H. Lee Waters - Gastonia, 1942

[@ginawellman5208]

I loved seeing Tony Coletta @14:09 and his I cream truck. We still go by when we are in town his ice cream shop"Tony's Ice Cream" on Franklin his descendants are still running it.The best ice cream I have ever eaten, hands down my favorite still his grape Ice Cream best in the world probably. He use to have 3 stores in Gastonia. I went there as a little girl growing up. Loray Mill is now upscale apts. now and in process of adding stores .I saw Frank L Ashley School but what was the other school with Crowders mountain in the background. I did not know they had a trolley car. So interesting my mom was born in Gastonia in 42. I do think I saw my young maybe in 20's grandad @ 2:37 on here. Thank You for posting this.

[@TheBenBrackett]

I go every day since I was a child...

[@yesorlando05]

3 things I noticed in this film. 1. People loved their sweets. 2. Kids were MUCH more physically active then than they are now. 3. People were much thinner/trimmer then as well. I absolutely love these videos.

[@davidklinger9703]

The collective thinness (with a few exceptions in this film) probably has something to do with the fact that, in a small town, people walked in 1942. Also, you didn't drive if you didn't have to, because you couldn't get the gasoline or tires during World War II. And "recess" at school meant exercise and ball-playing … not video gaming, like today. The diets, styles of cooking, and dental care in a small mill town of that era may have left something to be desired, but they off-set that with more physical activity and more locally-produced foods, and a narrower selection of what to eat. I'd wager there were a lot more Victory Gardens in Gastonia in 1942 than there are today, and probably no "fast-food rows" on the highway to Charlotte. Are we better off today … or then? I can't say.

[@yesorlando05]

@@davidklinger9703 Very good points. My mom grew up at this time. Contrasting then and now: Families had more square meals (a meat, 2-3 veggies, mild, water, etc.) back then. Less processed foods, fast food, soda. But foods had more saturated fat. People did walk more, but I was a kid in the 70's. Even then without the war situation/lack of cars/better diets/better healthcare, etc., we were still more active, outside a lot, and much slimmer. Though things were different in many ways, as of today, many of the choices people make create the overweight/sedentary lifestyles people have today. Healthcare and advances are better than ever now, but choices that we're making today on a personal level are not better. As you said, which was the better time? There are a lot of offsets, so there's no clear answer and it's pretty subjective. If we made better, healthier lifestyle choices, I would say today. In terms of interpersonal relationships/close friendships/face-to-face interactions/truly enjoying life, I'd say the 1940's (and even the 1970's) by a landslide.

[@susieballard4957]

Just about every tasks had to be done manually back then, Now we have electric dishwashers, gas-powered mowers and public transportation. I'm only 31 but I feel a deep connection to the olden days; But I would not want to live back then. I enjoy our medical advances Today. And I would be upset back then because; I do not agree with the way women and minorities were paid less And I would not agree with segregation. You should be given equal opportunity and paid the same amount for the equal amount of work No Matter Gender or color! But That is just My Opinion.

[@harpersworldsee8399]

I live here and love seeing these videos

[@harpersworldsee8399]

I just wish I could recognize alot of these spots and compare to the way they look now

[@kellysutton2780]

It's just amazing how the hair and clothing styles have changed

[@susieballard4957]

Seems as though people cared more about their appearance back then

[@kellysutton2780]

@@susieballard4957 absolutely yes

[@sherrym5556]

@@susieballard4957 And probably MUCH nicer manners, polite.

[@OldMod1]

My little town. Grew up here and love it. Have seen these films before and they are wonderful. I see "my people" in the faces of all these folks.

[@sherrym5556]

I LOVE THIS! I didn't grow up here, but lived here since 1999. I'm loving the old cars, styles and way of life back then. Everyone seemed happy. I wish Gastonia still had a cable car! How cool.

[@jackbailey7037]

Young people should watch because they honestly believe they were the first generation to come along

[@riverduck3]

I love Gastonia! Many memories of visiting relatives there.

[@harpersworldsee8399]

Ashley arms school. Those are now apartments aswell as loray mills

[@judyjones8876]

Love it my dad grew up in that area thanks

[@rlh8969]

I’m really interested in getting this film on DVD or digital download for my grandparents who don’t use the internet. They grew up in Gastonia in this time and undoubtedly will recognize some faces.

[@susieballard4957]

Try the library but I don't know if they're open right now due to the Coronavirus. I believe I have seen this film playing in the Dallas North Carolina Hoffman Hotel Museum. You could give the Hoffman Hotel Museum a call and ask them do they have it for sale in the gift shop? Let me know if you're able to find it Please? I would like to help you locate the film. I don't have much knowledge on old-timey films so I'm not sure if they even had audio back then.

[@jeffmercer3891]

This is incredible, wow.

[@kimpeterson1268]

Thank you for uploading! I wonder if anyone in the film got to see themselves in it years later?

[@janetnewsome6891]

No faces buried in cell phones?? They actually look happy?? The girls are wearing DRESSES or SKIRTS?? How fortunate those kids were.

[@mistyhensley83]

Nice video because I am not old and all I know about Gastonia is A: mills everywher and B. Sun drop. 😂

[@leelee-tr5in]

I found my dad Paul Wall at 6:26.

[@unc-chdigitalinnovationlab3592]

lee lee Hi Lee, We'd love for you to check out our project, loraydigital.org/ , for more information on Gastonia during the time your father was likely living there. We're working on a new project to identify the people in the Gastonia community that were captured in this H. Lee Waters film, and we would love to know more about your father and your family's relationship to Gastonia. Please contact us at [e-mail] if you'd like to follow up with identifying your father or to learn more about the Digital Loray project. We love and appreciate hearing from folks who have connections to this wonderful community. -University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Digital Innovation Lab

[@invisiblehands2780]

Where are they now?

[@jd131m]

Any idea what the significance is with the hand motion at around 22:19? Are they singing a song maybe and pointing motioning to the flag?I'm so glad someone pointed out what school this was, for the longest time I thought maybe the older kids were in Ashley high school, but I have no clue as to when that school was built.

[@user-nw2kx5ru4c]

Yes they are singing a song

[@mistyhensley83]

@@user-nw2kx5ru4cit was the old pledge but it was changed because it resembled the Nazi salute

[@davanmani556]

Ella May Wiggins

[@kellysutton2780]

Back then their wasn't a lot of fat people either

[@susieballard4957]

Just about every tasks had to be done manually back then; Now We have electric dishwashers, gas-powered mowers, and more people have cars these days, compared to back then. It cost extra money to be bigger; You would have to have your clothing tailored because the stores didn't carry bigger sizes than the normal size. I am only 31 But feel Such a strong connection to the olden days; but I would not want to have lived back then.

[@sherrym5556]

They didn't eat ready made junk/ fake food with tons of preservatives. People cooked back then, from scratch. Also, meats weren't injected with growth hormones like today. Kids played outside probably morning to night, plus recess, and gym class. There wasn't child diabetes in 8 year olds. Huge difference.

[@sherrym5556]

@@susieballard4957 And people didn't have the throw away/ cheap clothes like today. Probably 1 pair of good leather shoes and a pair of sneakers. Lots of overalls on the guys, and the women probably sewed a lot of their own clothes. Things weren't mass produced, well maybe jeans, n overalls.

[@fritzfroth]

Myrtle School

[@reginaann7792]

People looked so healthy compared to what you see today in Gastonia. They also had all their teeth. Don't come for me😆