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The People Who Lived on the Land that is Now Redstone Arsenal, page 292
was called Jamar Hill, or that Jamar Hill probably had stickers on it that got in your feet. However, Walter's defining “jamars” as “small round stickers” has led to another question??"was Walter exercising tongue-in-cheek humor here? It was not until the researcher had delved further into old maps and talked with more people that she learned that prior to and during the Civil War years the Jamar and Owen families (they were related) owned an extensive amount of land in Pond Beat, probably before the name Pond Beat came about. They owned land on the west side of McAlpine Road long before the owner was Darwin or Schiffman. Thus, is possible that Jamar Hill was, in the pre-Civil War era, part of a Jamar plantation. On the other hand, it could have been called Jamar Hill because Black families who were emancipated from a Jamar Plantation resided there. However, the researcher wonders if Walter Joiner knew any Jamars and thought of them as being like “small, round burrs.” According to Walter, there were no Madison County schools for Blacks after the 8th grade. There were many students for the 7th and 8th grade because “that was where others [schools] left off.” Walter said: The only county high school for Black kids was at A&M, which was a long way [from the communities on what is now the arsenal]. One student came all the way from Courtland to go to A&M. People had car pools in Huntsville. A&M got Federal money and some, but not much, from the State. The State gave A&M what money was left over after the University of Alabama and Auburn University got theirs. At the 8th grade, Walter went to school at A&M. He had a distant cousin on his mother's side, Mattie Rice, with whom he could stay in Huntsville. Since Mattie helped out by having Walter stay at her home, to reciprocate, Walter's mother sent up wagonloads of wood to her, and would order a ton of coal sent to her. Walter did what he could to help her with chores. Sometimes Walter would go home on weekends, but it was about 15 miles to his home, so most of the time he stayed in town. Transportation from home to school was a determining factor. Apparently, he stayed at home part of the time as he mentioned Sam Harris [Sr.] would give him a ride on Mondays and Friday. There was no agreement or arrangement about the rides. He said Sam Harris “happened to drive by” at the right time to give him a ride on those days. The statement held the implication that a more formal arrangement for the ride would not have been suitable in that day and time. Sam Harris, Sr. was a White man who operated a large farm located on the Farley-Triana Road to the west of where the Joiners lived. Walter discussed Sam Harris at length. He used to go to Sam's blacksmith shop and watch Sam work. Sometimes, he worked the bellows for him. Walter was not employed by Sam Harris; he went to watch and learn. Apparently, Sam Harris respected a young man who wanted to learn. Walter's comments about the 292 - (4325)