Interview with Daniel H. Littlefield, April 26, 1993

Partial Transcript: --uh, Sandy Brewer.

Segment Synopsis: Littlefield talks about his first ever job working night shift at the railroad company. He worked night shift on the turn table while also going to high school. He left after a year and went on to be an apprentice machinist.

Keywords: Apprenticeships; Apprenticing; First jobs; High schools; Night shifts; Small towns; Teenagers

Subjects: Apprenticeship programs; Education; Etowah (Tenn.); Railroad stations; Small cities

Partial Transcript: Uh, when you were living here in Etowah, you were a member of the baseball team.

Segment Synopsis: Littlefield discusses the 1932 baseball team he played with in Etowah. They stirred up a lot of controversy around town when they had their first game on a Sunday. Littlefield also played basketball with a team called the Etowah Dodgers. They played against various other cities and even a few universities. Tickets for each game cost around 35 cents.

Keywords: Apprenticeship; Apprenticing; Baseball; Basketball; Controversy; High schools; Small towns; Sports; Teenagers

Subjects: Apprenticeship programs; Baseball; Basketball; Education; Etowah (Tenn.); Manners and customs; Railroad stations; Small cities; Social trends in the United States; Social values; Teenagers--United States--Attitudes

Partial Transcript: Tell me about, um--you mentioned something about playing football...

Segment Synopsis: Littlefield talks about some of the date night activities that were popular in his teenage years, which included going to the movies, hayrides, and football games. Littlefield also recalls what it was like living in Etowah at the start of the Great Depression. He said he remembered the day the banks closed; people were crying and causing a commotion because they had essentially been locked out of their money that was held there.

Keywords: Banks; Dates; Entertainment; Great Depression; Hayrides; Movies; Recreation; Small towns; Teenagers; Unemployment

Subjects: Banks and banking; Depressions--1929; Etowah (Tenn.); Manners and customs; Marriage; Social trends in the United States; Social values; Teenagers--United States--Attitudes

Partial Transcript: Now we moved to, we moved to Etowah from Calhoun, Georgia in 1923.

Segment Synopsis: Littlefield discusses his family's move to Etowah from Georgia during the fall of his sixth grade year. He talks about his teacher in Etowah, and a few other important people he encountered. Littlefield then goes back to discussing his baseball team and how everyone on the team had known each other for years prior to them starting the team. He also reflects on the YMCA building.

Keywords: Baseball; Entertainment; Friends; Recreation; Recruiting; Small towns; Sports; Teams; Teenagers; YMCA

Subjects: Baseball; Basketball; Education; Etowah (Tenn.); Manners and customs; School children; Small cities; Teenagers--United States--Attitudes

Partial Transcript: Well tell me about when, uh, you, you had to move to Nashville.

Segment Synopsis: In this segment, Littlefield discusses the end of his apprenticeship, which occurred during the Great Depression. The railroad company started to close down shops and condense their workers, so Littlefield was chosen to move to Nashville to complete his apprenticeship.

Keywords: Apprenticeships; Apprenticing; Great Depression; Recruiting; Small towns; Teenagers; Unemployment

Subjects: Apprenticeship programs; Depressions--1929; Education; Etowah (Tenn.); Nashville (Tenn.); Railroad stations; Small cities; Social trends in the United States

Partial Transcript: And, uh, we stayed there two years.

Segment Synopsis: Littlefield and the interviewers close out the interview by discussing various topics about the town of Etowah. Littlefield mentions his time at the railroads a little more, and also reflects on some of the things that made Etowah a rather unique town to live in.

Keywords: Apprenticeships; Apprenticing; Floods; Great Depression; Recruiting; Reflections; Small towns; Teenagers; Unemployment; Unique

Subjects: Apprenticeship programs; Depressions--1929; Education; Etowah (Tenn.); Manners and customs; Railroad stations; Small cities; Social trends in the United States; Social values