Paul Caldwell - On changes in education and his career
Interviewed by Kathryn Wall and Christine Abernathy on May 3, 2022
“Take one day at a time, don't plan on tomorrow or next week. God gives you one day at a time you take that one day and you thank him for it.”
- Paul Caldwell
This interview was conducted for a special edition of the Northside News on education. The interview begins with Mr. Caldwell discussing his earliest memories of school. He talks about how he attended the Orange County Training School before Northside Elementary and Lincoln High School. He describes his experiences of walking to and from Northside Elementary every day with a big group of kids from his neighborhood. He also describes memories of teachers he had. He talks a lot about his grandchildren, often juxtaposing their schooling experiences with his own, especially with regard to the drastic advancements in technology. He talks about his yard and how he learned to garden. He also reflects on his multiple career paths including working at the UNC Research Center, working for University Housing, being a UNC police officer, and working security for ATM machines. The most notable of his careers was being a UNC police officer. He worked for UNC Police for 27 years, achieving the rank of captain and becoming the first Black captain in the department. He has been a crossing guard for students at Northside Elementary School for 10 years, and he talks about his experiences in this position. Lastly, Mr. Caldwell shares some of his wisdom on how to live a good life.
