Hide Article Text (OCR)
By TONY BARBERYof the Daily Telegraph staffPRINCETON - Legacies of Dunbar Elementary School united with the present here Friday at the Lower Pine Street Playground.Warner Baxter of Cleveland, Ohio was one of more than 100 alumni who returned for the celebration of heritage. Baxter attended Dunbar Elementary, Genoa High School and Bluefield State College.“We tried to start up this reunion 10 years ago. Finally it has happened with a lot of help and cooperation from Dunbar alumni now living in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New Jersey and New York. Former Dunbar students live in all 50 states and in foreign countries including England, Spain and Germany,” he said. “Every minute of the time spent here is worth it to all of those who have traveled so far.”Novella Chambers Strain said she remembers going up to the top of the hill to the school. The building now houses the J.H. Easley Tabernacle BaptistChurch.“I went to Dunbar for eight years and then attended Genoa in Bluefield. I went to Charleston to the school for the deaf and blind but communication problems brought me back home to finish my education.”Novella’s husband, George Strain, said the reunion is a great idea for today’s kids and yesterday’s students.Sidney Hayes said he attended Dunbar during the 1940s when segregation was a part of life.Staff photo by Tony BarberyClass reunionDunbar Elementary School alumni Tony Howard and Tim Sharpless handle percussion during Friday’s first-ever Dunbar Reunion kickoff.was a nice school,” he said. Linden, N.J., resident Robert Gordon said he went to Dunbar from 1945 through 1952. It wasclosed in 1966.“I remember the closeness we had. The student had respect forthe teachers and respect for one another. Dunbar was more family than school,” he said. “I hope that this first reunion is going to become and annual event.”Alumni Roslyn Smith said she remembers the competent teachers Dunbar had and that the whole community was involved. The connection between church, school and.family was very strong, she said.Students wanted to learn because getting an education was viewed as a way to a better life, Brooklyn, N.Y., resident Audrey Wright said. Many of the alumni of Dunbar have proved this to betrue, she said.Gordon said he recalls the daysat Dunbar when students recitedthe Pledge of Allegiance and the Lord’s Prayer each day. “It only helped us,” he said..Smith said some other memories include a pot belly stove and the red brick building that housed approximately six classrooms.Sidney Hayes said he has recollections of when the wooden frame school was torn down so the red brick building could bebuilt.Martha Hayes, 75, a retired federal employee who now lives in Ft. Washington, Md., said, “I think about the white building, the one that was torn down. There were good and bad times. One well-remembered principal and teacher, J.P. Livisay was especially strict. He had a crooked finger and he used to say ‘I’m going to thrash you.’”The lauded reunion was organized, in large part through the efforts of Marcie Smith.“There is no history of this school at the Mercer County Schools Central Office,” Smitfi said. ;Dunbar was founded on Hen* derson Street in 1913 to serve the public school needs of Prince! ton’s black residents. The school served students in grades one through eight. In 1955 or 1956, the system began busing Dunbar stur dents to Genoa High School irt Bluefield to complete their edu* cation. As segregation faded} Dunbar students went on to Princeton High School. Dunbai* was converted to a school for ad: vanced students of all races in 1969. It was closed in 1971. Todayj the school is a part of the J.H! Easley Tabernacle Baptist Church. [Friday’s cookout/reunion is being followed by a reunion dinner tonight and a special depart ture ceremony at the churc^ Sunday morning.Come See OurNew SummerArrivalsfor your Vacation Reunion Needs•532B Virginia AveS/S? J • Bluefield, Va
Newspaper Details
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Bluefield, West Virginia, US
Sat, Jul 05, 1997
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Elizabeth G.
AL, USA 17 Mar 2023
Other Publications Near Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield Evening Leader
Bluefield Daily Leader
Bluefield Sunset News
Bluefield Sunday Telegraph
The New Daily Telegraph
