The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 103, July 1999 - April, 2000 Page: 40
554 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
40 Southwestern Historical Quarterly July
for his "despicable" behavior, observing that only his perceived loyalty to
the McFaddins had kept her from firing him before.46
Mamie Ward tended to be more critical and impatient than her moth-
er in addressing employees, and more inclined to stand over them while
they worked. Diary entries record her having to "get after" an employee
or giving another a "talking to" or "the dickens." Cecelia Smith said that
"Miss Mamie could tell you what to do, and she could look at you a mile
off and tell you what you didn't do right!" Albertine Parker recalled that
Mamie "was nice to me. But you couldn't do things well enough for
her." Of one dressing-down, for having fried the veal instead of broiling
it, Albertine recalled, "I never would, never forget that."'47
At the same time, Mamie seemed more reluctant than her mother to
dismiss employees, although her mother could simply have been the
one to carry out mutually agreed-upon firings. Mamie often tolerated
what she considered insolent or irresponsible behavior even while she
scolded and complained. She was capable of praising employees; Alber-
tine remembered that "so far as the kitchen, [Mrs. Ward would] always
compliment me." She turned on the radio so employees could listen to
the World Series and the U.S. declaration of war with Japan. She let em-
ployees off when the family was away and for special occasions, especially
June 19, ' uneteenth," when African-American Texans celebrated their
emancipation, as soon as they finished their morning chores.48
Mamie seemed to respond most sympathetically when longtime em-
ployees were ill or suffered family troubles, bringing Albertine Parker
gowns during her hospital stay and closely monitoring Tom Parker's dia-
betic condition. When Percy Andrews's brother Emile was committed to
a mental facility, Mamie drove Percy to the courthouse and later "took
[the doctor] up to see Emile he had not been to see him before-poor
Negroes don't get much chance unless their white folks help."49
The same etiquette books that encouraged courtesy toward employees
were also careful to admonish employers that "[n] either servant nor mis-
tress profits by any lowering of the proper barriers set between them. .. ."
In the McFaddin family, however, so-called "proper" barriers were fre-
quently breached. Eschewing the formal "English method" of calling the
employee by surname only, the McFaddins used first names, sometimes
46 ICM to MMW, July 4, 1941,Jan. 20, 1942.
4 Wilson interview, Tapes 77-78, transcript pp. 2, 4, 11; Wilson interview, Tape 79, transcript
pp. 11-12; MMW diaries, Jan. 11, 1939, Nov. 20, 1939, Aug. 5, 1941; Smith interview, Tapes
5-6, transcript p. 17; Parker interview, Tapes 30o-31, transcript pp. 19, 22-23, 44.
48 Parker interview, Tapes 30-31, transcript p. 23; MMW diaries, Oct. 3, 1936, Aug. 9, 1937,
Oct. 6, 1937,June 22, Dec. 8, 1941,June 19 entries for 1922, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941.
1 Parker interview, Tape 32, transcript p. 8; MMW diaries, June 8-10o, 1937, Dec. 3, 1938,
Apr. 6, May 7, 1941, Apr. 8, lo, 1946.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 103, July 1999 - April, 2000, periodical, 2000; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101220/m1/66/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.