Chapter 24

           Onsaturdaymorningthewashtubswerecrowded.Thewomenwasheddresses,pinkginghamsandfloweredcottons,andtheyhungtheminthesunandstretchedtheclothtosmoothit.Whenafternooncamethewholecampquickenedandthepeoplegrewexcited.Thechildrencaughtthefeverandweremorenoisythanusual.Aboutmid-afternoonchildbathingbegan,andaseachchildwascaught,subdued,andwashed,thenoiseontheplaygroundgraduallysubsided.Beforefive,thechildrenwerescrubbedandwarnedaboutgettingdirtyagain;andtheywalkedabout,stiffincleanclothes,miserablewithcarefulness.

           Atthebigopen-airdanceplatformacommitteewasbusy.Everybitofelectricwirehadbeenrequisitioned.Thecitydumphadbeenvisitedforwire,everytoolboxhadcontributedfrictiontape.Andnowthepatched,splicedwirewasstrungouttothedancefloor,withbottlenecksasinsulators.Thisnightthefloorwouldbelightedforthefirsttime.Bysixo’clockthemenwerebackfromworkorfromlookingforwork,andanewwaveofbathingstarted.Byseven,dinnerswereover,menhadontheirbestclothes:freshlywashedoveralls,cleanblueshirts,sometimesthedecentblacks.Thegirlswerereadyintheirprintdresses,stretchedandclean,theirhairbraidedandribboned.Theworriedwomenwatchedthefamiliesandcleaneduptheeveningdishes.Ontheplatformthestringbandpracticed,surroundedbyadoublewallofchildren.Thepeoplewereintentandexcited.

           InthetentofEzraHuston,chairman,theCentralCommitteeoffivemenwentintomeeting.