Interview with Virginia Beavers, March 19, 1994

Partial Transcript: Today is March 19th, 1994. We are in Caretta, West Virginia.

Synopsis: The interviewer introduces Virginia Beavers and gives her contact information. Personal contact information has been muted in this version.

Keywords: Caretta(W.Va.)

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: If you could, go ahead and tell us who your parents and grandparents and how long you've been here.

Synopsis: She gives her family history and how they mined in her father's time.

Keywords: Caretta (W.Va.);coal mines;Coalwood (W.Va.);family members--grandparents;family members--parents;Gary (W.Va.);U.S. Steel Company

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: When did they move into McDowell County? About what year?

Synopsis: She describes what it was like growing up in Coalwood during WWII.

Keywords: Coalwood (W.Va.);McDowell County (W.Va.);strikes;union rallies--coordination;War (W.Va.);WWII

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Well, let's see, you graduated in 1950. What happened in your life then? Did you stay in Coalwood?

Synopsis: She describes her husband's work in coal mines as well as her children.

Keywords: Caretta (W.Va.);children;coal mines;Coalwood (W.Va.);family members--grandchildren;family members--siblings;higher education

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: The thing that we've heard people talk about in the interviews yesterday was that, before the coal industry came to this area...

Synopsis: She talks about Caretta after the coal mines shut down and how people have become dependent on welfare. She also talks about the stereotypes that other people have of their community.

Keywords: Caretta (W.Va.);coal industry;economic conditions;stereotypes;welfare dependency

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: When we travel and go places, it's like everyone... they make you real defensive.

Synopsis: She talks about the stereotypes that West Virginians face. She continues to talk about government dependency and its being passed on from generation to generation.

Keywords: socio-economic status;stereotypes;welfare dependency;West Virginia

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: You worked at Head Start?

Synopsis: She talks about her employment in the public school system as an aide. She also critiques the Head Start program.

Keywords: alcoholism;child abuse;child development centers;education;government services;Head Start Program;primary education

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: OK, uh, what do you see in the future?

Synopsis: She discusses what she expects the future to be like for the public school system and Caretta.

Keywords: coal mines;community aspirations;computers;education;McDowell County (W.Va.)

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: I guess we're getting to the end of this now. If you'd like to leave us with one quote, summing it all up...

Synopsis: Beavers sums up her life in the coal fields and concludes the interview.

Keywords: coal fields;personal reflections

Subjects: