Women Proudly Pay Off Roanoke Rapids Curb Market Debt, 1945

Written by F.H. Jeter, Extension Editor, North Carolina State College, Raleigh, as published in the Wilmington Morning Star, July 30, 1945

Back in February, 1931, Mrs. Hazel Ervin Wheeler, then home agent in Halifax County, helped the home demonstration club women of that county to establish a curb market in an old store building in Roanoke Rapids. The other day Mrs. R.B. Robinson, acting for the Woman’s Market Board, presented to the County Commissioners at their regular monthly meeting in Halifax a check in final payment of all indebtedness on the 

new curb market building which they began to establish in 1937.

Miss Florence Cox, new home agent in Halifax County, says that along with Mrs. Robinson were Mrs. W.E. Powell, president of the Woman’s Board, and Mrs. Van Dortch.

This Roanoke Rapids Curb Market was opened in February, 1931, in an old store building which was obtained rent free for the rural women by William Manning, superintendent of Rosemary Manufacturing Company. Mr. Manning’s fine mother, Mrs. Fannie Manning, had much to do with the early success of the market and the rural women called her the mother of their market. She encouraged the women to carry on in despite of all difficulties and tried to make the way easier for them.

In January, 1937, the women were compelled to find another site for their market. They failed in all their efforts to secure another building so in March, 1937, they moved out on the street and, in actuality, became a curb market. Mrs. Robinson relates how they used card tables and old counters from the store building for display purposes. The perishable food was kept in the cars away from the flies until it could be sold. There was no protection from sun, wind, dust, or rain.

William Harris saw the plight of the women and rented to them, for a small sum, a part of a building that he was using for storage in downtown Roanoke Rapids. But the women had been busy since early in the year trying to determine what they could do towards getting a permanent location. A committee of rural women went before the county commissioners and presented the needs for a building and asked for financial aid in securing a market place. The commissioners were interested and finally bought a lot on which to erect such a building. Then they said that if the women would raise $2,000 with which to start the building, the commissioners would finance it with the understanding that the women would repay the balance in small monthly payments.

So they all went to work. They canvassed everyone who could possibly be expected to help. After much hard work they secured $1,000 in cash which they turned over to the Board of Commissioners. Then began a struggle for the other $1,000. It was raised in many ways. Four big barbecue dinners were served to the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke Rapids, to the Lion’s Club of Littleton, and to the general public. These were held at Hardware School, the county fair grounds, the home of Mr. and Mrs. L.T. Barbour, and the home of Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Robinson.

The several home demonstration clubs all over Halifax County gave suppers and donated all profits to the curb market. In fact, Mrs. Robinson says, there was no end to the suppers, and to the selling of sandwiches, ice cream, lunches, and produce at the market to raise more money. In each case the food was donated by the women and entire proceeds given to the building fund. Money secured as premiums at fairs also was added to the fund.

Finally, in November, 1937, the building was opened with a big turkey dinner and this helped to produce the last dollar needed for obtaining the second $1,000. Since that time the small monthly payments have been met and now the women own the building clear of all debt. Since 1942, when Mrs. Wheeler retired from home agent work on account of her health, Florence Cox and Mrs. Estelle Edwards Garner, the assistant home agent, have helped the women to carry on and Mrs. Robinson says, “They greatly aided us to make the final payment on the Farm Woman’s Curb Market Building.”

The value of this market is hard to estimate but rural people all over Halifax County could tell interesting stories of how the sales of surplus produce has been responsible for the addition of many comforts and necessities to the farm homes out in the county. In the first year of its existence, that is in 1931, the women sold products in the amount of $8,299.16. Last year, 1944, the sales amounted to $20,437.43. The total cash value of all sales made since 1931, according to records kept by the market, amount to $194,430.36. This means that nearly $200,000 has been distributed among the rural families largely for small amounts of produce that was not needed on the home farm.

Similar stories could be told in the markets in Charlotte, in Wilmington, Rocky Mount, and other towns where the home demonstration club women have definitely established high standards of quality for the farm produce which they offer for sale. The Rocky Mount market, for instance, has become the measuring rod for such institutions all over the United States. The same is true of the one at Wilson. Visitors from other states and from foreign countries have been advised by governmental officials to visit these markets when studying similar set-ups for their people. A number of markets for Negro farmers also have been established and these have had the effect of doubling home production of food stuffs on those farms where the owners supply material for the market counters. Now that certain kinds of food are scarce on the shelves of the regular retail stores, these markets are more important than ever and are being patronized to the point where they have won a permanent place after the war and its resulting food shortage is over.