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| Summertime at the lake 1953 (Moore County Historical Association) |
Looking back, there was
something vaguely idyllic about growing up in a sleepy southern town in
the post-war years, but life was easy for only some
of us. There was a distinctly darker side for others living in
Aberdeen.
This is a story about our one-time police chief, his teenage daughter, a young black man, and the Aberdeen Lake. The names have been changed, but the story is only too real.
As for Chief Pringle, picture Rod Steiger in the movie "In The Heat Of The Night." Then just take my word for it, the Aberdeen character was a whole lot worse. He was fat, loud, rough and roundly feared and hated in the black community. He had any number of children, but Peggy Ann was his favorite, at least until she started growing up and showing signs of independence.
The Aberdeen Lake was municipal property, and like much of the town, it was then reserved for "whites only." It sat on a well kept lot with bathhouse and refreshment center, a jukebox and dance floor popular in the evenings with several generations of jiving and bopping teenagers. It then stretched north by the all-black community of Broadway, but by that point there was no longer a beach nor easy access to the water.
Peggy Ann was not an especially attractive girl, just kind of average. She lived in a house in the middle of town just about where the Aberdeen creek turns into the lake. The young black man (whose name I never knew, but let's call him Cary) lived a half mile away in Broadway.
All of what really happened, no one really knows today. What is fairly certain is that in some measure Peggy Ann and Cary knew each other, perhaps only by sight. Whenever the black man went into town, he would have inevitably passed by the police chief's house. It had a big porch with swing, and he probably saw Peggy Ann there. They just might have exchanged words at some point.
One day, Cary slipped a written message to Peggy Ann. It proposed a rendezvous the following evening somewhere around the Aberdeen Lake.
Did Chief Pringle discover the note by accident? Did Peggy Ann voluntarily show it to him? This was always a little hazy. The official story was that Peggy Ann --appalled at the proposal-- turned it immediately over to her father.
The rest was not pretty. Cary was at the designated place, but instead of Peggy Ann, he was met by a contingent of local law enforcers. He was arrested and put in jail. Even in those days when interracial courtship would have been more or less illegal, it was never clear precisely what law had been broken. He appeared in the Aberdeen court where he was found guilty of whatever crime and incarcerated.
He was sent to prison, or more likely to some sort of work farm, for a sentence of a year or less, then released with the obligation to leave the area. I never knew what kind of life he might have found elsewhere, though it takes little imagination to understand that his future would have been mightily compromised.
I remember that a number of the kids, my age and a little older, were aware of and disturbed by what we saw as such a blatant injustice; but no one to my knowledge went so far as to voice any kind of official protest.
Whatever one may have thought of Peggy Ann, she was almost certainly one of the victims here. I cringe to imagine her relationship with her father, either before or after the incident. The week Cary had been "banished" from Aberdeen, she came into Bryan's Drug Store where many of the young people congregated after school. It was always noisy there, but a hush fell over the soda bar when she entered that afternoon.
I remember her speaking, either to me or to someone right next to me: "I know they are all saying that I led him on," she said. That is all I remember.
Chief Pringle did find his comeuppance, of sorts. I think he must have crossed the line once too often, because he was suddenly and somewhat mysteriously removed from office about a year later. He left virtually overnight with his family. They moved to South Carolina or Georgia, and as far as I know, none of them were ever heard from again.
This is a story about our one-time police chief, his teenage daughter, a young black man, and the Aberdeen Lake. The names have been changed, but the story is only too real.
As for Chief Pringle, picture Rod Steiger in the movie "In The Heat Of The Night." Then just take my word for it, the Aberdeen character was a whole lot worse. He was fat, loud, rough and roundly feared and hated in the black community. He had any number of children, but Peggy Ann was his favorite, at least until she started growing up and showing signs of independence.
The Aberdeen Lake was municipal property, and like much of the town, it was then reserved for "whites only." It sat on a well kept lot with bathhouse and refreshment center, a jukebox and dance floor popular in the evenings with several generations of jiving and bopping teenagers. It then stretched north by the all-black community of Broadway, but by that point there was no longer a beach nor easy access to the water.
Peggy Ann was not an especially attractive girl, just kind of average. She lived in a house in the middle of town just about where the Aberdeen creek turns into the lake. The young black man (whose name I never knew, but let's call him Cary) lived a half mile away in Broadway.
All of what really happened, no one really knows today. What is fairly certain is that in some measure Peggy Ann and Cary knew each other, perhaps only by sight. Whenever the black man went into town, he would have inevitably passed by the police chief's house. It had a big porch with swing, and he probably saw Peggy Ann there. They just might have exchanged words at some point.
One day, Cary slipped a written message to Peggy Ann. It proposed a rendezvous the following evening somewhere around the Aberdeen Lake.
Did Chief Pringle discover the note by accident? Did Peggy Ann voluntarily show it to him? This was always a little hazy. The official story was that Peggy Ann --appalled at the proposal-- turned it immediately over to her father.
The rest was not pretty. Cary was at the designated place, but instead of Peggy Ann, he was met by a contingent of local law enforcers. He was arrested and put in jail. Even in those days when interracial courtship would have been more or less illegal, it was never clear precisely what law had been broken. He appeared in the Aberdeen court where he was found guilty of whatever crime and incarcerated.
He was sent to prison, or more likely to some sort of work farm, for a sentence of a year or less, then released with the obligation to leave the area. I never knew what kind of life he might have found elsewhere, though it takes little imagination to understand that his future would have been mightily compromised.
I remember that a number of the kids, my age and a little older, were aware of and disturbed by what we saw as such a blatant injustice; but no one to my knowledge went so far as to voice any kind of official protest.
Whatever one may have thought of Peggy Ann, she was almost certainly one of the victims here. I cringe to imagine her relationship with her father, either before or after the incident. The week Cary had been "banished" from Aberdeen, she came into Bryan's Drug Store where many of the young people congregated after school. It was always noisy there, but a hush fell over the soda bar when she entered that afternoon.
I remember her speaking, either to me or to someone right next to me: "I know they are all saying that I led him on," she said. That is all I remember.
Chief Pringle did find his comeuppance, of sorts. I think he must have crossed the line once too often, because he was suddenly and somewhat mysteriously removed from office about a year later. He left virtually overnight with his family. They moved to South Carolina or Georgia, and as far as I know, none of them were ever heard from again.
Again, more baroque tales. Wonder if there is some equally talented young person there collecting similar stories including those of the young man who left all this behind for adventures in London and Paris and great hotels all around the world!
ReplyDeletePoignant tale of what is, fortunately, a different time.
ReplyDeleteWell done.
Chief Pringle deserved more than a comeuppance!
ReplyDeleteI had to share. Mrs. Voss would be so proud!
ReplyDeleteFrom what I remember about that part of the south, Cary probably was lucky. I feared a worse ending to this story!
ReplyDeleteNot always as idyllic as we might want to remember.
ReplyDeleteDickie
Superb story of a time marred with dramatic events.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed his story also. Aberdeen was a wonderful place to live!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. Sounds a lot like rural Ohio in the 1950s.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the stories....I always enjoy them so much!
ReplyDeleteFascinating blog on living in Aberdeen. It was certainly a difficult time in the Southern States.
ReplyDeleteThank you Frank, I do enjoy your writing style, a pleasure to read.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed it, Frank, (if one can use the word "enjoy" for such a drama) but enjoyed the story of Renata even more!
ReplyDeleteAnother great story! Although I wish you could have elaborated a little more and drawn it out. It was that good. I didn't want it to end so quickly! It was kind of on the order of "To Kill a Mockingbird."
ReplyDeleteI loved "Deep South Drama", though it broke my heart! What saddened me even more than that story was imagining all of the stories that have never been told. I am so proud to know Frank and be able to share his memories.
ReplyDeleteI sincerely hope we are all over this sort of bigotry in today's world. I am sure this would have had a long term affect on both Peggy Ann and Carey.
ReplyDeleteThe January blog was sad, but you have managed to turn it into an interesting story, sympathetic to both sides. A familiar theme which forms the basis of many books and films from "To Kill a Mocking Bird" onwards.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Frank, for reminding us of the horrors of life in a different era. I certainly hope that Aberdeen and other small towns across North Carolina and the South have outgrown their prejudice and embarrassing behaviors. Having grown up in Newton (western part of the State), life was essentially the same - little information, your opinion was unwanted, and you better keep your mouth shut! Thanks for sharing!
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