Documenting the American South Logo
Excerpt from Oral History Interview with Robert W. (Bob) Scott, February 4, 1998. Interview C-0336-1. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) See Entire Interview >>

Learning honesty and hard work from his father

Scott describes the work ethic and honesty he learned from his father.

Citing this Excerpt

Oral History Interview with Robert W. (Bob) Scott, February 4, 1998. Interview C-0336-1. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Full Text of the Excerpt

JACK FLEER:
Now, you mention at least two kinds of values that I can identify. One of them is this sense of community, and the other is a loyalty to that community. When you think about the values that you believe came from your growing up in Hall Fields and Hall River, in this community, what are those values that you have in mind, beyond that sense of community and the loyalty to it?
ROBERT W. (BOB) SCOTT:
Well, if I understand your question right, I think there was instilled a work ethic. My father was a prodigious worker. I mean, you got your job done, regardless of the hours or the difficulty, and you didn't quit as long as you were able to function. So the work ethic, and then—honesty. A person's word is his bond. That's very important to me. The ability to try—whatever your talents may be, the ability to try. And for those who had leadership traits, they have a responsibility to utilize those traits, not to enhance themselves so much, but to move along the community in a progressive way. That leadership has a responsibility. Part of my thinking was that I was to—I think I subconsciously realized that I had a responsibility, because of the family's history of leadership in various areas, whether it was in farming or medicine or in government.