Marshall McClung
According to sources, the first “Neighborhood Watch” was formed by the National Sheriff’s Association in 1972.
But the association must not have ever been in Graham County.
Most rural communities – especially in the South – had persons who would watch over the welfare of one another.
In the 1960s, my wife Linda and I rented a house from Louise Slaughter for $30 per month, in a section of Snowbird near New Hope Baptist Church. This small, closely-knit community – nestled along both sides of John Carver Hill, and reaching out to Massey Branch – had their own local neighborhood watch: Ida Slaughter and Arlie Massey.
These ladies seemed to know about everything that was going on day or night. I was employed by the U.S. Forest Service and was called out at night for forest fires.
I would be out all night most of the time and would return home in the wee hours of the morning. They would tell me when I left and when I got back to the dot.
If someone came while we were gone, they would give us such detailed descriptions that we knew who had been there.
These ladies were also the entertainment committee, with such events as ‘taffy pullings.’ Taffy pullings were popular social gatherings at least as far back as 1840.
Taffy pullings attracted young people as well as adults.
During a taffy pull, participants would pull on the taffy over and over to help cool it – but also to make it lighter and more chewable, by creating tiny air bubbles in the taffy.
In earlier days, Massey played the banjo “clawhammer style.” This type of playing the banjo is common in American old-time music. The name comes from the downward motion on the strings while the hand is held in a claw-like position. Her husband Dennis Massey was a local barber for years and played the fiddle.
Arlie’s daughter Dennis Mae Wiggins was known for her dancing and missed her calling as a comedian.
Ida’s son Lacy Slaughter was killed in action during World War II and it was a lengthy period of time before his remains reached Graham County. Ida always worried and wondered if that was her son’s remains.
Arlie said God spoke to her one day and for her to tell Ida that it was her son and not to worry about it anymore.
On a lighter note, the house we lived in was just across the road from New Hope Church. We would walk to church and our two hound dogs – Mutt and Jeff – were prone to follow us.
Just as the altar call was made one Sunday, Mutt and Jeff came down the aisle all the way up to the altar.
My wife whispered, “What are you going to do?”
“Not one thing,” I replied.
Dale Wiggins and Melinda Bailey provided information for this column.
Marshall McClung is the historical columnist for The Graham Star. He can be reached by email, mcclungs@email.com.