%images; ]> wpa2-27070501 [The McMurrays]: a machine readable transcription. Life Histories from the Folklore Project, WPA Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940; American Memory, Library of Congress. Selected and converted. American Memory, Library of Congress.

Washington, DC, 1994.

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 U.S. Work Projects Administration, Federal Writers' Project (Folklore Project, Life Histories, 1936-39); Manuscript Division, Library of Congress. Copyright status not determined; refer to accompanying matter.

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 1994/03/15 2002/05/16
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Luline L. Mabry, Rt. 5.

Hendersonville, N.C.

Dec. 13, 1938.

J.R. McMurray and Family.

Route 5. Hendersonville.

THE McMURRAYS.

“Mama, do you hate to give me this money”? This question from the sensitive and analytical mind of a boy of 15, and the reply of his mother are the keynote of the entire life of a small family consisting of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. McMurray and their son 15, and daughter, 11 years of age. The boy's question came as he had just asked his mother for money to pay rental on the typewriter he uses at school. Her reply was: “No, son, I'm glad to give it to you because it means an aid to your education and we consider any money [?] well spent that goes into fitting our children for successful and prosperous careers. Maybe, too, some day you may have to pay it back to me if I should happen to need your help when I'm old". Then she asked her boy why he had put such a question to her, and he replied that he just wanted to know how she really felt about giving him this money.

In his position as caretaker of a small, but fine, estate belonging to a Miami family, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Collins, Mr. McMurray not only plants re-plants, moves shrubbery at the will of his employers and makes their gardens, but during the [?] absence of Mr. and Mrs. Collins in fall and winter months he plans and supervises the building of whatever additions to the beautiful grounds they desire, such an new fish pools, rock gardens, tennis and shuffleboard courts. They live in a well-built four room and bath house in one corner of the grounds. This house, with city water, is furnished by Mr. Collins, and while their salary in not a large one, they are fortunate in working for people who are very generous with gifts, and many extras which are not really included intheir contract. C9 - N. C. Box - 1 -