1 00:00:04,712 --> 00:00:09,712 - The school was built in 1929, as a one room school and.. 2 00:00:15,410 --> 00:00:18,402 - I enjoyed the school more about being the community. 3 00:00:18,402 --> 00:00:21,384 So in that it for the school 4 00:00:21,384 --> 00:00:24,410 cause I learned more about it. 5 00:00:24,410 --> 00:00:27,925 Since I were coming back and be a member of that community. 6 00:00:27,925 --> 00:00:29,199 then I was in school. 7 00:00:29,199 --> 00:00:31,950 - (mumbles) because there was a lot of entertainment 8 00:00:31,950 --> 00:00:33,049 going on here. 9 00:00:33,049 --> 00:00:36,224 Where we didn't have other places to go, 10 00:00:36,224 --> 00:00:38,070 you know, to do this. 11 00:00:38,070 --> 00:00:41,854 - We can help somebody else that might need help, 12 00:00:41,854 --> 00:00:43,353 to become 13 00:00:43,353 --> 00:00:45,387 (mumbles) 14 00:00:45,387 --> 00:00:46,763 - And I thank God for that. 15 00:00:51,330 --> 00:00:52,890 - I had Ms. Merrit Gray. 16 00:00:52,890 --> 00:00:55,290 - Who would in the winter time, 17 00:00:55,290 --> 00:00:57,120 Would make soup. 18 00:00:57,120 --> 00:00:58,810 For lunch, for the kids. 19 00:00:58,810 --> 00:01:01,437 On the potbelly stoves, so you know! 20 00:01:01,437 --> 00:01:03,920 - Ms. Samson was her name. 21 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:05,893 But she was subdued most time. 22 00:01:06,770 --> 00:01:08,790 Novine Holt. 23 00:01:08,790 --> 00:01:10,680 She was a teacher. 24 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:11,513 I had, 25 00:01:12,675 --> 00:01:13,741 let's see, 26 00:01:13,741 --> 00:01:15,570 (mumbles) Light. 27 00:01:15,570 --> 00:01:16,940 Our teachers that went, 28 00:01:16,940 --> 00:01:18,340 Brown was her name. 29 00:01:18,340 --> 00:01:19,430 I had Ms. Brown 30 00:01:22,539 --> 00:01:23,813 It was exciting. 31 00:01:23,813 --> 00:01:26,380 She was able to have somewhere to go 32 00:01:26,380 --> 00:01:27,500 right here in the village 33 00:01:27,500 --> 00:01:29,150 where we could walk 34 00:01:29,150 --> 00:01:31,100 Everybody didn't have a car. 35 00:01:31,100 --> 00:01:32,630 And we just enjoyed each other, 36 00:01:32,630 --> 00:01:33,840 whatever it was held here. 37 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:35,790 You know, we used to have a dance here, 38 00:01:36,820 --> 00:01:38,020 have a little band and.. 39 00:01:43,989 --> 00:01:44,939 - We had a two room school. 40 00:01:44,939 --> 00:01:46,856 So you had first, second and third 41 00:01:46,856 --> 00:01:48,270 and then you have fourth, 42 00:01:48,270 --> 00:01:49,929 fifth and sixth. 43 00:01:49,929 --> 00:01:52,080 - That view could be right there. 44 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:53,526 It was one in this one. 45 00:01:53,526 --> 00:01:55,800 and one on the other side 46 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,333 and that one stove kept the whole building alive. 47 00:01:59,333 --> 00:02:01,170 - A way to appreciate 48 00:02:01,170 --> 00:02:02,600 the way life is now 49 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,670 because I mean we had outhouses, 50 00:02:05,670 --> 00:02:06,973 we had a coal stove, 51 00:02:07,870 --> 00:02:10,010 we had to bring our lunch. 52 00:02:10,010 --> 00:02:12,351 There was no electricity, so.. 53 00:02:12,351 --> 00:02:14,033 - We only had two rooms. 54 00:02:19,270 --> 00:02:21,630 - You made a little scrapbook or something 55 00:02:21,630 --> 00:02:25,120 to identify the different leaves from the trees 56 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:26,680 the maple tree or oak tree 57 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:28,580 or whatever type of leaf that. 58 00:02:28,580 --> 00:02:29,870 - Read and write and arithmetic. 59 00:02:29,870 --> 00:02:32,210 - I remember us having a little garden 60 00:02:33,130 --> 00:02:36,620 here on the grounds, here at the school grounds. 61 00:02:36,620 --> 00:02:38,240 And we'd plant flowers 62 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,890 and I think there might've been some vegetables there also, 63 00:02:40,890 --> 00:02:41,723 but I do remember 64 00:02:41,723 --> 00:02:43,660 having a little flag garden and what else. 65 00:02:48,260 --> 00:02:51,410 Oh, actually it had a tremendous impact on my life 66 00:02:51,410 --> 00:02:55,910 because our forefathers 67 00:02:58,040 --> 00:02:59,890 implanted in us, minds 68 00:02:59,890 --> 00:03:02,233 that education was very important 69 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,070 and with that in mind, we came to learn 70 00:03:08,850 --> 00:03:11,700 and was an experience that I will always remember 71 00:03:11,700 --> 00:03:16,210 because I had very, very, very special 72 00:03:16,210 --> 00:03:17,813 individuals, teachers. 73 00:03:19,670 --> 00:03:23,180 - Am glad that I went to this school 74 00:03:23,180 --> 00:03:26,550 because I can see where I was 75 00:03:26,550 --> 00:03:27,800 and where I've come from. 76 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,379 - Then, this was the only school for black kids 77 00:03:37,379 --> 00:03:39,760 in this area. 78 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:41,810 Before that time, they were taught 79 00:03:41,810 --> 00:03:45,530 in like either private homes or churches. 80 00:03:45,530 --> 00:03:49,830 And the Julius Rosenwald Foundation, 81 00:03:49,830 --> 00:03:53,730 Julius Rosenwald was the owner of Sears and Roebuck 82 00:03:53,730 --> 00:03:58,730 and he contributed to about 23 schools in Aleraldo County, 83 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,310 and there's 10 surviving. 84 00:04:02,310 --> 00:04:04,940 And most of those are community centers. 85 00:04:04,940 --> 00:04:08,610 So we were able to get funding 86 00:04:08,610 --> 00:04:12,260 to do a renovation and basically open it 87 00:04:12,260 --> 00:04:13,740 as a community center. 88 00:04:13,740 --> 00:04:14,573 - A hundred years. 89 00:04:15,490 --> 00:04:16,790 Like it is now. 90 00:04:16,790 --> 00:04:19,263 Never dreamed that this would ever be, 91 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:22,550 but I'm glad this was something, 92 00:04:22,550 --> 00:04:24,410 it's still for us. 93 00:04:24,410 --> 00:04:25,810 Still ramped to see 94 00:04:25,810 --> 00:04:26,713 what become of it.