Interview begins with biographical discussion about various members of the Pearlstine family. Ms. Pearlstine explains the connections between Thomas Pearlstine, the first to emigrate from Poland (ca. 1850s), his son, I.M Pearlstine, I.M's son, Shep Pearlstine, and Hyams and Vineburg relatives. She also mentions the family name may have been Farber in Poland. Ms. Pearlstine notes that her parents, Shep and Sara Pearlstine, were first cousins, who were married (1893) in Branchville, South Carolina. Focus shifts to Shep Pearlstine and his life in St. Matthews, S.C. Pearlstine moved his family from Charleston to the small Calhoun County town hoping the milder climate would improve his health. (He suffered from tuberculosis.) She remembers her father as a religious man who cared a great deal for others and was known for his hospitality toward newcomers. She notes that Shep never held a political office (as Jews were not allowed) but served as alderman and was involved in numerous civic organizations; many called him the Shepherd of St. Matthews. Continuing with discussion of family history, Pearlstine describes her five siblings and provides detailed descriptions of their lives and personalities. Conversation moves to the family business, I.M. Pearlstine and Sons. Discussion regarding the company's origins ensues and Pearlstine recalls the St. Matthews branch (run by her father, Shep) sold a variety of goods from groceries to clothing. In 1912 the St. Matthews store became exclusively a supplier of wholesale groceries, and Pearlstine describes the men her father employed. Shep Pearlstine's business split from I.M Pearlstine and Sons in the mid-1940s, and his sons, Sam and Leo Pearlstine, continued as independent hardware suppliers. Other topics include Pearlstine's recollections of growing up Jewish in St. Matthews. She did not attend formal religious school, but was instructed by her parents and eventually taught Sunday school herself. Pearlstine mentions other Jewish families in town and describes the informal association that met at the Masonic Hall to worship; she also describes religious observance in her own household. She remembers neighbors and friends as well as major events including the boll weevil plagues of the 1920s and the Great Depression. As an adult, Pearlstine associated with the Tree of Life Synagogue in Columbia, S.C. Interview ends with discussion of Ms. Pearlstine's adult life, including her schooling at Converse College and Columbia University and 40-year career of teaching history. Discussion ends with Pearlstine's memory of a 1960s visit with Sen. Strom Thurmond in Washington, D.C.
