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From YouTube: Martha Ann Miller, Centenarian and Author
Description
101-year-old Martha Ann Miller, author of "The First Century, and Not Ready for the Rocking Chair Yet", speaks to the Arlington Branch of the American Association of University Women at the Arlington (VA) Public Library on January 12, 2013. Miller recalls her years as a teacher in Arlington and particularly the struggles over desegregation in the 1960's.
A
Okay,
welcome
everyone,
I'm
Meg
to
solo
I'm,
the
vice
president
for
programs
for
AAUW
the
Arlington
chapter,
and
we
always
try
to
have
our
meetings,
involve
something
that
is
of
interest
to
us
in
the
community
and
to
help
us
learn
as
we
move
along
life's
Pat,
and
we
are
in
for
such
a
treat
today
to
have
with
us
someone
who
can
tell
us
a
lot
about
the
path
of
life
over
the
last
101
years
and
not
ready
for
the
rocking
chair.
Yet
you'll.
Let
us
know
when
you
are:
it's
still
a
ways
to
go.
A
B
Just
to
set
the
stage
of
the
war
they
were
responsible
for
taking
the
picture.
It's
on
my
book,
I
was
wearing
the
same
thing
that
I'm
wearing
today,
and
that
was
taken
at
the
National
Convention
in
Washington
in
2011
and
since
then,
they've
been
very
helpful
from
a
national
state
and
the
local.
So
that's
the
first
thing
of
importance
for
us
to
know.
Oh
thank
you
now.
B
The
next
thing
is
that
I
have
three
special
people
with
me
here
today
and
they
have
given
the
book
a
lot
of
loving
care
just
like
I
have
done
it
over
the
years
of
writing
it.
The
first
one
is
who
is
listed
as
my
editor
Marcy
Schiller
and
Marcy
Stan.
Let's
see
who
you
are
and
then
the
two
others
that
were
worked
like
a
team
to
get
this
really
printed
and
ready
for
pretty,
and
that
is
Brundle
II,
who
was
a
graphic
arts
designer
for
the
book.
B
Writing
the
book-
and
you
know
I,
never
dreamed
of
writing
a
book
until
many
many
years
after
things
happen.
But
I
was
started
to
be
asked
to
better
than
the
50th
anniversary
of
speaking
at
groups
and
being
there
for
the
film
that
was
made,
and
even
then
I
hadn't
really
gotten
the
real
idea
of
writing
a
book.
But
then
I
got
to
thinking
about
my
great-grandchildren
and
the
things
that
they
should
know
about
their
ancestors.
B
B
None
of
these
things
that
you
have
to
have
today
to
operate,
and
so
I
grew
up
on
a
farm
southern
Indiana
and
enjoyed
my
life
very
much
there
and
I
had
a
very
dear
mother
who
was
very
patient
with
me.
I
had
three
older
brothers,
and
then
my
girl
came
along
and
mother
could
give
all
her
time
to
me
really,
along
with
everything
else
she
needed
to
do.
But
if
I
wanted
to
do
something,
she'd
teach
me
she
was
very
patient
and
taught
me
how
to
sew
with
a
needle
thread
all
those
little
details.
B
But
what
really
changed
my
life
as
much
as
any
one
thing
was
being
in
the
4-h
club
work.
You
know
when
I
was
12
or
13
years
old
and
by
that
and
if
you
don't
know
what
4-h
is,
that
was
a
farm
opera
organization
for
young
people
in
those
days,
because
there
was
many
different
clubs
like
the
sewing
club,
Kenny,
Club,
baking
club
and
I,
always
liked
the
banks.
B
So
we
had
to
keep
records
of
what
we
baked
and
if
we
won
in
the
county
fair,
then
we
were
supposed
to
enter
in
the
state
fair
and
to
enter
the
state.
Fair
I
wasn't
even
able
to
go
and
do
that,
but
I
baked
the
loaf
of
bread,
and
another
thing
we
had
to
do
along
with
exhibit
in
our
loaf
of
bread,
was
to
keep
a
record
of
everything.
We
baked
then
write
a
theme
about
it.
B
Well,
that
gave,
along
with
that
was
a
very
special
thing
that
happened.
Purdue
university
gave
the
first
time
they
gave
a
four-year
scholarship
to
the
winners
of
the
4-h
club
at
that
year.
So
at
13,
one
of
state
prize
got
a
trip
to
Washington,
DC
and
won
that
prize,
which
was
four-year
scholarship
to
purdue.
Now,
if
I
never
had
that,
I
never
be
where
I
am
today,
so
that
was
a
year
earlier.
You
do
you
need
thee
and
I.
B
C
B
Well,
this
the
school
system
entered
into
the
book
and
there's
a
whole
chapter
in
the
book
about
working
four
hundred
schools
in
arlington
county.
But
it's
hard
to
believe.
But
at
that
time
the
public
schools
in
the
state
of
virginia
started
in
a
618,
68
I
think
that's
right.
To
least
within
a
few
years,
and
the
plantation
owners
then
always
had
private
tutors
for
their
children.
And
then
people
with
money
would
send
them
to
private
schools.
B
B
At
that
time,
Senator
Harry
senior
Harry
bird
was
in
charge
of
the
state
of
Virginia
and
he
believed
it
pay
as
you
go
on
everything,
but
the
governor
at
that
time
pointed
that
a
circuit
court
judge
and
the
circuit
court
judge,
appointed
electoral
board
and
the
electoral
board
went
to
school
board.
So
the
schools,
the
people
of
the
community,
were
Rea,
far
removed
and
the
school
board
was
removed
from
the
citizens.
B
B
This
is
all
leading
up
to
the
reason
that
arlington
had
such
port
schools.
So
an
article
went
into
the
post
or
paper
one
of
the
papers.
If
you're
interested
in
kindergarten
has
come
to
a
meeting.
Well,
we
were
having
our
young
family
and
I
said
I
want
to
go
to
that
meeting.
So
I
went
it
was
in
the
buckingham
community
room.
There
were
about
50
people
came
to
the
meeting,
because
at
that
time
arlington
was
growing.
B
B
B
You
know
they'd
say
well.
How
did
we
get
money?
One
time
dr.
the
boat,
put
an
article
in
the
paper
and
said,
or
was
that
I'm
sorry?
He
didn't
put
an
article
in
the
paper
to
do
this,
but
he
was
out
of
one
of
the
meetings
of
the
school
board
and
they
were
talking
about
budgeting
for
schools
and
he
said
why.
How
do
we
get
money,
then,
to
start
getting
better
schools?
Oh
you
have
to
get
a
thousand
voters
on
a
petition.
B
Maybe-
and
if
you
got
a
thousand
voting
names
on
a
petition,
maybe
you
could
get
it
on
a
November
election
and
see
if
you
could
there's
an
interest.
You
know
now
at
that
time,
though,
Arlington
was
mainly
forms
and
the
people
that
owned
the
land
immediately
knew
that
if
they
had
work
had
needed
money
for
schools,
they
were
going
to
have
to
pay
the
bill,
pay
more
taxes.
B
But
then,
with
that
challenge
of
getting
a
thousand
names
on
a
petition,
our
citizens
committee
for
school
improvement
went
to
work
and
I've
skipped
a
lot
of
information
here,
because
their
lot
went
into
it.
Before
we
went
for
the
names
on
the
petition,
we
tried
and
tried
to
get
money,
but
we
couldn't
do
it,
but
our
group
went
to
work
and
they
came
in
with
five
thousand
names
on
a
petition.
B
B
What
do
we
do?
What
can
we
do?
They
were
working
together
and
want
to
say
right
here
that
that
group
of
citizens
who
were
working
and
wanted
good
schools
was
such
a
joy
to
work
together
because
we
had
one
goal
and
that
was
good
schools
and
that
if
we
went
to
a
meeting
and
voted
on
anything,
we
knew
that
they'd
lead
there
and
they'd
be
working
on
what
we've
decided
to
do.
It
was
not
arguing
over
well
did
we
do
this?
Do
it
through
this?
They
had
a
goal
and
it
was
working
for
it.
B
We
finally
well-
this
is
I
like
to
tell
this
story,
because
it's
so
obvious
I
was
my
husband.
Was
a
lawyer,
so
I
said
to
me
money
that
you
need
to
go
to
these
meetings.
Let
me
stay
home
with
the
children
and
I'll
do
work
on
the
voters
list.
So
that
was
how
we
split
up
the
work
because
I
could
work
or
the
voters
list
at
home
on
the
telephone,
but
we
had
two
different
things
going
on
here.
B
I
had
organized
and
we
had
somebody
in
each
precinct
as
a
captain
of
the
precinct,
and
we
went
to
the
courthouse
and
copied
ever
name
off
the
voters
list
in
the
courthouse
and
three-by-five
cards.
But
those
cards
at
a
shoebox
gave
him
to
the
chairman
of
the
precinct
and
they
had
that
to
work
from
because
everybody
was
called
on,
whose
name
was
on
that?
B
If
their
name
wasn't
on
there
and
they
went
by
a
house,
it
wasn't
on
her
list,
then
they
could
say
you
need
to
give
your
voting
for
in
need
to
get
registered
to
vote.
So
that
was
my
contribution
was
to
see
that
that
voters,
let's
got
developed,
we
had
an
alien
address
grow
system
before
we
were
finished
at
meant
little
rectangular
cards
with
a
space
in
the
middle,
where
the
typewriter
could
hit
the
they
end
in
paper.
B
But
then
Malcolm
came
home
one
night
from
meeting
and
he
said
honey.
You
got
a
white
clean
white
shirt.
For
me,
I
said
yes,
but
it's
one
thirty
in
the
morning
right
now,
because
I
was
still
up
doing
the
housework,
which
didn't
get
done
by
ten
o'clock
at
night,
because
I
was
on
the
telephone,
but
for
thee
and
I
said
well.
Yes,
yes,
and
he
says,
but
why
I
said
why?
Now
he
says
we're
going
to
richmond
and
we're
going
to
work
on
getting
a
bill
passed
and
all
the
bills
said
was.
B
We
want
to
chance
to
vote
in
arlington
county
on
whether
we
wanted
an
elected
school
board
or
not
what
wasn't
asking
very
much,
but
anyway,
it
was
a
simple
bill
just
for
arlington.
They
did
leave
for
richmond
right
away
at
two
o'clock
in
the
morning,
because
it
took
longer
than
two
hours
to
get
to
richmond.
Then
they
wanted
to
be
down
there
for
breakfast
with
the
representatives
from
the
county
and
they
were
and.
B
B
So
that's
the
part,
you
know
it's
written
up
in
the
book,
how
we
did
go
ahead
and
got
worked
out.
Good
schools,
work
for
good
schools
and
in
1948
this
do
school
board
was
elected
and
we
chose
people
to
run
or
that
our
first
elected
school
board
that
knew
what
they
were
doing.
No
one.
Well,
let
me
interject
something
else
here.
You
know
the
people
working
for
the
government
were
hatched.
B
Well,
it's
quite
a
story
to
get
that
elected,
School,
Board
elected
to
getting
things
going,
but
they
in
order
to
involve
the
hell.
County.
Well,
I
should
say
here
that
in
when
we
voted
on
whether
we
wanted
to
selected
school
board
or
not,
it
was
eighty
percent
that
voted
yes,
so
that
definitely
we
could
go
ahead
and
plan
the
next
step,
then,
but
then
they
were
very
important
that
the
Citizens
Committee
involved
everybody
at
the
county.
B
One
of
the
first
women
to
run
for
the
school
board
was
Elizabeth
camel
now
Elizabeth
Campbell
was
a
Dean
of
women
down
at
one
of
the
colleges
in
Virginia
and
she
resigned
her
job.
You
know
as
a
professional
woman,
she
was
Dean
of
women,
but
she
buried
ed,
camel
who
came
lived
here
in
Arlington
and
was
active
in
democratic
affairs
and
Ed
said
to
Elizabeth
before
she
went
to
the
convention
now,
Elizabeth
don't
get
yourself
involved.
B
But
Elizabeth
confessed
that,
after
she
SAT
there
and
listened
to
the
all
the
things
that
were
being
had
been
done
and
was
being
done
for
working
for
good
schools.
She
did
allow
her
name
to
be
as
a
part
of
a
committee
that
would
run
from
the
school
board
and
then
the
citizens
committee
wanted
to
have
people
who
knew
what
they
were
doing
and
where
were
this
had
a
lot
of
source
of
valuable
people?
B
B
Those
are
the
little
details
that
just
come
to
mind
us
on
talking
here,
but
as
going
back
to
the
committee's
that
were
set
up,
they
fed
in
their
information
to
the
school
board
members,
because
a
school
board
knew
that
they
couldn't
do
everything
themselves
and
there's
that
idea
of
committees
for
each
subject
still
exists
today.
I
think
I'm
right
on
that
and
that's
kept
the
citizens
involved.
B
So
the
schools
went
from
very
poor
schools
up
to
one
of
the
best
in
the
nation
and
they
still
are
considered
near
the
top
and
the
best
in
the
nation
a
lot
of
people
of
work
to
keep
it.
That
way,
of
course,
but
after
the
school
board
was
elected
and
they
were
trying
to
decide
what
was
the
best
thing
to
do,
next
losses
were
brought
against
them
and
in
that
fight
for
better
schools,
we
were
listed
as
communist
earners.
B
B
So
there
was
a
real
fight
another
on
there
for
four
years
and
I
think
I've
said
about
enough
about
schools,
but
how
to
say
this:
that
number
of
years
later
I
understood
that
the
Democrats
are
very
unhappy
with
what
we
were
accomplishing
and
getting
an
elected
school
board,
because
it
was
upsetting
their
whole
control
of
states.
You
know.
D
Okay,
thank
you.
Okay
and
it's
Nancy,
Joyner
hi.
You
look
very
elegant
today.
You
are
the
poster
person
for
how
to
look
when
you're
101.
Look.
You
look
great
I
had
a
question
for
you.
Your
later
involvement
in
the
efforts
to
desegregate
schools
and
to
have
the
state
changed
the
terrible
policy
that
it's
set
up
to
deny
children
public
education.
Could
you
talk
a
little
bit
about
that
that.
B
Was
a
very
interesting
time
as
principal
of
the
school
and
the
superintendent
of
schools
were
both
Sutter.
The
Southern
gentleman
and
I
just
bring
that
in
because
Virginia
was
a
resisting
state
and
a
resisting
to
what
for
the
Supreme
Court
in
1954
had
ruled
that
all
schools
in
the
nation
should
be
integrated
and
Virginia,
and
many
of
the
southern
states
were
resisting
states.
They
didn't
want
to
follow
the
Supreme
Court
report
and
so.
B
B
So,
as
I
said,
the
principal
and
the
superintendent
were
both
sudduth
and
gentlemen
and
didn't
what
I
have
anything
to
do
with
integrating
the
schools
for
the
school
board
couldn't
do
much
on
its
own.
But
since
people
in
halls,
Hill
had
helped
get
the
elected
school
board,
they
brought
suit
against
the
county
for
not
integrating
the
school
right
away,
and
then
it
took
two
years
for
the
circuit
court
judge
to
give
him
an
answer
to
that
problem.
B
And
they
had
to
keep
nudging
the
circuit
court
judge
on
that
they
kept.
You
know,
writing
letters
doing
whatever
they
could
to
get
an
answer.
So,
finally,
then,
on
februari,
the
second
1959,
the
circuit
court
judge
past
the
ruling
that
there
will
be
four
black
children
from
Stratford
I
would
come
to
Stratford,
junior
high
and,
of
course,
the
reason
they're
a
county
where
they
lived
was
in
the
school
district
for
stratford.
B
B
It
was
the
adults
that
were
concerned
about
the
integrating
of
those
schools,
but-
and
there
was
a
lot
done
in
preparation
for
it
that
day,
the
guidance
counselor
in
Stratford
went
to
the
homes
and
I.
Don't
know,
I
really
don't
know
how
they
chose
the
for
black
students
to
come
to
Stratford
that
did
come.
I
think
that
they
had
for
calm
that
were
good
students.
You
know
so
that
wouldn't
be
a
problem
of
discipline
and
so
on.
B
Set
thoughts
about
it
because
I
grew
up
in
a
community
where
we
don't
like
people,
so
it
was.
But
it's
me
they
were
just
human
beings
like
everybody
else,
so
that
that
was
I.
Guess
one
of
the
reasons
that
I
was
assigned
two
of
the
students
to
come
to
my
math
class
I
was
teaching
math
them,
and
but
the
day
of
that
was
every
the
second
that
was
set
for
him
to
come.
B
There
are
parents
were
gathered
in
a
house
right
next
to
Stratford
so
because
they
thought
sure
something
direct
Resnick
was
going
to
happen
and
the
children
walked
down
Lee
Highway
and
came
in
the
back
door,
we
so
to
speak.
It
was
a
farthest
away
from
the
main
door
now
and
that
was
down
by
the
shop
arian
down
by
the
auditorium
of
Stratford
building.
B
Well,
as
I
recall,
they
all
were
brought
into
my
classroom,
they're
right
next
to
the
auditorium,
and
then
they
were
taken
to
the
office
to
us
that
be
assigned
there
for
classes
for
the
day.
They
are
the
next
four
months
of
school
everywhere,
marginal
made
you
so
the
22
had
to
they
were
set
in
pairs
of
two
now.
B
She
was
a
beautiful
assistant
principal
she
had
the
respect
of
the
children.
This
children
knew
she
was
strict,
but
she
was
there
and
she
had
called
the
seventh
graders
together
and
talked
with
him
about
it,
and
she
asked
the
seven
if
there
were
any
volunteers
in
the
seventh
grade.
That
would
be
asked
art
the
children
round
during
the
school
two-year
day
because
they
didn't
know
where
the
bathroom
was.
They
didn't
know
where
the
shock
caps.
B
Everything
was
had
been
worked
out
so
carefully
that
at
least
I,
as
a
teacher,
did
not
feel
anything
unusual.
Now,
a
few
of
the
people,
edney
ministry,
part
of
the
school
I
guess-
did
have
a
few
things
they
developed,
but
nothing
of
significance,
but
outside
the
school
the
day
that
the
students
came
and
even
for
a
week
before
the
day
for
integrating
the
schools,
the
teachers
had
to
be
escorted
from
the
parking
space
into
the
school.
B
We
had
to
have
tickets
to
show
that
we
were
a
teacher
and
the
police
would
be
there
to
help
us
go
into
school.
They
didn't
want
anything
to
happen
to
any
of
the
teachers
ahead
of
time,
but
there
was
according
to
the
records
and
what
I've
been
at.
Oh,
no
they're
bent
some
different
figures,
but
they're
at
least
120
policemen
in
the
community
around
and
the
area
and
near
the
school
and
the
day
went
on
long
with
nothing
happening.
B
The
parents
were
at
the
as
I
said
at
one
of
the
neighbors
house,
some
that
are
afraid
that
something
was
going
to
happen.
Wanted
to
be
there,
but
it
wasn't
I
mean
it
was
a
wonderful
day
and
it
was
due
I'm
sure
to
all
the
planning
that
the
people
put
into
that
having
the
day
go.
Well,
an
incident
happened
when
the
these
7th
graders
got
to
9th
grade
and
they
wanted
to
have
their
prom.
B
B
The
teachers
made
a
mistake
and
sold
a
ticket
to
a
black
student.
Well,
what
should
they
do?
You
know,
but
DARS
called
the
boy
in
next
mind
the
situation
and
she
wrote
up
when
she
wrote
up
to
record
of
the
day
she
said
they
were.
We
were
both
crying
when
he
gave
the
money
back
and
she
gave
the
ticket
he
got
the
ticket
back.
B
Then,
of
course,
after
the
school
was
integrated,
it
was
like
see
those
ten
years
there,
11
years,
that
we
had
elected
school
board,
but
the
state
legislature
throughout
the
elected
school
board,
because
we
integrated
the
schools
so
like
a
little
punishment,
I
guess,
or
something
but
anyway,
thee
instead
of
the
school
board
be
appointed
by
like
it
was
before.
It
was
then
appointed
by
the
county
board,
who
was
not
elected
group.
B
C
Afternoon
my
name
is
kate
and
I'm
curious
with
all
the
great
things
like
electricity
and
telephone
and
technology
that
has
come
along.
What
do
you
think
is
something
that
has
gone
missing.
That
should
really
come
back
in
terms
of
how
much
we've
advanced
this
year,
but
in
these
years,
but
something
that
has
really
gone
missing,
that
people
don't
appreciate
or
that
we
don't
have
like
we
used
to.
I.
B
So
when
you
stop
to
think
about
teaching
this,
the
seventh
graders
it
in
nineteen
thirty
60s,
and
here
it
is
2013
how
far
we've
come
in
the
technology
world,
because
that's
just
mind-boggling
to
be
some
time
to
think
and
all
I
was
teaching
them
then
was
the
set
up
their
little
loops.
If
then
go
to,
and
then
we
would
telephone
in
the
program
that
they
were
writing
to
the
office
in
the
county
which
had
a
computer.
B
B
A
F
My
name
is
marie
smith
and
I
was
in
one
of
the
classes
not
in
the
immediate
integration
of
the
schools
we
celebrating
that
will
be
celebrating
our
50th
anniversary.
I
mean
class
reunion.
This
come
in
October
and
I
know
all
of
the
students
that
were
integrated
to
school.
The
strafford
and
I
want
to
say
I
just
commend
you
for
being
so
kind
to
them,
because
integration
at
the
time
was
very
scary
to
us
and
those
students
and
they're
gone
on,
and
they
are
very
successful.