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L: She didn't work for them or anything, so we were a little aloof.
We'd heard something about Mrs. Leigh and we were prepared to
act accordingly and we did.
P: Gainesville must have been a lively place for faculty wives with
Mrs. Townes R. Leigh on one hand, and Mrs. James Farr on the other.
Diverse personalities.
L: Yes. I don't know that I ever met Mrs. Farr. I saw her and heard
a good deal about her.
P: She was lively.
L: Yes. There's a man here in town who was at the university the
same time I was. He didn't graduate from the university but he
had to leave the university and he studied law and took the
examination and passed. He is Lewis Hall; you may have remembered
Poppa Hall.
L: Yes.
L: That's his son. I'v very fond of Lewis Hall, he succeeded me as
editor of the'Alligator. Talking to Lewis, he told me a good
deal about Dr. Farr. As a student, I didn't know that he
owed everybody in town, gave bad checks. I believe Lewis told
me that.
P: I've also heard those stories.
L: His wife was extravagant, expensive, and they drove around the
campus with his great big car, I've forgotten now what it was.
I can remember the car and can remember hearing it said that
one time there was a kind of a student rehellion; they had
student rebellions in the 20s3 this apparently was before I was
there. Dr. Farr was in command at the time, I guess Dr. Murphree
was away, and he got out there and stood on the hood of that car
and he told the students off.
P: He's a little short man.
L: Yes, and so he was known as a man of great courage when I was on
campus.
P: But he did have a large car, purchased for him by his father
who was a banker. And his father periodically paid off the bills
which the Farrs ran up. Mrs. Farr was an extravagant lady who
liked to live well and add some color to an otherwise drab
community.