FRANKLIN MONROE PAGE
by Mamie Page, March 1978

Franklin Monroe was the first child born to Daniel and Elizabeth Page on March 3, 1910 in Stanly County on a tenant farm known as the "Dan Sides Place." As a child he was a runt, but with good health. He remained tall (5' 10'') and thin (135 lb) into adult life then the trend reversed and by 1950-1957 he tipped the scale at 204 lbs. With blue eyes and dark hair he was a nice looking guy, but was more attractive after he was married and raised his weight to about 160 pounds.

At a two teacher country school, Bethel, he received his first years of schooling, finishing 6th grade in 1923. At this time the family was living on a tenant farm known as "The Old Ridge," and Franklin walked the mile or so to school, morning and evening.

Even as a small boy he was taught to help with the farm chores and his chief job became driving a team of mules, plowing, planting and harvesting the farm crops.

With the consolidation of the small country schools the next step in education was the new and larger school at Millingport. In 1924 the family moved to Millingport near the school and here Franklin finished 10th grade which was only one year from high school graduation since, at that time, there were only 11 grades. During his 9th and 10th grade years he was fire builder for the school. Every school day at 7:00 AM he built a fire in a wood stove in each of the eleven classrooms, for which he was paid $10.00 per month. This was his first paying job and he bought his first bank savings certificate.

In order to finish high school he enrolled at Mitchell Home School (later Pfeiffer College) at Misenheimer. This was his first experience away from home. The school had a girls' dormitory with attached kitchen and dining room, known as Cline Hall, but the boys lived the "boys cottage" across the road. The cottage had heat in only one room and housed about 20 boys, part of them on a sleeping porch. There was no running water or bath. The boys had to bathe in the showers adjoining the gymnasium in the basement of the administrative building. They each got a bath once a week.

After graduation he returned to the farm and worked for the summer of 1929, then in October took a job with George Martin Construction Co. hardsurfacing Highway #73 from the Cabarrus County line to Albemarle. When this was completed in December, Franklin worked for John Harwood cutting logs for a saw mill during the winter months.

After helping on the farm again in the summer of 1930 he entered Rutherford College (a Methodist school) in Burke County N.C. in the autumn. His first year there he worked on the college farm to help with his expenses. The second year he lived with Mrs. H. I. Johnson, serving as chore boy for his room and board. His formal education ended when he left Rutherford in the spring of 1932.

Returning home he worked that summer for a neighbor, David Lippard, on the farm and milking 8 to 10 cows twice a day by hand.

Sept 5, 1932 Franklin started work for W A Lowder at Southern Grocery Wholesale Co. in Albemarle as warehouse and delivery boy. It was a job which paid $1.00 per day for a 5 1/2 day work week – from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Autumn 1933 he moved on to Southern Flour Mill under the same employer. He packed feed and flour and drove a delivery truck beginning at $8.00 per week, soon raised to $12.00.

March 1934, changing employers, Franklin went to H&L Grocery (retail) where he started at $12.00 per week, with gradual raises to $14.00 then $16.00 by autumn.

Planning to be married in December, he rented a small house on "Peanut Hill" back of the grocery and moved in about October – renting for $8.00 per month. There was no bath and water had to be carried from a well pump down the hill toward the grocery.

Dec. 23, 1934 Franklin married Mamie Frick, a girl he had met at Mitchell, though he never dated her during his senior year when he was a student there. The courtship had lasted over the previous four years in spite of the fact that they were seldom able to be together. Life was rather tame for them. Occasionally they splurged 10¢ to see a movie. Weekends were usually spent visiting their families. When they were married, Franklin was raised to $18.00 per week and the grocery bill for two took roughly $3.00 of that. Soon a nicer house came open and they moved over on Highway 52 just above the store where Mamie's sister, Nellie and husband Jack, occupied part of the house for a while.

August 1935 Franklin joined Salem Methodist Church and Mamie moved her membership from Liberty to be with him. His father being a Primitive Baptist, Franklin had never held church membership before.

Oct. 12, 1936, leaving the employ of H&L Grocery, Mamie and Franklin moved to Salisbury where Franklin started as a life underwriter for the Life Insurance Co. of Virginia at about $30.00 per week, soon earning from $1600.00 to $2000.00 a year. After bumming residence off sister Nellie for six weeks or so, they moved to a duplex at 213 South Lee St. The whole house rented for $22.50 per month, but they subrented one apartment and when it came open, Mamie's sister, Nellie and Jack moved in the extra apartment. It was here that their first son, Nelson was born Nov. 17, 1938.

Moving their church membership to Park Avenue Methodist Church in 1937, they gradually assumed various jobs and responsibilities which grew and lasted most of their lives. Franklin served as Sunday School Superintendent, Teacher, Chairman of the Official Board, sang in the choir, and served one period as church treasurer.

[Here the writer suddenly switches from third person to first person in style of writing.]

Feb. 1939 we had a chance to move to the country, and knowing that our little boy would soon need a better and cleaner place to play and grow, we moved to brother Fred's house on Highway 52 just out of town. We loved the neighborhood, and two years later built a small house and settled in the same area where we still remain in 1978.

When we first started discussing our plans for building a home, my father, C G Frick, advised us to wait because prices had gone up some and he thought we should wait for them to come back down. Nevertheless we bought a plot of ground on #52 – 1 6/10 acres with 300 feet on the highway for $600.00. Feeling this was more than we needed or could afford, we offered to sell our neighbor, Emmett Barringer, a strip 100 feet wide on the longest side for $200.00 which he turned down. Thank God for that!

With money borrowed from my uncle A D Morgan ($1200.00) our small house was constructed by John (grandfather), Dolph (son) and Herman (grandson) Brady. The two older men worked for 45¢ an hour and the young one for 35¢. Franklin did the plumbing, I did the painting and we finished with about $1400.00 in the house. This original section was 25x32 feet which formed the center to which two later additions were added.

May 30, 1941 we moved into the new house. Nelson was 2 1/2 yrs. old and recently he told us he still remembers it. A few years later when the house needed repainting Ernest Earnhardt painted the whole exterior in 11 hours for 45¢ an hour – a total of $5.00.

It was like waking in heaven having a little house of our own. In the open country Nelson could run and play at will with very little supervision. Another little boy was added on May 28, 1943 and our family was complete.

The decision to move to Greensboro in 1944 was like "pulling eye teeth." Franklin accepted a promotion to Associate Mgr. in the Greensboro District at about $3000.00 a yr. Early in October the family moved to Golden Court. Later we bought a house on Princeton Ave, but working conditions in the office there were very unsatisfactory. When Franklin was assured a good prospect of an Associates job back in the Salisbury Dist. we returned and he accepted an agency making about $5000.00 a year. It was not until 1952 that the associate's job came through and he was making about $8000.00 a year.

By 1965 Franklin's job was becoming more of a headache, his knees were giving him trouble and he returned to a debit – a small route, but less work and responsibility. This cut him back to about $6000.00 a year.

With the Life of Virginia he spent 18 years 3 mo. as a life underwriter, 14 years and 8 mo. as an associate manager, a total of 32 years 11 months. During these years Franklin qualified for ten company conventions and three national quality awards, the only quality awards to be given in Salisbury District.

The Company Conventions for which Franklin qualified:
1. 1947 Havana, Cuba – Mamie and Franklin
2. 1948 New York, by train – Mamie and Franklin
3. 1949 New Orleans, La., by plane with Fred Frick [editor's note: Fred's single engine plane]
4. 1951 Miami Beach, Fla. – Roney Plaza Hotel – The Family
5. 1952 New York City– The Family
6. 1953 Chicago, Ill. – The Family
7. 1954 New Orleans, La. – The Family
8. 1956 Montreal, Canada – Mamie and Franklin
9. 1958 Edgewater, Miss. – Mamie and Franklin
10. 1967 San Juan, Puerto Rico – Mamie and Franklin

September 1969, at the suggestion of the District Manager, Franklin went on disability with the Company. His knees were becoming a problem and his nerves no better.

I hear that some people find retirement a traumatic experience. In Franklin's case it was the exact opposite – more like someone released from prison. At last he was free – free from the pressures of the business world – free to do the things he wanted to do – free to loaf without feeling guilty – free to putter about the lawn and garden at a leisurely pace, as nature intended man should do. Best of all – free to travel. So one of his first ventures was to buy a travel trailer and happily this has turned out to be one of his most satisfying experiences.

Franklin grows a garden, conducts many Masonic funerals, cares for the lawn and garden, and follows sports on T.V. Time gets used up and it is hard to imagine a man with any degree of health not being able to handle retirement.

Franklin is a dyed-in-the-wool Do-it-Yourselfer! He added a back bedroom to the house in the late 40's, but he did relent and let a contractor extend the living room and add another bedroom and porch on the front of the house in 1953 for about $2,500.00. From the vantage point of 1978 I recall my father's advice to wait until prices came down to build, and I am amused and a little frightened when I think what a house to replace this one would cost today, a minimum of $25,000.00. [editor's note: The house and lot were sold in June 1985 for $49,000.]

The garage, the shop and storage house beyond the barn are all Franklin's handiwork (with help of family). He likes tools and woodwork, and is very good with tractors, lawn mowers, trailers and general equipment and up keep. The kids always knew Daddy could fix it – no matter what was the problem. But he draws the line when it comes to a paint brush – they just don't fit his hand.

Franklin has been a Mason since Jan. 1947, serving as Master in 1951 since when he has conducted almost all funeral services for his Lodge and filled in for other Lodges when needed. He estimates he has done over 200 funerals – but he does not want one of his own.

It takes a bit of doing to keep Franklin respectably dressed. He seems to have an affinity for old clothes and never sees the need for new ones. However, when I handcuff him and insist, he goes meekly along and sometimes even likes the new clothes.

Having a very mathematical mind, Franklin remembers when everything happens. Just today he gave me the information on the cars he has owned in his life time and the date each was purchased along with the price paid for most:
1. Feb. 1933 – a 1925 T Model Ford Coupe $37.50
2. Mar. 1934 – a 1929 A Model Ford 2 door Sedan $175.00
3. Nov. 1936 – a 1934 Chevrolet 2 door Sedan
4. Mar. 1937 – 1937 Willys 4 door Sedan (new) $650.00
5. Jan. 1940 – 1940 Plymouth 2 door Sedan (new) $930.00
6. Dec. 1950 – 1951 Studebaker Champion 2 door (new) $1850.00
7. Oct. 1954 – 1950 Buick Super 4 door $1095.00
8. Oct. 1957 – 1954 Buick Century 4 door Sedan $1495.00
9. Oct. 1961 – 1960 Rambler 4 door Sedan $1595.00
10. Mar. 1966 – 1965 Rambler Ambassador $2300.00
11. Dec. 1972 – 1971 Buick Electra 4 door $4433.00

Franklin has always been a kind person who avoids controversy. He was well liked by his clients and fellow workers in his business and is respected by his fellow Masons and the members of his church.

Now in retirement he looks forward to traveling as I look forward to painting. In the past eight summers we have pulled the trailer (Pokey) 30,724 mi. on 58 different trips and have parked it 126 times and "set up housekeeping." Ashtabula, Ohio has been our northern most point, South we have gone as far as Collier Seminole State Park below Naples, Fla. on the Gulf Coast. We have roamed the whole South Eastern Seaboard but have ventured no further west than Bryson City, N.C.

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Residences
1. Peanut Hill, Albemarle, 23 Dec 1934 - Mar 1936
2. Bowers House, Albemarle, Mar 1936 - Oct 1936
3. South Lee St, Salisbury, Nov 1936 - Feb 1939
4. Fred Frick house, hwy 52, Salisbury, Feb 1939 - May 1941
5. Their house, hwy 52, Salisbury, May 1941 - Oct 1944
6. Golden Court, Greensboro, Oct 1944 - Sept 1945
7. Princeton Ave, Greensboro, Sept 1945 - Jan 1946
8. Frick homeplace, Liberty, Jan 1946 - Mar 1946
9. Their house, hwy 52, Salisbury, Mar 1946 - Sept 1984

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Two years of college, 1930-1932, Rutherford College. The college was in the town of Rutherford College about 9 miles east of Morganton in Burke County.
High school senior year, 1928-1929, Mitchell Home School (now Pfeiffer University), Misenheimer, NC
Grades 7-10, 1923-1927, Millingport School, Millingport, NC
Grades 1-6, 1917-1923, Bethel School, Paul’s Crossing, Stanly County, NC