Frances Hargraves - on school pride at Lincoln High (clip)
Interviewed by Bob Gilgor on January 22, 2001
BG: What was the feeling about Lincoln High School when it was moved to Merritt Mill Road in 1951? How did the community relate to the school?
FH: Wonderful, wonderful! Good heavens, you had everything: space, better school, more equipment. All of it was just wonderful. Very accepting of moving to a new building. You go into a building and you see what's over there--. They were very pleased with the spaciousness and the equipment and everything at Lincoln High School. Now, my daughter complained because she had to walk. You had to be in a certain radius before you could ride the bus. But I know she walked.
BG: She walked from here? What is that, a mile and a half?
FH: Whatever it is, she walked it.
BG: Right past the white school.
FH: There you are, exactly. But being young, they have strong legs. They had the feeling, you owned this, this is ours. Something to be proud of, this is our school. And I don't think they even at that time thought too much about desegregating. That was in the '50s, that's true. But they weren't hip to that. They had school pride, very strong. The kids really were very proud: they were proud of their band, they were proud of their program, they were proud of the athletes, of the athletic department. They really had school pride. Students seemed to be doing much. Along with the parents, they had a lot of support from them. And other agencies, too. You always want to see your children doing well, and you're open to being a part of it.
