John T. Wix Voted Today

John T. Wix voted today, and no nonsense about it.

He strode into Newell School with is walking stick barely grazing the sidewalk, marched up to Judge James E. Caldwell and got his ballots.

He shunned the voting booth ("Too dark in there," he said) and sat down at a corner table to study the choices.

Then he marched his ballots quickly, folded them and dropped them into the ballot boxes with a whack of his hand for good measure.

"I read the paper and I made up my mind," John T. Wix said. "I believe in the mass of the people ruling."

Mr. Wix is 82 years old. He has voted in every Mecklenburg election since March 21, 1908. He was carried to the pools today by Mrs. John Miller, director of the County Home, where Mr. Wix lives.

Mrs. Miller has been ferrying home voters to Newell School, headquarters of the Crab Orchard Precinct Box No. 2, for 19 years.

About 20 went over today, not as many as usual because many were not physically able to to, and there was not much interest.

Mr. Wix, however, was both able and interested.

"I’ve voted in every election since I left Knoxville," he said. "I was a contractor, you know, until Hoover got me.

"And I’ve voted Democratic all the way. It’s hard for a Southern man to be a hypocrite."

One of the women who rode over to Newll with him took a Republican ballot and voted for school board members only.

"That’s all right, too," Mr. Wix said. "It’s a free country, and it’s a blessing."

The hundreds of other Mecklenburgers who also marked ballots today will know exactly what he meant.

Charles Kuralt's People (Kenilworth Media, copyright 2002)
ISBN 0-9679096-1-9 | Hard cover | 384 pages with photos | $25.95

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