Derived from interviews with the following people:

Shirley Davis, Martha Barbee, Clarke Egerton, Everett Goldston, Cecilia Davis, David Kirkman, Brad Bradshaw, Shirley Bradshaw, Gloria (Vickers) Warren, James Atwater, Diane (Peerman) Pledger, Joanne Peerman, Vivian Foushee, Doug Clark, Shari Manning, Alice Battle, Delaine Norwood, Raney Norwood, Mrs. Lucile McDougle, Charlene (McDougle) Smith, Thurman Couch, Clementine Self, Edwin Caldwell, Jr., R. D. Smith, Stanley Vickers, Hilliard Caldwell, Sylvester Hackney, Sheila Florence, Clyde (Doug) Perry, Ted Stone, Burnice Hackney, Mary Scroggs, Effie Merritt, Polly McCauley, Robert H. Smith, Betty King, Mary Norwood Jones, Zora Rashkis, Nate Davis, Judy Van Wyk, Rebecca Clarke, Frances Hargraves, Walter Durham, Gloria Regester Jeter, Stella Nickerson, Francesina (Regester) Jackson, Charlene Regester, Fred Battle, Keith Edwards, Mac Foushee, Elizabeth Carter, Mary Manning, and with a few references.

The summary below is a document in progress. It includes information that I feel needs validation. There will be additions to and deletions from this summary. The written material is reviewed with the people involved in the project and changed accordingly. Primary sources, books, and news articles are used to add to the document or validate information.

The opinions rendered here are taken directly from the interviews done for this project. This is the way Lincoln High School lives on in the minds and memories of those who were interviewed, as transmitted to me. I feel tremendous gratitude to the over 50 individuals who participated in the interviews and photographs. They gave freely of their time and energy to complete this project. Some of the people interviewed struggled to remember painful times with tears filling their eyes or running down their faces. Some of them still carry the scars of a painful past. I see them as spiritual people of dignity, strength, and caring, with a great capacity for love and giving. I can only say thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of those who participated. They have enriched my life and I hope the lives of others by their efforts.

My initial goals were simply to tell a story that had not been put before the community before. As the interviews progressed, it became apparent that the black community had tremendous recall of Lincoln High School, especially memories of great pride in and love for the principal, teachers, band, sports program, etc. My goals then became broader, and focused on what the characteristics of LHS were that might be used in current school programs to help minorities succeed at a greater rate, and perhaps again demonstrate the same pride and love for their schools. It is interesting that we read in the recent news of teaching values in the schools again, of having "minority advocates" to better understand some difficulties perhaps unique to them, of the importance of the disciplinary code and moral strength of the principal, and of focusing on the encouragement and success of all students. Goals must be set high for all students without any stereotyping or assumptions. Please read on to see how these characteristics fit into what was described by the interviewees.

The interviewees largely cherish their memories of LHS and many of the school's characteristics, but they are not advocating a return to segregated schools. What clearly emerges is their desire to face the enduring problems of integrated schools and resolve them so that they truly feel ownership of their schools, take pride in them, and achieve academic excellence. Perhaps by remembering the positive aspects of LHS we can gain some insights into some of the current problems and find more solutions.

The memories collected here are from over 50 people. Not all memories were the same, but there were many, many similarities. At the start of the interview process I sometimes got the feeling that people were telling only what was positive about their memories, but after discussing the need for telling about both the positives and negatives I believe that both were recorded adequately for this exhibit. All those who were interviewed were asked to review and critique this summary and their personal transcripts- to point out errors, omissions, distortions, etc. to ensure that appropriate revisions were made.

In my own way I have tried to give something back to the community from which I have learned so much. One of my gifts is a poem of my feelings called Your Voices.

Summary

To understand Lincoln High School it is helpful to understand the culture and community from which it arose. The African American culture in the Chapel Hill/ Carrboro area is rich in its history and tradition. Most African Americans lived in Potters' Field (now known as Northside); some in Pine Knolls, Windy Hill, and Tin Top (Carr Court today) and most were in the lower socioeconomic class with a small middle class. From the 1920's to the 1930's there was a lower middle class of skilled laborers (rock and brick masonry, carpentry), realty, seamstresses, store owners, and merchants, undertakers, nurses, midwives, and barbers, one of whom served only white customers. (FH) During the 1930's the depression had a profound effect on the community. Poverty worsened, unemployment rose, and housing standards dropped, sometimes forcing large numbers of people to live in small homes. During segregation, and most of the years when Lincoln was open, the majority in the Black community worked for meager wages in some capacity for the university or it's support staff in housekeeping, domestic work, laundering, and labor. This was unlike Durham where the Black community had a presence in banking, college level teaching (at North Carolina College for Negroes, now called North Carolina Central University), insurance, medicine, law, and business and had better representation in the middle and upper socioeconomic areas. In the late 1960's there were still pockets in Northside, Knolls development, and Carrboro where the streets were not paved, there was no running water, and there were still some outhouses and a few homes without electricity. Most, but not all homes had septic tanks. When Howard Lee (the first Black mayor in a predominantly White southern town) was elected Mayor of Chapel Hill in 1969 federal funds were used to complete paving, water, and sewer in these pockets. In the 1920's and 1930's the community had a mixture of moderate homes and poorly constructed unpainted homes, a wood burning stove without central heating, high ceilings where heat was lost, and many with no insulation. During the 1940's to 1960's housing standards improved. However, the perception in the community was that it was difficult for Blacks to get a home loan, and when they did get a mortgage they believed it was usually at a higher interest rate than for Whites. Many did own their own homes. At some point during the late 1930's and early 1940's the university provided land and homes reasonably built and priced for the Black working staff at UNC to purchase. (RC) Rented homes were generally in worse condition than those privately owned. However, most of the people interviewed growing up in this area did not consider themselves poor as children and the vast majority said they grew up happy, perhaps because their lives were full, and love and attention were abundant. It is interesting that most people interviewed said," I didn't see class separation"in the neighborhood (EC).

There was order in their lives."Back then everybody knew each other and had time to visit"(SF). Young people did not talk back to their elders, nor did the parents question other adults when there was a difference of opinion concerning the behavior of children in the presence of those adults. A switch or strap was used when needed. Some laughingly said that today this would be called child abuse but the perception was that corporal punishment (which was usually a switch used a few times on the legs) was not such a terrible thing, that it was based on scripture (CS) which the community espoused deeply ("spare the rod and spoil the child"), and that it set easily recognized limits for the children. A few people believed this form of punishment sometimes was indeed abusive. Not only parents, but relatives, neighbors and teachers disciplined children and loved the children. The whole community seemed to parent."We had parents all up and down the streets...There was plenty of love but also discipline...We were taught to respect people...Our values meant that we loved and respected our neighbors."(MNJ) The family was a place of refuge for both children and adults. Some parents avoided discussion of their jobs, low wages, and the demeaning nature of so much of their work. Others not only talked about what they were doing but also sometimes involved their children in it.

The society was mostly matriarchal. The Black female was considered the head of the family in most families, running the household and much of what went on in the family, perhaps due to the fact that"women had more schooling than men". (FH) This may have had something to do with the fact that many young men had to work at an early age to help support the family (FH). Whites dealing with black families tried to deal with the females, perhaps related to the relationships some had with Black domestics, perhaps related to the repression and denigration of the Black male who was seen as a threat physically, socially, sexually, and in the labor market, competitively.

Alcohol excess, especially on weekends and among males, was not uncommon. Commonly noted were bootleg houses where people could buy bonded or unbonded whiskey and play cards or socialize (EC). It was not uncommon for those working at the university (which may well have been the majority of Black men) to be rewarded with a fifth of alcohol, especially those working at the fraternities (FH). Physical abuse was thought to be no more common than in other societies. There was some absentee fathering, divorce and single parenting, but these were thought to be much less common than today.

Many of the brightest and best educated went into teaching or the ministry. Most people had a strong relationship with their churches, teachers, families, and neighbors, who gave them moral and mental strength in the face of an unfriendly and unequal environment. The churches provided not only a place to worship but a source of religious education, togetherness, family, and during the summers, a vocational bible school and softball league, both of which kept the young people active.

Mostly, relationships with the police were difficult until the civil rights movement when the police force, under the leadership of Chief of Police Blake, was protective of all citizens. However, during the early local civil rights movement there was some evidence that the KKK had members on the police force.

Many children were raised with almost no contact with the white community while a few others were raised in mixed neighborhoods or had interaction with whites associated with their parents work, usually domestic or at a fraternity house. In general, relationships with the white community were peaceful, in spite of the discontent many of the Blacks felt regarding their status in society and their struggles for higher wages and greater opportunities.

However, attempts at integration through multiple local demonstrations and sit-ins, peaceful resistance, multiple meetings with town leaders, and finally massive civil disobedience, just prior to passage of federal laws integrating our society, were met with"apathy of the citizens, the inadequacy of the press"..." and lack of support of"key town leaders..."(The Free Men, John Ehle) Local business leaders, the media, financial powers, local government, and the governor opposed this civil disobedience and many white liberals who had previously been part of the movement started to withdraw support when civil disobedience occurred. The university did not take a stand and some thought that was a way of supporting the status quo (YC, P 201). Initially, economic influences, both positive and negative, played a role in peoples' actions. If you demonstrated against segregation, what would be the repercussions? Loss of job, loss of income? If you or your children did not demonstrate for equal rights, what would be the personal toll and the effect on your children? However, starting in 1963 and continuing to this day there was massive support in the Black community to change the status quo to seek and make changes in an attempt to gain for Blacks an equal status with the rest of society. Lincoln High School youths played a key role in the initial local movements toward integration. The first demonstrations in February 1960 (continuing for 3 - 4 months) led by several Lincoln HS students were not only a rebellion against a repressive system, but in some measure a rebellion against their very own parents, teachers, and ministers who had taught them order, to listen to their elders, to follow the system. Later, from 1963 to 1965, still under the leadership of Black youths, demonstrations, sit-ins, marches, and picketing were supported more broadly by youth and adult, Black and White, university and community, and the churches, with better organization, and more focus. Finally, when all else failed, civil disobedience became the tactic to attempt to achieve complete desegregation. The Black leadership had marked the entire community as responsible for segregation and now demonstrated against the whole community rather than restricting the civil disobedience solely to the still segregated businesses. There were liberal whites and Blacks who were arrested and/or went to court and/or jail in this struggle (over 1400 of them from Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and a few from Durham). Though the local movement was crushed when the leaders were imprisoned or put on long-term probation, perhaps the multiple demonstrations, not only in Chapel Hill, but also across the nation, were among important factors pushing congress to enact laws ending segregation.

"The extended family was a big influence on the youth attending Lincoln HS. As was common among African American families, not only in the South, but virtually everywhere in the U.S., grandparents especially communicated to their descendents the importance of education. Even if they did not reside in the same household, their homes were usually in close proximity and if not, the relationship was maintained through regular visits or correspondence. The message consistently emphasized the value of taking full advantage of the educational opportunities which those grandparents, and sometimes parents, had been forced, through discrimination/segregation to forego. Many LHS students were the first in the family to earn a diploma and/or first to attend or complete college. Those parents, therefore, also used as a highly effective motivational tool, their faith in a better life for their children through acquisition of a formal education, either in a South that would eventually see the benefit of full integration or in the other regions of the country that had already begun to open wider vistas to African American economic and social progress."(James L. Atwater)

From 1913 to 1916 the Hackney School was the main educational resource for the Black community. There was also a Quaker Free School from 1890 to 1916."In 1917 Orange County purchased the Hackney School which merged with the Quaker Free School and the county named the school the Orange County Training School (OCTS). In 1922 this school burned down. For a year and a half the elementary grades were housed in two black institutions, the Oddfellows Hall and the Guthrie Theater, while a 2 story house on Rosemary Lane was rented for the high school. (When this school burned down in 1922 classes were held for a couple years in churches, the Masonic Lodge, and even the local theater. MNJ) This school enrolled about 300 students and was the only school for African Americans in Orange County with grades 1 through 11.

Although the OCTS served mainly the children of black CH workers, it was not supported financially by the white employers of these workers, the white taxpayers of CH and the University of North Carolina. In fact, the boundaries of the CH Special School District had been drawn in such a way as to exclude the entire black community. For these reasons African Americans in CH had to rely on the goodwill of individual white citizens, the county government, and the northern philanthropic foundations involved in school reform to supplement their own efforts to build a new school for their children. A local black man, John Henry Stroud, provided the land for the new school. The county provided $15,000 toward a new building while the Rosenwald Fund contributed $2550. The Slater Fund and the Jeanes Fund, as well as the Rosenwald Fund provided money for teacher salaries until 1930. Funds to equip the school, and probably much else, had to be raised by the local black community."(YC) About 1924, after 9 acres of land at the end of Caldwell Street was gifted to the community by the Stroud family and funds for the construction were provided by both the county and contributions of citizens and fundraisers, the Orange County Training School was opened for all students in the Black community, from first to 11th then later to 12th grades. By 1933 there were nearly 300 students (78 in high school).

Evidence that the OCTS was not simply a school on the Tuskegee"industrial"model is contained in the argument made by the"committee on the colored school"asking it to support the school for an 8 month term rather than the usual 6. The key point was that"many graduates of the school were expected to teach."This was not true, apparently, for graduates of the other county schools. In any case, the county did fund OCTS for the 8 month term from 1924 - 1929, at which time the county commissioners refused to continue their extra support and asked the town of Chapel Hill to take over funding. Since the town had carefully excluded the African American neighborhoods from its special school district, a special election had to be held in 1930. African Americans voted to tax themselves up to 20 cents per $100 to become part of the Chapel Hill school district. Thus, through a division between rural and urban whites, African Americans finally gained access to public support for education in Chapel Hill."(YC)

"Although OCTS was probably the best school for African Americans in the county, it"had no adequate playground."The school"did not have good paths approaching it, and had no street lights, being outside the town."There was no access to a fire hydrant. The school building was in poor condition. As a result, in 1934 African Americans petitioned the school board for improvements to the school or for an entirely new school. Some improvements were gained including a new playground in 1935 and fire protection in 1936. Also in 1936 the school board let a contract to build a 6 room High-school addition onto the old school at a cost of approximately $23,500. At the same time the school board authorized $106,000 to build a new white high-school."(YC p 47) It is not clear whether the ratio of expenses matched the ratio of the student body being served, but this may not even be a valid way of evaluating equality of resources. However, the support of the 2 different schools was not equal.

The school had a dirt playground and a big rock pile from which students would sit and watch softball or other games at lunch. There was constantly some competition between different classes at the gym with both girls and boys basketball games at lunch. Of interest were the 3 structural poles in the middle of the gym floor (padded for student protection). They were an obstruction no doubt, but also served the OCTS athletes well as a means of freeing teammates for open shots. The ceiling of the gym was quite low and when a shot was taken there could not be much of an arch to the shot, another advantage for the home teams! Some people called the"gymtorium"the"cracker box". The girls played a different type basketball game from what they do today, a half court game with 6 players on each team, 3 on each side of the midcourt marker. The 3 players on one side of the midcourt were not allowed to cross the midcourt and had to pass to their teammates on the other side. They were allowed only one dribble before having to pass the ball. A year or 2 later this was changed to 2 dribbles. Boys and girls traveled together to away games within a 50-mile radius on Miss Susie Weaver's bus, which had on its side the name of Susie Weaver's Gospel Singers, who ordinarily used this bus for their travel. The football field was only 90 yards long so that when a touchdown was scored the ball was then placed on the 10 yard line and the extra 10 yards made up to make this a"real score."Mr. R. O. Kornegay coached all sports, all grades, and both boys and girls!"He was not home much."There were strong opinions regarding Coach Kornegay, many positives and a few negatives. He went out of his way to help children, students, and athletes, but at times could lose his temper.

The band was formed about 1947 and initially taught by Mr. Pickard (DC), then Mr. Groton and Mr. Bell. Apparently the Navy Pre-flight band, housed at the Community Center during World War II and composed of all Black band members, had a great influence on the community in stimulating an interest in playing instruments and forming a band at OCTS. They marched from the Community Center to the front of the South Building on campus twice daily, rain or shine, played at the UNC football games and became active in the community. (DC) The band at OCTS marched from the school to Emerson field on the UNC campus at homecoming and played at most games, and other occasions. It was common at lunch for students to go to the band room to practice on their own. The"dreaded rival"was Hillside HS in Durham. After homecoming there was usually a dance at the Community Center (later named Hargraves Center) which ended rather early."

The science room was never finished and neither gas nor adequate chemicals were provided so that science training was rather limited.

It was important to students to be part of a team or club or band. Mrs. Turner, the French and English teacher taught an active drama club. There was a choral club, an elementary choral group, the N. F. A. Quartet, and a rhythm band. It was not unusual for some students to be members of more than one group. The choir, the band, and the plays put on by the drama club"brought the community closer together."(MNJ) There was an unwritten law that if a student's parents could not attend an event the parent of another child would greet that student and do the parenting. (MNJ)

Discipline at OCTS was described as somewhat lax (FH) until Mr. C. A. McDougle was named principal in 1946, when there was a distinct change in the atmosphere and discipline. He was not regarded simply as a strong disciplinarian by most, but as a person who was fair, caring, and loving.

There was great incentive and great encouragement for students to go on to college. Much of what is written below about Lincoln High School teachers, as well as the milieu at the school, was true of OCTS teachers. Some of the best student grade averages were printed in the school newspaper. Outside the principals office there was a bulletin board with pictures and notes pinned about students who had gone on to college. One gets the impression that the school thrived on competition and performance. (MNJ)

Wanting to get rid of the name"training school"because of it's connotation of a reform school, the name was changed to Lincoln School in 1948 under the leadership of the PTA president, Mrs. Atwater, who did not want her children graduating from a"training school.". In 1951, after the construction of a new Lincoln School on Merritt Mill Road, the name of the school at the end of Caldwell Street was changed to Northside Elementary School, and was for children from first through sixth grades. The new Lincoln School had students in middle school and a different section for high school students and with an enrollment of about 200 students at first. Mr. Peace was principal at Northside and Mr. C A McDougle principal at Lincoln School. Earlier, discipline at the Orange County Training School was somewhat lax. (FH) However, with the appointment of C A McDougle as principal at Northside, there was a distinct change in the atmosphere and discipline. Many people interviewed began their description of Mr. McDougle with the comment that he was a"strict disciplinarian."This was said with no rancor but with respect and admiration by most."He made you feel you were somebody, you could do anything you set your mind to"(BK)."His walk, his talk, his demeanor ...were unique"(EM). Their principal, C. A. McDougle, seen by the community as an educator (with a masters from Columbia University) greeted the students by name at the front door of the school most mornings; he inquired regularly as to their grades, demanded respect for teachers, was a strict disciplinarian; he demanded honesty; he roamed the hallways at change of class making sure there was order; he sat in on classes and sometimes rode the school bus to games with the teams; he called on parents of some students in their homes, he hand picked his teachers; he required them to continue their teaching education; and he continued to check on the progress of Lincoln graduates away at college. While there were some mixed feelings about this man (some considered his discipline as"harsh"{VS}) the great majority of people interviewed revered him and had great respect for him. Indeed, Lincoln HS students' relationships with their teachers and with Mr. McDougle were very positive. The teachers were interviewed and hired by Mr. McDougle (BK). He asked the teachers to go to the local churches and sometimes inquired whether they were actually attending (CD). It was policy to hire teachers mostly from out of the immediate area and have them come to live here and teach here. Some teachers would leave on weekends to visit their homes and families. Many, or most of the teachers lived in the same neighborhood (some rented from parents of students and some lived in local boarding houses), went to the same churches, socialized with their families, and made visits to students' homes to meet parents in an effort to familiarize themselves with the family dynamics (a policy of principal McDougle for a long while at both Northside Elementary School and Lincoln High School). This was a"family oriented school"and had a family like atmosphere."(WD)"Teachers were loved."

There was little turnover in the teaching staff over years. (PM)"They were great teachers. They had been educated at some of the best Black colleges."(PM)

About 1956, under the stimulus of Clarke Egerton, teachers were required by Principal McDougle to have lesson plans for the following week on his desk every Friday. This allowed any substitute teacher to have a good idea of what was to be done in the classroom that week and also stimulated teachers to prepare well. (EC)

Discipline was strong in the schools, neighborhoods, and homes, with corporal punishment used when necessary (as it was in the white schools at this time). Most people stressed that teachers taught values in the classroom and not just academics (a policy that is being discussed once again today by school administrators and teachers). At Lincoln it was typical for parents to meet with teachers and tell them to"do whatever was necessary to educate their child and prepare her/him"for the tough life ahead. (EC) In return the students feelings about the teachers was ..."they gave you the feeling you could do it"(BK)."I took it that they were your parents number 1 and your teacher number 2."(WD) It was common for teachers to spend part of their summers getting continuing education or during the school year take an evening or weekend class. Every 5 years the teaching certificate had to be renewed and the teachers had to be prepared for this.

"It was more than just a job for these teachers.""They were surrogate parents", deeply interested in their students. In the back of many classrooms at the Northside location was a cloakroom with a cardboard box with clothing and shoes. If a teacher noticed holes in a student's shoes she/he would take the student to this box in the cloakroom and give him or her a newer pair of shoes. This was also the room in which the"ruler"was used for discipline with 2 or 3 smacks on the palm. If a student did not have money for lunch, Miss Pope (Miss Pope taught home economics and"morals". She was one of several teachers whom the students felt comfortable approaching for personal problems) would have you do some work to"pay"for the"free"lunch or have the student bring money the next day. But the help was more than physical or with worldly goods. There was great encouragement given to students. His mentor R.D. Smith, for instance, told Hilliard Caldwell,,"I'm going to make something out of you"and"I'm going to knock that chip off your shoulder."And he was not the only teacher with words of this sort. Teachers were available to listen to student's personal problems as well as academic problems. It was common for teachers and coaches to call Black colleges and arrange campus visits to ensure that academically talented and athletically gifted students furthered their education. And so, they were seen as the students' mentors, parental models, friends, and advocates.

"When I was in school in the late 40's and early 50's, teachers were known to teach the students the necessary things that allowed us to be successful in life. Since parents were busy or may not have had the skills to teach morals or values, the schools took this on as their responsibility. There was a partnership between the parent, the church
and the schools.
It was not unusual for a teacher to stop his/her prepared lesson to discuss some issue that needed to be discussed. This generally happened when students misbehaved or broke some school rule. This was usually done in the classroom setting where the incident occurred. Teachers used real life situations in their daily classroom instruction.
If there was a school wide problem or incident, classes were generally suspended and everybody was brought to the auditorium to be addressed by the principal. If the incident was minor, memos were sent from the principal to be read in class. Parents welcomed this type of education from the schools.
One teacher that probably did the most in teaching us morals and values was Ms. Ruth Pope, the home economics' teacher. As part of her curriculum, she taught the women the rules of etiquette, female hygiene and self-respect. She was a committee of one to set the dress codes for the women of the school. If a young girl did not have nice clothes or their parents could not afford them, she taught the young woman to sew and make their own clothes. Ms. Pope also taught sewing classes at night so parents could make clothes for their children or themselves.
Ms. Pope, as many other teachers, did a lot of adolescence crisis intervention. Since so many children came from troubled homes or parents were too busy (working long hours) to deal with child problems, the schools took a direct approach to help or counsel these students. There were no guidance counselors so teachers acted as mentors. I knew of several cases where the teacher actually adopted a child and became a surrogate parent.
Male and female dating principles was another area that Ms. Pope took a strong responsibility for. She taught women to have respect for themselves and to take responsibility for their lives. This was a form of sex education but disguised in such a way that it was not called sex education. R.D. Smith and male coaches did the same kind of things with the men students of the school.
This strong moral and values clarification responsibility was lost when Lincoln High School closed and the schools were consolidated into one school. One Black teacher, Mrs. Cecilia Davis, said that she could not talk to the students as she had done at Lincoln because of the cultural differences of Black and White students. This was one of the
greatest things she missed in teaching in the integrated school system."(EC)
School began at 8:30 AM and if you were late Mr. McDougle would greet you with"Too late for today and too early for tomorrow"and he might just send you home if you did not have a good excuse for being late."The only person I can remember being late was Ed Caldwell."(EM) Ed comments, "I do recall Mr. McDougle being there on most mornings to greet each person coming to school. I am not sure if he was there every morning. (It) lot had to do with what he had to do. I am sure he had to troubleshoot a lot of problems. Since I was late most mornings, I had to slip in by a side door. My classmates worried about me coming to school late. I only lived one block from the school and still could not get there on time."(EC)
"Mr. McDougle not only knew each student by name. The school was a small school. We knew each person by name also. He knew your parents and knew something about you personally. He was like Santa Claus, "he knew when you were good and he knew when you were bad". Mr. McDougle was an authority figure and a disciplinarian. He ran a strict ship. His main objective was to get you to learn. He knew you would face a hostile world and wanted to prepare you for it. Did not many people want to greet him at the door or anywhere else for fear that he found out something that we did wrong. We all tried to get away with something."
"McDougle had a deep voice that sort of brought fear to your heart. I always thought he was a larger man than he was. If you were misbehaving in class, you dreaded being sent to his office. Most of us never went to the offices but went somewhere to hide. Mr. Smith used to allow us to hide in the shop. We were already in trouble so how bad could it be if he found out. We would just go to the next class when the bell rang. When you did something right, he was the first to compliment you."
"After the bells rang for you to be in class, there were no kids loitering in the halls. You could tell when he was walking up and down the halls because you could hear his footsteps echoing off the walls. I remember a teacher putting me out of class just when I heard him coming down the hall. I told the teacher that Mr. McDougle is coming and I will not go out there until he is gone. She just laughed and allowed me to wait until he was gone. There were few reasons why you should ever be in the halls.""We were used to discipline when the schools were consolidated. He was a short man but he was a tall man in that he demanded respect."(EC)

Some students met as early as 7 AM at a nearby soda and snack store called Miss Kelly's to have a soda and/or simply talk before school started and sometimes they would meet there after school to dance. This store was described mostly as"a place of communication"for the students. Another common gathering place was the Hargraves Center where students met after school on the playgrounds. This is where most of the students gathered after school. This was a home away from home in many regards.

There was a small library at the school and the students went there as a class and learned how to utilize the library. However, supplies were limited and EC noted that they did not even have a complete set of encyclopedias.

In many regards, Lincoln High School was as central to life in the black community as were the black churches. Lincoln provided a sense of community, of being bound together to all the African Americans in the Chapel Hill/ Carrboro area."Lincoln HS was one of the chief cornerstones of the African American community."(FB)"Lincoln gave Blacks in the community an identity"(EM, KE). The schools were tied to the churches through membership, leadership, and encouragement. Some teachers were also leaders in the churches.

An almost palpable surge of energy seemed to flow from the school, from the students, the faculty, and the community, giving one the feeling that"Lincoln HS was the heartbeat of the (Black) community."(KE)

The community and the students took great pride in the athletic teams, especially football and to a lesser extent, basketball. Lincoln won championships in both sports in spite of playing against some larger schools from a higher school classification. Coach Kornegay coached until about 1952, then Coach Peerman till 1956, Coach Bradshaw from 1956 to 1961, then Coach Peerman till LHS stopped functioning as a high school in 1966."Lincoln exemplified excellence in sports"(FB). Some of the teams were remarkable in their achievements, going undefeated, winning by huge margins, rarely scored upon, and winning several state championships over a relatively short period of time. They had the support of some of their graduates but only one coach without assistant coaches. Coach Peerman,"I didn't mess with him. He was a big man. He was a very mild man but a no nonsense man."(WD) When the team traveled to an away game R.D.Smith would drive a large used orange trailways bus with a big tiger on the side of the bus. The players' shoes were always well shined and with new white lace that stood out. The team would run around circling inside the stadium when they came out of the dressing room to warm up. Then they would run to the middle of the field, gather close, and sing Born on the Mountaintop in Tennessee with hand clapping and gestures showing team unity. They"took a show everywhere they went."(WD) For home games they had a great turnout (more than turns out for the high school games now! - WD) and not only Chapel Hill people, both Black and White, came to the games, but UNC football players,"people from Hillsborough, Pittsboro, and Durham came to the games"and supported the Lincoln Tigers. It (the stadium) would be rockin"(WD). After the games students would often meet at the M & N Grill on Graham St or go to the community center for talking and dancing.

Occasionally, in the late 40's and early 50's, a UNC football player provided equipment and organized Lincoln HS students to scrimmage at Navy Field. (EC, CP) They would also organize, supervise, and referee an annual informal football scrimmage between Lincoln and CHHS players. Interestingly (EC, DC), this was perceived by Lincoln High football players as a game among friends since they knew so many of the CHHS players. There was no acrimony. The university allowed injured LHS players to use some of the whirlpools, heat lamps, etc. Lincoln players could use practice facilities, and the weights at the"tin can"at times. Morris Mason was important in getting the Lincoln students into these facilities. Much of the Lincoln HS football padding and other protective equipment was provided by the university's athletic department under the influence and direction of Morris Mason.

Football Record Lincoln High School, Mighty Tigers

1951 During these years there are almost no articles in the

1952 Chapel Hill Weekly to validate any team records. There was very little memory of the team records from thepeople interviewed and called.

1953

1954

1955 9-1 Lost to Georgetown in Eastern Championship

1956 11-0-1 State Co-Champion

1957 11-0-1 State Champion

1958 7-2-1 Lost in Finals Eastern Regionals

1959 11-1-0 State Co-Champion

1960 11-1-0 State Champion

1961 10-0 State Champion, Defeated Hickory (Ridgeview)

1962 10-1 Lost in State 3A Championship, W-S Anderson

1963 10-1 Lost in State 3A Championship, W-S Anderson

1964 10-0 State Champion

1965 9-2?

Note: LHS was a 2A school playing in a 3A league.

These records were taken from the Chapel Hill Weekly when available and from former students and players when not available.

Coach Robert O. Kornegay coached from the 1940's until 1954.

Coach William Peerman coached 1954 and 1955, and 1961 through 1965 seasons. Coach Peerman retired with a record of 128 wins, 17 losses, and 3 ties(CHW).

Coach Willie"Brad"Bradshaw coached the 1956 through 1960 seasons. His record at LHS was estimated to be 50 wins, 4 losses and 3 tie.

LHS won at least 55 regular season games in a row from @1959 to 1963 with their only losses coming in the state 3A championship games (November 3, 1963 CHW) in 1962 and 1963. In 1964 they were again unbeaten and won the state championship, so it is probable that they won over 60 regular season games in a row. The 1964 team was unbeaten, untied, unscored upon and state champions.

They were in the state championship game 8 of 9 years, from 1956 through 1964, and won or tied for the state championship 6 of these 9 years.

The marching band and the concert band (mostly they were the very same people who stayed on to play classical music after the band season ended, CE) were award winning, as was the chorus, and drummer group, and all 3 played to standing room only crowds. They were all the prides of the school but"the band was perhaps the highlight of the school"and had"finesse and charisma"(EC) - and both the Black and White communities came to hear and see them. The band and the orchestra competed against other schools, usually in the Greensboro competition where upwards of 30 bands would compete. If the band got an excellent or superior rating they could go on to the state competition. Almost always LHS received those marks and went to state competition where they were again rated as excellent or superior (CE). Only a few of the award certificates remain since most were lost of destroyed during the consolidation process.

"You felt important, like you were somebody, when you were in the band"(SF). The leader of the band was usually a high stepping student who put on a show for the crowds. At the football games they competed for the crowds' attention against the other teams' band. Band directors included Mr. Pickard, Mr. Groton, Mr. Bell, Mr. Clarke Egerton (1956-1961), and Mr. Everett Goldston (1962 - 1966).

When the football coach went off to scout another team it was common for the coach to be told by the band director to scout the band as well. No band was going to outperform the Lincoln High School band, was the impression left by the band directors interviewed. At homecoming the band started marching from the school and went through the streets to the Lions Park stadium in Carrboro, often followed by youngsters mimicking the band and/or it's high stepping, baton twirling leader or the drum majorettes. The White community came out to watch the band and see the team play, mostly sitting on the visitor's side of the field. Some in the African American community felt that Lincoln HS, through its sports teams and band, brought the different cultures closer together, if just for a short time.

The drama club was also very active and successful. Mrs. Turner taught English, French and drama. The students put on a major spring production every year and also went to a festival at Shaw University where there was a one-act competition among different drama clubs from around the state. It was common for Lincoln's drama club or an actor or actress to win some award at this competition. (PM)

The prom was a special night with formal dress and the presence of parents at the dance. It was a way of raising money as well as a fun evening. The 10th graders served the 11th and 12th graders in the gymnasium. The prom lasted from 9 PM to midnight and had a decoration theme to brighten the occasion. While the underclassmen did not have a prom, they had a spring ball and dressed up in suits and dresses to dance to music played on records. Dating patterns were interesting. Most teen male-female relationships were one male dating one female long term. It was considered very poor social practice for any other male to attempt to move in on this relationship and if others saw this happening, let alone the boyfriend, there were social repercussions.

The school supported an active Parent-Teachers Association (PTA). The PTA meetings were attended by most of the community and commonly the students made some sort of presentation or performance at these meetings, Some likened the PTA meeting to a church meeting because it brought the community together. The PTA meeting also allowed everyone to vote something many could not do at the polls. The band uniforms as well as the players' uniforms were purchased with funds raised by the very well represented PTA. A few of the band uniforms were hand-me-downs from Chapel Hill High School. Some of the items purchased by the school system for the white schools were items that were purchased in the Black schools under the direction of the PTA. The PTA raised money for drapes, a stage curtain, some uniforms, food for the athletes (it was common to feed the opposing football teams well after a football game), and a school bus.

EC noted, "Fundraisers were very important in the life and operation of the school. Things that the White schools received in the school budget from the Board, we had to raise the money and purchase ourselves. Or we did not have these things. We raised money to purchase school equipment and supplies ... that the School Board did not fund.

We had to raise money to purchase books and supplies for the school. We raised money to purchase library books, slide projectors and movie projectors for the school. We purchased supplies and equipment for the science labs, home economics department such as sewing machines, pots and pans, and fabrics. We purchased mechanical and wood working equipment for the shop. We had to purchase all our sports equipment and uniforms for the teams. Each senior class was required to give money to the school to purchase some item. Some of the major fundraisers I remembered were: drapes for the stage in the auditorium, band uniforms and band instruments. One year they purchased a piano for the auditorium. Another fundraiser was to purchase an activity bus for travel. We had to purchase things for our school that the White schools received free in the school budget."However, one gets the impression that the entire school system, at this time, was not well funded and both Black and white had to scramble to get money for many items.

The PTA was, from one perspective, a check on the principal, in that the principal presented policies and procedures to them and they voted to approve or disapprove. The vote was by the entire group present and not by committee. For a while, some parents whose children were no longer in school continued to attend these meetings. Following the merger of the schools the Black parents attending the integrated PTA meetings were alienated by the committee decisions rather than group decisions. They also saw the appointment of committee members as a system perpetuating white control of the PTA. They not only felt disenfranchised by the committee voting but they felt they were not as well prepared as the Whites to talk at the meetings. They were comparing themselves to a mostly very well educated group of white women some of whom conceivably could have been their employers. In addition, one of the attractions to attend the PTA meetings, student performances and a chance to see their children on stage, was gone. It is not surprising that Black attendance dropped precipitously at the PTA meetings in the integrated schools. This lack of good school participation by the parents is an issue that concerns the black community today.

Most of the schoolbooks were old books previously used at the white school and brought to Lincoln. It was not uncommon for these books to be defaced and to have pages torn out, a circumstance which led some of the students at Lincoln to conclude that this destruction was purposeful. The desks were often used and marred as well.

LHS on Merritt Mill Road was built outside city limits at that time. The school lacked showers, a playing field, paved parking lot for school busses, lockers, and pavement for the students to walk to school (they walked in the streets approaching the school). It had only a small library. For years they had neither auditorium nor gymnasium and their shop was a Quonset hut till RD Smith designed a large shop area. Initially the school was to be 2 stories but this was scaled back. (EC) However, the students did not compare their school to CHHS but to other African American schools such as Hillside in Durham, and schools in Raleigh and Greensboro. They felt that their school was the"laughing stock"of the Black schools in this area of the state.

What came out of Lincoln High School and these relationships, this environment of encouragement, discipline, caring, and love? How does one evaluate the accomplishments of the student body? Records are hard to come by and have been lost to a large extent. However, when one looks at what has been recorded by the alumni association it is quite remarkable that the graduates from Lincoln, coming mostly from a lower socioeconomic not well-educated community have accomplished so much. The number of Lincoln graduates who went on to acquire more education, who are listed as"first African American to ..."hold this position or earn this award, community service accomplishments, and awards of excellence is a testament to the excellence and glory of Lincoln High School. Between 1951 and 1965 there were approximately 4,500 graduates and they have left a legacy of pride. Unfortunately most of the Lincoln graduates who went on to get more education could not find work commensurate with their education in this area and went north to get jobs. Some in Northside have said that a generation, perhaps 2 generations, of college graduates have been lost from the community.

The integration of the Chapel Hill schools began in the early 1960's before the building of the new high school under a plan called"freedom of choice." A few Black students chose to attend the previously all-white Chapel Hill Junior and Senior High Schools on Franklin St. Some of these students were encouraged by their parents and ministers to attend the white schools while others decided to integrate on their own. They saw value in the integration of the school system and thought that the facilities and education would be better for their children at the white schools. "We went into integration to get better books and better facilities."(EC)". No one noted any intimidation of parents, as was seen in other North Carolina communities when students integrated a previously all-white school.

During the summer before the first year of integration there was a two-week period of"orientation"given to some of the middle school aged Black students. They were given simple instructions for daily preparation for school (brush teeth, wash face, wear clean clothes every day). One interviewee was very annoyed at this intrusion into her life, the demeaning nature of some of the instructions, and the fact that it cut into their summer vacation with the family. (GJ) During this same time there was a 2 week workshop for both White and Black teachers on the integration about to take place. FH felt this was an"honest effort"but unfortunately the"emphasis was on how to deal with the Black children and/or racism and the emphasis should have been on teaching children how to work together, live together and accept each other."Most of the Black students interviewed went to these schools with little or no preparation for the new environment they were about to meet and some with regret that they could not experience what they saw as the glory of Lincoln High School. Verbal and physical intimidation was common for many of them, and especially the males, but not all. Several interviewees who were among the limited numbers to first integrate still tell of this experience with great emotion and sadness. Initially this very small minority felt isolated"like I was on an island"(SV). As the numbers of Blacks entering the White schools increased the feelings of isolation lessened, but sometimes the abuse continued. With the complete merger of the school system in 1966 the obvious abuse seemed to abate, though not completely. It was not until almost 3 years later, after a period of Black student observation, emotional distress, attempts at understanding what was happening, and failure to get satisfaction with adequate changes that the name calling and spitting, which had continued from a small minority of whites, had come to a complete stop. What the interviewees thought was the final straw, the event that forced this change, was an uprising, a series of protests or riots, if you will.

The integration, consolidation, or"merger"of the new Chapel Hill High School in many ways lacked sensitivity for the African American students and for the White students as well (ND). For the white student body their school was now integrated with a group they did not understand and did not know. Perhaps they thought it was no longer their school and what were these outsiders doing here anyway?"The perception in the Black community was that all the schools in the Black areas were closed because the Whites did not want their children in Black neighborhoods". (RDS) Lincoln HS was kept open for a year or 2 for 6th grade students only. Their school trophies, colors, mascot, song, school name, newspaper name and all but a few of their teachers, their role models, mentors, and advocates, were gone; they were in culture shock in a new age and new place and with new, hard won freedoms. For many students the merger is remembered as sudden and without preparation, information about the merger having been given to them only the summer before it occurred. For others it was known many months before. The strong feelings of pride and ownership they had felt at Lincoln High School were no longer felt at the newly integrated high school. Most of the integral academic courses (French was taught by Mrs. Alice Battle and later she taught both French and English for a while, then only French) were now being taught by white teachers and only a few Black teachers were at the school and they were teaching peripheral courses (typing, home economics, shop). The interpretation of this action appears obvious and the psychological effect must have been detrimental to both Blacks and Whites. The feeling was that"the white parents did not want Black teachers teaching their children because they went to inferior colleges and were inferior teachers.""We were more brainwashed to believe that what was White was right."(FJ) Their principal, C. A. McDougle, this demanding and caring disciplinarian was given the position of assistant principal with diminished power and prestige, and in the Black students' view was relegated to a small back room. He no longer roamed the hallways, greeted students at the door, got on the loud speaker and made himself known to the students. The Black students felt him"withering away". The feeling among those who knew him was that his loss of prestige slowly killed him. Their football coach, another icon, winner of multiple state championships, strong disciplinarian and friend, was relegated to assistant coach and head coach of the JV team (ND) at Phillips Middle School. Their high stepping, award-winning band was no more. And where were their trophies, mascot, colors, newspaper and traditions? Many of the Lincoln HS seniors who were deprived of their senior year at Lincoln, deprived of playing sports at"their school", deprived of their mentors, and deprived of graduating from Lincoln, were stunned and angered (at the system, at the school, at their parents) by their"sudden"transfer to the new CHHS."They took Lincoln away from us. I was angry at my parents."(RN)"When they left Chapel Hill High School they brought everything that ...originated at CHHS. Everything was the same"as it had been at the White high school. (WD) Indeed, there were those among the Black community who wanted to keep Lincoln as it was and not integrate the new CHHS so the Blacks could keep their culture and community intact. A survey letter done the semester before integration showed that the majority of students wanted to stay at Lincoln. (There is some disagreement as to the outcome of this survey)

Another important factor that changed and had a deleterious effect on the students was the loss of structure, structure in discipline, structure in dress, structure from their teachers. They could smoke cigarettes or pot surreptitiously on campus, even drink alcohol without being discovered. These were rare or non-existent events at Lincoln HS. They could leave campus (though few Blacks had a car to do so). They could play hooky and no one would call their parents. This"freedom"was but another change that required a young person's adjustments.

Though the term used was"merger"of the two schools, the African American students mostly felt no ownership of their new school and believed they had simply been allowed to attend a white school. Of interest, the school board, due to a fear of violence by angry whites, had initially proposed that the new high school be all white for a year before the Blacks were invited into the school. The Black community resisted this. The idea was dropped by the school board.

By 1969 the general feeling among the black students was that few cared about them anymore, they felt they were not encouraged to work and achieve as they had been at LHS, they were ignored, they were not treated the same as the white students, they were looked upon as second class students, and they were upset at the loss of their cherished high school and the nurturing, encouragement, and caring offered at Lincoln. They felt that the teachers focused on the academically gifted at the expense of others."I raised my hand in class but the teachers never called on me, so I stopped raising my hand"(EC) and this statement was said commonly. Eye contact from teacher to the Black student was often not noted. One Black student said"We didn't hate White people, we hated the system."(RN) And, there were teachers Black students thought were outwardly racist to them, but also teachers who were very caring and did not see color but simply saw students to nurture. In addition, many of the students had no encyclopedia in their home, no dictionary, only old magazines, and no daily newspaper. For some students there was a need to go to the library to get any resources and for some this was a long walk away. They had no money to travel and experience what the much more affluent white students had experienced. Their parents were mostly scraping by and their concern was affording enough food and clothing to keep the family going, not providing educational resources in their home. The differences in background, economic status, and resources were substantial. The uprising that occurred was perhaps as much a result of the loss of their strong culture as it was of a lack of sensitivity of the administration, and the feeling that there was a wall keeping Black and white students from communicating with each other. As well, the recent death of Martin Luther King, JR and the constant reminders of segregation and the fights for freedom going on around the country played on their minds and left some with a feeling of anger and hopelessness. (WD, JVW)"The uprising was primarily due to the fact that the administration at CHHS were not listening to what the Black students were saying and their unwillingness to sit down and discuss African American student concerns."(RDS) The spark that set off - what may well have been inevitable - a demonstration was an issue over the graduation marshals elected. This issue was settled when the school board did away with all marshals in the spring of 1969.

In November 1969 after a group of African American students met with the principal and were dismissed without any of their demands met, it was like a"wildfire"spread through the school (GJ). The protest was spontaneous, and poorly organized. The views of what actually happened varied among people interviewed some noting preparation and some thinking otherwise."This was just a bunch of unruly teenagers."(WD)"There were a lot of different groups going off in different directions."The doors to the school were locked by a small group of students for about an hour and a few of the White students who had taunted the Blacks were set upon. No one ended up in the hospital but the message was clear that the African American students would tolerate racial intolerance from other students no more. As R. D. Smith watched from the commons he saw many windows broken as chairs were thrown at them. One student demonstrator was told by his father,"Son, you're gonna get killed!"and his reply was,"Dad, I feel like I'm dead already!" We"didn't get what we were after."(WD) What Walter Durham wanted was to go"back to Lincoln High School"and"the family atmosphere...to tear the walls (of poor communication) down... let us be part of the school"(WD). The Black community met that evening at the First Baptist Church and the students spoke out. The message they gave was that"nobody was listening to what we were saying"at the high school.

From the CH Weekly, May 25,1969, "Protests at the school started Monday when about 80 black students staged a sit-down in a bid to increase the proportion of junior class marshals."

" After school administrators had agreed to more black marshals, the School Board threw another iron in the fire by deciding to abolish the honorary positions altogether."

... "The"List of Concerns from Black High School Students"includes:"

"- Establishment of a disciplinary review board to oversee the administration of school rules in a fair, just, and impartial manner.

-A request that the system hires more Black teachers and those efforts is made to have Black colleges use the CH schools for student teacher assignments.

-A request for more Black history and the use of more Black authors in literature class.

-Revision of the school song, colors, and mascot so that some of the LHS traditions can be incorporated at CHHS.

-The formation of a committee to develop a workable plan for selecting junior class marshals."

The Chapel Hill Human Relations Commission had sent a letter to student leaders urging them to present the grievances so that"some clear direction"could be determined before the end of the school term."

..."Protests have also been mounting in Burlington, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem over issues similar to those in Chapel Hill"

From the May 28, 1969 Chapel Hill Weekly:

...Also requested are more Blacks on the school newspaper staff, more Black secretaries in the high school office, direct communication with the Black students by the principal, more Black representatives on the student council and in clubs, and a psychology course to teach students"to deal realistically with poverty".

The students also requested apologies from the administration and School Board for"sorely degrading"them, more respect for guests invited by Blacks (this evidently refers to the restraining order issued against Preston Dobbins), more respect for the 3 Black cheerleaders at CHHS."

Apparently other schools in this area faced problems similar to Chapel Hill."We went and joined with Central High in Hillsborough a few times. We went in and joined their cause. I saw them as being more organized than Chapel Hill. I saw them operate off campus in a large group...trying to organize. And that was one thing that didn't happen in Chapel Hill. We didn't sit down and organize. We didn't see what direction we wanted to go in. We didn't see a list of demands. You might have a list of demands but this list of demands might come from 2 or 3 peoples instead of the group...You had a lot of different groups going off"in different directions."(WD)

Some changes were made following the uprisings, but one wonders if they were adequate. One of the helpful changes was the hiring of Hilliard Caldwell as a liaison between the administration and the Black students in 1969 and another was the hiring of Lucy Fearington as the elementary home-school coordinator to work with Hilliard in 1971(CS). Hilliard Caldwell was very clever in his position and very sensitive to the needs of his community. He was able to develop a slush find to aid the needy students and he went to homes to see what was going on in the family. He went so far as to bring underarm deodorant to the students who had no running water in their homes, certainly a most delicate thing to do. Quietly and unobtrusively he would take some poor students to a store to get adequate shoes to wear to school. The school colors and mascot were changed to accommodate some of the Lincoln HS traditions.

"I see the same problems existing today that were there 30 years ago"according to many of the people interviewed! One must hope that documentary studies such as this will assist in the continuing effort to sensitize educators and townspeople to the wealth of ideas, creative energy, and talent that the African American community has to offer and may give understanding of a rich heritage and pride to everyone. Unfortunately, during the time of integration these talents were not recognized and the Black students felt isolated and angered. Perhaps contemporary educators will use the story of Lincoln High School to help guide schools in dealing with minority issues. So many of the cherished values from Lincoln High School seem worthy of continuing in our school system today, the family atmosphere, the teaching of values in every way possible within each class, high expectations for all students, the feeling that the teachers were your advocates and mentors, and the"you can do it"attitude. All too often the emphasis of the teacher and curriculum is oriented to the gifted and exceptional students and the average students of all colors do not benefit from the same level of attention.

The interviews are but a microcosm of some of the rich local African American culture. This history of life during segregation is presented as a background to understanding the problems associated with the integration of CHHS. The strength and character of many leaders in the Black community were exemplary. Instead of retribution and intimidation most chose equality and the pathway of political and social change that has enhanced our community and their role in it.

Presented here are photographs and history of some of the African American community and white community, their memories of growing up under segregation, Lincoln High School, and the integration of CHHS. They are by no means meant to be the whole story - merely a sampling. The photographs are an attempt to capture some of the emotions and character of the people involved as well as places of importance to this story.

This exhibit is to be shown at the Chapel Hill Museum from July to October 2001 to coincide with the reunion of Lincoln High School alumni and the 50^th anniversary of the opening of LHS on Merritt Mill Road. It would be appropriate to have it shown at the Lincoln Center in Chapel Hill, at both of the local high schools, at schools around the state of North Carolina, and at the state legislature. Those will be our initial goals. The show has tentatively been accepted in Durham at the Hayti Heritage Center.