Baseball at Irwinville Farms

In a previous post I discussed the popularity of baseball at Irwinville Farms. This group of photographs represents a cache of lesser-known images, outtakes that weren’t chosen or approved for publication for one reason or another. I think they are as interesting as the better-known images. Identifications of players or people are welcome.

Chester Foster batting. (Above)

George Clements is seen in the background above, and batting, below. Thanks to Pam Bishop Johnson for the identification.

John Vachon/May 1938 (Library of Congress)

Chester Foster Driving Home His Cattle

John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)

 

Farm Client’s Garden

While men were out tending the fields, women often kept a small produce garden. Here, a client inspects her bountiful work with a home demonstration agent.

The photo below is a proof of sorts. I don’t know why they were hole-punched, but quite a few I’ve found recently have this defect. It’s possible that they were rejected by the Washington office and deemed not publishable, for whatever reason, but I really have no idea. It could be that the photographers and/or subjects just didn’t like them for some reason.

John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938?)

Irwinville Men on an Ideal Wagon

I don’t have an identification for these gentlemen, but the wagon was sold by I. C. Touchstone of Tifton.

John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)

Leonard Foster on the Farm

John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)

I first thought this was Glendyon Foster but thanks to Joy Wilson McDaniel I now know it was his brother, Leonard. There may be other photos where I’ve incorrectly identified Leonard as Glendyon. If so, let me know!  He and his family were well-documented by John Vachon during the course of the project. I have another photo from the same day, which is slightly damaged, but I will add it to the post when I’ve finished editing it. How about those No. 3 washtubs? I loved playing in my great-grandmother’s when I was a boy!

Scene at Irwinville, 1938

John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938?)

This was made in 1938 but there’s no further identifying information. The log house is typical of the time, as well as the chinaberry tree in the dirt yard. It was likely made on the “outskirts” of Irwinville.

Father & Daughter at the Irwinville Farms Project Office

This was made by John Vachon in May 1938, along with several other photographs of farmers from the project. I do not know the identity of these two, who appear to be a father and daughter. Hopefully someone will know.

James McDuffie’s Farm at Irwinville

John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)

The McDuffie family were among the most-documented families on the Irwinville Farms Project. This is the image used on the site header.

Chester Foster with Home-Cured Meats

John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)

Home Supervisor Visiting Ethel Pope

John Vachon/Library of Congress (May 1938)

Home supervisors were basically home economists who helped women learn better ways to keep the family’s accounts as well as other money-saving and food preservation skills. Picture here, with a supervisor assigned to the Irwinville Farms Project are John Bennett (l.) and Mrs. J. B. (Ethel) Pope.