Integration by Sarah Robin |
September, 1957 was a historic time for our country. Schools were opening for the first time for both black and white students. The original plan was to have separate, but equal schools. That plan was not working. My school, Richard J, Reynolds High School in Winston -Salem, NC hosted the first black student in an all-white school in North Carolina.
Gwendolyn Yvonne Baily was an attractive and very bright student. It was a media event with reporters, TV cameras, and lots of people. Someone had painted the road in front of the school with ugly sayings. The boys at our school stood over those paintings to block them from the cameras. Fortunately, the crowd left and let school begin. It was a lonely year for her. I can still see her sitting in the cafeteria eating alone. I am ashamed of myself for not including her in our activities. To say I didn't know any better is a cop out, but close to the truth. Changes were coming everywhere and we needed them. Gwendolyn was at the forefront of changing the culture in North Carolina. In 1970, my son Charlie started 1st grade in Tennessee. After a month of school, he came home one day and asked me if I knew his teacher was black. I said "Oh, yes." He said,"I love her because she lets me borrow her books and she is teaching me to read."
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Sarah Robin
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