Eugene Farrar - UNC rock work (clip)
Interviewed by Kathy Atwater and George Barrett on March 11, 2023
Eugene Farrar (EF): You know, like I say, doing this rock work was something to behold. My grandfather did – my family and I’m sure probably some other people did it – but I do know my family laid most of the rock down on the University. And they’re still there.
George Barrett (GB): And by your family, you’re talking about the Blacknells, or the Farrars?
EF: No, the Blacknells. Of course, we were the helpers. Uncle Jim – he was the non-Blacknell – he laid rock, and of course, his daddy.
GB: And your uncle, did he do most of the work physically? Did he hire people and tell them what to do? What was his role?
EF: His role was to lay the rocks.
GB: His role was to lay the rocks.
EF: He didn’t get paid enough to hire anybody. So even though it took him a longer time, but he wasn’t paid to hire somebody, except family members.
GB: Oh, that’s why they brought family members.
EF: You could hire family members, of course. A lot them said that they didn’t get paid so [laughs]. They got paid – when hog killing time came, we would get some meat and maybe get a pig or something to raise over the summer and kill in November.
