The Super Panel

Michael, Anthony, "Moe", and Mo

The Marietta Museum of History today had a panel discussion on Public Housing in Marietta in the 1940s.  There were four chairs placed to face the hordes of people who would come to listen. 

I was asked to give my view of living in the Clay Homes during that period.  Which would probably be limited because we moved the summer after I finished the first grade.

In the lobby before it started was my first cousins Anthony Rollins and Susie Petty Kirkendall, and her husband Ronnie Kirkendall.  Anthony said he probably would know more than anybody there about the Clay Homes because as a kid he lived in four different apartments.  I suggested he take my place on the panel.  He was willing.  I looked up Christa, the one running the show and told her that Anthony and I were trading places.  She said why didn't she just to get another chair and we would together.

As it worked out, the narrator Michael Thompson, Anthony, and I were the only panel did not show up.   The other two or three were no-shows.  Michael did most the talking, breaking down the community at the times and how they handled it all.  I'm glad he was there.

They had an assortment of cookies and water on a table for refreshments.  Afterwards, I was talking to an ex-resident of the Clay Homes, by the refreshment table, and while she was talking I reach down and swooped up two cookies and started eating one.  "My pay" I said.

Ronnie Kirkendall, and my two first cousins Susie Petty Kirkendall, and Anthony Rollins

Anthony and Laura, high schoolmates

Clifford Clayton, about 2 or 3 years younger, lived two doors door from us in the Clay Homes

L to R:  Marietta Journal photographer and  reporter (I think), Jim Morris, and Phillip Goldstein's son (I think)

Jane Glover, of Glover Machinery  and Phillip Goldstein

This guy asked a lot of intelligent questions for his age..  After it was over I asked him who he was and howcome he knew so much about Marietta.  He said he was working on his thesis.

Michael Thomas