Wilmington, NC Teachers' Video - 2, 1990-1995 / Behind the Veil / Duke Digital Repository

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Announcer

Ladies and gentlemen,

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the Williston Commemorative Committee

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and WTNT Video Visions proudly present to you,

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The Williston Commemorative video,

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"A Salute to our Teachers."

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(light music)

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Diane Emerson

Black education in Wilmington

0:59

and New Hanover County

1:02

got off to a good start after emancipation.

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Former slaves, now freed with few resources

1:10

beyond their tenuous freedom,

1:15

focused not on what was denied them,

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but on what they could hope to obtain.

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Education was a top priority.

1:26

During the first 68 years of the 20th century,

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the Colored school child was educated in several schools

1:36

in various sections of New Hanover County.

1:40

Originally, most of the property and buildings

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were said to be owned and donated

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by northerners with philanthropic tendencies.

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Much support was provided in the latter

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19th century and early 20th century

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by the American Missionary Association,

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which deeded the Board of Education

2:10

much of the land.

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Schoolhouses were later obtained

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by the Board of Education,

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and slowly the White educators

2:19

were replaced with Colored ones.

2:23

Some of the well-known names of early Colored educators

2:26

include Usteth Edward Green,

2:30

Mary Washington Howell,

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Professor DC Virgo,

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TH Bullock,

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John H Green, and Reverend ML Baldwin.

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The first Williston was built on 7th Street,

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between Ann and 9th Street,

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during the late 19th century,

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and started to age during the early 20th century.

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The United States Congress passed an act

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conveying to the new Hanover County Board of Education

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seven entire blocks in the city,

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lying between 10th and 13th streets,

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and between Ann Streets and a line

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halfway between Church and Castle Streets.

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The stipulation was made that the land be used

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for an industrial school for Negroes.

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Thus, Williston Industrial School was built

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and occupied in 1915.

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Later, land near the schools

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was made ready for cultivation.

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Vegetables were grown, and courses in agriculture,

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domestic science, and domestic art,

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were added to the curriculum.

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The industrial school was accredited

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on the principal's report,

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and received a higher rating

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than any other school for Negroes in the state.

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The former Gregory Normal Institute

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was purchased by the Board of Education,

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and used as an elementary school on the south side of town.

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Peabody was an elementary school on the north side of town,

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and some additional small elementary schools

4:30

were built in the county.

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They include Blunt, Moffit Village,

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and Dudley, with other schools

4:41

in the Riceville Sound and Carolina Beach Road areas.

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Although these buildings have a fascinating history,

4:49

the purpose of this film is to showcase the teachers

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who taught within these buildings.

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Those buildings were living entities,

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with pulses, heartbeats,

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and their life's blood flowed from teacher to student,

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until the year 1968

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when it all died,

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the year Williston Senior High School was closed.

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The teachers,

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industrious employees of the Board of Education,

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were determined that each child's potential be reached.

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They all very effectively demanded the very best

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from each and every student.

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All of our lives have been touched by these teachers,

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from the early years through our memorable high school days.

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This video portrays the teachers' thought and feelings

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about their special world of education before desegregation.

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They also touch on the impact

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desegregation had on the Black children in this county.

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They all agree that what transpired was desegregation,

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not integration.

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Listen, as they portray these feelings.

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[Inez S. Richardson] The past 49 years has afforded me

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many memorable occasions,

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many of which a lot of persons in this audience

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have contributed to,

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and I appreciate the opportunity

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which I have had to work with boys and girls.

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I think that our schools today have the same objective

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as those of many years back,

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to prepare young people to be good citizens.

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Our country depends on them.

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We in this community depend on them.

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And it is important that they get a kind of education

7:06

that will help them to make society

7:10

a kind that we will be proud of.

7:13

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[Lavinia E. Sneed] Teaching for me has been

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a wonderful experience.

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I can say that teaching gave me

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a good full life,

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and it was because of my

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opportunity to help develop

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my students that I feel like my life has been fulfilled.

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I'm praising the profession of teaching,

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because it has been the best thing that I have known.

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[Annie P.F. Harris] I worked as a substitute

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for several years

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before this vacancy became available,

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and met a lot of the students, both boys and girls,

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and fell in love with the Wilmington family.

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The boys did not take Home Ec,

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but their girlfriends did and I met a lot of them,

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because they came by the Home Economics room

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to taste some of the things that the girls cooked.

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Also, the boys and girls were visitors at our house,

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getting pictures made.

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They always called James, The Picture Man.

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So every Sunday our house was filled with students

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coming in just to get a picture made.

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[Mary Ligon Wallace] The schools before integration,

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was not only a place where children

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could go and develop their minds,

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but it was a place that they could participate in music,

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dancing, sports,

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shop, and many other activities.

9:06

When a child finished high school,

9:10

he had developed a skill that he could earn a living.

9:13

To me, at that time,

9:18

the school was a place and a safe place

9:21

where children, and each child had a special place.

9:25

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[Isabell Boney McGowan] After 16 years,

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the William H Blunt School was built

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and the principal at that time was Mrs. Essa Miller,

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and she had always promised if I ever wanted to come home,

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and if the opportunity presented itself,

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that she would remember me.

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And this particular year that I went back to school

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in Duplin County,

9:52

I was a little depressed because at that time

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my mother was not doing all that well.

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But after two days on on my job,

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I got this very special call from Mrs. Miller,

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Mrs. Essa Miller, who was the principal then,

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and said, we had a little thing together,

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she said, when I called you, if anything comes up,

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I'll call you and say

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that the violets are blooming beautifully.

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And when I heard that,

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I tell you my soul just cried out, hallelujah.

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And I was so glad that I could come home,

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to be with my mother and still do the work

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that I feel that I was cut out to do.

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[Olivia Saulter Green] I worked with

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elementary children for 37 years.

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Each year brought in a new experience.

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Every day I faced a new situation.

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Children are eager to learn,

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but we have to make it so interesting

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that they will want to learn,

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and they will love you and they will trust you

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for their particular consultant.

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I love children and I tried to carry myself

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while I was working here in Hanover County

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for children to love me.

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My work started here in Hanover County under Mr. McDonald.

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I started with him at Gregory.

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Gregory was a very, very interesting place to work.

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The experience that I learned while I was at Gregory,

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helped me all through my teaching career.

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Ida B. Randall

All I had to do is

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to come in the classroom

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and stand and look at them.

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Of course I had to use that little 12 inch ruler or not,

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because sometimes the children got out of

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what

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they wanted to do at home.

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They wanted to do in the classroom what they did at home.

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[Ezell Juliette Johnson] When I entered the classroom,

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I gave every fiber of my being

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towards helping the children to learn.

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I believed then, as I believe now,

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that every child can learn something worthwhile,

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and it is my responsibility to set up

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atmospheres of learning for all who sat before me,

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from day to day.

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[William D. Bryant] Integration has been in one vein,

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very helpful,

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and in others it has not.

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And what I mean by that, that there was

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a sense of urgency and a sense of belonging

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and a sense of obligation that existed

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between the student and teacher

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in the segregated situation.

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And not only did we teach subject matter,

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we felt a keen sense of responsibility

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in getting over to the youngster, the subject matter.

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We felt that we had a role to play as

13:19

a good friend, big brother so to speak, or a big sister,

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to work with these young people.

13:28

We had an occasion to work with them

13:32

on the social aspect of life.

13:34

We taught our young people the importance of

13:38

responsibility, the importance of

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being obligated,

13:49

importance of let's say, paying taxes,

13:51

which is a very important aspect of life.

13:53

And to watch these young people develop

13:57

into real men and women was so gratifying.

13:59

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[B. Constance O'Dell] I found

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a group of individuals,

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especially the teachers who were really dedicated

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in inculcating in our students standards of excellence.

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Of course, this was before integration,

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or some say, desegregation.

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So that I lived in a world of teachers and students

14:24

who just seemed to think

14:30

that this was the greatest school under the sun.

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So no matter what they were engaged in,

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folklore music,

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band music,

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athletics,

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competition, or academics,

14:44

they always seemed to feel that they had to be the very best

14:48

because they were representing

14:51

the greatest school under the sun.

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[Margaret Mack Baham] I just saw a beautiful thing

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because the community

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really used the school for recreation facilities.

15:00

They used the school for dances,

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they used the school for just everything,

15:06

and people felt free to go to the school

15:09

for any time they felt like it,

15:12

and they felt like it was an integral part of the community.

15:16

And of course that's how the school was.

15:19

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[Leonard J. Green] In moving from Wilmington

15:24

after 17 years,

15:27

the most memorable thing I can think of,

15:28

I'll never forget the day that Williston burned.

15:30

Williston burned.

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My class was on the first floor.

15:37

We went out just as we were taught during our fire drills,

15:39

and stood in front of the building,

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singing, "Dear Williston."

15:44

The kids were crying, teachers were crying,

15:46

they were falling out and everything.

15:50

And then by that time when the news got around,

15:52

that Williston was burning,

15:55

the parents and citizens all came

15:57

to pay our respects with us.

15:59

Helen Simpson

The devotion was always to mean something

16:01

that was very outstanding.

16:05

It gave an opportunity for the children and me

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to have a formal

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greeting towards the schoolwork

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and towards the day.

16:19

Usually we would sing songs in the morning.

16:22

We would say the Lord's Prayer

16:27

and Pledge to the American Flag.

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And it seems like to me that this gave a sense of direction

16:34

to start the schoolwork.

16:37

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[Mildred Hassell Johnson] My most memorable experience

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in working in New Hanover County,

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when I was teaching the fifth grade,

16:44

we had spelling contest at that time.

16:47

In the school we had about five fifth grade,

16:52

and the person who won the spelling contest

16:56

would win prizes.

16:59

My class won first, second, and third prize

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out of all of the fifth grade.

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And I thought, and none of them won anything.

17:09

And that I felt great about that.

17:11

Now another experience I would like to say,

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we were interested, my class was interested in science.

17:16

We had a science experiment one day to make soap.

17:21

We mixed the chemicals together according to the recipe.

17:26

The chemicals blew up,

17:32

and we had to flee the room

17:34

and the principal came and settled things down.

17:36

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[Mable Ford Howard] Well, the schools' role

17:40

before integration

17:42

was there was a gap there.

17:45

We lost before integration, I saw the,

17:49

what was it, a closeness and the

17:54

valuable time,

17:59

I figured the child was getting at that particular time,

18:02

quality time before integration.

18:05

The child seemed to have gotten quality time

18:08

before integration.

18:10

I would say it that way.

18:11

And academics seemed to have been up.

18:14

We did not have as many dropouts

18:18

then as we have now.

18:23

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[Celya Grady Trent] I worked at Gregory School

18:26

all of the years

18:29

that I was in Hanover County.

18:30

I taught the third grade all of those years,

18:35

third and fourth grades.

18:39

I enjoy teaching,

18:43

because the children

18:46

take you as their parents.

18:50

And I love children.

18:54

I guess it's because I don't have any of my own,

18:55

but I enjoy children, we have a lot of fun.

18:59

But in the classroom the lessons come first.

19:03

I haven't ever had any trouble with a child nor a parent,

19:07

because I treat that child

19:13

like I would want someone to treat me.

19:14

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[Margaret Grady Green] I was a home economics teacher

19:17

at Williston Senior High School from 1950 until integration.

19:19

I guess I was much more than a teacher

19:24

because back in those days,

19:27

every time a football team went on the field,

19:30

I had fed them.

19:32

When they dirtied up the uniforms, I washed them.

19:34

I was the school nurse,

19:38

and I was a whole lot of things at Williston.

19:39

But it wasn't bad.

19:42

And I have some girls who graduated

19:44

after having spent time with me

19:49

that I'm especially proud of now.

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some of them have followed me into the field,

19:53

some of them have taken other things.

19:56

But when I see them now, they tell me how much they love me.

19:59

I appreciate it.

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I left Williston and I was sent

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to Roland Bryce Junior High School,

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was quite a transition from mature

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junior and senior high school girls

20:12

to fidgety seventh grade girls.

20:14

And then they gave me classes of boys.

20:17

This nearly threw me, but we made it through to retirement,

20:21

and I'm happily in retirement now.

20:25

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[Lethia Sherman Hankins] I came back to work

20:29

in New Hanover County

20:31

at Williston Senior High School

20:33

beginning the school year 1959, 1960.

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It was an exhilarating experience for me

20:41

because I had always looked forward

20:44

to coming back to the school that I loved so dearly.

20:45

One of the most traumatic instances

20:50

that I had in my experiences here in New Hanover County

20:54

was the actual closing of Williston Senior High School.

20:58

It was traumatic

21:03

in that I had to adjust to a new era,

21:05

a new period.

21:10

I had to adjust to a new society.

21:11

And I don't think I was quite ready for that.

21:16

I learned to accept the transition,

21:20

but it was a very, very traumatic acceptance,

21:24

and it was a kind of thing that I,

21:29

kind of experience that I doubt that I shall ever forget.

21:31

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[Juanita Hatcher Davis] My most memorable experience

21:36

was that of teaching in a two room schoolhouse

21:41

in Castle Hayne, North Carolina.

21:46

There we had to make fire in the morning,

21:49

on a pot-bellied stove.

21:54

The children often sat in their coats

21:58

until midday when it was warm enough

22:02

for them to remove them.

22:05

John C. Newkirk

I just don't feel like that the

22:09

teachers in the school today

22:11

feel as close to those kids as we did

22:15

when we were in the segregated school,

22:18

because they can't feel it,

22:22

unless they have had the experience

22:25

that the Blacks have had.

22:27

That's the only way you can experience something

22:30

or get the real feel of it

22:32

is actually to be a part of it.

22:33

So we gained some and we lost some,

22:36

and I don't know which one outweighs the other.

22:40

Now the schools now are

22:44

trying to provide the things that they feel like

22:48

the kids need to be successful.

22:53

But there's a difference in providing and implementing it.

22:57

Now you can put all the tools before the teacher

23:02

that you want to to do the job,

23:04

but if you don't have the teacher to use those tools

23:07

in the proper way,

23:10

the tools are going to be just a waste of time.

23:12

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[Lillie Mae Newkirk] I felt in,

23:16

we made Buck School for six years,

23:19

and Gregory School for six years,

23:23

and Mary Washington High for four and John D Blair, one.

23:26

What some things that had to do to be on the call.

23:32

My duty was to see that some little kids in the class

23:35

need jackets, small children,

23:39

and some of the kids in the class needed shoes, and clothes.

23:42

And sometimes I would help them

23:49

get what they needed to in order to continue in school.

23:50

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[Gwendolyn Lowe Robinson] My philosophy then

23:55

hasn't changed too much,

23:57

for I feel that my responsibility

23:59

was to teach all of the children.

24:03

However, during that time,

24:06

before integration, all of the children meant

24:11

all of the Black boys and girls

24:15

assigned to my classes.

24:17

I did with pride and I endeavored every day

24:20

to instill in the boys and girls under my care

24:23

the values that were instilled in me by my former teachers.

24:27

That was, that all children can learn,

24:33

that you can be whatever you want to be.

24:37

Now that didn't come easy,

24:41

even though during those times

24:43

when all little Colored boys and girls

24:46

went to the same school,

24:48

mothers and fathers worked as they do now.

24:51

But there was just a difference in the attitude

24:55

of the parents towards what teachers could and could not do.

24:58

But during those times there was nothing

25:03

that teachers could not do.

25:06

We could discipline the children

25:09

when we felt that they needed it.

25:10

We could keep the children after school,

25:13

and make sure that they learned the lessons for today.

25:16

We could visit within the homes without fear

25:20

of any kind of retribution from the home,

25:23

from the neighborhood,

25:27

or from anywhere in the community.

25:28

But times changed.

25:32

Elfenia Harris

I feel that

25:34

some of the main problems now

25:37

in the school system,

25:41

a number one problem I personally feel is the discipline.

25:44

I feel that children should be taught to know how to act.

25:51

And this does not begin at school.

25:57

It begins in your mother's lap,

26:00

or even before that time.

26:05

Children will have to learn to act,

26:08

know how to act early in life.

26:12

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[Katie Jones Smith] Finally, they introduced

26:15

the students at Williston

26:18

to this program which taught marketing

26:19

and distribution of services.

26:24

The students became very interested in this endeavor,

26:27

and I do believe that it sort of geared them away

26:32

from preparing themselves for the traditional careers.

26:37

Prior to integration,

26:42

the Black schools were committed to

26:45

educating the total child,

26:49

and they offered a lot of things

26:53

other than just the traditional courses.

26:56

I remember when the students

26:59

completed the requirements to become affiliated

27:04

with the National Association

27:07

of the Distributive Education Clubs of America.

27:09

I remember when parents

27:13

and citizens provided the necessary

27:16

support and training to help them succeed,

27:20

all of which have made a difference

27:25

in the lives of the children that I taught.

27:28

Ernestine Obee

The message I would like to leave

27:32

with my former students

27:35

is to visit the school,

27:36

go out and see what your students are being taught.

27:39

If you visit the school, you will know what's happening.

27:44

Help the teachers in any way you can.

27:48

Always be available when they call you,

27:51

and do the things that you can to help your child.

27:55

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[Geneva M. Devane] I had some ups and I had some downs,

27:59

but I always put God first and I came out on top.

28:03

If my children was out here watching me now,

28:08

I would tell them to try to be somebody,

28:12

and stop running up and down the road grinning,

28:16

and making a, I want to say what,

28:19

and making a fool out of themselves,

28:22

and let them always say, I'm going to be somebody.

28:25

I'll try.

28:30

And if you try you will never be a failure.

28:31

Johnsie Lowe

And during those days

28:37

we had to buy a lot of our materials

28:39

to use with the children,

28:42

and most of our work was put on the blackboard.

28:44

And the children were very cooperative.

28:48

We didn't have a lot of discipline problems

28:51

during those days.

28:53

We did not have any teachers to aid you at that time.

28:55

And sometime you had as many as 40 students.

29:00

The material was very limited.

29:04

And we used a lot of old books that came from White schools

29:06

after they had used them for a number of years,

29:11

and they got new publications and we received their books.

29:14

And also some of the desks that were used

29:19

were from the White schools also.

29:22

And I would say that the parents were very cooperative.

29:26

They came to the PTO meetings,

29:30

and we had many children to go on and get scholarships.

29:33

But when we went to the White schools,

29:38

and witnessed there so many different students,

29:42

and there the children did not have

29:45

as much specialties as they did at the Black schools.

29:49

And for that reason,

29:53

many of them did not receive as many scholarships

29:54

as they did during those days.

29:58

-

[Lucille Newkirk Davis/ Deceased] And later years

30:00

I came to New Hanover County

30:02

and I worked here.

30:04

And during my stay here,

30:06

I see 'em come and go

30:09

in integration.

30:13

We used to have secondhand books,

30:16

and the books would come down.

30:20

But after integration we got new books,

30:22

children had new material.

30:24

You know, at one time we used had to rent our books.

30:26

These people been,

30:28

yes, of course you'd rent the books.

30:30

But later years they would give the kind of give books,

30:33

but you'd have to any damage,

30:36

we just pay for the damage.

30:37

And the books,

30:39

books we would get after the White children

30:40

get through with 'em,

30:41

they send to the Black schools.

30:42

And if you tear one or two pages,

30:45

you pay the damage fee and then they pass 'em on

30:46

the next grade there.

30:48

My message to the former students,

30:50

I hope I created something in them

30:52

that's been carried through life.

30:56

Honesty,

30:58

and manners,

31:01

and Christian life, too.

31:04

I think the closeness, if we get closer together,

31:11

I think we're better.

31:14

The parents and their children

31:16

and teachers need to get closer.

31:17

That's one thing I feel now.

31:18

That closeness means a whole lot, too.

31:21

Ethel Bernard

So this happened the year they built

31:24

the Rosenwald Schools,

31:27

and it was a two teacher school.

31:30

That was the first year I think they had

31:34

two teacher schools in New Hanover county.

31:36

And of course the old lady,

31:40

I mean the lady with experience was a principal,

31:42

and I was the assistant.

31:46

And of course the children were,

31:48

they were humble but

31:52

not prepared for life.

31:56

And I don't know, I thought it got along nicely.

31:58

But in the end I think maybe

32:02

I was just out of school, you see.

32:05

And I didn't have to ask too many questions

32:09

with integrated people.

32:11

So I don't know whether that's why.

32:14

So however, she didn't hear too much from the young kids.

32:15

-

[Esther Mallette Thomas] Our most memorable experience

32:22

about working in the Black school,

32:25

which was Gregory Elementary School,

32:30

was I had to do with, with me,

32:32

with myself in terms of what I had to

32:36

offer to the community.

32:40

There was togetherness,

32:43

working with Black teachers.

32:47

There was a sense of need

32:50

from the community.

32:55

Not only did they need you,

32:56

they wanted your help,

32:57

and when you need something and want it,

33:00

and that gives you the

33:04

inspiration to go that extra mile.

33:07

And I did that often, keeping children after school,

33:10

not so much as punishment,

33:15

but to help them given that one-on-one that they,

33:17

that they needed.

33:23

-

[Edward W. "Buddy" Hatcher] I'm a product

33:24

of the New Hanover County School system,

33:27

having graduated from Williston Industrial High School

33:31

in the year of 1944.

33:35

I was fortunate enough to be named principal

33:40

at William H Blunt School,

33:44

to serve out the term of one of our noted educators,

33:46

Mr. Fred Williams, who passed.

33:51

I stayed at Blunt for two years, returned to Williston,

33:53

which was then changed to Gregory Elementary School.

33:59

And I remained at Gregory Elementary School

34:05

for a period of 20 years as principal.

34:08

I was able to work in the

34:15

segregated school system of New Hanover County

34:19

for approximately 16 years.

34:22

And the majority of that was in the area of teaching,

34:25

and as assistant principal.

34:29

Robert J. Floyd

I came to Williston Band

34:34

as a former band student,

34:39

having gotten out of school,

34:43

and instrumental music,

34:46

and looking for a place to start

34:51

as the director of bands,

34:56

I was approached by the former principal,

35:02

FJ Rogers,

35:06

the late FJ Rogers who

35:10

was looking for me or looking for a director

35:14

and was sent to me.

35:17

And after some talk interviewing,

35:22

he accepted my application through the Board of Education.

35:27

And there I became

35:33

the band director for a band that I used to be

35:36

a former student there.

35:40

So we started with what we had,

35:43

and we began to develop

35:48

a personality of our own,

35:51

with the cooperation, in some instances,

35:57

of the former students.

36:00

They were able to enlarge the band,

36:03

get uniforms for it,

36:08

because at that time they were known as a ragged group.

36:09

And after many attempts to raise funds for uniforms,

36:16

and to get needed instruments,

36:22

the band began to develop.

36:27

my ambition was to try to make it

36:31

as good as I possibly could.

36:35

Even at some point, the students didn't like my methods.

36:38

I was known as a old meanie.

36:43

Through time and hard work,

36:46

and in some cases the begging the school board for funds,

36:50

we were able to get to a point that I thought was,

36:57

I could be proud of 'em.

37:03

And the community itself began to feel proud of the group.

37:06

The band students began to feel

37:15

that they were accomplishing something,

37:17

and we worked at being the best band we could be.

37:22

-

[Faldenia Hankins] My first experience

37:26

in New Hanover County was sub,

37:28

and I subbed in all of our schools in New Hanover County,

37:29

before I was asked to open the first train

37:31

of a mentally retarded class in New Hanover County.

37:34

That class was made up of 10 children.

37:37

Six of 'em had been to school before,

37:40

came out of classes.

37:43

And the other four, they picked up in the community.

37:44

They had never been to school before.

37:47

I had one little boy that was 10 years old

37:49

and had never been to school.

37:51

And my first day at school,

37:53

when I went in there that morning,

37:55

the first thing I saw was a long table for 10 chairs,

37:56

the teacher's desk,

38:02

and one potholder loom,

38:03

and two big bags of potholder string.

38:06

And that's what I had to teach with.

38:09

So I had to just make my own school.

38:12

Melvin Thompson

I taught at Peabody School.

38:14

I came in from Luray, Virginia,

38:16

which was very happy to come back home.

38:18

And my experience was to work with the children in Peabody

38:20

and the school that I went to

38:23

when I was in elementary school.

38:24

And the children always thought of me as a fun teacher,

38:26

because I always taught them to enjoy themselves

38:29

as I enjoyed myself,

38:32

and as I taught I also could look at the children

38:33

and I find they like certain things.

38:36

I would change my way and method of doing things

38:38

and did things that they would like to do

38:41

for a little while.

38:42

And then I'd get back on the lessons.

38:43

I really enjoyed my years at Peabody,

38:45

because of the fact that it was a school

38:47

which most of the children was small age in fourth grade,

38:49

and I thought didn't relate,

38:53

but they did relate,

38:54

and most of 'em tend to like me

38:55

because of my personality and their personality.

38:57

And I always had fun with children

39:00

and worked with them closely.

39:02

And I hope that all the years I've been teaching

39:03

through the New Hanover County system,

39:06

I taught the ninth grade.

39:08

And I found that most children like me

39:10

because of my attitude,

39:13

and because I taught them to be positive.

39:14

And I always look at the children

39:17

just as I looked at myself when I was a child,

39:18

I know that children will react,

39:20

might make mistakes and whatnot,

39:23

and I always relate to that,

39:25

and they always like me

39:27

because I always intend to never say that a child is wrong.

39:28

But I try to correct them and try to show 'em

39:31

there's nothing wrong with being wrong.

39:33

But I like teaching and I've really enjoyed these 32 years

39:35

I've been here in Wilmington.

39:40

Claude Blair

My name's Claude Blair

39:42

and I started teaching

39:43

in this business in 1960 at Williston Junior High School.

39:45

And from the very first day,

39:50

when you walk into the classroom,

39:54

and the next 180 days,

39:56

you know that you have something like 30,

39:59

and back in those days,

40:02

probably 35, 40 different personalities.

40:03

And you're going to have to treat

40:06

each one of those personalities,

40:07

you're gonna have to work with each one, one-on-one.

40:09

And back in those days,

40:12

I believe the expression one-on-one was probably unheard of.

40:13

But I knew even then that I had to work with each one,

40:17

and make each one feel they want to go to school.

40:21

And of course I lost some, some still dropped out.

40:25

Back in those days, and I guess even now,

40:27

there was something attractive

40:30

about dropping out and getting a $15 a week job.

40:31

And I think in many times

40:35

it was probably the teacher's fault.

40:38

Not always, but probably the teacher's fault many times,

40:40

because the teacher was not meeting that child's need,

40:43

and the child was saying, oh, what the heck, what's the use?

40:48

I'm beating my head against a stone wall,

40:51

and I making straight E's.

40:53

And so why not drop and get me a job?

40:55

So I think many times the teacher

40:58

has to take that extra step, go that extra mile,

41:00

and too often we don't do that.

41:04

But I like to think I did.

41:07

And of course I have plenty of 'em that have gone on

41:09

to become quite successful.

41:12

Plenty of doctors, plenty of lawyers,

41:14

and I guess I have some represented in every profession.

41:16

But again, I lost some,

41:19

and I guess maybe you can't win 'em all.

41:21

But I'm proud and I stick my chest out

41:23

when I see those that have been quite successful

41:27

and wish that I could have gotten more.

41:30

Sara M. Ashe

I taught at Gregory School

41:34

during the school year of 34-35.

41:38

I went back to school and when I finished,

41:43

I went to Peabody School, there I taught for 30 years.

41:46

I was before we had libraries in the school,

41:52

librarians in the schools, I acted as the school librarian.

41:57

And the last 11 years,

42:03

I was the librarian of Peabody School.

42:06

I had to go beyond the call of duty.

42:11

We did home visits and we would find some cases

42:14

where children really needed help.

42:20

We gave them all the assistance that we could.

42:23

We visited, what we found,

42:27

we would report and then we would take it from there

42:30

and help as much as possible.

42:35

-

[Louise Smothers Craven] And during that time

42:38

there were some children

42:39

you had to pull and some children you had to push.

42:41

But now you see them,

42:44

they're going on and they're doing well.

42:46

They're working in various states.

42:48

I look at them here, I have heard two beautiful,

42:51

they're doing beautiful jobs around the city

42:53

and around other places.

42:56

So I can say that I achieved something.

42:58

I taught French for a long time

43:01

and could see those children progress,

43:03

start with one word or two words and then they moved on

43:05

into sentencing and whatnot.

43:08

It was almost like the first grade,

43:09

but it was quite enjoyable.

43:11

-

[Marvis Waddell McCrimmon] There was a strong sense

43:13

of camaraderie,

43:14

professionalism and lots of caring

43:15

among colleagues and parents.

43:18

We knew that we had to establish high standards

43:20

for our Black students,

43:24

and give them the best education that we had to offer.

43:25

We were repetitive in reminding ourselves and the students

43:28

that we had to work harder than the majority race

43:32

in order to be the best that we could be.

43:35

As a result of our having done that,

43:38

we've had Black students

43:41

to reach high peaks in their careers, in their lives.

43:44

Black teachers have always been concerned

43:48

about educating all children, not just a chosen few.

43:52

We find that in our community

43:57

a bit of this or a portion of this

44:00

is beginning to sort of diminish.

44:02

Our Black children are now being set aside,

44:05

ostracized, and not being taught.

44:08

I do believe that this has happened because

44:12

of some forms or some portions of integration.

44:15

Therefore I believe strongly as a Black teacher,

44:20

I find that all children can be educated.

44:25

I strive to do this on a day-to-day basis,

44:31

and I hope each of my other colleagues will do the same.

44:35

-

[Beatrice Joyner Waddell] Once I left Shaw University,

44:39

I ventured to Fairmont, North Carolina,

44:41

and then to Eatonton, Georgia.

44:44

From there I came back

44:46

to wonderful Wilmington, North Carolina.

44:48

I then journeyed to

44:51

Gregory Elementary School,

44:55

Mary Washington Howell,

44:57

and Riceburg Elementary School,

44:59

where I met so many nice parents, girls and boys.

45:02

I tried to be a role model to my children,

45:07

such as some of my teachers had been to me,

45:10

such as Mrs. Fanny White, Mrs. Anna King, who has passed.

45:13

And Ms. Lofton and Ms. Ellis Williams and many more.

45:19

Some days we did nothing but just sit and had good talks,

45:25

as what to do to be good students

45:29

and how to take care of our school.

45:32

We talked about not running up and down the hall,

45:34

about not throwing paper on the campus,

45:37

talking quietly in the lunchroom and many more nice things.

45:39

And of course it just did me good to see how some of them

45:45

really followed the things that we did.

45:48

I gave them stars for being good pupils.

45:50

And now sometimes when I go in the street

45:53

and the stores and to the mall,

45:55

I see some of the pupils that I taught,

45:58

and of course they just make me feel so good

46:01

to see that they have grown up into worthwhile adults.

46:04

They are now good citizens and doing well.

46:08

And it just made my heart feel so good

46:12

to see that I have touched some of them.

46:14

Lela Thompson

I worked during the segregated years

46:17

at Mary Washington High School

46:20

and also at Williston.

46:22

I'm now approaching my 25th year of teaching,

46:28

and I just would like to recall

46:33

some of the things that I've tried to help students with.

46:36

First of all, I would like to welcome the friends and family

46:42

who have come to try to pay a special tribute

46:44

to the educators.

46:47

And I'm proud to be a part of that distinguished group,

46:49

because we as educators, I'm sure,

46:52

have tried to help children to learn

46:55

and to survive in today's world.

46:59

Through the years I have tried to help

47:03

build up their self-esteem,

47:05

and try to help them learn

47:08

what they're gonna have to cope with in the world.

47:10

-

[Juanita Wheeler Cliette Smith Williams] I taught

47:14

at Peabody School

47:16

for 15 years.

47:18

I remember very well one year

47:20

I had one class for two years,

47:24

first and second grade.

47:27

This class I was very proud of,

47:30

because they made a TV production,

47:32

which was recorded at Hemingway Hall,

47:36

and was televised

47:40

on the education TV channels in Wilmington.

47:41

These little children were very lovable,

47:47

and they grew up to be very smart children.

47:50

Most of them are now in professions.

47:55

-

[Mamie B. Williams] I was a teacher

48:00

at William H Blunt School

48:02

for the first 12 years of my career

48:04

before they integrated.

48:07

I am pleased and delighted

48:09

to be a part of this commemorative celebration

48:13

in honor of the teachers who taught so long, hard,

48:17

and diligently, in the Black schools of New Hanover County.

48:22

Teaching was the most rewarding and the most challenging

48:26

of all the occupations that I've ever undertaken,

48:31

because it gave me a chance to be a part

48:35

in the molding process in the lives of many boys and girls,

48:39

during the 33 years of my service.

48:44

I love teaching, and even though I retired,

48:47

I still do all I can to help some boy or girl

48:51

to make their way in this life of ours.

48:56

May the Lord bless each and every one of you,

49:00

and keep this in your mind,

49:03

and this is to all the students

49:05

that I have taught wherever you may be,

49:06

whether you are old now,

49:09

young or in your middle age,

49:11

let the Lord direct your path,

49:14

and let Him bless you continuously from day to day.

49:16

Thank you.

49:20

Rosella Bellamy

I've taught 31 years

49:22

in the public elementary schools,

49:24

20 years as a first grade teacher,

49:27

11 years as a second grade teacher.

49:30

My aim was to build a solid and firm foundation.

49:33

Making learning is so attractive

49:40

that all children would want to learn.

49:42

Out of those 31 years,

49:46

I have worked 17 years

49:49

in an all-Black school,

49:53

14 years in an integrated school.

49:57

I'm glad I got that experience.

50:01

It was a learning thing for me.

50:03

I've learned so much that I can't really express it all,

50:05

but it did help me to be able

50:09

to make a good comparison and an evaluation.

50:12

I would be very specific if I had the time,

50:18

but since the time is short, I cannot elaborate.

50:22

I want to say to all of the pupils that I have taught,

50:26

and especially those that I have met

50:31

since I have taught them,

50:33

I'm proud of the progress you have made.

50:35

Some of them have turned out to be doctors, teachers,

50:38

lawyers,

50:42

preachers,

50:45

and just numerous nice things in the walk of life.

50:46

And I'm so glad that I have done something

50:50

to make your lives much better.

50:52

James Thompson

I was working in the office,

50:56

Professor Rogers was principal there,

50:59

and working in the office,

51:01

and I worked up to becoming

51:04

the music director for the Glee Club.

51:07

We organized the Glee Club,

51:13

and the Glee club became quite outstanding,

51:14

although they were not musical at that time,

51:18

there was no specialty in music at that particular time.

51:20

But we made it a specialty because we made a choir

51:24

that traveled all over the country,

51:27

and besides traveling all over the country,

51:29

they had coast to coast radio broadcasts

51:31

similar to college choirs at that particular time.

51:35

And that was a rarity for high school choirs.

51:39

But anyway, they became quite famous,

51:41

and we tried to put Wilmington

51:45

and Williston High on the map.

51:46

So I'm still in the music field.

51:49

I do feel that my beginning though

51:52

was at Williston High School.

51:54

It wasn't Williston Senior High then,

51:57

it was only just Williston High.

51:58

And I do feel that that was quite beneficial to me,

52:01

and started me in a great way onto my music career,

52:05

that I've been able to do from years to years.

52:09

Now, I've been told that I've been called a legend,

52:15

because of the work that I did, I'm sure,

52:19

but it makes you feel good to know

52:22

that the work that you've done is actually recognized

52:27

to the extent, whereby they refer back to you

52:31

for so many years gone by,

52:35

and that it has helped maybe

52:38

the school, Williston High,

52:41

which was Williston Senior High for so many years.

52:44

Because by putting Williston on the map,

52:48

we put Wilmington on the map.

52:50

And by putting Wilmington on the map,

52:52

you put the Black community on the map,

52:54

and during that particular time, as you know,

52:58

it was segregated schools.

53:00

And of course we would make many programs

53:02

that for the White schools and the White organizations

53:07

within the city.

53:12

And of course that to me that would bring together

53:13

the Blacks and the Whites in some manner,

53:17

musically especially.

53:21

-

[Williemae Graham] I taught at Gregory Elementary School,

53:24

from '63

53:30

to '71.

53:34

There, I hope that the boys and girls achieved something.

53:39

I started with the lower group, the first grade,

53:47

those that had been retained several years,

53:52

and I worked with them,

53:57

and it was a very hard task

53:59

to keep even their shoes on them.

54:02

But I hope they gained something from my working with them.

54:06

-

[Mary Quick Moore] One of the things I remember most was

54:12

my first year of teaching very hard, discipline.

54:14

I was hired as a first grade teacher,

54:18

but when I got there I was given a fourth grade

54:20

with 23 boys and 14 girls.

54:23

I cried many nights, came home every weekend,

54:26

then I decided that I had to be stronger.

54:30

I was gonna give it up.

54:35

I didn't, I said to myself,

54:36

I'm going to fight this battle.

54:39

And I stayed.

54:41

-

[Katie Hooper Foreman] Do you think

54:43

that integration has happened?

54:44

-

[Lorena Breeze McBroom] Well,

54:47

it gave us a chance to learn about other races,

54:47

to work with other races, to understand them.

54:51

And I think they had a chance to understand us.

54:54

But I do think it hurt us in that

54:56

we all started our schools.

55:00

Where I'm from, they closed the school,

55:02

closed our school.

55:04

It was only six years old,

55:06

and now it looks as if they don't have

55:08

too much school spirit, in general.

55:10

And we don't have parents working in PTAs

55:14

like we used to.

55:17

-

[Katie Hooper Foreman] Dedication was

55:21

one of the main things I think

55:23

they expected us to have,

55:26

and it seems as though the teachers at that time

55:31

were dedicated at things that aren't really these days.

55:36

-

[Mamie Brown Harris] When I think of the schools now,

55:41

and I wonder and the question might be asked,

55:46

what was your role in the school system?

55:50

During the time that I taught,

55:54

I thought of my role as a counselor,

55:58

a nurse,

56:04

a teacher,

56:07

a guardian,

56:09

and any other role

56:11

that came to pass.

56:14

We tried to fill that role.

56:17

Today,

56:21

we have our children in an integrated situation.

56:23

It's hard to say yes or no,

56:30

if the question should be asked.

56:33

I would say it has helped in many ways.

56:37

Our children must live in an integrated society,

56:42

therefore they should be integrated in the lower grades,

56:47

so that they can become accustomed to living

56:52

and sharing together with their classmates.

56:57

-

[Eunice Neal Boykin] A spring morning, Dr. Hay Bellamy,

57:00

who was at that time secondary supervisor

57:03

for the student system,

57:07

came to my classroom along with our late principal,

57:08

our principal, late Mr. Washington,

57:13

and he said he had something he'd like to tell me

57:16

in front of my principal and class.

57:17

And of course I didn't know what to think.

57:20

I had no idea as to what he was going to say.

57:22

But he said,

57:26

"My wife is a Spanish teacher at Wilmington College."

57:27

And he said,

57:31

"Two of your students, one of whom is Ernest Fulbright,

57:33

excelled in Spanish over there.

57:38

And they were such good students,

57:42

she wanted me to know that.

57:44

And she said, please send us some more students like that."

57:46

Alice R. Hines

In the beginning, a class of students,

57:50

I always tried to have a very attractive room.

57:53

I always wanted something in the room

57:59

to appeal to each child,

58:01

something that was conducive to learning,

58:05

something that would bring the child entertainment

58:09

or a type of joy.

58:13

And at the same time it would be

58:15

accomplishing some type of education.

58:18

We worked together as a family.

58:22

We shared so many things together in the classroom,

58:26

but we had a lot of love, understanding and kindness.

58:31

And too, we had the support of our parents.

58:37

That made a great impression upon the class.

58:44

The parents added so much to the success of one's teaching.

58:49

-

[Jeanne Barksdale Keith] I taught history and English

58:54

and whatever else at Williston.

58:56

Some of you may remember me.

58:58

Memories in the corners of my mind,

59:01

bring back the days when we had pride in our schools,

59:07

bring back the days when we offered subjects

59:13

that students could use once they finished high school.

59:16

I'm thinking now about a young man who graduated,

59:20

and as he brought the bus to Washington DC. he said,

59:24

"I've got a diploma and I've got a trade."

59:28

These trades that we taught at Williston

59:32

enabled many of our young students

59:34

to go out into the world and make a living.

59:37

Today, the schools don't offer those trades,

59:40

and many of our young students

59:45

are not able to go above high school.

59:46

I think this contributes to the crime that we see,

59:49

particularly among our young Blacks.

59:53

At Williston, we had discipline,

59:57

and we disciplined you because we loved you.

1:00:00

Today, as I sub in high schools,

1:00:03

I don't find the discipline.

1:00:07

I don't find the caring and the sharing

1:00:09

that you should have in our schools.

1:00:12

-

[Elizabeth Green Holmes Saulter] One of the

1:00:15

most memorable events I think

1:00:16

was when my 9th grade students gave me a surprise party

1:00:18

at the end of the school year.

1:00:23

Things of course now are quite different.

1:00:26

I don't think our children are as close to their teachers

1:00:29

as they used to be.

1:00:33

I don't think that the children that I,

1:00:35

and I'm working in a tutorial program,

1:00:38

in which I'm coming in contact with children

1:00:40

that are in school at the present time,

1:00:43

and they lack so many things

1:00:45

that our children at that time did not lack,

1:00:47

such as manners, coming in saying good morning,

1:00:50

and being respectful to older people and to each other.

1:00:53

They are lacking that

1:00:58

in almost every instance that I can think of,

1:01:00

as they come into the hour to the tutorial program,

1:01:04

nobody says, it's always a yes or a no

1:01:08

and I guess we just aren't used to that,

1:01:13

no Ms. so-and-so or yes Ms. so-and-so.

1:01:16

And that's one of the things that I'm quite concerned about

1:01:21

as far as our children concerned,

1:01:23

the fact that they, even if they learn the ABCs,

1:01:26

they need to learn some of the other things

1:01:29

that go along with it, if they're going to make it in life.

1:01:31

-

[Coach E.A. Corbin] On a Friday night,

1:01:34

I think it was '54, '55 or '56,

1:01:37

somewhere in that area,

1:01:40

New Hanover won the championship on the Friday night,

1:01:42

state champs for the White schools,

1:01:46

and Williston won the state championship

1:01:48

on the Saturday night for the Black schools.

1:01:51

That was one of the key incidents I recall.

1:01:53

We won several champs right along,

1:01:58

state as well as conference titles,

1:02:00

and we were the baseball champions three different times.

1:02:03

And we had an excellent group of athletes,

1:02:07

and there were some academically.

1:02:09

If the two schools had been combined,

1:02:13

there's no telling how far that the team could've gone.

1:02:15

Now I find that a lot of the students are

1:02:19

spending too much time in athletics

1:02:23

and not enough time in academics.

1:02:25

That's why so many of our youngsters are failing.

1:02:27

They want to bounce a basketball every time you see them

1:02:31

or go some other place out there,

1:02:33

but they don't want to spend any time in the libraries

1:02:35

or in their studies.

1:02:37

And I think that's been a downfall for our kids

1:02:40

in the last few years or so.

1:02:43

Incidentally,

1:02:49

the transition from one school to another

1:02:51

I think has helped our kids.

1:02:56

They see a new, another culture,

1:02:59

and the youngsters that they associate with see our culture.

1:03:02

So it's worthwhile for both groups that we integrated.

1:03:06

Lydia Howie

I saw my role first is that of a teacher,

1:03:09

which was my reason for being there.

1:03:12

I tried

1:03:16

to also be a friend to students,

1:03:19

and to serve as a motivator,

1:03:24

a friend when they needed somebody to talk with,

1:03:26

and to motivate them in any way that I could,

1:03:30

to be successful in my subject area, which was biology.

1:03:34

We took into consideration the individual differences,

1:03:39

realizing that every student does not achieve

1:03:43

at the same rate or the same time.

1:03:46

But also believing that every person,

1:03:51

every student could and should realize

1:03:54

some success in the classroom.

1:03:57

Certainly we could not live productive lives

1:04:00

in an integrated society

1:04:04

if we were not exposed to integrated educational situations.

1:04:05

But I also feel that we have lost a lot,

1:04:13

primarily in, certainly students in leadership roles.

1:04:20

There are few opportunities for students

1:04:27

to perform as leaders and to get that background

1:04:30

that they need to function well in the productive society.

1:04:33

Parents have also been affected,

1:04:40

because there is the lack of parental involvement

1:04:43

that we had in the segregated schools.

1:04:47

There are other areas,

1:04:54

but I think those are the primary ones.

1:04:55

Needless to say,

1:04:58

overall the emphasis has shifted

1:04:59

from being the best student that you can be,

1:05:01

to some other concerns.

1:05:06

-

[Gertrude Lomax Evans] And my thinking it one night,

1:05:09

something came to me, he said,

1:05:12

"Oh, you know, you remember you read something about

1:05:14

persons sometimes make noise is because they want attention,

1:05:16

or they feel a a sense of low esteem,

1:05:22

of self worth, maybe that's it."

1:05:26

I said, "Oh, perhaps that's it."

1:05:28

So I planned to give those students

1:05:31

something responsible to do, a job.

1:05:34

I began to assign, make assignments

1:05:37

that were very important to them,

1:05:41

and occasionally sent them on errands.

1:05:45

I noticed that the attitudes changed,

1:05:50

they became interested and they were helpful

1:05:52

of students in the class.

1:05:55

Very pleasant.

1:05:58

And actually later on in years,

1:05:59

those students became achievers,

1:06:01

honor roll students and winners of many competitive events.

1:06:07

I said, that's the answer, finding out what the child needs,

1:06:13

learning the child, and then you can teach that child.

1:06:18

So often maybe we are specializing our teaching

1:06:23

in certain fields that we forget

1:06:26

that we're not teaching only subject matter.

1:06:29

We are teaching children who have different attitudes,

1:06:31

different backgrounds, different interests.

1:06:35

So we learn the individual and teach the whole individual.

1:06:39

-

[Mildred Story Washington] I think textbook learning

1:06:45

is good,

1:06:48

but there are many other values in life

1:06:50

that young people need to be instilled in them,

1:06:53

or to have instilled in them,

1:06:59

respect for authority, respect for property,

1:07:02

respect for other people's property,

1:07:08

preparation when you come to a job.

1:07:11

I kept before them,

1:07:16

that courtesy is the oil

1:07:21

which prevents friction in our society.

1:07:24

And to be good people in society,

1:07:28

they needed to take a very serious view of their education.

1:07:32

With this in mind,

1:07:39

I reminded them that school is a business,

1:07:40

for both of us,

1:07:44

and my business is teaching and your business is learning.

1:07:47

And I think they understood that.

1:07:53

-

[Fannie Penolope White] Well, to me,

1:07:55

my most memorable experience was

1:07:57

what I felt and still feel that I did for children,

1:08:01

the slow learners.

1:08:06

I was given a class in the 9th grade,

1:08:08

and they were very, very slow.

1:08:13

But I closed the door and told them that

1:08:16

everybody wasn't born smart.

1:08:18

Neither was I, I'm one of them,

1:08:19

but talked along that line, I said,

1:08:21

"but the first thing, you have to behave yourselves,

1:08:22

and if you behave yourselves and do what you can,

1:08:26

I will be with you."

1:08:29

Well I'm proud of what many of them did.

1:08:31

And well, the faculty and principal

1:08:37

made me keep them the four years in high school

1:08:39

said I had spoiled them.

1:08:41

Hazel Mallette

It's unfortunate

1:08:43

that some of our children

1:08:44

go through school

1:08:46

and don't have any contact with the Black vision.

1:08:48

But you know, I have seen children,

1:08:53

Black children, prosper in spite of that,

1:08:55

because of their attitude and their parents' attitude,

1:08:59

and they were lucky enough

1:09:01

to get teachers that were interested.

1:09:02

All White teachers are not there.

1:09:04

You find that you still find old Jim Crow there,

1:09:07

or you did up until I retired.

1:09:11

You'll find it there.

1:09:13

But, it's a give and take situation.

1:09:15

And when I was sent to an integrated school,

1:09:18

I was lucky enough to get in a group.

1:09:22

The principal had paved the way.

1:09:25

He let them know what to expect,

1:09:27

and if you can't do this,

1:09:28

maybe better let me get you another job,

1:09:31

because these teachers are gonna be here,

1:09:33

and they are gonna be treated with respect.

1:09:35

So we didn't have any problems along that line.

1:09:37

-

[Georgia Bell Pierce] Well integration helped

1:09:41

in one way,

1:09:45

it was one of those things we had to do.

1:09:51

So we had to accept.

1:09:53

I saw them as my own children,

1:09:55

'cause I loved them and to work with children,

1:09:58

you get somewhere you've got to love them,

1:10:01

and you've got to,

1:10:03

you got to let them know that you were close to them.

1:10:06

And I felt this like they were my, anytime,

1:10:10

even after they would leave the classroom,

1:10:12

if I would see them.

1:10:15

I still say today, that is one of my children.

1:10:17

-

[Edna McNeil Harris] Well the most exciting thing

1:10:20

that happened during that period,

1:10:22

was attending a session

1:10:24

on problems of desegregation

1:10:28

in North Carolina, as sponsored by

1:10:31

the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

1:10:34

And that particular program,

1:10:39

three teachers from Williston were,

1:10:42

first of all,

1:10:47

recommended by the superintendent to attend the school.

1:10:48

The surprising thing about it is

1:10:52

that after we came back,

1:10:55

it never was mentioned by any person.

1:10:57

Nobody asked us to report what we found out,

1:10:59

nor what we could do about the situation in our school,

1:11:03

though the summer session itself was very, very interesting.

1:11:07

We did go deeply into motive, feelings,

1:11:13

of both White and Black students when they were integrated.

1:11:17

The subjects I taught for the most part

1:11:23

were general science, physical science, math, algebra.

1:11:28

I did find when schools were desegregated

1:11:35

a few different ideas or practices,

1:11:39

the things that we had always done

1:11:44

in the Black high schools,

1:11:47

that is on the teacher level,

1:11:49

were not done in the White high schools.

1:11:52

We had to keep records,

1:11:57

filling on the accumulative record folder,

1:11:58

and do a great deal of other paperwork

1:12:02

that was not required of the White schools

1:12:05

until desegregation.

1:12:10

They were quite upset about the fact

1:12:13

that the office staff no longer

1:12:17

did their recording of grades and so forth.

1:12:19

I really liked teaching most of the time I was working,

1:12:23

and most of the time I worked,

1:12:27

I was looking up at my students,

1:12:29

because most of them were taller than I.

1:12:32

However, in the first year of teaching,

1:12:35

along with the persons who had taught me,

1:12:38

a number of students decided to be my bodyguards

1:12:41

or persons who are going to see that nothing happened to me.

1:12:46

-

[Lucille Simon Williams] Be able to be up on my wall.

1:12:49

But I'm glad that the children are honoring

1:12:53

the former teachers at Williston,

1:12:56

and I appreciate your coming,

1:12:59

and I'll do the best I can

1:13:01

to give the information that I have,

1:13:02

that I can remember and those that I can't remember,

1:13:04

these younger ones will have to remind me.

1:13:09

I'm more than glad to have you come see me,

1:13:11

if it was to make me talk some more.

1:13:14

When Mr. Bergo came here from Jamaica in the West Indies,

1:13:18

there were only about

1:13:23

seven grades at Williston.

1:13:26

But he saw the need for Negroes

1:13:29

to have a high school in Wilmington, because

1:13:31

we did not have a public high school.

1:13:37

But Gregory Normal Institute,

1:13:40

under the AMA of the Congregational Church,

1:13:42

had a high school.

1:13:46

And when our children would reach the 7th or 8th grade,

1:13:48

they were transferred.

1:13:54

Those that were going on through to high school

1:13:55

transferred to Gregory Normal Institute.

1:13:57

But Mr. Bergo went around from house to house,

1:14:00

and would have his teachers go around every summer

1:14:03

and beg enough parents to send their children

1:14:06

back to Williston so that we would have an 8th grade,

1:14:08

and they would have to do the same thing that next year

1:14:12

to beg enough parents send the children back,

1:14:15

so they'd have a 9th grade,

1:14:17

until he finally had a 12th grade.

1:14:18

And so in 1923, Williston graduated its first

1:14:21

graduating class from the 12th grade.

1:14:25

William Boston,

1:14:30

Fannie Story,

1:14:32

Lula Gray, William Harry,

1:14:35

Louise Thomas and Nana Hope were the first graduates

1:14:38

of Williston Industrial School, it was called,

1:14:42

because it was originated as an industrial school.

1:14:45

This farm to the farm,

1:14:49

all that the old community hospital building was,

1:14:51

was a farm, and the boys,

1:14:54

as part of their high school training,

1:14:56

had to take farming, and work on that farm.

1:14:58

Numbers of parents didn't like it,

1:15:02

but Mr. Bergo saw to it that the boys worked on the farm,

1:15:04

and the girls, of course,

1:15:07

preserved and canned vegetables,

1:15:10

and all they were raised on the farm,

1:15:12

out there where the old

1:15:15

community hospital building was on 11th Street.

1:15:16

And that land that Williston was on

1:15:20

was given by the federal government for Negro education.

1:15:23

But in later years when they wanted to move

1:15:28

the old community hospital building

1:15:31

from 7th Street over to 11th Street,

1:15:33

Dr. Burns and Laurie Bell went to Washington

1:15:37

and got the charter changed

1:15:40

so that it would be for Negro education in general,

1:15:42

which made it possible for them to build

1:15:46

the new community hospital building on 11th Street,

1:15:48

on part of that land

1:15:52

that was first given for Negro education,

1:15:53

extended from Ann Street to Church,

1:15:56

and from 10th to 13th.

1:16:00

Now the new building for Williston,

1:16:05

we moved into that building

1:16:08

in '30-'31.

1:16:12

It was my first year of teaching.

1:16:14

And we were told when we went home for Christmas

1:16:15

to pack all our belongings up in boxes,

1:16:17

and leave it in the room

1:16:20

so that we wouldn't go back to the old building,

1:16:21

which became Williston Primary.

1:16:25

But we were going to the new building,

1:16:27

which was built at 10th and Ann,

1:16:29

and we received,

1:16:31

the county did not have money to build an auditorium,

1:16:34

but Dr. John W Davis,

1:16:38

who worked for the Rosenwald Foundation,

1:16:40

was able to get an appropriation from the Rosenwald Fund

1:16:43

to add to what the New Hanover County education had,

1:16:48

so that we would have an auditorium.

1:16:53

So that is how we got an auditorium for the new building.

1:16:55

And Dr. John W Davis was a Negro, a Wilmington man,

1:16:58

a Negro who worked with Rosenwald Foundation,

1:17:02

who was able to get enough money from the Rosenwald fund

1:17:06

to build an auditorium for the new school,

1:17:09

which we went into when we went back in 1931.

1:17:13

But that building burned May 6th, 1936,

1:17:19

burned.

1:17:25

And then children had to go to school in different churches

1:17:26

and commencement had to be held that year

1:17:30

at the Thalian Hall,

1:17:33

which was then called the Academy of Music,

1:17:35

which is now Thalian Hall.

1:17:38

The new building of Williston,

1:17:40

after the burning of the old school,

1:17:43

was built on the same plan,

1:17:46

with the same rooms and same auditorium and all

1:17:48

as the old building had been.

1:17:51

The Williston Junior High School

1:17:53

was the senior high school before they made,

1:17:55

used it for a junior high school,

1:18:02

the present junior high school was a senior high school.

1:18:05

Now in 1930,

1:18:10

when I came back to teach,

1:18:16

I had graduated in 1930 and came right back to teach

1:18:19

at Williston in 1930.

1:18:23

And at that time Mr. Fred Rogers was principal

1:18:27

of the senior high school, of Williston Senior High School.

1:18:31

And when they moved

1:18:36

out of that building,

1:18:41

it was

1:18:45

in May,

1:18:47

when the Supreme Court decision was passed in 1954,

1:18:50

they moved

1:18:56

into this what is now the junior high school building.

1:18:59

And we stayed there until,

1:19:07

in '68 when Williston was closed,

1:19:11

for integration, part of the children

1:19:14

went to New Hanover High School,

1:19:17

and the other part went to Hoggard High School.

1:19:19

And those were stormy years

1:19:23

because our children felt like they were in a foreign land.

1:19:25

Foreign strand, thrown away,

1:19:29

because that building had been,

1:19:31

that school had been closed,

1:19:33

and the other children felt like we didn't belong there,

1:19:35

because they had been taught that you didn't belong there.

1:19:37

And those were stormy years, very stormy years.

1:19:40

That was my last year to teach anyway,

1:19:44

because I was gonna retire.

1:19:46

I was gonna be 62 years old in that February

1:19:48

when I moved to Hoggard High School.

1:19:51

So I did my last year teaching at Hoggard.

1:19:53

And retired in 1969 from Hoggard High School.

1:19:57

Our students always,

1:20:03

colleges were glad to get Williston students,

1:20:05

and Dr. Leonard Robinson who was at that time

1:20:07

then a faculty at A&T college said,

1:20:11

You remember A&T used to give

1:20:14

a national examination,

1:20:15

and from that examination

1:20:17

they gave scholarships to A&T College,

1:20:19

and when they would be correcting the papers

1:20:22

from all over the country that had been sent there

1:20:24

from the A&T examination,

1:20:27

Dr. Robinson said when he would come

1:20:32

to a Williston student name, he said,

1:20:34

"You don't need to correct that paper.

1:20:36

You know that Negro is going to get a scholarship,

1:20:38

so there's no need to even correct his paper.

1:20:40

Just go on and give him a scholarship.

1:20:42

You don't even waste the time correcting his paper.

1:20:44

because you know if it came from Williston,

1:20:47

he's going to get a scholarship."

1:20:49

Which they did.

1:20:50

And I don't quite know now what has happened,

1:20:53

that our children are not receiving scholarships

1:20:57

to prestigious colleges anymore.

1:21:01

I read and all about some scholarships being given,

1:21:04

but our students are not getting them anymore,

1:21:09

and I don't know what has happened,

1:21:10

or something has happened that our children

1:21:12

are not getting scholarships like they used to get

1:21:14

to the prestigious colleges anymore.

1:21:19

Now what it is has happened, I don't know,

1:21:22

but something has happened.

1:21:24

I don't know whether the interest had been lost,

1:21:26

or whether they're not getting the motivation

1:21:29

they should have or what it is.

1:21:32

Mr. Rogers retired.

1:21:34

When Mr. Rogers retired as principal,

1:21:37

he became the principal

1:21:40

of the College, of New Hanover College,

1:21:43

because at that time they had separate colleges

1:21:48

for Negroes and Whites in the county,

1:21:52

and the Negro college,

1:21:56

Wilmington College, met over in the

1:22:00

building on 11th Street and Mr. Rogers

1:22:05

was the principal of that college,

1:22:07

after he retired as principal of Williston High School.

1:22:10

And after that he retired as principal,

1:22:15

as President of that branch of Wilmington College,

1:22:20

which met in the evening at Williston.

1:22:23

And Mr. Washington became principal

1:22:26

of Williston Senior High School.

1:22:29

He had been principal of Williston Primary,

1:22:31

but he became principal of Williston Senior High School,

1:22:34

I think it was in 1954.

1:22:37

In 1954, Mr. Washington became the principal

1:22:47

of Williston Senior High School,

1:22:50

and was the principal there until he retired in 1967 or 8,

1:22:52

when he retired as principal.

1:22:59

I found out after some years that they had nicknamed me LS,

1:23:01

because I was Lucy Simon,

1:23:08

the reason my initials were LS Williams,

1:23:10

and of course the Big Wheel.

1:23:12

So they called me,

1:23:16

not knowing that they were calling me that,

1:23:18

LS and the Big Wheel.

1:23:21

Sometimes you would go down the hall

1:23:24

and when you'd get way down the hall,

1:23:25

they'd yell out, Big Wheel, LS,

1:23:27

but they would be sure they'd be outta my reach

1:23:30

when they would say it.

1:23:32

Well,

1:23:36

I can't recount

1:23:37

any experience that I would call my worst experience.

1:23:41

My experiences were all, I would say, pleasant experiences.

1:23:44

I loved to teach,

1:23:50

and they pretended they liked to be taught by me.

1:23:52

If they didn't, they didn't let us know they didn't.

1:23:56

But I couldn't recount any worst experiences

1:23:59

that I had as a teacher.

1:24:02

My experiences were pleasant experiences.

1:24:04

I love to teach and I love to see my students do well.

1:24:07

No matter what field they went into,

1:24:12

or what they did for a living,

1:24:16

or for a livelihood.

1:24:18

I've been asked by one of my former students,

1:24:22

did I know that I was considered a legend in my own time?

1:24:27

I didn't know that until I retired.

1:24:30

One of my students, Tom Gerald,

1:24:33

wrote an article in his paper about me,

1:24:34

and he said I was a legend in my own time,

1:24:37

whatever that means.

1:24:40

If I were going to give a message to my former students,

1:24:43

I would tell them to be true to themselves.

1:24:48

Be true to yourself,

1:24:54

and love the work that you are in,

1:25:00

because if you don't love the work you are in,

1:25:03

you are not successful,

1:25:06

I don't care what it is.

1:25:07

You have to love it to be successful in it.

1:25:09

And my message would be love whatever you are doing,

1:25:14

and do the best you can

1:25:18

every day that you can.

1:25:21

-

[Jeffrie Williams Swain] Integration to my mind,

1:25:25

in some cases it hurt the children and some it helped them,

1:25:28

because there were a lot of dedicated White teachers too,

1:25:34

just like there were a lot of dedicated Black teachers

1:25:37

who were concerned about the interests and the needs

1:25:41

and abilities of the children.

1:25:43

And I find that I worked on a floor with White teachers,

1:25:46

who were very dedicated.

1:25:50

They stayed there and got the work out the next day,

1:25:52

and then there were Black teachers that did the same,

1:25:56

and then there were some who were just waiting

1:25:58

for the bell to ring,

1:26:01

so they could get their books and get out of the building.

1:26:03

But I couldn't do that.

1:26:07

It didn't allow me enough time,

1:26:09

so the janitor told me one day,

1:26:11

I'm gonna lock you up in this place.

1:26:14

Ernest A. Swain

I taught in the public school system

1:26:19

for 35 years,

1:26:23

five years in Rutherford County,

1:26:25

and 30 years in New Hanover County.

1:26:29

The first 27 years of my experience

1:26:33

was at James B Douglas Schools.

1:26:38

All of this was before integration.

1:26:40

The last seven years was at William Booker School,

1:26:44

in a very integrated situation.

1:26:49

I don't really know how to begin

1:26:55

to talk about my experiences.

1:26:59

First of all,

1:27:02

you mentioned whether or not

1:27:05

I felt that integration was

1:27:09

a good thing or whether it was

1:27:13

a not too good thing.

1:27:18

I have mixed emotions about that.

1:27:21

Never openly thought about it.

1:27:24

There is no doubt that

1:27:27

we had many, many more opportunities

1:27:31

in an integrated situation.

1:27:37

We received many, many things

1:27:40

that we did not get

1:27:44

while we were in a segregated situation.

1:27:48

I have referenced now to supplies,

1:27:52

equipment.

1:27:57

I have reference to respect really,

1:27:59

that we got in an integrated situation

1:28:04

that we did not get in a segregated situation.

1:28:07

I believe that some good has come out of this.

1:28:15

I also think that there has been some disadvantage,

1:28:20

especially to our children

1:28:26

who needed the extra attention

1:28:29

that they were able to receive from teachers

1:28:33

in the segregated situation.

1:28:36

There were many, many ways in which

1:28:39

the Black teachers were able

1:28:44

to help Black children

1:28:47

then and were happy to do it,

1:28:51

to help them,

1:28:56

than they received in an integrated situation.

1:28:57

-

[Allene Thompson Drain] I've had

1:29:03

quite a number of memorable experiences.

1:29:04

I can remember

1:29:09

at Williston

1:29:12

during the civil rights movement,

1:29:15

a group of students walked out of Williston

1:29:19

to march down to City Hall

1:29:24

during the time of the assassination of Martin Luther King.

1:29:28

I felt compelled to walk with them.

1:29:35

They had pride and they gave me pride.

1:29:39

I can remember very well one of the White teachers

1:29:43

at the school at that time,

1:29:47

standing next to me and she said,

1:29:49

"Do you think they will mind if I walk with them?"

1:29:52

That was Jean Taylor.

1:29:56

I said, "I believe it might be a good idea

1:29:58

for you to walk with them."

1:30:03

And so she walked with us down to City Hall,

1:30:05

where we walked back in a group.

1:30:11

The whole thing was organized

1:30:15

by one of the teachers at Williston,

1:30:19

at that particular time.

1:30:22

I don't think I would take anything for the experiences

1:30:25

that I have had at teaching.

1:30:30

-

[Gladys Whiteman Baskerville] Well, I should think that I,

1:30:35

the first thing I think you need,

1:30:38

dedication, for anything that you do.

1:30:40

I think you need commitment for anything that you do.

1:30:44

I think you need to establish priorities.

1:30:49

When you establish priorities, you are building yourself.

1:30:52

You are building day by day.

1:30:57

Another thing I think,

1:31:01

you need to do something on matters.

1:31:04

Today, matters is almost a lost version,

1:31:07

and that I think we need to have.

1:31:12

And another thing I think,

1:31:16

let your word stand for something.

1:31:18

If you say you're going to do something, do it.

1:31:21

If you don't feel that you're going to do it,

1:31:23

then don't make any commitment.

1:31:26

But if you make a commitment, keep it.

1:31:27

To my children that are in the audience,

1:31:30

let me say first that I love every one of you,

1:31:32

and wherever I meet you on the street,

1:31:36

I may not remember your name,

1:31:39

but as soon as you give me your name,

1:31:41

I not only remember you,

1:31:44

but I can almost put you in the seat

1:31:45

that you occupied in my room,

1:31:48

and I always say have a goal to reach.

1:31:50

Benjamin May saying,

1:31:56

It's not a tragedy to,

1:32:00

it's not a tragedy.

1:32:03

"It's a tragedy not to have a goal,

1:32:06

but the tragedy lies in not having a goal."

1:32:12

So I would say, do you have a goal?

1:32:15

Have a dream.

1:32:18

Don't let it be a calamity.

1:32:19

It's a calamity not to have a dream,

1:32:21

but to have a dream unfulfilled is all right.

1:32:23

So I would say to you,

1:32:27

keep going forward and above all things,

1:32:28

keep your hands in God's and remember,

1:32:33

that He is with you at all times, anyplace, anywhere.

1:32:36

Lean on Him for support.

1:32:41

-

[Caronell Carter Chestnut] I was a fourth grade teacher

1:32:45

most of my teaching years.

1:32:47

I have taught fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh grade,

1:32:49

but my love was my fourth grade.

1:32:54

When I taught fourth grade students

1:32:57

that came to me from the primary grades,

1:32:59

from third grade,

1:33:02

and they left me to go into the grammar grades,

1:33:03

to the fifth grade,

1:33:05

and to see the developments that had taken place

1:33:07

during that year, were so rewarding to me as a teacher.

1:33:10

When I first started teaching,

1:33:16

it was a requirement that teachers had to visit

1:33:19

every student before the first part of school.

1:33:23

On one occasion, when I came to Wilmington to teach,

1:33:28

I came back home to teach Peabody.

1:33:33

I had to walk, we had no cars at that time,

1:33:36

to visit one of my peoples who lived

1:33:41

below the underpass that goes beyond the Boys Club.

1:33:44

The house was between that underpass

1:33:48

and Smith's Creek bridge.

1:33:51

After school we had to go over,

1:33:54

I had to go over and visit that child's home.

1:33:57

But it was very rewarding to do so,

1:34:01

because in visiting homes it made us more conscious

1:34:04

of the living conditions of pupils.

1:34:08

It made us become more compassionate with their conditions.

1:34:11

You know, children learned a lot

1:34:18

in schools with devotions.

1:34:22

They learned about God.

1:34:25

They learned about the Christmas story.

1:34:28

They learned the Easter story.

1:34:31

And it just hurts me now to find

1:34:33

that all of that has been taken out of the school system.

1:34:36

I don't understand how Congress could pass the law

1:34:40

that there'd be no prayer in schools anymore.

1:34:43

Because that is the basis on which our country was founded.

1:34:49

-

[Allie Henry Brewington] Integration has helped

1:34:54

and hurt our students, I would think.

1:34:58

It has helped in that

1:35:02

the students have gotten perhaps better facilities

1:35:06

in many instances, more materials to work with.

1:35:09

They have had more opportunities to

1:35:14

apply themselves in different directions.

1:35:19

And I say that because in the segregated situation

1:35:22

there were only a few situations

1:35:28

that they felt they had a chance to work.

1:35:30

In other instances it hurt them,

1:35:37

I would think, in that they had fewer,

1:35:41

and in some instances no role models.

1:35:45

There was not as much encouragement given to them.

1:35:48

They were actually thrown into a situation,

1:35:54

we might compare it with actually throwing them

1:35:57

into another world,

1:35:59

because they had lived in shall I say, a Black world,

1:36:01

and now they were just literally thrown into a White world,

1:36:05

and it was like going into a stranger's home

1:36:09

and not knowing how to react,

1:36:14

because our schools or Black schools were literally closed

1:36:18

so far as our high school students were concerned,

1:36:23

and they felt strange,

1:36:27

and had to actually learn to adapt in a new situation.

1:36:29

Some adapted very well,

1:36:34

others, in seeking recognition,

1:36:37

that's one of the basic needs of all students,

1:36:40

turned to perhaps simply making trouble,

1:36:44

and that got them off to a bad start.

1:36:48

But we have gradually started to turn that around.

1:36:51

Clara Pridgen

I hope.

1:36:57

I hope that I helped each child

1:36:58

to work to his or her potential,

1:37:02

and I hope that they will use everything they have now

1:37:06

to make a good woman or man.

1:37:11

The kids today don't take as much interest in,

1:37:15

the kids today don't take as much interest in their work,

1:37:21

I don't think, as they did before.

1:37:24

There are more things on the media

1:37:27

and in the streets to entice them.

1:37:30

I would think that

1:37:34

the role of taking such as prayer out of schools

1:37:39

and other things caused them

1:37:42

not to pay as much attention to their schoolwork

1:37:44

as they do, especially to the media.

1:37:47

-

[Eva Teachers Williams] Teaching at Gregory School

1:37:50

was my first experience.

1:37:51

During that time,

1:37:53

the many, many things that we did for the girls and boys

1:37:56

meant so much to me.

1:37:59

I will never forget the mornings that we started devotion.

1:38:02

Devotion was a vital part of the classroom.

1:38:06

It gave me a lift off of the day,

1:38:10

and it gave the girls and boys a lift off of the day.

1:38:13

I don't really realize

1:38:17

how today's children will survive

1:38:20

without prayer in the classroom.

1:38:24

Integration has meant very much to our Black children,

1:38:27

because they are shipped and set off on buses to learn.

1:38:32

Many of the teachers care less,

1:38:38

therefore they're not getting that background information

1:38:41

that we once taught.

1:38:45

-

[Willie Walter Hassell Sr.] I worked in this county

1:38:50

for 35 years.

1:38:51

Started out with Mr Howard, over at the junior high school,

1:38:52

worked there about 13 years,

1:38:56

then moved to the high school,

1:38:58

and worked another eight years, with Mr. Washington.

1:39:01

Then I was transferred to the Hoggard schools.

1:39:07

All together, I worked there about 39 years.

1:39:09

I enjoyed my work under Mr. Howard

1:39:13

and Mr. Washington very much.

1:39:15

They were good educators.

1:39:18

We had discipline and teaching in school,

1:39:19

that administration.

1:39:20

Lula R. Hassell

My most memorable years

1:39:26

was working at Gregory

1:39:30

Elementary School with teachers now that some has passed on,

1:39:33

and some retired and we still enjoy each other.

1:39:38

It was the relationship of a family,

1:39:43

which taught me many, many things

1:39:47

to live comfortable today.

1:39:52

We enjoyed each other.

1:39:56

If we didn't speak out in the street,

1:39:58

we spoke at Gregory School.

1:40:00

That was one good thing that Mr. McDonald always instilled,

1:40:02

that we are here to help the children,

1:40:06

and the children was the important part of us.

1:40:10

And we did that and we did it like family.

1:40:16

And up to today we love each other like sisters,

1:40:21

and brothers.

1:40:26

-

[Bertha Boykin Todd] The role of the teacher then,

1:40:28

my role as a media specialist,

1:40:32

was to provide the right climate of learning

1:40:35

for the many students, administrators, and teachers

1:40:40

in Williston Senior High School.

1:40:45

We more or less considered ourselves as having the,

1:40:47

preparing or finding the right book for the right child.

1:40:51

I have fond memories of AC King, an English teacher,

1:40:54

who worked every Christmas on "Christmas Around the World,"

1:40:59

and it was a joy to me to provide those books

1:41:03

for those students who enjoyed learning about

1:41:06

how Christmas was celebrated around the world.

1:41:10

And then I had another experience and joy

1:41:13

of working with William Lowe,

1:41:15

and of course Lowe worked with the government classes,

1:41:18

and he instilled into those students

1:41:22

the knowledge and awareness of constitutional rights.

1:41:26

And most of us remember that Joe McNeil

1:41:30

was one of Lowe's students.

1:41:33

He and I worked very closely together at that time,

1:41:35

providing topics, governmental topics,

1:41:39

and giving the students an awareness

1:41:42

of a political heritage.

1:41:45

I must add in at this time,

1:41:48

I was reprimanded several times

1:41:50

for ordering too many books

1:41:53

on the desegregation and integration topics.

1:41:55

Of course that didn't stymie us too much.

1:41:59

We continued to provide for our students

1:42:01

what we thought was best.

1:42:04

-

[Edward Mack Todd] I saw the role

1:42:07

on the junior and senior high school level at that time,

1:42:11

before integration, was to help those students develop

1:42:14

into some kind of manhood or ladyhood

1:42:18

that would carry 'em on through life.

1:42:22

As I said earlier, they have,

1:42:25

most of 'em have done well,

1:42:27

and they're continuing to do well,

1:42:29

and they have an opportunity,

1:42:32

and they have spread out throughout the nation,

1:42:33

and have done outstanding work.

1:42:36

The role of the schools in those days

1:42:40

was to help develop those students

1:42:41

into young ladies and young men,

1:42:44

and into citizens that this community would be proud of.

1:42:47

Many of 'em have done that.

1:42:51

There are some who have failed,

1:42:53

but there are others who have done outstanding work,

1:42:54

and they're outstanding leaders today.

1:42:58

Integration has helped to a great extent,

1:43:03

because it has provided an opportunity

1:43:07

for the students and minority students,

1:43:11

that was not there prior to integration.

1:43:13

On the other hand,

1:43:18

it has not done so well

1:43:18

because the role models in the schools have diminished,

1:43:20

there are many of 'em who are not there,

1:43:25

and the students even today need those role models,

1:43:27

even though they're not teaching or anything of that nature,

1:43:32

just a mere presence that they're there makes a difference,

1:43:36

because a student would certainly like to see

1:43:39

a minority in teaching

1:43:42

or on the administrative level within the school.

1:43:45

This helps to, with their self-esteem,

1:43:48

it helps them feel more sure of themselves.

1:43:52

The schools today are lacking that role model,

1:43:55

as I said earlier.

1:43:59

They're not there and students,

1:44:01

they're finishing school are going into other areas.

1:44:04

They're not going into teaching.

1:44:07

They're going into industry,

1:44:09

and going into other opportunities

1:44:11

which are greater for them, they think.

1:44:12

But education is one of the things that will,

1:44:16

will be there for them a long time.

1:44:19

Industry and what have you,

1:44:22

does not give you as many

1:44:25

securities as you would like to have.

1:44:29

If the economy goes down,

1:44:32

and people are laid off from jobs.

1:44:35

But one thing is for sure,

1:44:37

that if you get into teaching,

1:44:39

and if you do a good job,

1:44:41

you'll have an opportunity to have things done

1:44:43

you'd like to do,

1:44:47

things that would be beneficial to you,

1:44:48

things that would be beneficial to students,

1:44:51

things that would be beneficial to the community,

1:44:54

and throughout the world.

1:44:57

It has been a pleasure through my 34 years of working

1:44:59

in the public schools of New Hanover County,

1:45:03

serving as a teacher,

1:45:06

a physical educator and as administrator,

1:45:08

and I have enjoyed it,

1:45:11

and I hope that some lives that I've touched

1:45:13

have been beneficial and they have been successful.

1:45:16

Thank you.

1:45:20

Interviewer

Say my role.

1:45:21

-

[Katie Davis Goode] No, my role,

1:45:22

going back to 8th and Branch School was a custodian,

1:45:24

mama, doctor,

1:45:30

nurse, friend,

1:45:32

pal, partner, you name it, I was it.

1:45:35

Integration I think

1:45:39

helped and hurt our children.

1:45:42

In the first place,

1:45:46

our children lost the knowledge of their heritage,

1:45:47

the great things that Blacks have done

1:45:53

to help make this a better world, a better place to live.

1:45:56

It helped, you might not know,

1:46:00

but when we were back in the 8th and Branch area,

1:46:02

and in the East Wilmington area,

1:46:08

we didn't get any new books if the series didn't change,

1:46:11

but now they're exposed to them,

1:46:15

and then the only extracurricular activities

1:46:18

they had for the Blacks was carpentry,

1:46:22

brick mason, and now, typing was out.

1:46:24

So now they're exposed to all of the skills,

1:46:28

that has helped greatly I think.

1:46:30

-

[Gladys MacRae Brown] Let's see now,

1:46:35

when I think about the experience,

1:46:37

my most memorable experience I think

1:46:40

was entering Williston Industrial School as a novice teacher

1:46:42

under my former more experienced teachers.

1:46:48

I taught at Williston Industrial High School,

1:46:55

7th grade,

1:47:00

and I left for a period of time to,

1:47:02

get married and raise a family.

1:47:09

And I went back into teaching

1:47:11

during the '60-'61 school year,

1:47:13

at what was then the James B Dudley School

1:47:16

with Mr. Ernest Swain as principal.

1:47:19

I was at James B Dudley School until integration.

1:47:23

And then of course I was transferred by no choice of my own,

1:47:29

but by order of the Board of Education,

1:47:36

I was transferred to Riceburg School.

1:47:38

Now, as far as some of my experiences in teaching in the

1:47:42

segregated schools,

1:47:49

it certainly had its advantages,

1:47:52

because I was able to offer,

1:47:54

I guess what we might call compensatory education

1:47:57

to our minority children.

1:48:01

When the schools became integrated,

1:48:05

it seemed not to be feasible to offer

1:48:10

this type of education anymore.

1:48:13

When you could take a child home with you for the weekend,

1:48:16

take him to a movie,

1:48:21

give him a ride on a bus,

1:48:24

or take him out to dinner,

1:48:29

this was a rewarding experience for the child,

1:48:33

and some things the child just didn't forget.

1:48:37

Now through the years, I have

1:48:41

met some of my former students,

1:48:45

and notably, after being in an integrated situation

1:48:50

at Holliston School,

1:48:55

one of the best known of Williston graduates,

1:48:57

Meadowlark Lemon, came to do a demonstration for us,

1:49:02

and he said to the kids,

1:49:09

this was my 7th grade reading teacher,

1:49:11

and she did a good job.

1:49:15

-

[Carter Woodson Newsome] I had heard about the school

1:49:18

before going to Williston,

1:49:20

and found it to be pretty much

1:49:22

as it had been described to me,

1:49:24

a high school with a broad vocational program,

1:49:27

which was the area that I had

1:49:34

my certification in from Hampton.

1:49:36

Upon arriving at Williston,

1:49:40

I found that many of the students

1:49:41

who were assigned to my classes,

1:49:45

were not that knowledgeable of the areas that I taught.

1:49:49

For that reason,

1:49:55

I sort of geared my major emphasis early in the year

1:49:57

to creating an interest in the subject matter.

1:50:01

And perhaps one of my

1:50:07

most memorable moments came when I

1:50:10

recognized that the students were developing an interest.

1:50:14

And not only that,

1:50:17

but they were mastering the skills that I taught.

1:50:19

This was a rewarding experience.

1:50:24

Many of the students knew very little about

1:50:30

vocational opportunities beyond some of the mundane trades

1:50:33

that many of them, many of their parents had worked in.

1:50:39

My focus was to try to encourage them

1:50:44

to seek more of the higher paying trades,

1:50:47

and to become aware of the technological future

1:50:53

that they would certainly be involved in.

1:50:56

Therefore, I worked very diligently with the students,

1:51:01

and I was very pleased at the success rate

1:51:05

that my students achieved.

1:51:09

We were fortunate enough to win many, many state honors,

1:51:11

and we had six national winners

1:51:14

out of our electricity, electronics, and drafting classes.

1:51:18

I was very proud of that.

1:51:22

During the time that I taught at Williston,

1:51:24

I never had a discipline problem

1:51:26

that required students to be sent to the office,

1:51:29

but that's 20-some years of teaching

1:51:32

in a minority environment

1:51:33

without having to send students to the office.

1:51:36

I suppose that's a a miraculous kind of situation,

1:51:38

but it was because of the relationship that we had,

1:51:42

student to teacher and teacher to student.

1:51:46

I enjoyed it.

1:51:49

I liked each one of them.

1:51:50

They were friends, but they were students and they learned.

1:51:52

-

When I came into the system,

1:51:57

I was almost sure that I would get a job,

1:51:59

because Mr. Roland, who was the superintendent then,

1:52:02

came to an open house that we had at Peabody School

1:52:06

when I was in the fourth grade,

1:52:09

and I was the hostess for my class,

1:52:12

and I think I must have done a very good job.

1:52:15

And he told me as soon as I graduated from college

1:52:19

to come see him and that he would have a job for me.

1:52:23

Well, during the days of segregation,

1:52:29

I saw my role as teacher,

1:52:32

mother, friend.

1:52:35

Most of the parents at that particular time,

1:52:40

we had a communal feeling

1:52:44

that it was everybody's job to look after each other.

1:52:49

So therefore that's why I assumed those roles

1:52:53

and I think I did a pretty good job of it.

1:52:57

The next question that has been asked

1:53:01

over and over by the community,

1:53:04

has integration helped the school system?

1:53:05

And I think it's a catch-22 question.

1:53:10

It has helped in some regards and has not in others.

1:53:13

Now, the way it has helped so far as equipment,

1:53:18

because when you are sending equipment to schools,

1:53:23

you have to send all of that equipment,

1:53:26

so all students can use it.

1:53:29

When we were in an all segregated school,

1:53:32

our whole science budget was $150,

1:53:38

and over at New Hanover High School

1:53:41

they had one instrument that cost $150.

1:53:43

So in the vein of material things,

1:53:48

I think it has helped us.

1:53:52

In the terms of academic achievement,

1:53:54

I don't think it has helped us that much.

1:53:59

And it's not totally the school's fault,

1:54:02

it is also the parents' fault,

1:54:05

because some of our parents still think that White is right,

1:54:07

and they don't take the time

1:54:12

to come to investigate what their kids are doing.

1:54:14

They're in an integrated school and that's okay.

1:54:17

They don't take an active role,

1:54:20

and I think that's what

1:54:23

we need to do,

1:54:26

and that's how integration has not helped us,

1:54:27

because the parents have moved back from the scene.

1:54:30

They do not participate as much as they should,

1:54:34

and they don't seem to be as concerned as they should.

1:54:38

-

And during the fight for integration,

1:54:44

the students marched by themselves,

1:54:47

with very few adult sponsors.

1:54:50

In fact, I think many of the adult teachers

1:54:54

were afraid of losing their jobs,

1:54:59

and so they did not march with the students.

1:55:02

Before integration,

1:55:07

the school was the leader in the community.

1:55:09

I think that the schools sometimes played

1:55:13

a more important part than the church did,

1:55:17

because teachers taught the children

1:55:20

how to care of themselves.

1:55:26

They acted dignified,

1:55:28

they were honest and they tried to accomplish a great deal

1:55:32

during their school career.

1:55:36

-

[Louise Sharpless] In the segregation schools, we had PTA,

1:55:41

we had plays,

1:55:45

we had all kind of activities

1:55:47

to make the children interested in their work.

1:55:49

We correlated our work with music, art, physical ed,

1:55:52

library assignments and current events.

1:55:57

These things made the children very happy,

1:56:01

and made them take an interest in their work.

1:56:03

In today's school,

1:56:08

we do not discipline the children.

1:56:09

In the segregated school,

1:56:12

we could discipline the children and the parents cooperated.

1:56:13

Also in the segregated school, we worked overtime,

1:56:17

we didn't go by the bell,

1:56:21

when the bell rang, we left.

1:56:22

We stayed overtime and the children stayed too

1:56:24

to help make the work interesting.

1:56:27

When I was teaching, I had a child at heart.

1:56:31

I taught the whole child.

1:56:36

I thought about the child getting his worth,

1:56:38

staying in school and succeeding.

1:56:41

I also worked with the parents and the parents cooperated.

1:56:44

That made my job very easy and I enjoyed teaching.

1:56:48

-

[Edith Dunham Shaw] Teaching was my profession.

1:56:53

I taught 32 years

1:56:55

in segregated,

1:56:59

all 30 in Bladen, and two in New Hanover.

1:57:03

I loved teaching and doing my teaching career.

1:57:09

I helped kids to have self-esteem,

1:57:12

and I fed them, clothed them,

1:57:16

when they were not able to

1:57:18

take care of their needs themselves.

1:57:20

And all the years that I taught, I enjoyed it,

1:57:23

and our greatest three of 'em,

1:57:27

kids called me and tell me

1:57:29

that they're teaching in different schools

1:57:30

and they're in colleges

1:57:33

and they're dentists and doctors and whatever.

1:57:34

All of my years, I think were fruitful

1:57:39

and I enjoyed every one of them.

1:57:41

-

[Henrietta Allen Marshall] In 1960,

1:57:44

I got a job in New Hanover County,

1:57:46

and Mrs. Miller was the teacher there,

1:57:52

at William H Blunt School,

1:57:56

and my first year there,

1:57:59

she placed me in to the 7th grade room.

1:58:02

I was really an elementary teacher,

1:58:07

and those children were very large and everything,

1:58:11

but they were peers and they wanted to learn.

1:58:14

They wanted to get out of that class

1:58:19

and go on to the eighth grade by the end of the school year.

1:58:21

So naturally I worked along with them.

1:58:24

I'll never forget my first day in integration,

1:58:27

at the same school where you [Indistinct 01:58:32],

1:58:32

and I went into the classroom that morning,

1:58:35

well I was very excited

1:58:39

'cause I never worked in integration before,

1:58:40

and the parents were lining all around the room.

1:58:43

I think I saw about two Black parents for all of 'em.

1:58:48

The rest of them were White.

1:58:52

So the children started coming in

1:58:56

and I started smiling at them

1:58:57

and started talking with them and everything.

1:58:59

And then I started the morning off.

1:59:03

I said good morning to everybody.

1:59:07

And then I decided to have a prayer with them,

1:59:09

and I prayed with them,

1:59:13

and I prayed with the children and the parents in such a way

1:59:16

that I wanted the parents to help me,

1:59:20

along with the children.

1:59:22

Sometimes we don't have parents that want to help.

1:59:24

They want to stand back and talk about you,

1:59:27

but they don't want to come and help.

1:59:29

And it takes the parent and the teacher,

1:59:30

as well as the rest of the community

1:59:34

to try to help develop that child.

1:59:36

-

[Julia Newkirk Galbreith. Deceased] I came to teach

1:59:38

at Gregory School,

1:59:39

I taught in the building

1:59:41

that I finished Williston High School in.

1:59:43

we had devotions or whatnot in the hallways.

1:59:47

We didn't have a community building.

1:59:51

We taught there for several years.

1:59:55

They had built a building for the high school

2:00:01

at the corner of 10th and Ann.

2:00:05

During the time I was there at Gregory School,

2:00:09

they built another building in between

2:00:12

Gregory School and the high school.

2:00:15

And they call that the high school,

2:00:21

and they're using the other one as a junior high school.

2:00:24

At the Gregory School, we had a lunchroom,

2:00:29

with some of the best food imaginable.

2:00:32

We had a good cook, Mr. King,

2:00:35

and he was a good cook.

2:00:39

There with the teachers and Mr. McDonald,

2:00:44

I think it was a group of teachers,

2:00:48

most of us knew each other before we started working there.

2:00:50

So many of us had finished,

2:00:55

had finished Williston High School together.

2:00:57

We were working there together,

2:01:01

and had much fun together,

2:01:04

along with having taught the children.

2:01:07

During the time the held a meeting in the county,

2:01:10

and integrated the schools.

2:01:16

They put all Black and Whites together,

2:01:19

and mingled the teachers.

2:01:23

I then was moved to Lake Forest School for two years.

2:01:26

I was a fifth grade teacher.

2:01:31

After the two years I was put back to Gregory School.

2:01:34

We worked there until I retired.

2:01:39

The children were beautiful to work with

2:01:44

until we had the integrated group.

2:01:47

But I think what's lacking in the school system today

2:01:51

is parental guidance of the children.

2:01:55

Their parents need to do more

2:01:59

of seeing that their children

2:02:02

do what they should do in school.

2:02:05

Wilmington, NC Teachers' Video - 2, 1990-1995

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John Hope Franklin Research Center

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