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Their Highest Potential
African American schools in the segregated South faced enormous obstacles in educating their students. But some of these schools succeeded in providing nurturing educational environments in spite of the injustices of segregation. Vanessa Siddle Walker tells the story of one such school in rural North Carolina, the Caswell County Training School, which operated from 1934 to 1969. She focuses especially on the importance of dedicated teachers and the principal, who believed their jobs extended well beyond the classroom, and on the community's parents, who worked hard to support the school. According to Walker, the relationship between school and community was mutually dependent. Parents sacrificed financially to meet the school's needs, and teachers and administrators put in extra time for professional development, specialized student assistance, and home visits. The result was a school that placed the needs of African American students at the center of its mission, which was in turn shared by the community. Walker concludes that the experience of CCTS captures a segment of the history of African Americans in segregated schools that has been overlooked and that provides important context for the ongoing debate about how best to educate African American children. African American History/Education/North Carolina
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 2, 2022
read for edlf 4610 - telling examination of a segregated school in north carolina (that the author attended !!) that forced me to reconsider the notion that african american segregated schools were inherently of a lower quality because of the resources they were provided. emphasizes community building and organizing from parents, teachers, administrators, and students that made ccts a vital part of the community and successful environment for student learning and growth.
August 4, 2023
Their Highest Potential: An African American School Community in the Segregated South by Vanessa Siddle Walker provides many insights into the reality of schooling in a segregated school.
Walker uses documents and interviews to demonstrate how a Rosenwald School in Cassell County, North Carolina developed into a fine institution serving the Blacks students in the town and surrounding rural communities. Cassell County Training School (CCTS) had a rough beginning and had many obstacles to build a facility large enough and then to being recognized as a high school. Under a strong principal, N. L. Dillard, the staff, children and parents created a supportive and encouraging atmosphere in the segregated South.
Interviews with teachers, students and others documents how they gather together to create a supportive environment despite the structural obstacles of limited funding and having to negotiate with White administrators to meet their needs. N.L. Dillard, a graduate of Shaw University, brings a bold vision to CCTS, hiring strong teachers, accommodating them and building community. He continues his own schooling but remains committed to this county in North Carolina. He expands opportunities for students in sports and bands, as well as getting them to debate other schools and look beyond their community. There were many ways they excelled. Highest potential was the words of encouragement. Walker has done some solid scholarship, that demonstrates much that Jarvis Givens explored in his book Fugitive Pedagogy.
Interesting look at both the structural obstacles to providing for Negro education during this era, book is written in 1996, but covers events in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Dillard did not believe in separating the slow from the smart children, especially in small schoolhouses. He kept people together, so the smart ones could help the slow, but also the children all saw each other.
Dillard took an interest in every child, even approaching them outside of school. Helped to keep them engaged and that was the job of every teacher. You had to be creative about teaching, so that students were engaged and learned. Personally, Dillard help bright student get to colleges, negotiating about scholarship and even taking them personally to colleges. There is strong involvement and many young people lead professional lives. Teachers were the most significant group of Black middle-class professionals during this era. CCTS teachers attended state and national association meetings, expanding their own visions and preparing for new opportunities. In August of 1968, CCTS opened for the last year as a segregated school.
Walker uses documents and interviews to demonstrate how a Rosenwald School in Cassell County, North Carolina developed into a fine institution serving the Blacks students in the town and surrounding rural communities. Cassell County Training School (CCTS) had a rough beginning and had many obstacles to build a facility large enough and then to being recognized as a high school. Under a strong principal, N. L. Dillard, the staff, children and parents created a supportive and encouraging atmosphere in the segregated South.
Interviews with teachers, students and others documents how they gather together to create a supportive environment despite the structural obstacles of limited funding and having to negotiate with White administrators to meet their needs. N.L. Dillard, a graduate of Shaw University, brings a bold vision to CCTS, hiring strong teachers, accommodating them and building community. He continues his own schooling but remains committed to this county in North Carolina. He expands opportunities for students in sports and bands, as well as getting them to debate other schools and look beyond their community. There were many ways they excelled. Highest potential was the words of encouragement. Walker has done some solid scholarship, that demonstrates much that Jarvis Givens explored in his book Fugitive Pedagogy.
Interesting look at both the structural obstacles to providing for Negro education during this era, book is written in 1996, but covers events in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Dillard did not believe in separating the slow from the smart children, especially in small schoolhouses. He kept people together, so the smart ones could help the slow, but also the children all saw each other.
Dillard took an interest in every child, even approaching them outside of school. Helped to keep them engaged and that was the job of every teacher. You had to be creative about teaching, so that students were engaged and learned. Personally, Dillard help bright student get to colleges, negotiating about scholarship and even taking them personally to colleges. There is strong involvement and many young people lead professional lives. Teachers were the most significant group of Black middle-class professionals during this era. CCTS teachers attended state and national association meetings, expanding their own visions and preparing for new opportunities. In August of 1968, CCTS opened for the last year as a segregated school.
July 28, 2021
Dr. Vanessa Siddle Walker was my professor and I had the greatest honor of having her as a mentor and teacher. We read this book in class, and honestly it’s impact speaks for itself. It helped me immensely in my career in education, and it’s a book I refer to often. Dr. Siddle Walker is amazing, and one of the brightest minds when it comes to pedagogy in education. 10/10 recommend. I’d buy this book 100 times over.
July 23, 2011
An interesting look into one community's dedication and sacrifices to make their dream for a good education for their children come true, despite facing a segregated school system that provided them with less and expected them to sacrifice far more (like their own physical labor) than their white counterparts.
Still, I can't help but think that, being based on one single school's rise and growth, it is possible it is too much to try to imagine this school as the norm for segregated communities. Perhaps further studies will prove it was.
Still, I can't help but think that, being based on one single school's rise and growth, it is possible it is too much to try to imagine this school as the norm for segregated communities. Perhaps further studies will prove it was.
December 30, 2011
Interesting book on how the community worked together to provide educational opportunities for their children.
September 21, 2015
Read chapter two for class. It covered the 14 year struggle of an African-American school to obtain the funding and facilitates they were entitled to by law.
March 6, 2013
Loves this book. Answered a lot of questions about the fallacy that all negro schools in the south offered a substandard education.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews