Kathy Atwater - Everybody was just family (clip)
Interviewed by Alexa Lytle on March 18, 2011
Kathy Atwater: Everybody was just family. I mean even in the neighborhood with the families that were in the neighborhood we all looked after one another- nobody was left to themselves. If I did something wrong, of course the neighbors would, you know, tell me “Kathy you shouldn’t do that,” and then of course my mom would find out later and then we’d take of that. But it was good, it was good- you felt safe. You felt safe because you had people looking out for you, which is a little change now because of the number of people coming into Chapel Hill now. It’s not the same climate--
Alexa Lytle: Okay.
KA: -- as when I was growing up. I know that change happens, growth happens, that’s inevitable, because if something doesn’t grow, then it dies. So, I know that it needs to happen, but I like the fact that you’re wanting to incorporate student life with neighborhood life, you know, to get to know the community and the history behind it. And I think that’s where most of the hurt comes from, from those who are still here- that they remember how it used to be and how they felt like they had something whereas now it seems like everything around you is changing and you feel like you’re being pushed out, to make room for the university, to make room for everybody else instead of the ones who were here originally.
