The Virginian-Pilot and PilotOnline.com are presenting "When the wall came tumbling down," a six-part series on Virginia's ''Massive Resistance'' policy, which closed down public schools during the summer of 1958 rather than desegregate them.
We welcome you to join a discussion of the series, especially if you have personal recollections you can share.. Just click "Add new comment" below to contribute.
Please note: You must register to comment. All comments are subject to our posting guidelines. Registered users, if you believe a comment violates these guidelines, you may click "Flag this" to report it to a moderator for review.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
THANK YOU FOR YOUR 6-PART SERIES ON "THE SUMMER OF '58.....
Dear Ms. Batts, Two weeks ago I caught the last part of a radio interview (103 Jams) promoting your work that was displayed last week. As a child, I had heard about the “The Norfolk 17” through my parents and relatives, but I never took advantage to expand my knowledge of this historical story and direct impact that our country endured. That’s why I want to personally thank you, your staff and everyone at “The Virginia Pilot” in presenting this story to the public.
Your work only reaffirms what my parents expressed to my brother and I during our childhood to present day. You see Ms. Batts, both of my parents were born and raised in Greenville, S.C. and both were teenagers during the late 50’s. My father graduated from Morehouse College and my Mother graduated from Bennet College. Both of them had dreams of raising their children in a United States that practice no restrictions on education and ho
Lost Class of 1959
Going into my Senior Year at Norview High School, I was excited to be a Senior and I anxiously awaited the opening of Norview in September of 1958. I kept up with the news and each day got longer, waiting for school to start.
On October 1, 1958, my mother along with another Senior girl and her mother took us to Churchland High School to register us so we could attend that school in Portsmouth, Va. I was happy to know that I was going to some school, but hated to leave Norview.
My Dad bought me a '57 Bel Aire Chevy, 2 door hardtop (wish I had it now) paid for tunnel fare and we also had to pay tuition to attend Churchland High. The school in Portsmouth was about 25 miles one way . The next day we attended our first day at Churchland.
Needless to say that we were anxious and afraid of entering a whole new school with a whole student body that we did not know. We also thought about the students who were there and their at
Desegregating Schools
Prince Edward County Schools made history during this time for keeping its public schools closed longer than any others in the Nation. A private school, Price Edward Academy, enrolled white students from families with the means to pay tuition. Not only were black children denied an education, the children from poorer white families were as well. By the time public schools reopened, there were 14 and 15 year-olds in second grade. Most overage children didn't return to school.
I graduated from Longwood College in Farmville, Va. - the county seat - in the early 90's, and the effects of school closure were still clearly evident in the high number of illiterate adults. The school system was now struggling with children whose parent couldn't read notices or information sent from school, couldn't help with homework, couldn't read books to their children.
Longwood students were involved in