| Summary: | Leola Harris was born in 1919 in the Muscoda mining camp. She recalls growing up in the mining camp and describes the houses people lived in and the physical layout of the camp. She describes daily life in the camp and her early education in the company schools. Harris also recounts her later years as a school teacher in Birmingham. Harris recalls growing up during The Depression. She said her family received food (cheese, butter, flour, etc.) from the government. Of daily life in the camp, Harris recalls attending church in the mining camp, explaining that the women of the camp convinced the company to build the church. Different denominations would meet on alternating Sundays. She explains that the children of the camp received free medical and dental care from the company doctors and dentists. She also talks about blues and boogie-woogie music being played in the camp, by the miners. Harris explains that the children who grew up in mining towns were known as "round the mountain gang." There was a certain stigma associated with being raised in the camp; many thought the children would never amount to anything as adults. In her discussion of unions in the camp, she said her father was not a union man and was considered a "scab." Her father eventually died of emphysema (or silicosis).; Note: The first [00:08:30:00] of the second audio file is not transcribed.The digitization of this collection was funded by a gift from EBSCO Industries.
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