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Note: W. T. Gamble and Alice Bell McCollister were married on September 18, 1934 by Rev. J. B. Horton at Remlap, AL. They were married at the residence of Rev. Horton. ------------------------------------------------------ LIFE IN VILLAGE SPRINGS, ALABAMA: Bill and Alice had a full-time job trying to raise their children, Alice's two, Frances and John Allen Pierce, along with Bill's boys by his first marriages, W. T.; Marion Thomas; and James Lee. Needless to say, it was an active home with lots good times and tough times. At one point, Alice prepared 52 biscuits each morning to feed the hungry family. Shortly after moving to the Village, all of the boys joined the navy and were gone for the duration of the war. With only two children to care for, Frances and Lanny, Alice spent time doing church work. The baptist church was just across the road from her home and she spent lots of time there and made sure her children did so as well. As one of those children, I remember many happy hours of crawling around under the quilting frame. It was one of those frames that dropped down from the ceiling on ropes. It was the gathering and socializing spot for most of the women in the community. Quilting and talking abounded and lots of beautifully stitched quilts were lovingly made to keep all of us warm in the winter. Around that time electricity and telephone service finally made it to the Village. A single drop cord light graced almost every room in every house there. Eight party telephone lines were a hit with the adults and children alike. To be sure, everyone knew everyone's business. Bill & Alice's ring was two longs and a short. When either Bill or Alice answered their ring, they could hear everyone on the party line picking up to hear what was going on. Alice was known to kindly returned the favor on some occasions. However, such eavedropping was an adult thing, children were forbidden to engage in such. Bill spent most of his time trying to eke out a living working for Barber Milk Co., in Birmingham. When time permitted, he and Lanny would sneak off to fish a bit at Inland Lake. A real special treat was to for Bill & Alice to take a Sunday afternoon ride to Birmingham for a special meal at Jeb's seafood restaurant. Two things are special about this restaurant. One, it was located right in front of the old Terminal Train Station and watching the passenger trains come and go was special. Two, the restaurant was owned by a Mr. Jebolskowski. He was special because he owned the Birmingham Baron Baseball team at that time. A remembered third reason was that the food was always very good, especially on a cold winter Sunday afternoon.
Bill & Alice's family had an old icebox they used to keep their food cool. In the summers slivers of ice were chipped off the big block of ice to cool tall glasses of sweet tea or lemonade. The slivers of ice gave it a different taste. That taste was something special. Not long after the arrival of electricity in Village Springs, Alice and Bill bought a new refrigerator. It was the talk of the community. Everyone came to look it over and debated its utility. Many said it would drive us to the poor house. Why, it would use electricity at the astounding rate that would cost at least a dollar a month. Alice didn't care, she loved it! In fact, she marveled each time she opened the door and always seemed to be amazed how cold it was inside.
Alice and Bill liked to play a game of cards called "Setback" and on occasions would have a few people over to play. Since they lived just across from the Village Springs Baptist Church, all window blinds were closed tightly to make sure that folks at the church did not see them playing with cards. In that day and age, cards were bad, regardless of the game being played. Just having a deck in the house was scandalous. On some Saturday evenings they played for hours. With no radio or TV, visiting was the best way to pass the time and to socialize. Families in the community got together often to socialize and play games at Alice & Bill's house. "Pass the Ring" and "Parchesie" were two favorites. Bill and Alice's daughter, Frances, was always having some of the community teenagers in for games. Popcorn was a popular treat at these gatherings and Frances thought up lots of ways to serve it. Even though many things were rationed during the war, popcorn evidently was in good supply. Frances even opened a little sandwich shop where all of the young people gathered. It was called "Fip's Snack Shack". FIP stood for Frances Irene Pierce. Bill and Alice had as much fun at "Fip's" as the teenagers. Growing up in the village was pretty easy and great fun. Even though we were probably considered under privileged by many folks, we did not seem to know it. Alice Bell McCollister Gamble always encouraged her children and the other children of the village to "go to school, study hard and amount to something". I still remember some of her sure-fire remedies for success. They were quite simple, yet still so applicable. Her number one remedy, "get an education"; It's something no one can take away from you." Number two, "wear clean clothes"; you may not have many clothes, but they can be clean." Number three, "wash behind your ears; God intended for those areas to be clean." And the last two remedies were almost sacred to her. They were: "clean your fingernails and shine the backs of your shoes. Finger nails are the first things people look at when they meet you and the back of your shoes are the last thing they see when you walk away from them." Mom's remedies still make perfect sense to me after all these years. Written by Bill and Alice's youngest child, Lanny Ross Gamble, 2003. --------------------------------------------------------------- CENSUS DATA: The 1930 census, Jefferson Co., AL, Birmingham City, Pct. 10, SD=4, ED=37-18, sheet 57A, taken 17 April 1930, shows William T. Gamble, head, age 31, married at age 26, born AL & an autombile mechanic. Living with him were: Althea, wife, age 19, married at age 14, born AL; William T. Gamble, Jr., son, age 6; Marion T., son, age 4; James L., son, age 1 yr & 4 mos. The family lived at #16, 68 St. N, Birmingham. --------------------------------------------------------------- OBITUARY: Birmingham News, 16 June 1961, p. 14. "W. T. GAMBLE Funeral services were held today at Ridout's Brown-Service Roebuck Chapel for Willie Thomas Gamble, 63, retired shop foreman for Barber Pure Milk Co., who died yesterday at his home in Pinson Rt. 2. A native of Alexander City, he was a member of Village Springs Baptist Church. He was employed by Barber for 25 years. Burial was in Lee's Chapel Cemetery, Pine Mountain. Survivors include four sons, William T. Gamble, Jr., of Mt. Olive, Lanny R. Gamble of Pinson, Marion T. Gamble of Welland, Ontario, Canada, and James Lee Gamble, stationed with the U.S. Navy at Haddenfield, N. J.; a daughter, Mrs. John Cherneski of Pinson; four brothers, R. W., C. G., and E. A. Gamble, all of Birmingham, and R. J. Gamble of Oneonta; and four sisters, Mrs. Irene Bice of Remlap, Mrs. Maggie McClure and Mrs. Emma Lambert, both of Sylacauga, and Mrs. Josie Moore of Chelsea."
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