My First Day at Skipwith, Virginia (Cont.)
Screen 7 of 7We did not discuss the matter any further at that time, but I later learned that my monthly salary would be almost $13.00 more than hers, even though she had already been teaching for one year. The reasons for the difference in our salaries were to be explained later in the month by a salary schedule sent from the superintendent's office with our first checks. First, I was the "principal," a responsibility which carried with it an extra $5.00. Then I was teaching the middle and upper grades, while Margaret taught at the primary level, another difference of $5.00 in my favor. But the last reason for the difference was that I was a man, she a woman. This factor accounted for only a $3.00 per-month difference; but Margaret always resented it, and although I really did not understand why preference was given to me, I never questioned the superintendent about it. In the 1930's this sort of thing seemed to be taken for granted.
"That's pretty good pay, young man," Mr. Brame observed. "I'll tell you it's a lot more than farmers are gettin' now." I did not disagree with either point, but since negotiations were under way, I did not say so.
"Let's see," he drawled. "If you use the big bedroom upstairs, I guess we could let you have room and board for $35.00 a month. We really ought to get $40.00, but if you will help me keep these womenfolk straight around here," he added with a twinkle in his eye, "I'll make it $35.00:" Before I could react to what he had said, he added with a shrug of the shoulder, "Course if you want something cheaper, we could let you stay in the little room next to the kitchen for $30.00--room and board."
"May I see the rooms?"
"Of course," he replied. "I just hope the ol' lady has cleaned 'em up. Margaret go tell your mother the young man wants to see the rooms."
"Daddy, I'll tell her, but I know they are already clean. I helped to make the beds late this morning." With this, Margaret withdrew, still questioning I felt sure the difference between her salary and mine.
Mr. Brame's reference to his wife as "the 'ol lady" shocked me at first. Such questionable titles had never been used in my own family. I later learned, however, this was what he called her all the time--both in speaking to and about her--but that it was not done flippantly or with disrespect. His attitude toward her turned out to be one of respect and affection.
As we were leaving the parlor, both the Mrs. Brames (Margaret's mother and her grandmother) met us in the hall and after greeting me again--this time very cordially--showed me the two rooms. I decided on the big room upstairs. It was well worth the $5.00 difference, especially when they assured me I would have it all to myself.
Downstairs in the hall again, I said to all of them with considerable enthusiasm that I would like very much to stay with them and that I would prefer to have the upstairs room. "I like to play the violin," I added. "I hope my practicing up there won't bother anyone."
"Of course not. That's fine," the younger Mrs. Brame beamed, giving me the distinct feeling she was happy about the whole arrangement. "Now, we've got plenty for supper," she continued. "Unless you have some other plans, we want you to eat here and spend the night with us."
"Of course he'll eat supper with us," Mr. Brame said firmly. "Now that's settled. You say you play the fiddle, huh? That's great. Maybe you can play a hoe down for our Saturday night square dancing group."
Oh how much brighter things now looked. I had even forgotten the problems I would face at Oaks the next week.
"Thank you very much. I'll be glad to spend the night here." I'm sure I appeared to be excited; for indeed I was. "Of course, I don't have any clothes with me. I left my suitcase over at the Skipwith Post Office. But I can get that tomorrow morning." Everyone was smiling now--even Mr. Brame in his own way as he left to return to the tobacco patch.
This wonderful day--my first in Virginia--ended with a delicious supper at the Brames'. The country sausage, corn bread, turnip greens, fresh tomatoes and milk settled very well on my empty stomach, and my pleasant dreams on the feather bed in that quiet upstairs room were marred only once by a brief nightmare about the upturned outhouses at Oaks School. It seemed I was trying to right them all by myself, with the big boys standing by and just laughing. But then--still in my dream--one of them said to the others, "Aw shucks, he's such a lil' feller. Let's hep' 'im." And they did.
Little did I know that night that this dream would turn out to be a harbinger of good things to come, a true prophecy of how my first year of teaching at Skipwith would actually turn out.
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