Townsend’s Kindergarten
We entered G. W. Carver High School in September of 1967. Some of us even attended kindergarten together at Townsends or Mrs. McClaney’s. We finished Hudson Elementary, Calloway Elementary, Lewis Elementary or Shields Elementary ready to make our home in Ramsville. We had our own ideas about what a real Ram was suppose to be. We were smart, energetic, fun and high spirited and respectful.
Our faith was grounded in church, Wilson Chapel , Douglasville, Bethel, Antioch, Oak Street, New Progress, Christian Valley, Shady Grove, Friendship, Trinity, St. Luke, 22nd Avenue, Hopewell, 25th Avenue, Mt. Hebron, Sacred Heart, Peace Baptist, Mt. Calvary, Evergreen and other surrounding churches; we were in the choir, on the usher board, in the BTU program and best of all Vacation Bible school.
Our news was reported in the Birmingham World, Birmingham Post Herald and the Birmingham Times. If you search those papers and you will find articles on Collegeville, L&N City, Pipe Shop, Vice Hill, Acipco, Evergreen Botton, East Birmingham ….. and on Carver High School.
One article read that “…. Collegeville moves to a vital beat. It is a close-knit community…surrounded by rail yards and factories.”
Close-knit community was how the writer saw us, but we considered ourselves family. We were disciplined by the adults in the neighborhood, the church members and the teachers.
We came and left Carver in a time of un-rest through demonstrations, wars and riots. From George Wallace to Lurleen Wallace to Albert Brewer, from Johnson to Nixon; Black Panthers, we became a part of change. We were Black and Proud and Educated. We were the Mighty Rams of Carver High School in Collegeville.