He made homemade spoons from oyster shells to eat with and wore only one linen shirt that hung to his knees. He wasn't provided any bed or warm blanket during the cold winter days. He and the other children would huddle together in the kitchen of "master" Anthony's house to keep warm. He struggled to learn to read and write. The Black Code of Georgia, Sec. XXXIX states that: "Be it therefore enacted, That all and every person and persons whatsoever, who shall hereafter each teach, or cause any slave of slaves to be taught to write or read writing, or shall use or employ any slave as a scribe in any manner of writing whatsoever, every such person and persons shall for every such offence, forfeit the sum of twenty pounds sterling" (Black Codes of Georgia, Making Connections, p73) A mistress helped him once, but after she was revealed she had to stop. Douglass gave bread to white children for lessons. He learned from the mistress's husband that the knowledge of a black man was a white man greatest fear. He then planned that gaining knowledge was his weapon and goal. He faced emotional struggles knowing that his grandmother who was the only mother figure he knew and who was considered too old for any work had been evicted from her cabin and sent into the woods to die. He was worked from dawn till dusk until after nightfall, plowing, hoeing, and picking corn. Covey hid in the bushes and if he caught one of his slaves resting he would beat him with a thick branch. Being whipped until one is broken mentally and physically brings on a struggle to recoup. Douglass struggled for freedom, citizenship, and his own voice. Douglass's progress procedures included learning to read, write, keep hope and faith, and even fight back mentally and physically. He struggled to progress by getting beat physically, mentally, and emotionally. He struggled to overcome these abuses by having the determination to stay strong.