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Polliard, Mary (audio interview #1 of 3)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This is the first of three interviews conducted with Mary Polliard in her hilltop home in Malibu. She remained warm, friendly and engaged throughout the interview, despite the discomfort caused by her long-term back problems. 3/10/1981
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- 2021-07-27
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- SUBJECT BIO - Mary Polliard went to work at Northrop Aviation in 1943, shortly after she separated from her husband. Born in Honey Grove, Texas, the last of three children, Polliard did farm work and handy work after completed the tenth grade. Following her marriage in 1936, she became a full-time homemaker for the next seven years. She moved to California with her husband in 1939, finally settling in Los Angeles in 1943. When Polliard went to the US Employment Office to apply for a defense job, she was dissuaded from going to work from Douglas. She was given the impression that the women who worked there were "rough" and was referred to Northrop Aviation instead. After a week of riveting training, unable to tolerate the noise, she transferred to the job shop and became one of the first women at Northrop to operate a milling machine. Polliard was not laid off at war's end and continued in production until 1946, after which she was forced to take a clerical job. She married a supervisor three years later and continued to work until 1952, becoming one of the "Northrop family." Although Polliard took tailoring classes in adult education and attended beauty school for two years after she left Northrop, she remained a full-time homemaker after the birth of her son in 1955. She suffered from health problems as a result of an accident when he was small. TOPICS - family background and history; family relationships; schooling; cotton farming; childhood games and activities; religion and church activities; high school; household chores; siblings; family life; father's deathKKK activities and father's opposition; father's club activities; relationship with parents; schooling; career expectations; childhood illnesses; menstruation and problems with reproductive organs; sex education; cTopics on this side of the family include: medical problems with reproductive organs; marital problems; decision to go to work during the war; and separation and divorce; This discussion is brief, consisting of approximately three minutes of interview tim
- *** File: rrrmpolliard1.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-1:19)... Polliard's paternal grandparents began farming in Honey Grove, Texas in the early 1800s. Her father was the oldest of four boys. Because she was the first girl in the family, Polliard was very spoiled by her grandfather. He died in 1937 at the age of sixty-seven; and her grandmother lived until she was ninety-six years old. Polliard never met her maternal grandparents and knows little about that side of her family. (1:19-2:36)... Her father died when she was ten years old, leaving her mother alone to support three children. Two years after he died, her mother remarried an elderly man who worked in town as a mail carrier. He died seven months later. Polliard's brothers left home and she and her mother supported themselves by canning, housecleaning, quilting, and hanging wall paper. Her uncle, who was the superintendent of schools in Spur, Texas, suggested that Polliard move there to pursue a career in home economics, but her mother refused to let her go because she did not think that "a girl needed any education." Polliard quit high school in the tenth grade. (2:36-3:57)... Polliard discusses her family background, particularly focusing on her grandparents. (3:57-5:13)... Polliard's mother was born in 1891. She was educated until the ninth grade and married when she was twenty years old. In comparison, Polliard's father attended college for two years. Although he wanted to pursue a medical degree, his father, who was a strict Methodist, insisted that he become a minister. He refused and, instead, left college to marry Polliard's mother and begin a future as a farmer. They had three children, two sons in 1912 and 1915, and Polliard in 1917. Their father died of pneumonia at the age of thirty-six. (5:13-7:59)... After Polliard's parents married, her father rented a farm five miles outside Honey Grove, Texas and later near Bodart Creek (?), where they were living when her father died. His cotton crops did not do well because of flash floods. The area that encircled their farm was used for oil drilling until it was purchased by the government during FDR's administration, at which time the government transformed the land into a game preserve, a lake, and a recreation area. Her family received mineral rights, but never collected profits from the oil preserves on the land. (7:59-8:28)... Polliard lived in or around Honey Grove, Texas until she was twenty-two years old. After her mother remarried, they moved from her parents' farm into town. (8:28-11:45)... Polliard talks about her childhood activities. Because her mother was a strict Methodist she refused to allow her children to play cards, dance, or drink alcohol. Polliard was very active in the church and was a member of the youth group organized by the Methodist Church. In addition to church activities, Polliard participated in her high-school pep squad and attended all of the sporting events at school. Most of the kids in school, socialized within their own religious circles. Looking back, her youth activities were probably uninteresting and dull compared to what young people do today. However, kids did not have a lot of time to socialize because they had a lot of responsibilities. (11:45-12:36)... In addition to canning, Polliard's household chores included tending their vegetable garden and doing the laundry and ironing. She began making her own clothes when she was thirteen years old. She also baby sat children in the neighborhood. While she was growing up, children were expected to obey their elders and not question their orders. (12:36-13:41)... She socialized with both boys and girls, especially during church activities. She only went to slumber parties with girls, but there was usually one girl who invited boys over because she could not stand to be without her boyfriend. Polliard did not start dating until she was sixteen years old, noting that she simply didn't have time. (13:41-16:43)... Polliard details her brothers' lives and careers dating back to their teen years. (16:43-19:32)... When she was a young girl, most of Polliard's family activities revolved around gatherings at her grandparents' home. They got together for holidays and birthdays every year. After her grandfather died, their family gatherings decreased because her grandmother could not imagine entertaining family without him. Her grandparents had sixteen grandchildren. (19:32-26:59)... Polliard's father suffered from pneumonia for two weeks before he died, and even though she and her brothers knew that he was ill, they did not expect him to die. She was by his side when he finally passed away and it was a very traumatic event in her life. In addition to losing her father in 1927, she lost her stepfather in 1929, her grandfather in 1937 and her uncle in 1939. She describes the funeral customs that were practiced when she was young. She discusses her relationship with her grandparents and the time they spent together when she was a child. Her grandparents rarely gave their grandchildren gifts because they felt it was more meaningful to spend time with them. She details the feasts her grandmother prepared during the holidays. (26:59-30:02)... There was a large population of Black families in the community of Honey Grove, and her father housed and employed two Black families on his farm. Although there was separate housing, schooling, and church facilities for Blacks in the community, they were not segregated or discriminated against by her family. Once a month, the Black and White ministers gave sermons in each other's church. The KKK also active in the community and Polliard's father hid in his cotton crops with a shotgun to scare off the KKK when they attempted to lure his workers away from his farm. On many occasions, her father was beaten by KKK members for treating Blacks equitably. End of tape. *** File: rrrmpolliard2.mp3 (0:00-2:23)... Polliard talks about her father's attempts to keep the KKK from harassing his farmhands. She recalls seeing the KKK march in a parade, during which one of her father's friends spoke to him. This devastated her father because he did not support the KKK and had no idea his friend was a member. Her parents advised their children never to go through life covering their faces like the KKK. Her father was an active member of the Masonic Lodge and later joined the Shriners. He gave her a Shriners pin when she was a young girl and told her that it would protect her throughout her life. (2:23-4:05)... Even though Polliard was close to her father, he was not an affectionate man. When he was sick with pneumonia, he wanted her by his side to keep him company and so that she could fetch his tobacco. She believes that her father knew that he was dying and wanted to spend time with her before he passed away. (4:05-5:47)... Polliard's relationship with her mother was testy, and she comments that her mother did not want her to accomplish anything. She believes that her mother never wanted any children, particularly a daughter. Polliard lost a lot of friends and boyfriends because her mother "was jealous of her loving anyone." She moved to California partly to get away from her mother. It was only two years before her mother died that Polliard began to understand the root of her mother's problems. By that time, Polliard was nearing her sixties. (5:47-10:17)... After her stepfather died, Polliard's mother inherited some money and a home. When Polliard was fifteen, her mother developed a carbuncle infection but did not seek medical help for a full week. She got blood poisoning from the infection and was hospitalized for three months and almost died. All of the money that Polliard's stepfather left her mother went towards hospital expenses. In the mean time, Polliard supported herself by doing odd jobs. However, she never felt destitute because people in her community helped each other when in need. Polliard comments in passing that the absence of handymen in the community, coupled with her growing up on a farm, she developed mechanical skills. (10:17-14:10)... Polliard was a sickly child, suffering from bouts of diphtheria, hepatitis, and malaria. After contracting polio, she developed a weakness in her left side and was told she was infertile. She had her appendix removed at the age of sixteen, and when she was forty years old, she had a hysterectomy. Because of her various illnesses, she was often out of school. She eventually learned how to function when she was sick and was not bedridden all of the time during these periods. She attributes her childhood illnesses to her mother keeping all the children in the same room when one was sick. Polliard believes that she was never over one illness before catching another. (14:10-16:42)... Although Polliard's mother did not talk to her about menstruation, she gave her a medical book in which menstruation and reproduction was discussed. Polliard began having menstrual cramps when she was twelve, but did not start her period until she was fifteen. Because she was told that "everything was a sin...[and] that sex was dirty, " Polliard was very confused about sex by the time she married. As a result, her wedding night was a shocking and scary experience for both her and her husband. Ten months after she married, she began having terrible cramps and major problems with her reproductive organs. (16:42-20:26)... Because her mother had few opportunities to date, she tried to fit into Polliard's social circle. Her mother's attempts to be the center of attention, made Polliard more insecure and introverted when she was a teenager. Her mother-in-law, in contrast, treated Polliard with love and respect. This comment leads Polliard to discuss her in-laws. Her father-in-law supported his seven children by working as a railroad section foreman. Polliard and her husband lived with her in-laws for three winters, during which time she and her mother-in-law became close friends. (20:26-22:18)... Polliard's favorite subjects in school were home economics and mathematics. She notes that she has always been a "frustrated designer." When she was a young girl, her plans for the future were to get married and have six children. While she was growing up, the only careers available to women were nursing, teaching, and waitressing. Although she initially thought about pursuing a nursing career, caring for her mother when she developed a carbuncle made her change her mind. Polliard's main motivation for moving to California was the prospect of working for a designer, but she did not get into tailoring until after WWII. (22:18-24:15)... Polliard was a freshman in high school when she met her husband, who was a senior and the football captain. She quit school in the tenth grade. While they were dating, he enlisted in the Navy and was in the service for three years, until he was discharged for taking leave without permission. They married in 1936 when she was nineteen years old, at which time he went to work for an ice company making $50/month. They moved around a lot and spent the winters living with his parents. When they moved to California in 1939, he got a job as a gas station operator. (24:15-25:48)... The Depression did not affect Polliard's family's socioeconomic status. Living in a small town made life easier, and they were able to continue farming. Her family ate well during the Depression because of the many years she and her mother spent canning food. Her grandparents helped out with their clothing needs and she also wore seconds from families in the neighborhood. (25:48-26:54)... Polliard didn't see any reason to continue high school if she was not going to pursue a college education. During the years before she married, she supported herself by doing housework. She was looking forward to getting married in order to get out from under her mother's control. (26:54-30:07)... Polliard and her husband decided to move to California in 1939 for better job opportunities. Although he did not have any training and very little ambition, she was willing to try anything to get ahead. When they moved to California, he did not want her to work, but she briefly did have jobs at a liquor store and a dime store. Her husband worked at a gas station from ten in the morning until ten at night. To keep herself busy, she went to the movies three or four times a week. When WWII began, her husband told her why he had been discharged from the Navy and that he wanted to enlist in the Army to clear his record. End of tape. *** File: rrrmpolliard3.mp3 (0:00-3:20)... When they moved to California, Polliard developed an infection in her fallopian tubes and her physician was concerned that they would rupture. Her husband was not very sympathetic and would not leave her alone, despite the doctor's admonition. When they moved to San Francisco after the war broke out, she was receiving medical treatments. Her husband was drafted during the ten months they lived in San Francisco. Polliard discusses her marital problems, noting that she decided to get a job and "make it on her own." When her husband was discharged from the service in 1943, she gave him six months to clean up his act. When he did not do so, they separated and finally divorced in 1947. During their separation, Polliard began dating her second husband. End of tape.
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