Frances Hargraves - on her experience at Hackney School (clip)

FH: I guess I was just like any other youngster. I was more concerned about the neighborhood and being accepted by my peers and also my relatives. Just being a part of what was going on, and playing games, and going to school like any child would at that period. You must remember I was born in 1914. So things are very different now than it was when I was a child. Even so far as the town and how people think and what was going on. There's quite a difference there. I definitely remember my first going to school. I was too young to enter the public school. My mother thought she might get me in but they told her that I wouldn't be able to go. So I went to sort of a kindergarten-it wasn't called a kindergarten-Miss Carrie's school was on Robinson Street. Now they call it Roberson Street. She took in children who were four. five years old and then she had summer classes. My experience there was very rewarding, and I was more ready to go into the public schools when I was six years old. And of all the teachers that I remember, I remember my first grade teacher, so it was quite an experience for me. And of course the school was located on Merritt Mill Road. The primary building was off from the main building. And they were all wooden frame buildings but, being a child, and just enjoying the experience, I didn't think about the building or what was taught. But it was wonderful. And I seemed to be very happy in that setting.

BG: What was the name of that school?

FH: It was called Hackney School, as far as I can remember. Of course, when the school was destroyed by fire several years later, we moved into different buildings, churches, and a Masonic lodge. Even a theater, just anywhere that we could get space. I was very sad-I was just around nine years old, I guess-I was very sad because I missed the conveniences that we had at school. And I can't even remember having any recess space. We were very crowded. But we went on with our lessons. It was still a learning situation. But it was very dreary, the two years that we were there. Later, we moved in 1924 to what we now call Northside. It was called Orange County Training School.

BG: Where did the black community get the land to build Orange County Training School, and who paid for the building?

FH: As I understand, the Stroud family gave some of the land and I think they bought some from other people. It was very hilly. It wasn't smoothed down. And there were no roads to it. We had to climb hills from every area wherever you lived, and I guess trampling over the grounds over the years just made, what you might call a cow path to school. But we were just so pleased and happy to get that space after being cramped up for two years that it was just going into Glory Land, literally speaking. And being young children, you had more space to play and to have fun.