Home and Work

Gerson: When that picture ("Mr. Spears' retirement dinner") was taken, I had been back to school. I went to the University of Illinois. I got my Master’s degree and I came back to Charlotte and I taught one year at Johnson C. Smith University, and then went back to New York University and studied Retailing and Distribution and School Administration. I came back and became coordinator of Distributive Education at West Charlotte High School.

That’s when we moved into our home, and it was during this period when this picture was taken and this was at Easter.

Daisy: Yes that’s our first home the first home that we had, on 1704 Beatties Ford Road. 

Gerson: When I was a teacher at West Charlotte, we built that home.

Daisy: I’m holding Julius, my baby boy, my daughter Karita, and my son Gerson, Jr., all ready for Easter. We thought we’d go inside and take a picture and we’re seated for another family picture. You can see how proud my son Gerson, Jr., is and my Karita is a little shy, she’s holding back, and Julius Merrick doesn’t know anything, he’s just sitting. That’s our picture and you have the chance to see the inside of our home. 

We took another family picture and you can see the difference. The baby in the arms now is standing and the son is showing that his teeth have come back. On this first picture he had lost his teeth, but he’s showing off his teeth, my Gerson Jr. is. Karita is trying to smile, as Joe Towns told her to, trying to smile, so she has this big smile on her face.