Narrative by Junebug Clark in the summer of 2014 Kissing games at Stir-off gatherings are a favorite pastime. Looks like a few girls in the background are jealous and looking for a beau. The kissing game usually started with single boys and girls forming a circle. A girl would run around the circle and tag a boy and he would then chase her around the circle. The idea being that if she beat him back to the spot he vacated - she was safe. If he caught her - a kiss was the prize. It's been said it was amazing how many girls got their feet tangled running around that circle. People watching the molasses syrup as it boils down use short pieces of sorghum cane stalk to make “sop sticks” used to dip into the molasses syrup for a taste. This was the height of the fall social season. Harvesting the sorghum, extracting the juice, boiling it down into molasses could take days and weeks going round the clock to finish. Overall Background:These Molasses Making Stir-off photos were shot by Joe Clark HBSS in the early to mid-1940s. Either on the farm of Fred Whitaker about four miles southwest …

Photograph of numerous couples dancing at the molasses stir-off, with people watching from the background and a couple kissing in the foreground. This image is mounted to the left of a poem by Joe Clark, titled "Youth." Narrative by Junebug Clark: Additional photos and information can be found in the pdf document "Joe Clark HBSS LIFE Magazine Photos" page 20 and in the November 13, 1950. Life Magazine pages 156-160. Stir-off Time in Tennessee. Fun Starts in Hills as Molasses Boils. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.

Photograph of a large group of friends and neighbors dancing during the Hoe Down event following the molasses stir-off. Narrative by Junebug Clark: Additional photos and information can be found in the pdf document "Joe Clark HBSS LIFE Magazine Photos" page 20. Also, November 13, 1950. Life Magazine pages 156-160. Stir-off Time in Tennessee. Fun Starts in Hills as Molasses Boils. People would come from miles around to participate in the Molasses Making Stir-off every year. The stir-off was held either on the farm of Fred Whitaker about four miles southwest of Cumberland Gap, or on the farm of Baptist preacher the Rev. Hugh Vancel in Cumberland Gap proper. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.

Photograph of Dollie Ellison at the Tennessee Molasses Stir-off. In this image, Ellison is boiling down the molasses while two boys watch.

Photograph of young people chasing each other at the molasses stir-off. In this image, a car and a few single girls are in the background, watching the others run around. Narrative by Junebug Clark: Additional photos and information can be found in the pdf document "Joe Clark HBSS LIFE Magazine Photos" page 20. Also, November 13, 1950. Life Magazine. Pages 156-160. Stir-off Time in Tennessee. Fun Starts in Hills as Molasses Boils. caption: "CHASE in game starts as boy in circle (left) tries to trip another (foreground) for running after his girl." Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS.

Photograph of numerous people dancing under the night sky at the Tennessee Molasses Stir-off. "Joe Clark, H.B.S.S." is signed in the lower right corner of the image. Narrative by Junebug Clark: Additional photos and information can be found in the pdf document "Joe Clark HBSS LIFE Magazine Photos" page 20. There you will find a copy of November 13, 1950. Life Magazine. pages 156-160. Stir-off Time in Tennessee. Fun Starts in Hills as Molasses Boils. Photo by: Joe Clark, HBSS. Signed by: Joe Clark HBSS

Photograph of three girls standing and smiling during the Tennessee Molasses Stir-off. All three are wearing dresses with cardigans, and laced up shoes.

Photograph of Romana Weaver kissing an unidentified boy after the molasses stir-off. In this image, the two are standing on a rocky path in the forest, and the boy is holding a lantern.