David C. Hernly SR. Born in Louisville Kentucky then
Grandmother from Smithfield. David came back to Chuckatuck. June Allison took care of David on one of these trips via train back to Virginia. Normally spent the summer in Chuckatuck in the house that is next to Miss Kitty’s hair salon.
W.G. was living in Chuckatuck next to the church and they would go down to the pond and fish. Half the summer in Chuckatuck and the other half in Michigan.
He lived the rest of the year in Pasadena, but did not like the gangs, etc. There was nothing like that in Chuckatuck. He lived for the day when school was out and he could head east. Mrs. Linthicum built the cottage that Clyde Brock lived in. When he was 13 he did not want to go back to California. Many times he was held on the bus for several miles then put out to get home. Gangs took his lunch money, etc.
On this trip when he got back to California he was told that they were moving to VA. Came route 66 all the way. He was just overjoyed. Got here just before Thanksgiving in 1954.
10:00 Good discussion of First day at Chuckatuck school.
Lew was one of the most influential people as well as Drex.
12:00 Talks about staying in the old house and seeing 6 inches of snow.
Continues to talk about the barn and corn crib and about the reconstruction. Barn goes back to 1800’s. All of this was owned by the Powells. Mrs. Linthicum bought Meadowlot and W.G. bought Meadowbrook.
14:45 Talks about things he was allowed to do having not had that opportunity before.
His first official job was working at C.C. Johnson’s. Allowed to work 16 hours a day for six days a week for $14.00.
16:00 Good explanation of why Chuckatuck.
17:30 Normal Rockwell epitomizes Chuckatuck.
Enjoyed being mobile and when he was 15 Mr. Hernly offered David a Drink (18:40) Good explanation of what dad’s can do.
20:00 Bob Casey played a big part in his life. Church had a great influence on him as well.
23:00 Lots of good found memories.
Stella was born in Richmond. His grandfather was working in Richmond at the tobacco company (Brown and Williamson) No education he ended up as VP when he retired in 1954.
26:00 Good discussion on the Duck Hole.
Graduated from Chuckatuck in 1959. This was the second year of 12 grades.
29:00 Things that happened during your school years that are worthy of hearing:
33:00 Did some duck hunting. Fishing, Trapping, Playing basketball, Most fun was riding on the bus with the girls’ team. Mary Anslie Saunders was his first crush but never dated her. Remembers Bill Rippey. We took care of all his equipment in Shop. Field trips to learn how to load hay for harvest.
Learned about the birds and bees, but would not get that in the California schools like you get it here. Remembers getting paddled as a Senior. 35:20 Good explanation of how discipline was administered at school by Lew.
Talks about Billy Whitley as a coach and then Principal at Chuckatuck.
39:00 Good discussion on the houses that he lived in and which ones Mr. Hernly built. Talks about the fence between my granddaddy Chapman and Mr. Linthicum.
2nd tape.
Talks about the children and their kids.
Talks about his last year and half in California as being so bad.
The most memorable thing you remember about Chuckatuck “The feeling of being there” The Comfort of the Surrounding, Like being home. The experience is the most enduring memory.
6:40 Talks about their time in San Diego when they got food poisioning.
Had much more here than in the affluent California.