LindaCUnderwood.txt

-n -n -n >> Okay, it's March 19th, 1994. I'm interviewing Linda C. Underwood, PO Box 293, Coretta, West Virginia, 24821, home number 3048754839, work number 3048753418. This is being done for the Kentucky Historical Society. [BLANK_AUDIO] >> If you would go ahead and give us a bi-gram information about, do your grandparents were, were they from, or, or, you know, tell us if you don't know. >> Okay. I only knew one of my grandparents, the other, both my grandfather's and one of my grandmother's was dead before I was the age of two, so I don't really remember them. My mother and daddy were from the area, they were from a place called Atwell Mountain, my mother was, and my dad's people were from that area also. My daddy was a railroad worker. He was disabled when I was about the age of six, I think, if I remember. >> What was your dad's name? >> Clarence Click, my mother's name was- >> CLICK? >> Uh-huh, and my mother's name was Nelly Click. >> And what was her name? >> Her name was Dawson. >> Dawson. >> And? >> How many brothers and sisters did you have? >> I have two brothers, no sisters. >> Okay, your brother's names are? >> My brother's names are Donald Click and Darrell Click. >> And where are they? >> One of them lives in Indiana, he lives right outside of Ligonier. The other one lives right now, is living in English West Virginia. But in March of this year, he will be moving to Ligonier, Indiana also. He's a coal miner, my oldest brother. And he was laid off coal mines about ten years ago, and he went to Indiana and worked until they called him back to the mines a couple of years ago. And they're talking about another major lay off at the mines he works at. So he'll probably be going back to Indiana. That's where his children that have graduated from high school are. And my brother Darrell, his whole family's in Indiana. Don has, or boys, he has, three granddaughters and one grandson. Darrell has eight children. And he has, I think it's three grandchildren this time. I have one child. Actually, two children, I had a daughter that was born with a heart defect. And she died at 11 months. And I have a son now that we adopted when he was born. I've lived in this area since first grade in school. >> Where were you born? >> I was born in Niagara Falls, New York. >> Okay. >> And come back, my parents were both from West Virginia. So after I was born, when I was about five days old, they come back to West Virginia and have been here ever since. >> To McDowell County. >> McDowell County. >> And one community to grow up in. >> Coretta. >> So you've always been, what year were you born? >> 54. >> So you've been here ever since, except for five days? >> Yeah. When they moved back to McDowell County, they lived in English West Virginia. Until I was six years old, then they moved into a mining camp here in Coretta and bought one of the old cold-cutting houses. And we've lived there ever since. My dad died when I was 12 years old. And my mother's still living. Basically, he had blood clots and one had burst and went to his heart. And my mother, she's still living. She's living with me now. And my husband, myself, still live in my old, my family's old home. >> Now, how many children did you say you had and where your brothers and sisters, did they all graduate from high school? >> No, neither of us graduated from high school. The eighth grade, as far as I got, I was basically taught that you're gonna grow up, you're gonna get married, you're gonna have a family, you'll probably marry a minor or something. And a woman's place was at home, basically. So I got married when I was 15. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> And my husband was a minor until they laid him off the mines several years ago. And now he works at a health clinic as a janitor. And we have a son who's been seven years old, April 7th. Like I said, he's adopted. We got him from North Carolina. We brought him out of the hospital as a newborn. >> Yeah. >> That's what I'm gonna tell you about my family. >> No, okay. >> My husband's family. >> That's all, that's all. >> Okay. >> And now, what year, I guess, what was it like you grew up in the 50s and the 60s? What was it like growing up here in the cold field as a 50s and 60s? >> Lots of fun, lots of things to do. We had the mines was running. They worked a lot of men. We had a community school. Our old town that was three miles away had two theaters. And at the city hall in the little town of war, they had dances for youth and stuff like that. And there was always something to do. Whereas now, with the coal company closed down and the schools closing, there's nothing for the kids to do in the area. If they go to a movie, they have to drive approximately an hour to go to the movies. If they go roller skating or anything like that, about the only activity within 30 minutes drive is bowling. Basically, that's all we have left in our county is like the bowling lane. We have no movie theaters. >> And what year did your father pass away? >> I'm not really sure. I think it was '67. >> So you were already pretty much out on your own or about to be out on your own? >> I got married in '69. >> Okay, what I was wondering was in those two years, even though you didn't get killed in the mines, how did you guys get by, you and your mom and brothers, how did you guys get by? >> My dad had social security and where he had been in service, he got a check from there also. And that's basically what, no, no. We lived on the social security and the veterans. >> And it was enough to get by? >> It was enough to get by. >> What? >> Nobody made any money. >> Right. We basically got by now. I mean, we didn't have a whole lot, but we had what we needed to get by. >> After you got married, what was it like? Wasn't it like raising your son? >> Mm-hm. >> What's it been like raising your kids in the Coalfield Housing? How was it different than when you grew up? Things that started changing by then? >> It's different because there's nowhere for the kids to really go and meet and play and have fun. And a lot of wagon minds have moved into the area. We used to be able to ride our bikes down the streets to the old school building and play on the playground and stuff. And now with all the logging and the mining, the coal trucks, it's dangerous for them to do that now. >> They just recently got into truck mining over here. And it's not like Kentucky has been going on forever. >> Yeah. >> Somebody mentioned it was a fairly recent thing over here. They've been at Bear Hall for about four or five years. >> Okay. >> Was very few, but now it's more and more. Like in one, like at the little hall where I live, there's like three now, just in that one hall. Also with the logging, taking the trees out. There's avoid kind of cuz we don't have our little store here at County Store, we don't, and things like that. About all we have left in credit post office. And I looked at it as when my child grows up, I don't want him to have to leave the area unless he wants to. I want him to be able to have a choice to stay in MacDowell County. And that's one of the reasons I got involved in community development and in the project that we're doing here with Big Creek People in Action is so that we can be able to maybe create some kind of jobs. And work to create some kind of system that lets our children, the graduate from high school, stay home. >> Rather than. >> Rather than for them to be. >> Yes. >> Who started the Big Creek People in Action? >> There was a group of us. Basically how it came about was Frankie Ruliford and myself sitting around in the evenings and we would watch our children play on the old abandoned railroad tracks and ride their bikes on the street. And we would get to talking and she would say, well, it would be nice if we had something in credit. It's just a meeting place and I would say, well, it would be nice if we could get that old abandoned school building that's being torn down or being vandalized so bad. And could fix it back to where we could have several things in it and have a place for you by doing that. We could get you involved in helping with that center. And that would give the youth something in our area to do that they could be involved in and that would keep them off the streets, keep them away from drugs, alcohol. And a lot of it, we have a youth group that works with us a lot. And so she, myself, and a local minister went before the Board of Education and asked for the old building, think of them when we have a battle. And maybe a couple of year wait. And we were really shocked that within a couple of months they had approved it and had decided that they would give us the building. >> [LAUGH] >> I'll see you later. >> And- >> I'll give you a call. >> [LAUGH] >> And we immediately started working on incorporating ourselves, getting 501c3 forms. We have the first certified child care center in MacDowell County through Concord College and Family Connection. >> Where is it now? I keep hearing people mention- >> It's in Athens, West Virginia. >> And how far away is it? >> Approximately, I have no ideal mileage but it takes about an hour and a half to drive it. >> [LAUGH] >> I'm not good with mileage. >> So it's probably like 30 or 40 miles over there. >> Yeah, it's on the other side of Princeton. >> Okay, and it's in your final one, C3, is it listed under the Big Creek People in Action? >> Yes, it is. >> So the official title of the center fell is- >> Big Creek People in Action, Incorporated. >> Okay, so that's the name that it really goes under? >> We kinda, when we got set, that's about all we liked. And we had to meet in the parking lots to have our meetings and stuff and we had to meet in the parking lot this night that it was raining to the sidewalk where we were gonna be culled and everything. And I said, well, we're from Big Creek District, we're people in action, why not Big Creek people in action? So everybody said, well, yeah, that sounds like us. So that's how we got named. Yeah, and we have the PSD, Public Service District, has a room in the building. They've been doing some stuff with the water in our area. We've worked with the youth in the area. They have a group that they call Wildcats, which was the old school name for the ball teams and stuff. And the kids that have dances and we have exercise programs and karate classes. We just have several different things that we have a GED class. Last year, we had approximately 62, I think it was in that. I'm not sure about the number, I think it was 62. >> How many dogs are you talking about? >> All together. Right after, not too long after I was married, I got into a GED class and I went back and got my GED. I also took nursing assistant and I passed that. It just wasn't what I wanted to do. So I didn't work at it after getting my certificate for it. I basically wanted to work helping people, but in all different ways, not just sick people. Or because there's people out there that are like between the cracks that maybe they need to ride somewhere, maybe they need food or maybe their children need clothes. And I wanted to be one of those people that helped all people with their needs, not just the sick or just children or just elderly, but all people. >> You saw your role as more inclusive. What can happen to them if you think you have so long? >> I have no idea. >> Well, how do you gauge your success? Schools gauge your success by what you graduate say have. And how do you gauge how successful are you? By the number of people, are your programs increasing? >> Yes, programs are increasing. We've developed so many different forms and we have a 15 board member now. We, I really don't look at it as success for me. It's like, I don't know how to explain it. It's kind of like everybody's worked at this one little goal and it's finally fell into place. And for the first two and a half years, I've volunteered and I was in this building sometimes day and night. When we got our first funding though, I was the first one to be able to be hired. I kind of don't. It's a success so far, but it's like, it's everybody's success story that has worked so hard on so many things that are finally falling into place in their county. And big history. >> Well, what I meant was though, I guess is how do you gauge your success? But how do you gauge the success of the programs by the number of people that you're attracting? >> By the number of people that we're attracting, by the people that wouldn't speak at maybe. So to say that they didn't know how to go about speaking up for themselves or how to do the different things that they wanted to do that they knew would help, but they didn't know how to go about doing it. And I kind of judge it by, I've watched so many people in the last year that have stepped up on the front line, so to speak, and says that this is enough and we want something and now we're going to fight for it. And it's not just one or two people that have to be out there now. It's like there's many, many people that are just stepping up and saying, we want more for our community and we're going to fight for that. >> So you see, so that's one of the ways you judge your success is you see more people that are being empowered and saying, we want to do something about it. >> And yeah, and I guess another way is people that have heard of us from other places that have heard of what we're doing and how we're going about doing it, that have called or have gotten involved in their communities and don't know how they go about doing certain things and they call and they say, well, I've heard about you and I've heard you've done this. How do we go about doing that? And one of the things that I want to be here for is those communities that have nothing that won't something and they're willing to work and work hard for it because it is a lot of hard work. >> How are you going to proceed and you're right now, I guess, kind of laying the groundwork for the future. >> Yeah. >> What are your overall goals? I know you say we want more for our community. >> Yeah. >> What are your specific goals for what you're trying to achieve out there in the distance? Of course, you already told me one of them was providing opportunities for your kids so they wouldn't have to move away, but how are you going to do that? How are you going to accomplish that? Do you have some specifics in mind as opposed to just saying we want to do these things? >> We'd like to do small job developments after the relationships. We have a really good mountain music association and we hope to involve them in a way that their jobs through it. We want to develop things that will develop jobs in the area. >> Yeah. >> Now when I spoke with whatever team, she mentioned the same thing about trying to create something with the music industry to work with the overall technical job that they created. Now is this building she was talking about that she was talking about anything in a building? >> Yes. >> I don't know if this was the size of the building she was speaking of, but we do have a room upstairs where we hope to do a recording studio and that would be a business venture. We'd like to do that. >> Recording the music and marketing it. >> And I'll give you an idea here. Since it is under a 501c3, the big group, people in the actions, whatever you make off of it, this pack is free. >> We also want to do cultural things where people in the area make beautiful quilts. They do good crafts and market this. >> Like say, catalog operations. >> Well, maybe eventually, but right now just to start off, smile and build on it. We thought about doing a commercial kitchen where the women that make chow chow or vinegar or jellies can come in and make that and market it at their own label and make something off of it. >> So in a sense what you're trying to create here in a way is both an economic and a cultural and an educational core? >> Yeah. >> That's what you're trying to do. >> Yeah. You put it right together. >> I'm pretty good at that. >> Good. I'm playing somebody because I'm not good with words. >> But no, that's very, very interesting. I can see all kinds of things. Say for instance, if you do your own recording studio and your own label, that would create technical jobs for the kids to do with the sound equipment. >> Also with the youth group that's been working with us closely, they want to do their own little business venture where the children come in and they have a room designated that they want to do a game room and this game room would be manned by those youth and they would get a smile, a stipend, a smile paid for their work. They do like one or two days in the evenings after school to keep the game room open and going. >> I think some wonderful ideas. And that's now, what are you, I know you're under this title, one, two, three, but what do you call a center? >> What do we call the center? We create people in action. >> That means action? >> Coretta Center. >> Well, if we describe to us as the Coretta Center. >> The Coretta Center is what we call it. >> That's a comment that you refer to. And we've just taken over another school building and another community in New Hall, West Virginia, which is approximately 14 miles from here. >> You're going to try to be the same thing there? >> No, basically, yeah, basically, it will be a branch off the PIA and we just refer to it as New Hall Center. >> I can see right now, one of the decisions you'll have to make somewhere down the road is do we create all these programs at this place and all these same programs at the other place, or do we have three of them here and two of them over there? >> Right. And like with the others, the others would like to just kind of branch off and have stuff in different places where people like come through the towns and stuff maybe have these things set up in there to see on stuff. Another thing we've talked about that we'd like to do is stuff like a call month and stuff. And I just started buying up pictures of call months that were in this area that have been torn down or that are now being torn down. >> That he thought about mushrooms. >> That has been brought up. >> She's talking mushrooms. >> Is that the Japanese mushrooms? >> Yeah, there's a lot of money. >> Actually, we had a young man that came on top to our board about that where that he's, and the way he explained it was that there were some Japanese men came in and planted these mushrooms in the damp moisture dark holes of the mountains and they really grew and that he thought there could really be some money made in that area. >> Well, I think we're talking about the chow chow and things like that. If you've got the facility here, which you have, and if you have the people who are apparently willing to work on whatever vision you come up with, it will make money, which you have. And if you have a product like say mushrooms or something, you, then all you need is a market outlet. And they're out there because I see in the chrome and stuff. And there's money to be made off of them. And the scholar will work with him and touch the teams. He actually sells these things and goes out and gives workshops on them and all that. But that's what I was thinking was maybe you can find something that will grow on these fields that's valuable, like mushrooms or Chinese cabbage or something. It might be something to grow on the hill. >> We kind of go out and pick different greens in the summertime and wild berries, stuff like that. >> But I bet, you know, from the way you're talking, there's, there's, you're getting into the processing of the things that there's something that you come up with. >> And we've been trying to do leadership training with you. And I took the, solved the Southern Appalachian leadership training from, it went right out of my mind. >> Highlander. >> Highlander in New Market, Tennessee. When we first was getting started, because I was just one of the community people that sat in the community, I didn't know anything about the business and or anything. >> Are you learning? >> Hard, fast. Or fast and hard. >> One or the other? >> Yeah, one or the other. It's been hard learning at some points, but, but the learning has made it easy when you sit down with a group of people and learn that way instead of learning with somebody just up front trying to teach everybody. It's much easier. >> So you feel like the group, the group learning activities have been more beneficial for you. >> Yes. >> I teach in a group, when I teach my writing classes, I just gather everybody in a big circle and just go from person. And that, to me, seems to be the best way to work. >> That's the best way to learn. >> Because then nobody can hide. Everybody has to participate. It finally is going to be well built. What do you think? You know, you got to come up with something. >> Because I was one of those people I wouldn't say anything. I went to all the meetings and everything, but I just sat there. I wouldn't say anything. And by going to some of the workshops where that happened, where everybody sat around in a circle and everybody participated, that helped me. >> Yeah, it really did. >> You've got a leadership position now. Is that going to be the comment you needed to apply for a leadership role? >> Yes, and I think that's such a better way to do it is to do that. Because when you have one person standing in front teaching a group, you have those ideals alone. Whereas if the whole group is in a circle and everybody participates, there's a lot of good things that come out of it. >> That's a good quote. >> Many ideals instead of one, I guess. >> What do you see for the future for greater or for the big, crazy people in action? >> Many things, I guess. I see better communities. I see more people coming out and saying, hey, the co-companies may have been our fathers and our mothers and told us how and when and where, but now they're gone, so we have to pick up from here. And I see more people coming out and doing that, picking up their lives and making their decisions and doing those decisions. And I see jobs that will be created. And I hope that my hope is that by the time my nieces, nephews, and grandchildren graduate, that they'll be able to make a choice, that they won't be forced to leave our area. They'll be able to say, hey, there is jobs here and I'm staying home. >> Okay, if you sum it all up into one thing, I think you just got to do that. >> Yeah, the one thing I guess that really made me want to be involved with is children, just being able to do something that down the road will help not only my child, but everybody in the community should know that. [BLANK_AUDIO]