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>> This is an oral history interview with Robert F. Bal class of 947 conducted by Maryland suburbs April the 30th 1999 where at his home in Marietta Georgia and the subject at the interview is his life in his student days at Georgia Tech Mr Bell thank you so much for letting it says that you're here today and your lovely house and we're looking forward to hearing your story tell me when that begins thank you we're glad to have you and I'm not sure how interesting my story is going to be because I.

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Don't know that I've ever done anything really earth shaking but to begin I was born in in Atlanta 1905 September and some of you that might. Know probably from the campus where Crawford Long Hospital is located in relation to the campus I was born in Crawford Long Hospital they didn't call it Crawford Long higher than what did they call it Davison Fisher sanatorium to doctors and it landed they were just not many hospitals in Atlanta and they had grown in together and had built a small building there and that was.

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One of the earlier hospitals and an elaborate going to tell us a little bit about your parents. Can tell you this much going back my great grandfather was on the bales and was a lodger Hamilton by al. And in May He was born in his best I know in Columbia County geology or which is east of here on the South Carolina line and he with his young wife.

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Came across country to Cobb County in the 18th for what is. And we had picked him up as a resident in Cobb County $950.00 and by then he had several children and he was a farmer and he continued to be a farmer and after the or between the states for reasons unknown to the family apparently he had family and they told him things were better in Mississippi then enjoy what you are and his youngest son I remember a Walter talking about going from Georgia or to Mississippi there how to Springs.

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And wagons pulled by oxen and you know we get in the car today and get on Highway 78 and take off our I want to go to Birmingham and goes is not an interstate if you been that way between Byron and yet working on it but it's one the last link train bombing am in Memphis but then you hit same the go through Tupelo and you keep on and you pass through Springs so the Bell family resettled in Mississippi that's right but they had a daughter whose name 1st name was Emma and she must've been a real horse called Uncle Walter would always talk and he would be talking about famine things and where did this song and where did that apparently when my great grandfather died and 1875 back in Mississippi Emma brought her mother and her 3 youngest brother shot back to Georgia because we can pick them up.

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Down and what's now Douglas County. And that includes my grandfather which was William Fletcher. And he and my grandmother but. She was a camp. And they married in early eighty's and my dad was born and 1893 and a place called went to George or and after 19191 somewhere along there they moved to a farm near Powder Springs which is just down the road from where we sit and he lived there and went to several of the children went to the 7th District A and M. school.

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And there are 900 the state of Joe if you're the. Same to have education created a agricultural industrial or mechanical screw and each congressional district. And they happened that was the 7th district I have and they all had girl and granted but all the children one girl Bessie and she went to screw screw with Dick Russell who was a longtime United States senator from Georgia and so she always claimed that it's giving her some special precedence and she went to screw with Dick Russell but anyway that's where my dad came into the picture my mother was born in Greenville South Carolina.

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She was a boy and then the boards are Highland Clay and I found out. And reading about Robert the Bruce if you ever interest in Scottish history and now I'm reading a while back about some of Bruce's attempts to throw off the yoke of the English Edward the 1st Edward Longshanks as he was called and I always saw Robert Boyd with his mounted troops oftentimes would show up to help Robert the Bruce So I says so so that's where the boy comes in the Bells on a boulder clan one of the riding clans and somewhat to my dismay I found out that they were one of the 8 clans.

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That James the 6 of Scotland who also became James the 1st. Said that if we could dispose of these 8 clans Scotland would be a much better place and the bells and goats I mentioned you little who you've already interviewed neighbor hair. The little shop or another Scottish clan border clan and they were in that group so we we were and they got right up.

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Because And since 1528 or thereabouts we have not had a chieftain of the bell clan and they are now to get approved to get a clan we have a talk in. That course it's not officially approved but it is being made in a mill in Scotland and so I have all I have is a tyrant and then I wear my Scottish time but back to my one day ad.

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I don't know whether the influence of his older brothers. But in any event they came to Atlanta because of farming people a lot of people moved from. Farms and then one of the 1900 pretty World War One. And he had his oldest brother. Worked for the Southern Railroad had moved to Atlanta as a young man.

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His next 2 brothers went to work for a small road called the National shadow going to St Louis. And it had a line coming into Atlanta from Chattanooga in fact right over here in Marietta the C S I X line that comes to Marietta was the it's owned by the state of Georgia as the West on a planet owned by the state a daughter but it's also was the main line that the N.C. insane had at least from the state a daughter.

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And so to the 2 brothers that made the above him great call and my daddy were all locomotive engineers. And. One time in. My experience. Was able to ride for a little way with him on a steam locomotive. And then because I always think about that and a half after much looking over the years finalist succeeded in getting a picture.

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Lokomotiv. How old were you at the party I was probably about 16 years old what happened my dad was a very meticulous person he was a time. That. Had overalls when they work but he thought that he should not wear overalls from out of the house to work rather they had a place to change clothes there that's what that was for and you didn't go there couldn't work on the steam locomotive.

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Grease and everything and. He didn't approve of that any change he wore his overalls for a week and washed in the. Towel on his soaping everything and he did that on Sunday Sunday was the day because they worked he worked in yard service and they work 7 days a week.

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And one Sunday afternoon I was sitting on porch maybe doing whatever nothing important she came to the door and says You got a job to do. Said your dad in all of his hurry to get all of us thanks together he forgot his lunch. And said you can go up to the caller and get on the street car goes Atlanta this is pretty World War 2 and they were beginning to have busses and some trackless trolley as like my English straight car was still the way to get by.

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And you can get on that car and go downtown Atlanta to what's referred to as enter grade a square which is for Science in Marietta Street and get a transfer. Switch over to. Park. Where the round house and shops and all that insane saying there were but don't go to the shops Monday edge instructions were because by that time he would be out in the yard with his engine and they would be.

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To train to make across town delivery to another railroad freight loaded fright car be going across town. So he told my watch that I told him what stop to get off and my mother said go get Earl you know see if he wants to go and I'll give you all enough.

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Car tokens for both so I got our own and he said yeah you go so we took off on a big Sunday afternoon excursion and got off at then went across the field and saw all the engines and I just like you just turn your head and then of course I'd ridden the street car since I was 10 years old I guess but that was the 1st time I got across that down engine and dad said and I stood down and held up is up on the engine.

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Cause Sunday afternoon was it adieux time of the bosses were not there. And so we both got on the phone and I was healed parked. At the you know where Marriott or road is out in that area and he was on the way to the Georgia road which is goes through Atlanta where the old Union Station was and.

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Off of the cabin you and I rode with him to and all that and you know how because he knew that they would get signals that they would have to stop to get clearance to get through the Union Station. So he could safely but you also say let us all friends ghost tracks are there and you all probably 100 feet down at the cross and I know that even you.

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Got on the streetcar back to Henry great a square transferred to one go on to West End and so we were we were home and had a great afternoon and did you find the picture of the hinges and half hour on the picture of the engine a bat in years ago that's great what a wonderful memory it is great and how many brothers and sisters I was an only child my dad says it's you know he says I'm not real smart but he said I'm not dumb either and he said I got burned the 1st time so I didn't try again and he would laugh.

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So he a little Yeah you know really build up my ego Did you go to high school we were educated in the city of Atlanta I went to J.C. Harris Graham's Gramma screw loose 11 you and then J.C. Harris you know channel Irish who is the author of the Karim a story the school was named for him his home was called away probably within.

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A mile of where that Scooter is located but anyway it was named for him and I in those days ahead kindergarten 6th grade grammar screw and they had 3 junior high so I went to Joe Brown Jr High School. And that was named for the governor during the War Between the States or as I'd been taught by some of the people to say the War of Northern Aggression.

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Joe Brown was the governor of Georgia and then I went to Atlanta to construct. Now did you have an option of going to boy I was our tech guy whichever you wanted to go and if you're familiar with it they were both located in the same building. The building had been built for.

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And was their proper name nobody ever knew of the proper name of Henry great high school football watch but. That didn't stick because when they were getting it ready. The Old Boys High School who caught fire and burned to the ground and the City Fathers didn't think they had the money to build a new high school to another one so they took one end and insisted and a visible line in the middle of the building in the hall and $1.00 and $1.00 and tech.

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And they had built because tech I was a technical. They had built some shop buildings on the weighing on one side going down down down the hill up on the other and I put portable buildings wooden buildings. Heated with pot bellied stove and then down past the shop Balan's I did the same thing for tech.

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So you heard the ball as a group is the guys on the Hill and park way and right you could look cross and see one side of Piedmont Park and go as football and baseball practice was on the fields in those days and people park dressed and went walk across into the park where your classes focused on things primarily I'll owe you could you could take in those day this remember this is 1930 depression was OWN still fresh on everybody's mind so they had a.

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Course I forgot an exact name but. And show what it was primarily known shops like they had all mobile shop they had aviation shop they had print shop. Woodworking and goes they had mechanical drawing architectural draw on what was your main interest my main interest that time I thought I wanted to be an architect.

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That fell by the wayside but I when you're 16 years all oftentimes what you want what you find that point want to you've been through several changes. Anyway so I took not the. Course standpoint more or less like a technical vocational school which I had there which was considered non college prep I took the college prep course which meant I had to take algebra or geometry trig physics I had a choice of physics or chemistry I should have taken both but in a 3 year screw it was a little difficult to get both so I said Well I'll start with physics.

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To. Some French and Spanish and then found out I didn't have to have to get into takeout I was kind of looking it. If you know the economics of the thing because you could probably live at home and just like I got to take I own straight car I could get on a street car and get hurt your folks talk to you about our education were they telling you were urging you to me look at my mother particular then my dad.

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Did not push it but yet at the same time one of his older brothers had a bowler who also went to take his bat. He Prop 10 years my senior but and I was there in the late 3rd is an artificial it's and he said because they had taught and this is a funny story not about me but about this cousin and about today.

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This cousin Mr Carro called but he lives in Milledgeville Georgia. And he went to an all Georgia College and the line of course has always been a military school but when it was a 2 year college he went out after 2 years and then he tells the story that he was planning on going to a 4 year college and he had some of the books that he in the summertime he was going to read up on what he had to do and he was in Rhode at the University of Georgia.

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And he said he noticed that his day had I'll call it was he was a junior. I was reading books on economics and sociology and things that he had and he said he didn't say anything but After 20 straight and serve of these books and he said this what you don't study what happens and he told him yes that's that's right that's what he planned on study and he said well I got news for you he says you have a CIO and.

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He said you can enroll at Georgia Tech. And learn something worthwhile or you can just get a job and go to work. And so is my cousin called the tail that. We left you know he said I couldn't figure out what in the world is dad doing read notes I don't even like him and there is a sitting down reading them through read them through he decided they would nothing practical there and that was the end of it and so he went and he went.

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And he got into the military because he went there and. Just thought he won and got out and went in the military and he made it his life's work and he retired Army so well that he didn't encourage you it was OK if he wanted that was the thought it was encouraging and along the way I guess by the time I became a senior in high school we talking once I got out I always kind of was interested in what he did.

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Railroads and then I got he told me he says. He says. Get your job out there in the shops. And he says you can start working your way up as an apprentice if that's what you want to do. I'll do it for you but he's let me tell you something he said things a recovered from the depression and roads are going good and he said I think we will always be caring for but he said they're building more and more highways time is going to come when we're not going to be we're all in a lot of passengers and as a consequence there will not be as many jobs.

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And he says while there will always be a job for me here. He says starting out when you do start out there may not be always a job. He says you may want to do something. And he's noticed right on. That people with an education. Do a lot better and he pointed out not the red road but there was a cotton mill their own Marietta road.

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That's the name I believe that's the exposition cotton. And course it was a community where the houses mill buildings and all and he said that thing was closed up tight they didn't work for several years but he says the superintendent of that mill drew his money every month.

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There you go so he said you ought to think about that so he left it at that but I later told him I said you know I think I'm going to try to see if I can go to college. And I said I think it would be a real smart and he had to agree with you to try to you know to go to work at the railroad that Mama always was pushing my mom on the sideline when we were doing that you know I'm sure she would applaud and you know that that's actually exactly what we ought to do that.

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Course as I've already indicated I. Took this between a test and I should when I compared to examine some higher luck that got selected so I was put in the Navy and went to take. But there you were in the. How did that process go well actually what the did go say they sent this was in the fall of 1902 that they did testing as I recall my men are to 43 but sometime subsequent to that.

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As I recall. I was actually inducted into the Navy. And my 943. Which was my smallest one month for X. graduate from high school. I am in the one of the alpha saying it's time to get these guys in here and where a man and then we can swear at him and.

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That was that they take you out of school for but I know what I did actually then maybe 2 I won 43 we reported to take and pretty much like I learned later black boot camp. And that. You went in there and then like that they owed you where you were going to live and you went through the law and I member my and I thought I will or not and I have to and is the chief petty officer the night even there and I've never seen so many shoes and he measured my foot and says you are 7.

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So in the Navy last year the way they measured shoes and I did it was comfortable good true. But they gave shoes uniforms underwear the whole 9 yards and coach I said the they told us where we would live and I was in the group that would live in the old stomped or do you remember.

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When you if you fought Rocky to get that classification of the 12 men at the time where your peers were you worried about the war are you aware now of course very much aware of it because earlier an afternoon a decent 941 mother had Goen after church to some kind of a meeting or something and I was home at the time and date and was being rude man he was working.

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Night shift from more or less a midnight in the morning something like that so he came home and with the breakfast and then he'd have to go to bed. And the radio came home that afternoon and they were announcing the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor and it was like not quite the time the data usually got up so I know I debated it time and I thought I said Well.

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This if it's right in my. Own thing so no need really to wake him up tell him that I tell him when he gets up so I just sat on that piece of information to hurt him get up and when he got up I went and told him what had happened and go she said What are you sure and I said yes and.

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So he got up and came in we turn the radio on. And listen to him not long we got some more reports and he said well something to the fact as I recall that. And he had he was a veteran of World War One had been in an engineering unit 17th Engineers which was a railroad unit primarily recruited out of Alabama Georgia and South Carolina railroad men.

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And they've gone to France and actually what they did they have run the French railroad because by 917 the French male population been decimated by they once killed in the war and they really did not even have enough men left. To run the railroad he knew you were going to have to go if they knew but he he didn't like it and it's funny thing that I was same thing years ole and aspiring for 3 and got all these papers and parents said to son he says I'm not signing.

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He says things do get 18 and they do draft him he can go. Not. Let him go out of here any bit sooner than he has. And my mother talked to him and he found I. Began to get a grant she said well if it bothers you she said she looked at the paper and said I can sign looks like and she says she wanted you in the 12th he said this is an opportunity and so he said Well finally he said Well that's right OK.

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But he would not rule for that and there was a 17 year old course he had been about when he won the army he was about 2122 years old knew you when he saw out better able to cope with what you wanted to. Bend there knew how bad it could be yeah I remember your 1st day at park yes because I think it would you like one for 3 and all of the things and getting your money and clothes getting your room and lugging all of this mountain of clothes and they started out issuing us.

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The traditional and the white pants with the jacket the jumper. And they I didn't last long because you spent all your time Alondra new clothes. They gave us maybe 4 say it's something like that you wear $11.00 day on the Tech campus. And with heating everything and that.

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The power plant their fire was coal fired and I was a bailiff you had all that such you know it would all of builders and everything and you could not you couldn't keep. It would be great by the end of the day so you had put on a fresh outfit.

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And Alondra sir are show a lot of people and you were lucky if you could get a and get him back in a week so you didn't do the laundry yourself you had to so we had to we had to and he was no real facilities so we may do like a good take man we've already known of there for a week or so we'd already figured out that you could take one of the time and you could wash a pair of pants or a jumper and wash basin and the lavatory and some of it was decided well to better than that we just get in the shower and take our uniform or to you know and just get in there the so do the whole 9 yards wash I say of them wash up and hang them up so they were literally in your room there was wet stuff.

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And then in the room hang them on the back of a chair over the end of the end of the. Foot of the bed or something like that and then finally the brass cut out an issue to Cathy's So they found of the side and it caused the they hit it the same time the Navy Arati seen one who had brought into the toilet part of the program so the guys who were them before that time and who had gotten into the Navy program in the Navy and are O.T.C. they were brought in but they alright always warned.

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So they found decided no other answer and then they looked at the budget would you believe it and they didn't have any money to make the switch so I get our call that they issued just one khaki at FIT and in most I was about additional so that we would have.

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Far to say I didn't go home you stayed right there live right in old or 2nd floor and a couple of times when we had football in those days A.O. West stands were down low. And the 2nd floor of an old argument 3rd floor better you could lay on your bunk on a rainy Saturday afternoon during the football sleaze and see the how Grant for you in the whole ball game.

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I mean yeah yeah he was on the backside of the bed right by the backside of bill which I was and so it was a it was a beginning a required of a quite an experience Well I'm just like. How prepared are you well. I was not as well prepared for the classes I should have been and I learned right away like bash majority of students they called.

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College Algebra was my at all it was algebra and. We were only semester system when I went there and hang for the year was algebra and high for the year was trig. I had out for more intrigued and I had taken advantage of her more. But they offered.

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Ballers offered one step above which use the same textbook that they use in mass 17. Which was her birthday but I did not stir myself to see whether I could go well sometimes if they had space boys I would not tech I students and by far. Didn't happen to me so I would like the head graphs showing on the wall so how many percent 60 percent last year or so on like that my ass 17 so I promptly fell on my face with my ass 17 so then they put me in cause that was really just repeat almost what I had is extra caution.

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But I took that and. And apparently it had been put had put a good trigger. And our truth. And so I did all right with the training and once I got going I never did do great in my ass but. How to. Help more only with analytic I was hot and a lead and then you got into calculus you remember any of your instructors.

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The main course one that everybody will remember is Dr Smith. Because he was a parent was a wonderful person. And there was another one that I never took his course but those some of my roommates. It was one of the most intriguing to hear the stories about him Professor Stamey.

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And he was and he was a kind and so my roommate said when he started in. Calculus. He would go like this what do you do what's the 1st thing you do when you differentiate. And course nobody would know in the class the 1st time and he'd draw line and he would draw a line on the board.

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His philosophy that he would tailor so I'm told in class. That he was going to teach this course. So that stationary guard on the football team could get it and pass and then he would add them and assign in case you don't know Fowler's. Stationary Guard is a guy who's just stays there and he just blocks Straight ahead he never pulls the go strong side right or left the pulling guard moves over name moves over and somebody shows him where to go and he squashed down.

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And I'll need a bump it with a fellow in front. And he says that is the lowest form of athletic life on campus. And if he can pass this so he can all rest you're going to get it so everybody don't pass Michael. And if he found out.

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That. Body. Was all sad God was not there to pull in a run and God he would live hard in that class because you know he was. In that right really really remind them remind them but at the time my take experience may have been I'm not sure about the only professor at that point that blueprint had been dedicated to somewhere along the way he was really worked to keep the guy and keep him going to remember any other professor Professor Bailey remember ham call him that an estimate for you can't say right yeah yeah I was going people like.

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Thank God he was that he was a he was a gentle you a person. But I thank you here soon in teaching sometimes that you knew more than your did. And that was as I look back on abstain people and corporate life and things your sense make that.

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Assumption in the group then here you are you really know all this and you pretty much up with me and we were not didn't know it all and we were not up with it and it didn't make it but he was. Dressed well and was very neat and was a nice individual.

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His his approach to did assume that you were somehow another were doing more than you were and then there was a. Professor Swanson a little bit of file and there was another real nice young man they were he was young we used to fuss at him he would get carried away he would keep in one hand and he'd be working a problem aborting out of the race or in the other.

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Behind them as he was writing. All that was that he did. He was a tennis coach and they did and physics he would do that same thing and alone had a line talking about that. Fast. And physics was. How he was the head of the physics department to do with another man.

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Proctor I believe. And he had the big demonstrations where they brought several clashes in with the. Stadium tie. Up and he was down front and he had all of his majors and are lying so he could do it and go if they were so the audience students. Could see the readings and finally one day after the semester was probably half over about or we went down he invited us to come down after the class to show us something.

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And we spied the mirrors on the. So that he would always make a thing about you know well now that I'll think about the $3.00 votes and of course the hand that we were all going to be right on $3.00 We thought man added something else we found that the mirrors there strategically placed so we could grade them read the numbers and he would always make a lack a were really given this an educated.

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So we had we had a lot of good times with. How did you adjust to the routine for you pretty happy. So of course nobody liked to get up. Whatever time we got up $630.00 or something like that. Rabble ready or something or you just expected to be up and that now they.

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Dominate Tory would have a way of making some kind of noise to wake you buzz or something like that Bale but they started out physical fitness like it was a big part of the Navy program and understandably so but nobody wanted to be physically fit. January morning when the temperature was something around 28 degrees and slightly misty put on what we called our money suits which was earlier version of your workout clothes that we use Night on it called some funny suits and we called them bunny suits they were great cotton long France and the shirt and we would March over to Crenshaw Alfio great show field is now part of the expressway.

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We would March over there and do calisthenics. And then way we started out marching ever where we would March to the dining hall of Britain dining hall. And that's pretty good marks from. Down the street it's no longer there because of the stadium balustrade. We would. Call the folly in what way and I'll go fall in my ranks in there and in a way we would go down to 3rd straight down in front of the.

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Lead of offices and what we call and joking with the new Jim and you folks wouldn't think it so new and of course the old which is no longer there the senators and I was in. And around the collar and. And from Dr Mark right up. Front of.

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Britain dining hall or as we called it the. And then you didn't fall out and run they were they were in ranks and you know. The steps in the office. And they found a decided it that just wasn't working you wasting time with a lot of time a lot of time so after about the 1st year they backed off.

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But it was good discipline talks I guess in a way and. KNOWLES along the way we had a Marine detachment that lived over altogether in Harrison and they had a Marine captain and you know one thing about a Marine Corps you go back to that time frame the late thirty's or the photos.

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And he was of the old Marines. And. He had been involved in the early attack on walking now and NEVER been killed and they brought him back and he was not great shape but they used him as their captain commandant. Marine detachment there in Detroit they would be too i was but they were in the Marines.

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And we had a Saturday drill marching band and everything and so they put in the competition Well the Marines were always winning as the best marchers. And we had a couple of fellows who were older who had been in the fleet been enlisted man and they had taken the exam also and had given up their really a good ratings and came back to apprentice Lehman we were all saying we drew $50.00 a month less the doctrines.

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For our service in the Navy there and. One of them was nameless Kargil he propositioned. Less take. Away from those blanketed by Marines they always strutting around he said we can beat them but he said we will have to put our own time in drilling and we decided that would be something we wanted to do so and then afternoons after classes after labs or something like that and before.

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All opened we would get together and we'd March up Crenshaw and we would drill and we March for weeks and came the Saturday that we marched and the officers go to a bunch of officers and even Captain pays and who was a Marine. Commander there he looked you know and they said no.

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SCHWAB jackies they are the winners or the best. And we did. And as we marched off we go if you couldn't go out on all the avenues so we came down and down in front of Harrison or whatever it is and all moorings were lined up and his captain was there and he was in high dungeon you better believe he was one Had he was anything but a happy camper and as we were approaching he says he called him to all attention and he says no he said but I get a blank he says watch and see what it looks like when people know how to March.

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Because we really strategy know him from the. Chest out and we. Like some of Hannibal's Legion or something we went by it was worth all the extra effort it was worth it just that was worth that extra effort and it was something and of course maybe they didn't get any leave that we can they drilled all we can.

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Got then and actually when we were breast and around a lot I don't think we drilled what we got we left out like the next week. Back but we had it one week anyway you had your day in this but we had our day in the sun that's all we were looking talking about Britain dining hall was a things come to me.

[00:48:21]
Do it every now and then in a restaurant or something. Golf Course and pro shop and grill going young lady working and I won't get me a red snapper. She looked at him and said what and where is that we don't have any fish. Dear Red Snapper is or we are.

[00:48:50]
That's what they call it. And one of the guys and I attribute it to one of the football player named Bill Chambers but it may not have been him going in the law one afternoon or not sure might have been shop or Anyhow they had Frank somebody. And he got his triad and he had a big pile and he leaned in the back you know over the last and say isn't allowed boss he said read snubbers today fellows and we want to know where our own cause you get out there and it's.

[00:49:30]
So that became the trade me back in the trade name then course for that group of people that heard that passed the word around flying time Franks and Bane when you pass the word. Back to the land rich in Africa today and I've always remembered and it seems to be so appropriate for.

[00:49:51]
Franks and Ranger Frank of any kind Frank some crowd or whatever you know so you are keeping up with your studies and keeping up with the drills everything to do you have time for social life so yes. Of course the young lady is here with you. Will be just confound it to realize that that was an all they have a new school football and boys only the owner only ladies on campus with those that work there and various offices so if you were going to have lady friends you had to look out we had to look elsewhere and somehow or other I bet you managed to do manage to do that you know that back then there was a saying that the tech man always made fun of Agnes Scott girls.

[00:50:41]
Scott College at indicator but surprisingly enough they made fun of by. All the time they were going to take the one they got out of Tegan got a job started settle down I married Agnes got girls I don't know how much truth there is to that but. I just our story anyway.

[00:51:07]
We had some social life because you didn't have a whole lot of time. But certainly. With the flavor of the Navy the Marines and all that we had some small civilian population for example. James Earl Carter who was stay there as a civilian student before he went to Annapolis for year during the time I didn't know him but he was there during that time as a civilian but we naturally the guys scouted the woods and it wasn't long before they were dating and there saw the thing and we got a couple of times had fairly big advance.

[00:51:49]
On going up to the Fox and they had and a building by half part of it the coach was trying temple and they had a large auditorium that was. Rent to the public and so we could have dances layer they continued to have an A for turning to council dances once or twice a year maybe.

[00:52:14]
And I went and then they brought. They being the administration combination of take and the Navy. One time I can remember same a cage band came. And played on campus. And they use the. As our caller naive on Marie. And how it was just big enough eating imagine that for basketball court from side to side in the length and head stands a little room for stand at one end but they had it there and another time they brought a banner and headed up to the Biltmore Hotel and when something like this to price everybody with everybody that everybody course that wanted to try to go and if you had made contact with a young lady.

[00:53:11]
Go if you could carry a date and that I would say that was a little bit of a problem because gas was rationed and cause nobody much had an automobile so the gas was not the problem at all mobile was going to put it in so. It was a case and so many often having to go pick up young lady.

[00:53:35]
By public transportation bus a street car did you do that and did that bring or I met a young lady later ome and everybody else was trying to code or 2 but she did give me 2 or 3 dates and she was from down Thompson Georgia and she worked in the Roger straws office All right very attractive young lady but of course as a said I would not only want a.

[00:54:01]
Man she was in great demand but did you ever have a date you had to go get on the straight cause I had to be several times to go get her and certain discipline I am a couch occasional you could get out during the. Week but you had to be back in I'm going to study like 11 o'clock so she lived in a home I don't pasta lay on and I remember her situation.

[00:54:32]
And after go up to Peachtree and get straight car get around one that was going to postulate right out the picker and we'd ride back like a course to be going to the Fox That was the closest to a movie something that older then had to carry her back and then come back and ride back to North Avenue in.

[00:54:56]
New Caprica and be back by 11 o'clock so that that meant that if you had a go if you work into a 5 and then get home and have supper and all that she couldn't accommodate your earlier than even 7 o'clock so go to one you did it limited you you didn't get much trouble.

[00:55:17]
You went to the went and Rod public transportation going moving and you go back out there you know that was. There you didn't have a whole lot of time to spire but it was and it was quite interesting. What do you remember. Freddy the noon to drown proofing mainly because what you remember as Maying tied with a rope around your ankles and up your back and your hands put behind your back and you know hands tied together and go if you're standing them on other things we slam buck naked and that you are all and and then you get a push also under the water you go and add there is of course you let Dora go out of your lungs and you will sink and when you sink far enough your pretty little toes Dittos maybe will touch bottom and you give a mighty push and you come back to the surface.

[00:56:23]
And you throw your head back and you feel your lungs with the air and you float and you. Can still do it. I mean just turn all my back and on and swimming. And inflate my lungs and feel myself rising out of the water was it not a panicky feeling that I had that happen to Haneke and other words I skinned my wrist but called Go on and I mean you just.

[00:56:53]
Do feel didn't matter if I could have had my hands got I could swim out a fortune I could slam some guys came by air from Midwest a place like that why they now are bought as a war and they did not know how to swim the 1st lick so course they had to learn to swim I could swim teach them how to sway tell them to swim the fellow that created them a being the one who named the Franks is rich snappers weighed about he was about 6 to 10 weighed about 225.

[00:57:26]
He could not swim. And I when he was afraid of the water coat asked laying down in the shower and practicing trying to learn and you have never seen such a shower of war kicking arms flailing and he was saying like a rock. I always thought he never would learn to swim but that is a feeling of panic and so you twist now all the time you found a learner and then that's the whole thing you learned your lungs are bellows and you take all air out and you will sink and go it's actually your bass actually tile so you're in 7 feet of water so you go down or you about a foot of water over your head maybe they didn't put you down in the real diving nobody went in the that in do that in the day in right down of the diving board so it's probably from 77 has the right in that area about 6 feet.

[00:58:27]
And. After I realized that I pushed and got back up and got got water like I said Son I saw a friend of mine along side I said Get me out of here this is enough and he just left you know so I blew it blew out again and went down about the 3rd 4 up and then passes you get a rhythm and that was OK and you say well hey I can do this forever and that was the idea behind it that's that's the whole thing really teach you that.

[00:59:01]
It's taking people how to float Now the Navy program extended beyond the news drown proofing they put you up on the high board. With and let you bring a pair of you Navy trash. And you jump off the high board with your pants on and then wow the ground crew thing being able to stay afloat was a big part of you being able to do this then you shut up your pants you nodded the legs together and then you took the waistband and you read back in the water and.

[00:59:45]
Threw it over your head and when you came to it they would inflate with I believe it or not. And then you could lay on that that was a foam. There was if you abandon ship and you couldn't get a life jacket that your pants were an emergency like Jack you know if it ever worked for anybody really I do not know often wondered why anybody ever.

[01:00:15]
In that situation because of course what they were also taught us was to jump all that same high board and go down. And swim as far as we could swim on the water and we came up to look up and see when you were coming and learn to beat the water as you were coming out with your hands and clear place and if you all on the surface was burning so you could come right up and get your little air in a place where you had the war you would push the burning all back get a breath and cause an idea was to drop back down and get and swim away flame away from there then really said they want to know now that in the winning goal they could put even all of that go that it would.

[01:01:05]
Never do it don't probably have a head with that funny that happened they let the ladies on staff have the pose from 12 to one and of course Freddy would you believe he was lecturing away and we were doing whatever and probably 10150 guys and they're all and they way they were ball or not a stitch I mean it was in the towel among the whole bunch.

[01:01:32]
And he forgot the time and the door opens down at the far end in about a high 5 doesn't stay pretty much in their bodies in suits come in. And they let me start started my ass actually for our door and I knew started screaming you know and then we would pull up and yell on the other way and he looked up and then he looked at the time and he he hollered out and said wait a minute you know she has let me get all this I forgot what do you call or say one very complimentary.

[01:02:08]
Get us all through the door where we would head in so that's when the lady. Not a fan of light is who would come to swim on my lunch hour. So you didn't have to mess around with bathing suits didn't believe in the day well the main thing was the filtering system in those days if you got out of God and I would bait and see one glass right after another it would put a extra load on the filtration system.

[01:02:37]
Because what it is you're just one thing was a tissue to sort of a wool Garton Navy. And I imagine after a little while a wood shed like you know why it was better just. Go go go go with nothing to have a good time I had a good time you look back on a course of time to with things you know when you're not passionate coercion or you're having trouble but you know there are a lot a lot of good times I got to meet some people you may know remember the name recognise and I'm rather frank but also who's retired athletic director University of Arkansas.

[01:03:18]
He was a take at the same time I was and this cousin I mentioned earlier and he were knew each other they were friends become The grew up in Decatur Georgia and brought all. I was both a football player and a basketball player I looked up one of my old manuals to be sure that I was right about that that he also played basketball you use your stop you didn't get into sports but you were big on the debating team I was in why did I demand a my I was in the end I know relations.

[01:03:53]
Club and I worked as collection manager on the technique that manage a team the best customer I had was Frank Gordy at the Varsity and that would be why he put a huge ad and ever if you're the technique and he was the easiest account I had to collect all I needed to do was remember good circulation to give me an arm full of techniques and I'm taking a bit of my I got my bill and I learned that he stood in kind of the front on the North Avenue entrance or just inside the door and accelerate majordomo in because a lot of people business people would come eat lunch of the washed it was more than just the tech guys and more than that by far and he would greet everyone and so you wait until I went today when I didn't have a wanted clock class.

[01:04:55]
I would hike up say $115.00 go in and he would be there inside and. Who I want show him and have his papers. And he would look at the bill these and say market by. Which by in those days they were not social fist Katyn during the lunchtime rush they threw money over on the counter around the room cash register name and make change out of it.

[01:05:26]
And he would look at the bill and I don't know what it was several $100.00 and he would he would tell on the guy's hand on this mark by get this this young man $200.00 or whatever it is and they go over and got it out and give me my money and I collected cash that was laying about and they were what they would do but I have been in there sometimes to seem to make my collection and they would count it out and then they would stand there on that cash register and ring it up but they didn't take time to running it up when they weighed the whole thing with the way don't customers.

[01:06:01]
And. That's the way they work it was as far. As I mean it was nothing like it and of course at that time across the street was a cotton patch and they had and. I wish I could think of the proper name they had a name for a bicycle I was it.

[01:06:25]
Was a devil's food cake and who could eat this thing think about how many of those I ate. Devil's food cake with chocolate icing and then no ice cream on top of that and I had a particular name for it which escapes me but sometimes rather than have a frosted on to someone you can go the virus and have a cup of hot.

[01:06:51]
Walk across and all have a need to the cotton patch and have a dessert and that was that we know now that was not a real nourishing meal. But nevertheless it was satisfying. And so we more than once we did something like that. And then somewhere during that interval and after I came back to campus and Paula $46.00 to finish up.

[01:07:22]
Was the yellow jacket which was proffered straight down the other side of the campus from the. Building you know who ran that do not know who ran that it was in what had been a felon station that during the war could you ask any clothes. And perhaps was a biker for a time and then became somebody moved in.

[01:07:47]
But I know in that timeframe a fellow who played high back. On a native land who played back named Jack peak he was one of the little short ones that nobody else would have looked at but Jack could run like a scalded doll and he ran one time he ran saying 5 yard touchdown against Navy and he could really pick him up when we would have classes and we knew each other and we would meet.

[01:08:22]
After class and go across. And we laughed about it we would buy one of these bigger. Servings of sweet milk and get about 3 or 4 of those yellow jackets. They toasted the hot dog buns and they were tilted up which is what they were but it was the hottest chili and it.

[01:08:48]
Really it really burned going down but they were delicious is not anything like them and we would laugh and say well we probably kill them but maybe that milk will and stomach and all be too bad. And we would have a lunch off of yellow jacket I think that maybe and I don't I'm sure they had French fries and probably they did certain they probably had what they would say that you or something like that they were a real competitor for the niceties that they were competitor and I had been towed it somewhere north of here either in North Cobb County or Cherokee County and that some of those.

[01:09:31]
Must be family 2nd generation from there is operating a yellow jacket and driving in and then but I have not seen it and I can't confirm that and if they serve hot dogs very much and that. Really it's a chili dog and the chili is hot do you remember ever going to the what we call the alumni house now it was then the while there was frequent letter why I called among other things.

[01:10:03]
The closest barber shop was in the mall this debasement you didn't have to go up the steps you go around and got down a couple steps and saw the basement was Barbershop and the next next close was up past the varsity just for you got Spring Street so the Navy wasn't responsible for cut your hair you know the owner had to keep it short and keep it short you had a key to go then within a proper limits but it was up to you to do it so that when I was a place that yeah yeah and of course you could go there and relax if you had dad to relax but it was a it was a busy time but we enjoyed it we had a lot of fun.

[01:10:47]
So what happened in 1946 that you weren't quite done yet now because I found out that the Navy had assigned me to study electrical engineering. And probably that was good in a way it challenged me to learn something that I probably would not have learned otherwise and laid her own career.

[01:11:09]
Working it probably was to manage but I would not root through all that there and alone a way they begin to relax their requirements for study and I saw that they had an option not a pretty well gotten pretty far along and electrical engineer and so that they had in the management screw I am industrial management they had a option where you would take up through the junior one of the engineering school who courses like the in the the Oval Office and then study management and you actually graduated management.

[01:11:50]
But I liked the sound of that one thing our had a lot of the credit and electrical engineering so I'm going to work on that but making that switch in about January February and I think 4 to 6 came time for those who had gone straight through the.

[01:12:11]
8 semesters I guess it was was concluded and of course. So even those of us who had not gotten a degree but had finished the term we were all Commission and of course we were kind of surprised that we got commission because if you by going to I always thought if I recall that the United States had dropped the bombs that inroads on Japan the homeland.

[01:12:42]
And the idea being that of course and it did it that would bring the war to conclusion and hurry and it did. And of a toy Evers were really were being trained as officers who would be Beach masters who would be landing boat skippers and things of that nature in the last hour and hopping in the course really into the invasion of the Japanese all mine and of course when they surrendered and I was a 45 I don't know how many thousands but the Navy certainly had a lot of potential officers that they didn't know exactly what to do if.

[01:13:23]
They want to head those and they had all the money invested I guess that they finished and we were commissioned and we went into various areas and I went to. Newport Rhode Island naval base layer and further training there and I want to bore a light crew for the Navy.

[01:13:48]
And I might inject there that going back to the time that part started I met a young fellow from Fort Lauderdale Florida. In our room an old bomb to our name bought Anderson and he and I roomed together and we both went to Newport and then we're on the same cruise of the U.S.S. Colombia.

[01:14:10]
After that training period. And I'm not saying boy in a good many years I hear from him through various means but he was he became an attorney and was successful tourney. In Fort Lauderdale and he stayed in the reserves being there on the coast and being interested in boats and having his own boat he stayed in the Reserves and the number of years I continued in the reserves but.

[01:14:42]
I went to work after coming back and got out of the Navy in September you know July 4th or 6 we had a short tour and we got found out what the ship was and shipboard life and we took our cruiser to Philadelphia and put our involved ball and in many I was we went to Jacksonville to the naval air station they were using that as a place to process people to release them back into civilian life so I was on.

[01:15:18]
Active duty almost exactly 3 years and you voted 3 to promise July 15th or something like that 46 but they did not they did not discharge as. They released in active duty which meant you could come back to school and that can came back to screw Of course I remain in the Reserves and I had not too much opportunity moving about when and where I did after that but I did do some reserve work and found of though I was they put me out in 1989 How long did it take you to finish and get your degree.

[01:15:59]
And it was very they had switched from show mass to the course you are not enrolled OK and I 3 quarters from the fall of 0 to 6 through June for the same so I graduated in June focused on there you were with your I had an interviewed with several people and I interviewed with Southern belle and they made about as good or offer as anybody and I said Well being an unreconstructed rebel I can stay in the south so that sounds good.

[01:16:32]
Graduation in June 19th 0 to 7 was at the Fox Theater and it was at that time was one I think one of the larger classes up to that point in time. Same night there was a ton of people laying But anyway that was where it was. No place on campus big enough to accommodate the crowd and I had interviewed Fred Ajax and I don't know what any of you folks know but if I can show you know he was a guy always his collar was always too tight he was just a nervous tic he would do that all the time but he ran one of their earlier in this part of the world placement services on campus and was made a lot of contacts and he was an English teacher and I digress here and say that in some years later I worked for my employer in Birmingham and we had an active loan not clear where he came over one time and he remembered he taught English in a remembered some of the guys I and he looked at him he says you and you knew you wouldn't get into.

[01:17:50]
So he would have way of telling us that the entrance requirements were being upgraded and go if we were. Way He started out but I had interviewed with a number of people including. Southern biology course in those days even the companies were not organized like they are today they got 2 of the officers.

[01:18:14]
To come to the interviewer who were also graduates. Missed M.R. camel was. Called. Was state traffic superintendent for Georgia. Now Mr Sloan among other things was a rabid football fan and he bulks season tickets and he bought enough to where he could invite different of his friends and I have been told that it was a day's work to sit next to college loan football game because when the ball was snapped and take had that he carried the ball in the lane and he banged into you go go go you know and I mean it was it was.

[01:19:00]
Really something bruising maybe the word to see him. The way he carried out. But anyhow we started the interview on our show well remember that now all primed to tell him what I had and what I had done and I had to double the background and I had studied accounting and studied management and partially.

[01:19:23]
All these good things and I talked a little bit enough to Cal ask a question or 2 and somehow it came around and Mr Sloan got the floor and so he asked a question and I mentioned the man in the class with Frank brawls and Bill Haley and.

[01:19:47]
RAF flight and all football man and he took all and the rest of my interview time was answering his questions about who I knew on the football team and about some of the football games and. Viewed with him one the classic of all times and I saw how one of the guys Bob Davis some of you may have heard it.

[01:20:12]
And take had maybe beat in the head and backed up getting ready scored in north end of the field and it's getting late in the game and I think. 6 I guess it was fall of 0 to 6. And the Navy man takes a snap and he starts out off tackle on a little runt named Johnny Mackintosh was a full back man he was backing up the line A were would be and they were worn out physically.

[01:20:47]
And Johnny Mackintosh I guess said I gotta hit one more time and when the hole opened up he filled the hole and he hit back and he said our shoulder got under the ball and when it did it did an arc and George Matthews who is famous for many things playing football and basketball a.

[01:21:11]
Young man from Columbus Georgia he was coming along and the ball just landed in his on. And he was already moving toward the other end of the field coming up to support and he just long out a little bit and started down the side. Run as hard as they could run and this Bob Davis who was also from Columbus was a tackle and he was so that he would be a big $64.00 and about to follow it and I saw him come out of the behind George lumbering down the field and he was kind of looking back to see if anybody was in that he could block.

[01:21:51]
And the 2 of them ended and George had about a $35.00 yard line at across the 50 about he just you could tell he would run out of gas he began to question whether he was going to last the last 30 or so we are sure and Davis was catching up to him and goes and maybe was in hot pursuit but I heard later quoted to go it said that when he looked found he said I got a look back I can't run the top speed anymore and said he looked back and all he could see was the bulk of Davis'.

[01:22:25]
Fall or name and he said Well I think I can make it and he did. And that turned that game ramekin take. And they've got frantic and we had a. Back to play caller who later play pro ball 9. And they never passed in his own all day long because he was poison passed.

[01:22:53]
And they said they throw one and then he intercepted him right back but touched. In the last few minutes but. You think about that as a little bit of aggression but back in time. It was a lot of fun. And he when I went through that routine with a my old man he saw all that and and I quote I was on the side of feel which would look good he was all in the West.

[01:23:23]
Premium seats and. I thought to myself I'm not going get a job with this outfit because I didn't get to tell him what I can do all I did was talk on this. For about 2 weeks later so. I got a letter offering me a job. And they had a.

[01:23:46]
Labor unrest strike like maybe later own and I got a letter and before I ever went to work I got a $25.00 a month. That I was. Now the young ladies here with us let me tell you this you take and they talk about. In fact with the 9 and 97 working with the committee on a.

[01:24:16]
Reunion 50th anniversary somebody was giving us some figures and it's like graduation bachelors and I are getting in the mid thirty's depending upon their degree and I'm going to follow what is. Was offered and this was pretty much standard $200.00 a month which works out to more or less $2400.00 a year.

[01:24:42]
And I got a $25.00 raise for went to work on July $1000.00 voters. And so that means I actually start at it 2 and a quarter. So you tell people that I guess today and I say No way Jose but it's the way things were and that was considered about average a different world changed how did you or I question it.

[01:25:08]
I enjoyed it I had a very good career of about 39 years I was Mr Campbell had I guess in my talking he had. What he wanted and so he selected me got part and got to my selection I never knew how. Without really Sloan traffic the way he talked that he might have wanted me but anyhow Mr Campbell wanted me counting our controllers organization so I went to work in Georgia in July 1 photo 7 and I worked in Georgia for.

[01:25:47]
More or less 3 years. And training status and moved up that I had a had had work assignments and in those days the telephone company especially believe that you needed to get different views in terms of locale. So they transferred me to Jackson Mississippi and still in the.

[01:26:10]
Accounting organization and I had several jobs I. Had all of that about a year and a half. And I was promoted to what they call district level which in other words I wouldn't given the responsibility of the ball one of the offices. In the state and I moved that time back to Birmingham Alabama.

[01:26:33]
And I had an office of about 150 people had one man in there part time part of the time they got transferred out all the rest were ladies and so that is quite a challenge we handled in those days the building for long distance. For the state of Alabama and I worked there and then I changed jobs and took the job of.

[01:27:03]
Handling the billing follow kosher service and. And during that time. Spot in the building a young lady dark hair fair complection. And someday she wore yellow dress. And it was cut a little. A little bit. And that just really caught my eye I couldn't take my eyes off I want to see if we had agreed to spoon one color of the build and.

[01:27:39]
Operate a backup of Greek boy and I had for lunch time you know they had pretty good pretty good meals. So I saw this lady and I said well I got some way foul as one would have happen. One day she had come out I think of there and I come from somewhere else and we got on elevated.

[01:28:04]
Now you've got to be fast mover because she was going to get off at the 2nd flow out or determine where she worked and she'd go get off the floor so between the lobby 1st floor 2nd floor I told her who I was ask her what her name was and would she be willing to go on a.

[01:28:27]
And she said tell me her name she knew my name and yes she would be after going to. Thank you had to go to work she got off the elevator to go and I went on up to the 4th floor whatever it was my mouth was wrong and I followed up on that and ultimately how long did you court or not very long.

[01:28:54]
Because I I guess I figured it was time in the do good looking gal like this and everybody is after so you better get busy so I courted pretty hey be hot and heavy and ask her to marry me when we had been go on together about 3 months I guess wow you were fast worker and in a moment of weakness she sometimes she said you know.

[01:29:21]
And how I look after that did you get married. About 2 months I guess after that so you really only knew each other. And we have had a great time and. We were married and. By that time was 1955 and so we've been married and she been put up with me ever since which is.

[01:29:49]
44 years or something like that. Your children family and along the way we had a ball I. We and I great wisdom named Robert Fletcher Bell Jr he would born in Bahrain ham and then subsequently we had a young lady. Who we named Deborah and she Costco's by the name Davey.

[01:30:16]
And they both have both For now about both born and I'll buy mine after layer of bone and David was quite a baby. When I was transferred back to Atlanta to come to headquarters I often laugh and said well I guess I didn't like the way I behaved out in the field I figured I could watch me better if the head man headquarters so I moved into headquarters and that's one of those strange lines that happens sometimes in corporate life that it was you're being about 3 years and ours are I guess about 30 years finished my career there and I had one job there and it was just the greatest job of Ella job in the company and I was a corporate book manager and there I made all the phone and my office did all the financial reports I was involved in selling debentures Southern securities gone to New York meeting with underwriters filings was a curate Exchange Commission and things like that I also paid officers and helped them with all of their.

[01:31:21]
Company sponsored insurance programs and things of that nature. The wonderful thing is that you were able to come home and stay home and so that was one thing about it that my kids were Priscu when I moved back to Atlanta and that way we lived in the camps and they were able to go.

[01:31:41]
To the same screwed with the exception that my daughter we did move to Cobb County and she went one year 2 wheeler high finishing up. And my son Robert. We carried him to the Naval Academy to see if he wanted to go there and we had him go through a battery of tests.

[01:32:05]
To see what his interests were but he knew by what interest was chemical engineering. And he found it on my own to go to Tech and I just asking one question I said Are you gone because you won't go not because I went there you don't have to go there because I went I think it's a good good choice but you be sure that's your choice he says Daddy that's my job so he went any graduate in chemical engineering with honors.

[01:32:40]
And he got a master's degree in chemical engineering and with highest honors. And went to work for. A subsidiary of the old it actually. Are called Langridge for you they had bought out Anaconda copper company and gone into light metals in addition to copper principally aluminum and his master's degree work had been going on in middle georgia and working in kaolin and figured how to make a living themself.

[01:33:17]
And he worked for them and to arco decided to close up shop. And while he was in their research facility in Tucson Arizona he met a young lady from New Jersey who had been a middle buyer and then a graduate. In Columbia and they started court and they both course when they closed down they both.

[01:33:42]
Decided to go to Stanford and she went to law school and my son got another degree in this time in computer science computer and information science and he is a. The same year program director of inner self aware and Menlo Park California they live in Palo Alto and idolater in law and has advanced our league career to the point that she is a partner in the Wilson farm they called it a farm of about 300 lawyers located in Palo Alto.

[01:34:18]
And with all that they still managed to have 3 great little girls the oldest is Joanna. And a millionaire is found and it's 2 and because we don't see them IMO and watch sometimes twice a year. But. Then my daughter. She was close you know you can't be partial between your children but she was always the light of my eye and still is particular she took ballet from the time she was 3 to a few in mid teens and I thought she was going to be a ballerina and she changed her mind and she said I don't think I'd be more go to college and that shocked me and then one day she came she said well tell you what I really want to do so I want to go take.

[01:35:10]
An ass out at that point where the few progress from not want to go Go on go take better be smart and not do a whole lot Argan and. Given alternatives and just accept what she wants and for some reason that I have never understood she wanted to get through she went and a Saturday and Sunday summer and winter and finished in 3 years and she went in management and then she worked and wound up.

[01:35:43]
With banking interest and the old man who merged with somebody after got me merged with a bank south. Which was the name for the L. Fulton National Bank in Atlanta banks she went to work with them and wound up as a A.B.P. in charge of personal banking and it was all the people like the rich folks I mean she says you know when you think about it that a guy already has got short term loans with a $1000000.00 he needs to pay his taxes and he needs another 300000 can you can I fix him up right quick she says you know you're dealing with people at the they got a lot of credit or a lot of money.

[01:36:31]
But she enjoyed that type of work. But when our grandson. Kerrick came along and by the way she had married a young man who is a partner C.P.A. firm here in Marietta Michael Christ and so she is Mrs Michael Christ and they have a little boy who is 7 years old and his name is Carrick.

[01:37:01]
It is a Welsh name because Michael's. Ancestors several steps back came from Wales. You know when a lot of Welsh coal miners and the years passed and they came because believe it or not mining in West Virginia and eastern Kentucky was a better life than mining in Wales and you think about all the problems we talk about in Appalachia.

[01:37:31]
And they saw it's amazing in it to think that the problems we have seen with the miners. Are that it was better. Had to be the pitch. But anyway. Kerrick is a coach located here in Marietta so you get to be a granddad You know so I'm going to be a granddad All right regulators say his mom and dad have gone.

[01:38:00]
To south of the ball or how to cure a so. We can and so he's staying with us and so we had to get up this morning and get breakfast and get dressed and drive him to go to private school who cross the county and I have to drive him across and then about 3 o'clock that over and pick him up but so I had 2 children born a girl they both want to take their cut by herself or how long did your daddy read my daddy did not live.

[01:38:35]
A long time he had heart trouble from time even about 60 and a railroad man called working on locomotives and. Their concern about taking that kind of help so he said he retired at 65 and he did not make it to the 66 part so he died right now I think 59 was just let's long enough to see you know along with the good Lord let him live long enough to see and hold a be.

[01:39:03]
Sane and played with took some whole 8 millimeter movies of him playing with Robert which I subsequently had put on videotape and but he and I can remember him so well coming to bring him Davy was born in. 59 in January and mother brought him over and he died in March and how do you all right then but he said Mother would my mother was so concerned about him that she waited until he was sitting down on the sofa and then she got David Ensign Afflalo don't you know.

[01:39:40]
That's a great memory for yeah and the good thing is he saw that you got your tech education Yeah made it something which made it and then you have to worry about whether Did I worry about what I was done and I had a job I had very good job Tommy that I had made what's called district level which I started level management and they knew you'd always have a job so that was taken care of there and it had those 2 grandchildren and I was approachable and course I think that the other day I told the wife.

[01:40:15]
Carrick is playing little league baseball goes he's at the stage now where they used pitching machine a whole ball up to them and then drop it in the slot and it you know and then that I can hurt a chance trying if I can throw the ball if they feel that it's 2nd base and so on Mike and a half gets the 1st baseman so they surely could pitch and get ball over the plate.

[01:40:41]
So he's playing baseball and. You know seeing him in that uniform swinging at bat and Karen my dad was a great baseball fan and he was a fan of course not of the braves with the Atlanta crackers colors and he would use it to say here's the sea great grandson.

[01:41:05]
And I play and play and ball wonderful if you had to do it all over again would you follow the same path you know that's a good question you always think about well what I do something different I know I thought of that day our TAR had been hauling stuff out of my office for several days and boxing one thing and I went and found it came the last time and I said you know I didn't get to be president but along the way I had learned something about it that hit me in going.

[01:41:35]
Out I had observed one thing some people who don't get ahead in cooperation and thereby can get it. And they get real bitter and some take to drink and I drank some say out of a job or and bad health or things like that and I really I said I'm not going to get better I saw contemporaries advancing.

[01:41:59]
And better jobs and that's all fine but I was I think I have my Again I'm sad I was very good at what I do and I was one of the best in the belt. And I said you know what it is I'm not a quarterback I don't get called signals and I don't get to throw the pass touchdown.

[01:42:18]
More like I mentioned earlier about the stationary guard. On the end side interior line one of those guys up front fighting it out in the trenches. But somebody has to do it and it has to be done right call just like in the football game if you don't block that rascal in front of you he's no good and then he does the quarterback so you have to do you would.

[01:42:45]
And I said you know I had a very satisfying career and I do not regret the way it worked out I'd like to have been maybe a president or something like that but no one of those and I did have the same thing he a 4 time about 8 or 10 years there was only one job black that out of about 50000 people and that was me and it was a fun time.

[01:43:10]
Hope career help you behave all your grand. Rabbit. Rabbit to play a little guy a member of the slowness club. And going back to my dad's business own railroad have always been interested in railroads and took it up in the form of model railroading model. And other things even drug my poor wife out to New Mexico and Colorado some years ago.

[01:43:41]
And rode a calm but didn't total take from New Mexico and on the merit gauge own our gauge staying power plays so hard she didn't fall she got caught was was said you have plenty of things to give you that I have clear read I couldn't read and refined to war between the states of the Nolan war and all immigration history I haven't read a little bit of legal or government work cause I'm just interested in current If I have watch happening today and I can't do anything about it particularly but it's nice to be in the know Mr Bell Your story has been very interesting you started out saying you didn't thank you had much of a shaking life but it was.

[01:44:25]
Life very well lived to date and sounds like it will continue to be so and we really really enjoy hearing your stories about your life and about Georgia Tech and thank you so much for the time you spent with us today I appreciate you coming and giving me opting to hope it will be some good as somebody I'm sure.