his pottery. His home is filled with scattered pots and vases that Grace has created and houses the two large furnaces in the open yard. Grace also spent some of his time donating much of the clay used for his pottery to local schools for children to use and play with.

Social Context

The Pottery Industry

Creating pottery is a skill that takes much precision and patience as it is extremely delicate. Those who create pottery are known as potters. This art has been known for centuries by many religions, countries, and cultures because it has been a staple for creating porcelain, different figures, and dish ware. Pottery is also known for being one of the oldest human inventions being founded in the Czech Republic around 25,000 BC.

When creating pottery, potters must be extremely careful as they are very delicate and easy to dent, break, or alter. Pottery is normally created from clay or ceramic materials and can be difficult when it comes to shaping the actual object. Using a wheel or by hand, potters can shape and mold the clay into the desired shape. When using a wheel, the potter will place the damp clay in the center. After turning the wheel on, it will spin according the potter's wanted setting. The potter can then shape and mold the piece into the desired object. Once the piece in perfected, it will then be placed into a kiln or furnace to be burned. These devices can even "reach extreme temperatures even above 1000°F." Sometimes, the temperature can be so hot than the pottery can break. After the piece is fired, the potter will set it out to cool and glaze and soon sell to consumers. Some potters may also like to add designs or character to the piece. Paint, oil, and scraping are all ways that potter's make pieces unique before putting in the kiln or furnace.

Pottery was an art very common with the Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, and Medieval Times. Because pottery was a pretty simple art, people from all over the world began to use it to create needed household items. These household items included: pots, pans, vases, and bowls. Pottery became extremely popular in 25,000 BC. Women were mostly potters and spent time collecting and molding clay to create these items used in the house.

Jobs During the Great Depression

One of the biggest economic crises in the United States occurred between 1929 and 1939. This period began after the fall of the stock market and affected almost every American. But the economic crisis did not just stay in America, economies all over the world were failing and people were continuously losing jobs, life savings, and even homes. The unemployment rate during the Great Depression changed from approximately 3% to 25%. Throughout the duration of this economic crisis, this meant that "while 1.8 million people were unemployed in 1929, 12.8 million people were unemployed by 1933." In less than four years, the amount of unemployed people rose by more than 10 million. This was not only detrimental to the economy, but to those people's lives, families, and living situations. Many consequences were to come from this. One consequence includes divorce. As tensions heightened, couples were distressed and couldn't handle family pressures which often resulted in divorce. Parents were also stressed about where to send children to school as teachers weren't working or getting paid. Job loss affected all areas of life and unfortunately, people had a difficult time trying to avoid the consequences. Businesses were also losing money. Even big corporations had to lay off workers which meant less production and less money. Small independent businesses had a hard time staying alive as no one had the money to buy from them. People were truly stuck in this horrific situation. No job, no money, and no income was the lowest of lows for many in America.

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