From  DARING TO LOOK: Photographs and Reports from the Field by Dorothea Lange, by Anne Whiston Spirn (University of Chicago Press, 2008).

GENERAL CAPTION NO. 23 (by Dorothea Lange and Harriet Herring)

DATE:            July 5, 1939

LOCATION:  1 and 1-tenth miles S.E. of Gordonton, Person County.

MAP CODE:  Person 21.

***SUBJECT:            Annual cleaning-up day at Wheeley’s Church.[Make link to my text on the church]

Notes

Accidentally learned at Gordonton that “everybody in the community was gathering at the church, going to take their dinner.” Was not able to get back in time to see the dinner in progress and most of the cleaning done. Farm women of all ages, men and children; one six-months old baby and one woman on two crutches were still there finishing up the cleaning at about 2:30. There were fifteen cars “a good many people” left before dinner. Had to talk to a succession of people: had to ask some of the others: had to ask the older members: had to talk to the head deacon to get permission to photograph. They very much want to have a print showing the church and the grounds. Very proud of their church, spacious well shaded church yard, well kept, (though very simple) cemetery, and very proud of the fact that they keep everything so tidy. They had done a thorough job of sweeping the yard close to the door and raking the rest, -about five acres. The church is primitive Baptist – “don’t know whether you ever heard of that kind or not”, and is “over a hundred years old” but no one seemed to know exactly. It has 70 members and “lots of friends around who help out.” Preaching once a month and the church is crowded. Will probably hold 500. Cleaning the church consisted of sweeping, dusting, washing the windows; “we think we ought to keep as nice as we do our homes.” The church is sealed, painted white inside, is heated by a small coal circular with a pipe suspended from the ceiling nearly two-thirds of its length; “that keeps the back of the church warm.” A table in the space before the pulpit had a large cover of coarse crocheting and a tight little nosegay of flowers. No pictures taken inside the church because of hesitation of church members.

The people are substantial, well-fed looking, the women in clean prints mostly ready made, the men in clean shirts and trousers, some overalls. Good looking children. Many addressed each other as cousin or aunt, etc. Very gay and folksy – evidently have a good time together. Cars new or relatively so and not all Fords. A group of solid country people who live generously and well. Much interested in the photographing, much joking about posing.

Group on church steps: Note rakes, yard brooms made of dogwood, homemade, buckets with dippers. Note woman wearing bonnet, front and side view. Note home made gloves. This woman was called “queen.”

July 9 is “preachin’ Sunday” and got permission from deacon to return to make pictures of the congregation.

19917C, 19919C, 20017C, 20020E, 20120E, 20124E, 20129E