Oral history interview with Raymond A. Stern, 1995.

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Oral history interview with Raymond A. Stern, 1995.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/51866094

Raymond Stern, in response to the interviewers' questions, details his life in mostly small South Carolina towns. His parents, Maurice and Miller Tucker Stern, were both born in Baltimore, Maryland. Both were children of parents who were from Eastern Europe, in the area of Lithuania. After they married, they moved to Lake City, S.C., ca. 1930; Maurice Stern worked in a dry goods store run by his brother-in-law, Charlie Tucker, who helped bring and launch other Jewish merchants into the area. Raymond Stern was born in Lake City; his family moved to Andrews around 1932 where his father opened his own dry goods store. Mr. Stern discusses the other Jewish merchants of Andrews and the vicinity, details the role of Baltimore Bargain House in helping merchants by extending them credit, and recalls his early visits to that wholesaler and others in Charleston, recalling the bachelors, Melvin Hornick and Saul Alexander, in Charleston, and their generosity to children. He attended school in Andrews, and went to Georgetown and Charleston for religious holidays and schooling. He also describes religious observances in Andrews and Kingstree. Growing up, he was very integrated into the community, noting that when pork was served at his childhood friend's house, he was given chicken, and "no one said a word." His parents never told him to remain Jewish or marry a Jew; he says he just knew it. After joining the Air Force and flying planes in Alaska he married Florence Harris in 1959. They had four children and moved to Charleston around 1978 to make sure the two girls and two boys had better schooling; in Charleston, his younger children attended Addlestone Hebrew Academy.

Sound recording : 1 sound cassette : analog.Transcript : 31 p. ; 28 cm.

College of Charleston, Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library

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SNAC Resource ID: 7644815

College of Charleston, Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library

Related Entities

There are 8 Entities related to this resource.

Alexander, Saul, 1884-1952.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sr0v8g (person)

Born in Russia, Saul Alexander immigrated to the United States in 1900. Several years later he settled in Summerville, South Carolina, and eventually opened The Saul Alexander Dry Goods Store. In his will, Alexander, a bachelor, set up The Saul Alexander Foundation which funds religious, educational, charitable, and benevolent projects in the South Carolina Lowcountry. From the description of Papers, 1914-1937. (College of Charleston). WorldCat record id: 48933986 ...

Stern family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67b377m (family)

Stern, Raymond A., 1930-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6x94tth (person)

Seltzer, Norton M.,

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6jx0x6z (person)

Hornick, Melvin.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6379s20 (person)

Rosengarten, Dale, 1948-...

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m04dd8 (person)

Seltzer, Mindelle K.,

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6mw50gj (person)

Tucker family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w64r6xkq (family)