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Saturday, April 3, 2021

Lucy Robinson Remembers Starting Graded Schools in Charlotte in 1883, April 3, 1921

Organizer of First Graded School Here Back on a Visit

Almost 39 years ago Miss Lucy M. Robinson, just out of Oswego Normal School in New York State, ventured South to accept a call for assistance in organizing the first public graded school in Charlotte.

There had been a legal battle in some little North Carolina town in which it was brought out that negroes were receiving better educational advantages thereabouts than whites. Local patriots wrought up over the bit of news determined to form a public graded school.

The idea was new in this part of the South and a method of organization was unknown. Consequently, the Northern teachers were engaged to labor here. Dr. T.K. Mitchell, the first superintendent of the city schools, and Miss Robinson were the two teachers and organizers.

Miss Robinson remained three years and then returned north. She is back now on her first visit since leaving Charlotte. A few days will be spent in the city at the Clayton hotel before gong to Washington as a delegate to the convention of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She has been in Florida and stopped over here en route back north, reaching the city Friday.

Back in 1883 Miss Robinson estimates Charlotte had a population of 9,000, with 500 children in school. Now the city has a population of 50,000 with around 8,000 children in school. The city’s population has increased a little more than five times while the school population is 16 times greater.

“I was young then and ambitious to make a great success of teaching,” Miss Robinson said in commenting on her first venture south. “I was more eager to be a good teacher than to eat my dinner. The local promoters of the graded school had written to the Oswego normal for someone who could come here and install Oswego graded school methods. Why they selected me, I do not know unles sit was because I was so small.

“But I came, fearful and hesitant. Forty dollars a month was my salary. Wasn’t that a big salary? I had to save postage stamps even. It cost me $20 a month for board and room. In those days we taught for the glory of it, because we couldn’t get any salary out of it. I threatened to leave once when the town of Greensboro wanted me to go there and organize a public school system, but the local school increased my salary $5 a month and I remained.

Miss Robinson, talking with The News representative in the parlor of the Clayton hotel, was enthusiastic in recalling events of 38 years ago when the present highly organized and well equipped school system was in the making.

“The say before the opening of the school in the old military academy (now the South school building) uneasiness of feeling was apparent. We did not know if the people would send their children to a public school. The wealthy, we feared, might not patronize the school, which would undoubtedly bring about its failure. The children of the wealthy had been attending the little private schools or scattered schools of a public nature, most of which were poorly equipped and with antiquated methods.

“I remember that on the morning the school opened parents peeped out their windows to see if their neighbors were getting their children ready to send them to the new graded school.

“But, thanks to the public spirit of Charlotte, the children came and, although weak financially, the system’s success was assured. We received aid from the Peabody fund and pretty soon the city turned over license money for the support of the school. This license money was collected from bar rooms and other sources.

“The feeling then against the north was quite bitter, and I remember that I had to act quite diplomatically to win and keep the friendship of the people of the city. But I had little trouble in making many friends and to this day I look back to those days with great pleasure. Three weeks before I came, pictures of Confederate generals in their frames surrounded by Confederate lags(?) were taken from the walls in the room where I was to teach. I suppose they did that believing that it would be showing consideration for me.”

The school system continued to grow in enrollment and popularity, Miss Robinson said. The patronage by the wealthy of the city brought the children of the poor into the school also and only a few months were required for the school to become recognized as the most thorough method of obtaining a preliminary education.

In speaking of the events between 1882 and 1885 Miss Robinson demonstrated the possession of remarkable faculties of memory. She recalled the names of pupils and told of insignificant instances as though they might have happened a few months ago.

“If the Southern boys of today are as gallant as were the Southern boys of those days, then they have my admiration. The little home-made caps would come off at the sight of a lady and they never thought of startingup the steps without taking their hats off.

“Why Joe Ross used to walk home with me every afternoon to carry my umbrella,” said Miss Robinson laughingly.

In the three years spent here Miss Robinson failed to rise higher than a teacher.

“I might have been principal, but public sentiment would not have approved of a woman principal at that time,” Miss Robinson commented.

Back then Miss Robinson had not so much as thought of woman’s rights, but since she has developed into an ardent suffragist and is former president of the village of Richfield, N.Y., where she makes her home. She won in the contest over a man. The president of the village corresponds to the office of mayor of Charlotte.

Fourteen teachers were employed, including Miss Robinson, the superintendent and the principal. She remembered that the first name of the principal was “Anonymous,” this having been chosen by his father because of the many good poems which has been “written by Anonymous.”

Miss Sallie Bethune, who has served longer than any other in the Charlotte schools, was teaching then. Miss Bethune called on Miss Robinson and they talked over old times.

The teachers had weekly meetings then at which Miss Robinson would lecture, giving pointers on the Oswego method for schools.

While the representing of |The News was talking with Miss Robinson, Mr. And Mrs. Rober Mayer called to see her. Mr. Mayer was presented by his wife as “Rob Mayer.”

“Why Rob Mayer, I’m so glad to see you,” responded Miss Robinson enthusiastically, reaching out her hand, and indicating that she recalled the name as that of one of her pupils. During her conversation she mentioned the names of numerous people whom she taught as children, and told of incidents in their lives while in her class at the school.

Miss Robinson has not taught school in a number of years. She is living now within a few miles of Bridgewater, N.Y., from which place she first came to Charlotte. She is a member of several women’s organizations in Utica, N.Y., near Richfield, and is active in the social life of that city.

She is also active in the Daughters of the American Revolution and is a delegate to the national convention from New York state.

She expressed keen delight in her opportunity to return to Charlotte. Several people must be seen, she insists, including a number of former pupils. The reception which has been accorded her and the interest shown by former friends has delighted her.

From The Charlotte News, Sunday morning, April 3, 1921. Why would a Southern city like Charlotte turn to a New York State college graduate to start a graded public school system? Read about the Oswego Movement at https://www.blogger.com/blog/posts/8493267847537044513

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