...the saga continues

When we crossed the little railroad line we noted a small block of tiny stores with apparent apartments on the 2nd floor...There was a small cafe/restaurant, a hardware store, a Bed and Breakfast Inn etc...There were a total of about 19 stores and this was the full complement of shops in Plains...since at last census there were still about 639 residents in total! 58% are Black...about 30% caucasian and the remainder mixed..At the diaganol corner was the abandoned train depot which became vacant several years ago when the train stopped functioning...and it was this depot that Jimmy Carter utilized as his National Headquarters when he made the run for the Presidency!

He began using the High School, but it was too small and Rosalyn suggested the Depot...Evidently it was effective. Although it is old, rustic and sort of primitive it is now being used as a small museum for Carter memorabilia. There were pictures of him during the campaign and posters relating to past experiences..very interesting...and quaint.

Down the road about 2 miles we came upon Lebanon Cemetery...After some searching in the tiny very plain appearing cemetery we were able to find at first a Carter Family plot which contained graves of Jimmy's uncles, aunts cousins etc...and then after much searching we found the plot that his parents, James Earl Carter and Lillian Cartewr were buried, in addition to the grave site of his brother Billy...There were just 3 very simple flat tablets identifying them.

Enroute we stopped at the little Maranatha Baptist Church which was set way back on a deep lawn. It was an A-Roofed red brick colonial appearing entrance with white columns on either side of the door...and we became very excited that we were scheduled to attend services there tomorrow. Driving farther we stopped at a dark brown cabin like Visitors center...and before entering Daras noticed a small dead tree with it's uplifting branches amputated and capped with brightly colored glass bottles..She thought it was attractive and once we were inside she asked of the 2 elderly women who were apparent guides what was the significance...They told her that since there were such a large population of African/American residents in the area trhat they practiced some of the customs of their ancestry..They felt that the bright bottles wouls attract the Evil Spirits and would ward them away from themselves, and in fact they told us that when the wind came up and was trapped into the bottles, they seemed to emit a moan...assuring them that the spirits were successfully trapped! Daras liked the idea so now in our travels we are looking to find a dead tree that will permit this, for our front lawn in Florida!
The 2 women were personal friends of the Carter's and filled us in with many anecdotal stories...kind of "small-town" talk.

Next we drove a oliitle farther until we reached his Boyhood Farm Home...It consisted of 170 acres and when he was a boy it did not have electricity, running water or indoor plumbing, and it was only until 1935 that it became installed. His boyhood friends as a child were only the black hired help and it was only until he started school did he have white friends since trhe school was segregated.. The school was quite primitive but apparently he was urged to read voaciously both by the teachers as well as his parents...The house was full of books and for every Holiday and his Birthday he looked forward to recieving more books as gifts.

He had the back bedroom and his 2 sisters slept in a double bed in the front..His parents had the middle bedroom and baby Billy slept in thier room until Jimmy left for college. He had his own pony called Lady which he rode bareback frquently. He was required to do his share of farm work and the family was quite frugal since his rearing occurred during the height of the Great Depression and money was scarce.

He graduated High School as Salutarian..attended a small local college for a year..another year at Georgia Tech and then since the family could not afford to finance him further, he applied and was accepted to Annapolis. Following graduation he married his girlfiend from Plains and enlisted in the Navy...After 1 year he went to a Nuclear school and was soon an officer on one of the first Nuclear subs..after a total of 7 years of service, his father died and he had to decide whether to continue his career in the Navy or return home...Rosalyn loved the Navy life and urged him to stay, , which he did.. at the end of a year he netted $200 and qualified for Low Rental Housing...They lived in it for 1 year...and after working the farm for a few years volunteered for community offices, such as school board, committees etc...He the ran for State Senator...etc..became Governor etc...and the President.

(The book I plan to write will have much more relevant detail as to these things and their significance.(I plan these writings to be just the log of our experiences...so just hang in!)

May 13 Sunday Mother's Day!
We arrived at the Maranatha Church about 7:30 AM and were the 3rd people there!..At 8:30 they opened the doors and after being frisked by the secret service we entered...Daras and I were front row and in the center! A retires school "Marm" who had taught"Jimmy" was the organizer and she explained the do's and dont's.. At about 8:45 a chubby young Minister came in and went up to the Podium with his also chubby wife seated on the stage just adjacent..He also explained the circumstances..made mwention of this being Mother's Day and then commenced with the service as Jimmy came in silently and sat a few rows back in the next section..there were about 30 seats reserved for the regulars and he took one... The service was intreresting and consisted of several melodious Hymns...
At trhe conclusion of the service, the Pastors wife introduced Jimmy who stayed at floor level and using no notes gave a very didactic lesson from the days reading while asking questions from the congregation...It was very informal, but evidently comprehensive...He paced side to side directly in front of us and we were permitted to take pictures, and he was so close to me that I did not have sufficient room to cross my legs! mHe wore a dark blue worsted jacket and dark gray trousers, brown tasseled loafers, a white blue striped shirt and Bolo tie...Prior to beginning his lesson he asked all in the audience the location of thier homes...and they were from a myriad of forign countries as well as a spread of all the states..The church only held 300 people. In attendance was the founder of Habitat for Humanity who was acknowledged and as he finished the lesson, Rosalyn walked in very quietly and took her seat. His lesson lasted about 90 minutes and then we were informed that he and Rosalyn would wait outside the Church door in the shade of some trees so that we would be able to have our pictures taken with them..on our own cameras. We were told to not try to engage in any conversation with them since that would delay the picture taking...when it was our turn, I gave my camera to one of the ushers..and stood next to the President while Daras stood next to Rosalyn..I was quiet..and had my fixed smile,,,while Daras Yacked and Yacked with Rosalyn..until Jimmy put hjis arm up in front of her..and said..."Look at the Camera, so you can get your picture taken!"...and she complied....I thought he was going to swat her!

Enough for today...I'll try to catch up a little at a time..but I realize I am 2 weeks behind...
Wait for the book..."Thank you America"