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i here’s a new housein PresBy SUSAN CONTEDomioiuo-l’ost Regional EditorHOPEMONT - What's so special about a man going into business for himself? Or buildinghl« A«l*n limnA1)These don't seem like very unusual accomplishments. Many men during their lifetimes have started businesses, and likewise, many have built homes.But these are special accomplishments if you happen to be 33-year-old Clarence Arlie Moats of Hopemont.A Morgantown native. Moats and his 32-year-old wife, Dolly, who comes from Turner Douglas. W.Va.. had to raise their children on welfare payments, when Moats was left without a job in 1965.He had worked for the Stanley Coal Co. in Crellin. Md.. from 1961-65 in a non-union operation which shut down, forcing him to apply for welfare under the Aid to Dependent Children program because he could not find employment.During this year on welfare, he was encouraged by Mrs. Eloise Milne of the Preston County welfare office to contact the Farmers Home Administration to consider opening his own auto repair business.Moats applied for a $2,500 FHA small business loan to build a garage and buy tools, and his business now grosses about $6,000 annually. He laid the blocks for his garage himself, and since his original loan was granted in 1966.he has built an addition to his garage, using credit from a bank loan.During a recent visit to Arlie's Auto Repair in Hopemont. this reporter asked Moats how he learned to be a mechanic? With aoDarent shvness. Arlie replied “itton—Sojust sort of was a natural thing. A training program in basic education and power mechanics Ihrough the welfare department also helped Moats to improve hisrl..HnBut that's not the end of the Arlie Moats success storyPartly because Moats has never fallen behind on his $25 a month loan payments on the garage, and because he and his family have pride and willingness to get ahead the FHA recently granted them a $14,700 loan to build a new homeThe three-bedroom home was constructed on a lot adjacent to Arlie’s garage — with a small home with no indoor plumbing and only a central stove for healing still in view on the same lot. This is where the Moats couple and their seven children lived before the new home.A visit to the new home would more than likely convince anyone that Dolly Moats probably takes better care of her house than a housewife in charge of a $50,000 home.Shy. trusting blue eyes greeted this reporter and two other visitors. Mrs. Moats showed the group through her sparsely furnished new home.Which room does she like the best? The bathroom. With seven children. Mrs. Moats noted this room gets the most use.The Moats children include Clarence Jr.. 12. and Ricky. 11. both students at Terra Alta High School; Eugene. 10. Arlie and Dolly Moats' retarded son; Sonny. 7, and Rebecca. 6. students af Terra Alta Elementary; Timothy, 5. the Moats’ crippled son who has recently undergone surgery* for his ailment; and Audrey, 4.The Moats’ retarded son now has a bright sunny room. All thewhat?children have use of hot. running water.Mrs Moats has a large kitchen any woman would be proud of and a new sewing machine.• ••«„*• • a. * .1 r l»•• »* MUJ klOIV. • • «. M »«•»_ i W.Ibasement under the home. Mrs. Moats made excuses because she hadn’t had time to dean it up. But this part of the house, painted a bright yellow, looked as clean as the rooms above Another splash of color came from one comer of lhat basement Bright jars of canned vegetables were stacked neatly on shelves.“Arlie bought most of those vegetables this summer, and I canned them. Mrs. Moats said Her husband noted. “We always had a big garden until this year, but we had to build the house and getting the yard ready for winter took up most of the time.His efforts were obvious in the neatly landscaped yard that sportwl a healthy cover of grass.Through an interest-credit feature of FHA home loans. Moats’ monthly home payments are approximately $50.Acknowledging that “credit alone will not solve rural problems. State FHA director J. Kenton Lambert said. “We can all be appreciative that Moats has been successful in elevating the standard of living of his family. Herepresents rural West Virginia on the ’move* to take its rightful place in our expanding economy and social conscious society.As Moats' visitors were leaving Hopemont and Arlie's Auto Repair, several customers pulled up for work on their vehicles.And another interesting feature of this Preston County business — customers pay promptly. Arlie Moats wants it that way.A VISITOR at the new home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Arlie Moats is greeted by part of the family at the door. Dolly Moats, her four-year-old daughter Audrey, and Arlie Moats, arc shown talking with Carl (Randy) Moore, right, assistant Farmers Home Administration supervisor i. Preston County.
Newspaper Details
Morgantown Dominion Post
Morgantown, West Virginia, US
Sun, Oct 31, 1971
Page 26
Full Page
Clipped by
Becky H.
USA 22 Nov 2018
Other Publications Near Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown Dominion Post
Morgantown Morning Reporter
The Morgantown Post and The Dominion-News
Morgantown Dominion News and Morgantown Post
Morgantown Dominion News
