The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-06-21

floors are mace Ifum ueaIus
split from the straight. smooth
grain native woods. and covered
with hand made rugs. Mats
made Of corn husls lie before
the doors 50 that dirt will not be
tracked inside.
Babies sleep in hand made
era dies. Handmade curtains
hang over the windows. Cloth
Ia woven on hand made looms.
Food is cooked in handmade
kettles.
Blacksmiths do wonderful
things with iron-making hinges
and door handles. Some Of them
are also expert gunsmiths and
tool makers
The animals that provide
fresh meat also supply material
for shoes. Farmers tan the
hides and the shoemaker does
the rest.
What the Phi Beta Phi and
other schools are doing Is eapi-
talizing on the ability Of the
natives to use their hands and
emphasizing TO the present gen.
GRAFTON the valuable arts and
crafts that enabled their fore
bears TO survive.
Weaving instructor in the
school is a native mountain wo-
man with background Of
several generations of weaving
on handmade looms.
The making of furniture, al
ways a necessity if the noun
tain home was to have furni-
ture, is being turned to cash ac-
count. Walnut, hickory. cherry
and maple chairs made by hand
with handmade tools can be
sold faster than they can be
made.
Not long ago school and
community center was opened.
It was quite a pretentious unit
but funds were exhausted be-
fore all the furniture was pro-
vided. A thousand chavrs were
needed, and instead of waiting
until there was more money,
the people of the community
made them.
The cost for a little bit OF
paint to decorate the chairs was
about a quarter of a cent
piece. The material cost moth
ing because it was cut from the
lands of those whom the center
was to serve, and all the labor
was donated. The chairs were
so well made that 1t Is estimated
that they will last fifty or sixty
years.
With the exception OF such
things as stoves and plumbing
fixtures (they do have bath
rooms and kitchen sinks, many
a young husband and wife have
made all the furniture for their
home. In great many cases
the material for the house was
cut on their own property.
Some Of the old timers used
methods that were followed in
their families for generations.
A mountain basket maker on
being urged to hurry completion
of an order by using wooden in
stead of woven bottoms, replied:
81 didn't learn to do II that
way" and the customer had to
wait.
The Phi Beta Phi center is
one of a number of such activi-
ties in the Tennessee mountains
were handicrafts once necessary
as a means OF barely keeping
soul and body together are
being used to provide incomes
far beyond the widest dreams
of three generations ago. Max
ing furniture by hand in a little
shop back Of the house or weav-
ing fabrics on a handmade loom
is proving more profitable than
working in the mines or factor
les. II an extra piece of furni-
ture Is needed for the home. il
can be made with only a few
cents cash outlay. A few cleared
acres keeps a COW and provides
the family with an abundance Of
fruit and vegetables.
There are no strikes nor lock-
outs. Market fluctuations do
not bother and there always is
plenty TO eat. There are no
arguments about eight hour
days and forty hour weeks. The
mountain folk work when there
Is work 10 do but take time off
for church, town meeting, picnic
or a dance. Altogether it's an
alluring picture.