iluman Interest
Please Don't Let Another Child Suffer
Special To The Poet
It was during the fall of 1972
when 1 first met Estelle Will
iamson Pritchett. She was a
dainty little black lady, neatly
dressed, obviously not a high
ly educated person but one
wise from life's experiences of
about 65 years. She was
poised, very determined, with
an air of quiet and simple
dignity.
Mrs. Pritchett told me she
was born to parents who could
not care for her and had
"given me away". During her
childhood years, she moved
from foster family to foster
family. The limbo of not be
longing had been both painful
and difficult for her. She long
ed for a permanent home like
other children.
When she reached teenage
years, though she lacked edu
cation and felt the effects of a
deprived childhood, she found
work as a domestic, devoting
her life to taking care of the
children of families for whom
she worked. She remained in
North Carolina for a while and
then went "up north". She
married Wilbert Pritchett,
who was widowed with no
children born to her. Then 2S
years ago, she began a pattern
of working for families "up
north" during the fall, winter
and spring, returning "home"
to North Carolina during the
summer months. She care
fully saved her money for
summer "vacation". She
managed to buy a small home,
her haven.
Mrs. Pritchett came to The
Children's Home Society
demanding to know what
efforts were being made on
behalf of children. She listen
ed intently as I explained our
statewide adoption program
and our special efforts to find
permanent homes for older
children now in the limbo of
long-term foster care. The
" expression on her face mirr
ored her pain as she identified
with the needs of these child
! en She has already visited
several other agencies and
child care institutions to learn
ESTELLE WILLIAMSON PRITCHETT
-..Quiet, simple dignity
about their programs On this
first visit, she did not say why
she had come.
Several days later, she
invited me to her little home.
It was a small home, immacu
lately clean. With much pride,
she showed me her nicknacks
1 and told me how each one had
come to her. Many were given
by friends and the families for
whom whe had-worked. She
revealed a little book in which
monthly payments on her
home had been meticulously
recorded. She then showed me
her yard, lovingly kept. She
shared her experiences with
children, her involvement
with her church and friends.
It was not until I was leaving
that I learned why she asked
me to visit. Since she had no
blood relatives to inherit her
possessions, she was consider
ing a bequest to the agency.
She asked many questions
about the procedures neces
sary to naming The Children's
Home Society in her Will. She
wanted, her legacy to spare
children the limbo she knew. I
suggested she talk with an
attorney to carry" oat her
intent. As I left, she remarked
to me, "please don't let anoth
er child suffer."
We talked on the telephone
several times before she left to
go back "up north". Several
letters came from her asking
what our agency was current
ly doing for children. I replied
each time until my last letter
returned, marked "no for
warding address ". Then, noth
ing further was heard from
her.
In late August 1978, The
Children's Home Society was
notified by the Clerk of The
Superior Court that the agen
cy had been named in the Will
of Estelle Pritchett. Through
her Will, she bequeathed
everything she has to the
agency to be used for "the
benefit and rearing of under
μι ivileged children."
I later learned that Mrs.
Pritchett suffered a fatal
heart attack after boarding a
bus to return home after visit
ing friends. It did not surprise
me that she has asked that her
body be transferred to a medi
ίΜΜΗΜΜΗΟΜΜΗΜΙ
cal school to teach medical
students and her eyes were
willed to the eye bank.
1 visited her little apartment
to which she had moved after
selling her home. It was
immaculate and all her trea
sures were in place As 1 stood
there. I remembered the little
lady who had described each
nfher nossessions with dignity
and pride. Several "5Γ
nearby tenants in the public
housing building came,
sneaking warmly of her and
what she had meant to them.
The suggestion was made that
someone be called in to give a
"price" on all of her possess- ;
ions so the apartment could be
vacated 1 was unable to enter
tain this thought as I knew her
frienila wuula value these
possessions if they were made
available.
Since Mrs. Pritchett was
actively involved in a
local church, church members
agreed to assist us in arrang
ing a public sale of her poss
essions. We felt Mrs. Pritchett
would have wanted her local
and church friends to be invit
ed. Her attorney revealed a
savings account, the proceeds
from the sale of her little
home. When her legacy comes
to The Children's Home Socie
ty, it will be placed in our
Endowment Fund. The princi
pal will remain intact and the
income will provide services
for children in the years to
come. This is precisely what
Mrs. Pritchett so meticulously
planned.
Since her death, I have
learned many things about
this special little lady from
her friends. Each Saturday
morning, when she bought her
groceries, she purchased add
itional ones for "shut-in". Her
garden cart, laden with gro
ceries and puHed by her small
tractor, frequently slowed
traffic on the road where she
lived. Anonymously, she dona
ted the rack for the choir robes
at her church, directing her
minister "not to tell anyone".
She was always "the first one
there to help someone else."
She planned picnics for those
in rest homes, planning these
outings carefully and provid
ing food and fun for all who
attended. Among her possess
ions were several folding cots,
purchased by her, for those
who were unable to stand or
sit. Mrs. Pritchet's life, devot
ed to serving humanity, was
that of a true Christian.
One cannot help but be
moved and awed by this little
lady and the magnitude of her
life's plan. She was a caring
person, meaningful to so
—many whose lives she touched.
Even though her early life was
tragic, she had, somehow,
gained strength and purpose.
Her legacy to children now
fulfills her plea to me—
"please don't let another child
suffer."
WIQ Will Honor Ms. Mary Hopper
The Charlotte Chapter of
Women in Communications,
Inc. (W1CI), will be sponsor
ing a reception to honor Mary
Hopper, a winner in the 1978
Clarion competition.
The reception will beheld on
Wednesday, Dec. 13 from 7:30
9 p.m. in the Carrousel Room
of the NCNB Plaza.
Clarion awards are present
ed annually by Women in
Communications, Inc. for out
stapdirtgwoffc tirnewspape»»,—
magazines, public relations or
Mary Hopper, WICI mem
ber sad directoi of public
tfeuod Drive
The American Red Cross re
cently held a Blood Drive on
the finya of the University
of N.C. in Charlotte. Though I
the effort was a successful 1
ooe, the Red Cross is still short I
by several thousands pints a a
month of their goals and Ρ
needs. WROQ, Carewinds and 1
McDonalds were instrumental r
in making the Blood Drive a
success
Wash Apple
Wash apples thoroughly
whether they are to be used
raw or cooked. Un pa red
apples retain more of their
nutrient content.
relations for the Charlotte
Mecklenburg Library, won an
honorable mention for her
P.R. campaign on "How to
Catch 2,600 Teenagers in the
Public Library." She was pre
sented the award recently at a
national meeting held in
Detroit.
The WICI is an organization
of professional men and
women in the field of commun
ications that supports freedom
nf thr pms and the
ment of women in the com
munication industries, espec
ially management.
This non-profit organization
sponsors seminars, news
letters, panel discussions and
special programs for its mem
bers.
■■liaiHVMMHWMVIIi
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