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Revisiting the
Tatum Family:
Regional Books
by Ruth and Latrobe Carroll
By
Judy A. Teaford
Mountain
State University, Beckley, WV
Presented
at 1998 Virginia Humanities Conference, Ferrum College
with
slides
|
See also:
Ruth and Latrobe Carroll's Mid-Twentieth-Century Picture Books: The
Tatum Family Series.
E-mail
Messages from Richard Barrow, British Columbia, Re: Tatum Family Series
Historically, Appalachians have been
depicted as backward, ignorant, violent, and lazy. Earlier writers, mostly
outsiders, often used the idea of the noble savage when referring to
Appalachians. The images presented of the region and its people were
seldom accurate and often full of negative stereotypes. Though there
were very few picture books before the 1950s, between the early fifties
and late seventies, Ruth and Latrobe Carroll, natives of New York, were
committed to writing and illustrating Appalachian picture books as
accurately as possible. They were notably successful, especially with
the Tatum family series. My research for this work in progress is based
on interviews and materials loaned to me by Irene and Joan Moser, family
friends of the Carrolls.
The seven books in the Tatum family
series were written between 1953 and 1963. The family consists of Pa
Tatum, Ma Tatum, Buck, Serena, Irby, Annie Mae, and Beanie, the
protagonists of the books, along with his constant companion and friend,
his new puppy, Tough Enough. At the time of their publication, these
books received many honors. Unfortunately, the books have received
little attention in the late twentieth century, probably because they
are no longer in print. Regionally specific illustrations and text keep
the Tatum family series from being stereotypical. Individualized
characters, adventurous plots, and a zoo of animals are aspects of the
books that universalize this series. Additionally, the Carrolls were
ahead of their time in their treatment of Appalachians, particularly in
regard to Appalachians’ desire for education and their acceptance of
difference and change.
The Carrolls’ love of the Great
Smokies was such that in 1950 they moved permanently to Asheville, North
Carolina. Ruth and Latrobe Carroll, shown in the "Literary
Note" section of the Asheville Citizen (18 Sep. 1958)
surrounded by students of Asheville County Day School, always sought the
help of native Appalachians in the writing and illustrating of their
books. The students in this photo acted as critics and models for one of
their books. Ruth illustrated all of their books; however, both she and
her husband shared the responsibility of writing the books. Introduced
to native Asheville, North Carolina, residents Mabel Young-Moser and
Artus Monroe Moser, Sr., the Carrolls also availed themselves of their
expertise. The Mosers were instrumental in offering advice concerning
this series of books, so much so that the first book in the series, Beanie,
is dedicated to the Moser family. Ruth corresponded with the Mosers
often, writing many notes of appreciation to the family for their help.
(See Wednesday,
August 27 Letter From Ruth Carroll to Artus Moser and Mabel Young-Moser,
written sometime before the publication of the first book of the Tatum
family series.) According to Joan Moser, daughter of Mabel and Artus,
her mother would comment on the books readability for children while her
father would look at the books from the standpoint of whether or not
they portrayed mountain people and customs accurately (Interview).
Accurately illustrating the mountainous
region of North Carolina was extremely important to the Carrolls. Ruth
and her husband spent hours trekking "into little-visited valleys,
into thickets roofed over with blossoming rhododendron, into the cabins
of mountain folk, up to the tops of lonely peaks" (From the
Appalachians 4). All except the last of the Tatum family series
books are illustrated in "lead pencil and pen and ink. They [are]
reproduced in duotone: black and a soft shade of blue, to suggest the
misty gray-blues of the Great Smokies" (From the Appalachians
4). The last book of the series, Runaway Pony, Runaway Dog, is
illustrated in full color using pastel pencils. Ruth’s attention to
detail is clearly revealed in the drawing titled "The Shadow
Pool." (See The
Shadow Pool) Most of the illustrations are composites. For example,
in the drawing titled "The Cabin in the Smokies," from the
book Beanie, Ruth "borrow[s] a roof from a very real cabin
more than a hundred years old, a chimney from another cabin, a row of
blossom-containing cans from still another, and a white oak tree from a
yard many miles from any of [these] cabins" (From the
Appalachians 5). (See The
Cabin in the Smokies) "The Cove," a drawing from Tough
Enough, is "based originally on a series of rough sketches that
Ruth made near Soco Gap, about fifty miles from Asheville" (From
the Appalachians 6). Another drawing for Tough Enough,
"Winter Trees in the Great Smokies," is a blending of
"sketches, photographs and memories," all from the Smoky
Mountains (From the Appalachians 7). Because of Ruth’s
attention to detail, her desire to depict the region of North Carolina
as authentically as possible, this series is a pictorial history of the
region.
The Carrolls’ desire to
accurately represent the people, culture, and language of North Carolina through
detailed observation was also an important area of concern. The text of
each book complements the illustrations, mentioning native flora and
fauna, and describing in detail the seasons and landscape of the North
Carolina mountains. In Tough Enough and Sassy the Carrolls
emphasize the native crafts, called "wood pretties," made by
the Tatum family. The attention to craft making is also seen in the work
of the Cherokee Indians in Tough Enough and the Indians. In
Beanie
the Carrolls incorporate a traditional song, which parallels the plot of
the story. During his adventurous journey, Beanie sings the song as his
emotions range from relief to wariness and hunger to unbridled happiness
at being home once again. The song is one taught him by his grandmother.
The first line of each stanza reads: "Old bug he eats the leaf . .
. Old blue jay eats the bug . . . Old fox he eats the jay . . . Old
bobcat eats the fox . . . Old bear he eats the cat . . . Old man he eats
the bear." The addition of these regionally specific details –the
description of the mountains, the native crafts, and the traditional
song–demonstrate authentic cultural practices of the Appalachian
region.
Beginning with the first book of the
series, Beanie, and continuing through to the last book of the
series, Runaway Pony, Runaway Dog, the Carrolls accomplish their
commitment to present, as accurately as possible, the culture and people
of Appalachia. In the introduction of From the Appalachians: A
Portfolio of Drawings and Paintings by Ruth Carroll, her husband
writes, "We found fine people: unassuming, shy at first, outwardly
serious, inwardly humorous, deeply religious. We watched them tilling
their steep acres, listened to their ballads, danced to their square
dances, even went on a bear hunt with them. Their talk was rich in
Elizabethan words, for here was walled-away country where such words
lingered" (4-5). The Carrolls incorporated their observations of
native dialect in the Tatum family series. In Tough Enough’s
Trip,
entering their first city, Buck remarks, "Folks in that city live
just as close together as kernels on a corncob. No good air left to
breathe–it’s been breathed up and smoked up and gasolined up. No
woods or creeks for huntin’ and fishin’ and berryin’ and traipsin’
all around" (12). In Tough Enough’s Indians, Beanie, aware
of his own special dialect, says, "These Injuns, they talk like a
teacher woman, not like us Tatums a-tall" (52). This comes as a
direct result of Mr. Climbing Bear’s account of sending Jim, his son,
off in the night to find a telephone in order to let someone know the
Tatum children are with them. Beanie is right. The language of Mr.
Climbing Bear is nothing like that of the Tatums. Mr. Climbing
Bear tells Beanie, "Jim told the neighbor about you and your
brothers and sisters. The neighbor said he would ask the Superintendent
of the Cherokee Reservation to get word to your father and mother, so
they would know where all of you were" (51). Never overdone, the
language in each and every book demonstrates realistic examples of
Appalachian dialect.
The adventures of childhood, the love
for a special pet–these are universal elements that all children can
identify with. Each book in the Tatum family series, while accurately
demonstrating the love, strength, and culture of an Appalachian family,
also interweaves adventure and animal stories. In Beanie, the
adventure takes the young protagonist and his new puppy, Tough Enough,
deep into the Smoky Mountains in search of bears. While trying to escape
the danger of the bear, Beanie and Tough Enough fall over the edge of a
cliff. The second book, Tough Enough, features Beanie, his
sister, Annie Mae, and Tough Enough. The children and Tough Enough are
trapped in a mountain flood. Taking refuge in a cabin, Tough Enough
senses danger and convinces the children to leave the cabin, saving
their lives just before the flood waters crash in on the cabin.
In Tough Enough’s Trip, the
third book of the series, adventure comes in the form of change–traveling to the ocean to visit their great-grandparents–and
in Beanie’s collection of zoo animals, starting with the hideaway
Tough Enough. When Beanie finds a kitten, which he names Bobcat Bob, his
Ma tells him that he must find a home for it. Looking for a home for the
kitten leads to the accumulation of many other animals. The zoo
eventually includes the kitten, a raccoon named Fat Stuff, a box turtle
named Biscuit, a crow named Midnight, and a skunk named Sweetie Pie.
While traveling, the family truck is first saved from fire as Tough
Enough warns Beanie of danger and next disabled because of a broken fuel
pump.
Sassy, the pony in the next adventure,
is found nearly dead and nursed back to life in Tough Enough’s
Pony.
Beanie’s Pa tells him he cannot take the pony back to their farm in
the Smokies. However, Sassy swims after the shrimp boat and earns his
right to membership in the family. Tough Enough and Sassy is the
fifth book of the series. This is a bittersweet, yet highly entertaining
story of a family experiencing hard times. The adventures in this story
come one after another–from childhood adventures of fun crossing a
hanging wooden bridge and swimming in a clear pond below a saw mill to
being chased by a wild boar during which time Sassy runs away in fear.
The family finds Sassy trapped in a mica mine. After the pony is
rescued, Beanie looks at the pieces of mica he has gathered from the
mine. To him they look like animals. The Tatum family adds eyes and
creative details that accentuate the animal-like appearance of the small
pieces of mica. They sell their treasures as Christmas ornaments at the
local tourist shop. The adventures come to an end, and the family enjoys
plenty. Of special interest is that fact that this book was "chosen
by the English Speaking Union for inclusion among the books selected to
serve as ‘across-the-sea Ambassador Books for young people
representing the background, lives and interests of young
Americans’" ("Literary Note").
Caught in a wild fire in Tough
Enough’s Indians, the children of the Tatum family escape certain
death by standing on a small ledge under a waterfall. Afterwards, as
Tough Enough leads them to the home of a Cherokee family, they discover
even more adventure and ultimately safety. The main emphasis in Runaway
Pony, Runaway Dog, the last book of the series, is on Beanie’s
pets, Sassy and Tough Enough. Their adventure is compelling. Sassy has
pulled a leg muscle and must be taken to the local vet to recuperate.
Tough Enough stays with Sassy and begins looking for a way home. The two
escape from the vet and begin their long and difficult journey home.
Joan Moser told me that she knew the books as Appalachian children’s
literature, but not exclusively. She felt they had universal appeal and
characterized the books as "children’s literature that very
artfully avoids stereotypes" (Interview). Stories of adventure,
stories teaming with animals, these are elements that all children can
identify with and enjoy. They are details that universalize the Carrolls’
books.
The people who populate the Tatum family
series are not stereotypical Appalachians. They possess distinct
personalities, exhibit a range of emotions, and demonstrate traits
common to all humans. Ma Tatum is not a one-dimensional female character
who remains hidden in the background of the story. She voices her
opinions whether or not they are popular. It is Ma Tatum who insists
that Beanie find homes for his growing zoo of animals. When Beanie
brings back three more critters, Pa Tatum, an easy-going, fun-loving
man, laughs out loud. However, Ma Tatum responds through tight lips,
"Well, we’re stuck with ‘em now . . . Stuck until we can find
homes for ‘em" (35). Yet by the end of the story, Ma Tatum allows
Beanie to keep his zoo of animals, changing and growing with life’s
little challenges. In Runaway Pony, Runaway Dog, the reader gets
the most interesting insight into the complex nature of Pa Tatum. An
astute judge of character, Pa Tatum clenches his fists as he insists
that Will Bumgarner continue on with his story about how he came to be
in possession of Sassy and Tough Enough. Full of hatred for the man who
has stolen Beanie’s pets, Pa remarks, "Reckon you’re nothin’
but a low-down thief" (49). Pa Tatum is not a flat character, but a
realistic person whose emotions run deep.
The children of the Tatum family also
display distinct characteristics. They, like their Ma and Pa,
demonstrate depth of character. They play together, tease one another,
and rally in times of trouble. While playing at Indians, Beanie says to
his sisters, "Buck and Irby and me, we’re real good-hearted to
let you ole squaws dance with us a-tall." And in Tough
Enough’s Trip Irby tells Beanie, "My dog Wizz would have been
a real watchdog on this trip. Call that dog of yours a watchdog?
Why, he’s not much bigger than a rat. Not even a squirrel’s afeard
of him. He’s nothing but a jumpety flibbety-jibbet" (author’s
emphasis 10). Yet in both books the children band together when they
find themselves working as one to save their lives from the encroaching
fire, ending up in unfamiliar territory, and having to depend on an
Indian family. Together the children take care of the zoo of animals,
supporting Beanie’s wish to keep them all. These books move beyond
simple regional books. They are books of adventure, animals, and
realistic characters.
Appalachians have historically been
referred to as illiterate, backward people who care little for education
or the pursuit of knowledge. However, the Carrolls were ahead of their
time in their positive treatment of education in the Appalachian region.
In Tough Enough the Carrolls include text and illustrations of a
bookmobile. "This was a truck with shelves built into its sides.
Rows and rows and rows of books stood on those shelves . . . . The
Tatums and other mountain people would borrow books and keep them till
the next time the bookmobile came." In this same book there is a
picture of a classroom full of students square dancing, children riding
the bus to school, and a classroom setting. Beanie reads about
Blackbeard to his sister Sassy and Tough Enough in Tough Enough’s
Pony. And in Tough Enough’s Indians, Beanie learns about
early Cherokee Indians though reading, playing, and observation. The
Tatum children call themselves the Eagle Clan. "Beanie had learned
[an eagle dance] for a school play," which he teaches to his
brothers and sisters (5). Colored pictures in a schoolbook help Beanie
design an authentic mask for his role as medicine man. He works at
making an authentic Indian peace pipe, as well as a bow and arrows. The
children make costumes and a small teepee. "They had painted
pictures on [the teepee]–pictures of buffaloes and mountain lions and
wolves, creatures that had roamed the Great Smoky Mountains many, many
years before. The young Tatums had learned about them in school"
(9). Using a bookmobile library book about Indian picture writing as a
guide, Beanie keeps a notebook of the Eagle Clans’ observations and
activities. The Carrolls present the Tatum children, a typical
Appalachian family living deep in the mountains, as children who seek
knowledge, who are neither stagnant nor satisfied with less.
The message of acceptance is also very
clear in the Carroll’s books. In this same book, the children meet a
real Indian family. Initially, they are uneasy with these new and
different people. Part of their uneasiness comes from accounts of Indian
scalpings and war parties. However, the Tatum children soon learn that
the Indian family is much like their own. Upon waking the morning after
staying with the Indian family, Beanie remarks that their home,
"looks kind o’ like our cabin" (47). Soon all of the
children find similarities between themselves and the Indian
family–breakfast food that "smells like our breakfast at
home," carved wooden animals "[l]ike our grandpappy
makes" (47). They also learn about traditional Cherokee tools like
a ka-no-na, a wooden beater used to make corn meal. Mrs. Cucumber
teaches the children how her grandmother baked corn bread, spreading oak
leaves on the hot stones of the fireplace, placing the corn meal on the
leaves, covering it with more oak leaves, and finally hot ashes. The
children visit the Cherokee reservation’s tourist village, set up to
resemble life two hundred years earlier. Here they see "women
making pottery and baskets" and men "chiseling a long dugout
canoe out of a tulip-tree log" (61). The message is clear. By
showing the Tatum children learning to accept others, along with their
differences and similarities, the Carrolls are also asking that
Appalachians be accepted, along with their differences and similarities.
Appalachians have also been historically
represented as people who fear change. Not so in the Carroll books. Two
of their books, Tough Enough’s Trip and Tough Enough’s
Pony, focus on travel and change. On their way to visit their
great-grandparents on Harker’s Island in North Carolina, the Tatum
family passes though a large city full of tall buildings, cars, and
people. They pass "villages and towns . . . [and] factories and
farms" (Trip 30). They stop at a small lake for lunch and
find a roadside stand very common in the Appalachian region. They see
cotton fields, tobacco fields, trains, and finally the ocean. At their
great-grandparent’s home, they see "[t]he tremendous sky of
burning blue . . . The tremendous stretch of beach . . . The tremendous
ocean" (Pony 28). Beanie’s great-grandfather, Captain Piggott,
owns his own shrimp boat, which the Tatum family takes to and from
Shackleford Bank. They learn about the Banker ponies that run wild on
the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the wonders of the ocean, and
shrimping. Education and knowledge are important to the Carrolls as well
as the Appalachian family they write about. Change often results in the
acceptance of difference, not only of other people and places, but of
Appalachians as well.
Ruth and Latrobe Carroll’s attention
to authenticity and their desire to make the series accessible to all
children are certainly details that keep the books from being
stereotypical accounts of backward Appalachian mountaineers. In these
respects the Carrolls were well ahead of their time. Each of the seven
books in the Tatum family series recounts the remote lives of a mountain
family living high in the Great Smoky Mountains. Each book accurately
recounts the history of Appalachian life in the early fifties to the
early sixties. Additionally, because these stories contain realistic
characters and focus on childhood adventures and animals, these books
also have universal appeal. Zena Sutherland discusses childhood needs in
Children & Books–the need for security, the need to love
and to be loved, the need to belong, the need to achieve, the need for
change, the need to know, and the need for beauty and order (15-21). All
of these needs are meet in the Tatum family series. Though contemporary
Appalachian picture books are numerous, with the renewed interest in
effective depictions of the region, nostalgic or otherwise, the
reintroduction of the Carroll books would be a welcome addition. Because
of their warmth and their accuracy, both culturally and geographically,
these books deserve to be read and enjoyed by contemporary readers.
Works Cited
Primary Sources
Carroll, Ruth, and Latrobe Carroll. Beanie. Illus. Ruth Carroll.
New York: Oxford UP, 1953.
Carroll, Ruth, and Latrobe Carroll.
Runaway
Pony, Runaway Dog. Illus. Ruth Carroll. New York: Henry A. Walck,
Inc., 1963.
Carroll, Ruth, and Latrobe Carroll.
Tough Enough. Illus. Ruth Carroll. New York: Oxford UP, 1954.
Carroll, Ruth, and Latrobe Carroll.
Tough
Enough and Sassy. Illus. Ruth Carroll. New York: Henry A. Walck,
Inc., 1958.
Carroll, Ruth, and Latrobe Carroll.
Tough
Enough’s Indians. Illus. Ruth Carroll. New York: Henry A. Walck,
Inc., 1960.
Carroll, Ruth, and Latrobe Carroll.
Tough
Enough’s Pony. Illus. Ruth Carroll. New York: Oxford UP, 1957.
Carroll, Ruth, and Latrobe Carroll.
Tough
Enough’s Trip. Illus. Ruth Carroll. New York: Oxford UP, 1956.
Secondary Sources
Carroll, Ruth. From the Appalachians:
A Portfolio of Drawings and Paintings. New York: Henry A. Walck
Inc., 1964.
Carroll, Latrobe. Introduction.
From
the Appalachians: A Portfolio of Drawings and Paintings. New York:
Henry A. Walck Inc., 1964. 1-10.
"Literary Note." Asheville
Citizen 18 Sep. 1958:
Moser, Joan. Telephone interview. 8
Jan. 1998.
Sutherland, Zena. Children &
Books. New York: Longman, 1997.
Graphics
Courtesy of
This Page Created: 2000
Last Update: 04/02/2005 08:43:27 PM
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