Posted on 07/10/2006 10:25:24 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
HOPE, Ark.
Autrilla Scott readily agreed when Roger Clinton, co-owner of the Buick dealership here in the late 1940s, asked if she would watch his girlfriend's little boy Billy for a time while they went on a date.
Scott was born and reared in Hope, the daughter of Mary Ella and Louis Watkins. She was the youngest of seven siblings and grew up across the street from Yerger School. While a teenager, Scott cleaned houses and babysat.
"When I was cleaning Roger Clinton's apartment one day, he came by with a little boy about two or three years-old and asked me if I could babysit him for a short time while he and the child's mother, Virginia Blythe, went on a date," she said. "I told him yes, that I could."
After that initial contact with little Billy Blythe, Scott babysat the child many times. After Roger Clinton and Virginia Blythe married, Billy Blythe eventually took his stepfather's last name, becoming William Jefferson Clinton. Years later, the child from Hope was elected 42nd president of the United States.
"I remember him when he was just a little boy, playing in the yard, enjoying himself," Scott said.
But that was not the only contact her family had with the Clintons. Her brother, Hosea Watkins, owned the Blue Room barbecue stand across the street from the auto dealership that Roger Clinton and his brother owned. Roger would frequent the stand quite often and they became friends.
After Scott babysat and cleaned houses and apartments through high school, she graduated in 1950. She went to business school and married Olen Scott. They eloped and went to Delano, Calif., moving to Long Beach in 1955.
She underwent nurse's training in the late 1950s and began working as a licensed vocational nurse for the Veterans Administration in 1961. She retired as a rehab nurse in 1991.
Scott has two children, son Olen Scott, who lives in Anaheim, Calif., and daughter, Sharon McLucas, who lives in Signal Hill, Calif. Scott has five grandchildren.
"I have always babysat for kids and enjoyed them," Scott said. "I got to meet President Clinton when he came to Long Beach a few years back. It was just a thrill to finally get to see him again.
"I received an invitation to his inauguration in 1993, but it came too late in the mail. I was just sick about that, but it turned out all right in the end."
Scott was back in Hope recently to attend the Yerger School reunion. Those ties to Yerger and the former president are still close to her heart.
While Scott was back in Arkansas, Clinton arranged for her to attend a VIP tour of the Presidential Center in Little Rock.
"I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and seeing all the Clinton memorabilia," she said.
Ahhhh shucks! You don't think his singing and band is a big accomplishment?
I thought the real skinny was that Clinton grew up in Hot Springs, the wide open mob-operated gambling town where his mom was a notorious "hostess" and party gal.
Huckabee has done a great job with Ark.
Forgot to add bumper stickters!!!!!!!
"My most vivid memory of little Billy is him roasting marshmallows and singing Kumbaya as the black churches of Hope burned to the ground."
“One thing I remember... he was always playin' pocket-pool... you know... playin' with his'self. That child was one horny little bugger. Got so... I'd have to keep our pet beagle.. Lucy... locked in the basement when he was here. He'd 'jus follow her around with this stupid look on his face.”
"I remember him when he was just a little boy, playing in the yard, exposing himself,"
And of course his nine year old black friend was sitting next to him while they burned. That was after they rode the bus and Billy had a deep discussion with him about sitting in the back... (Rosa Parks funeral version).
Let's see here. We got us an Autrilla (how on earth does one pronounce that?), a Hosea, and an Olen.
Sheesh.
There was a young fellow called Willie
Whose behavior was frequently silly;
..At a big UN ball,
..Dressed in nothing at all,
He claimed that his costume was Chile.
"I remember him when he was just a little boy, playing in the yard with himself, enjoying himself," Scott said
Autrilla Scott, wud you 'un mind this here Billy boy whilest I takes Billy's mah here out on a date in the back seat of mah Buick?
Hosea Watkins made some of the best barbeque ever!!! I even remember going into his place after he was forced to move to the "colored" side of town. The looks we would get when "white folk" would come in. Hope is the most racist place I have ever lived, both black and white racism.
I won't argue that. He just not going to get the nomination...sorry.
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