Mixed Up

I didn’t grow up here. I come from a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio called Cleveland Heights. We moved to Connecticut in 1972. (I came to Columbia in 1999.) I came across this photo and the text explaining it in a Facebook group about growing up in Cleveland Heights. It tells of a history I knew absolutely nothing about. I am sharing it here because I think it is relevant to our own struggles with race in Columbia/HoCo. I’ll talk more about that tomorrow.

Words of original poster: Taylor Rd Elementary school kids in an ad that ran in the 'Sun Press' Sept.1971. It touted the school as having kids from different backgrounds and the copy says, "We know that Taylor is the kind of melting pot some people just aren't looking for. But if you're inclined and want something else, something more, give us a call." My brother and I are in this ad. Anyone else in FB land recognize anyone?

 Response: I was at Taylor at this time (1968 to 1975) and my sister is in this photo along with a friend of mine from my class and her sister who was a year younger. Their family moved away about a year after this photo. I went there from k through sixth.

 The purpose of this ad was to stem the tide of white flight from the area which was already in full swing ( my family did not leave.) Unfortunately the goal of maintaining an integrated school failed and within four to five years of this photo the school was almost entirely African American with almost all white families with school aged kids having moved out. Then shortly after that the school was converted from an elementary school to an extension of Heights High for kids with disciplinary problems. Taylor was the first elementary school closed in the Heights system. (the local junior high for Taylor kid, Roosevelt, was closed in 1974 and kids were bussed to other junior highs.)

The dream of a happy, healthy integrated elementary school was reality for roughly 3 short years —Cleveland Heights tried to keep this going in the schools and neighborhoods.But the overall racial climate of national segregation won out and unfortunately still exists today. The parents of that time tried hard to keep the Taylor community together but unfortunately were ultimately unsuccessful. It all fell victim to white flight. It is unfortunate that people could not accept living in an integrated neighborhood.

This is a great ad and it would have been great if it had been successful.

*****

When we think of that same time period here - - 1968 to 1975 - - we see the foundational years in the establishment of Columbia as the antithesis of white flight and segregation. Fifty years on, our school system has been in the awkward position of trying to convince parents of the benefits of allowing their children to go to school with children who are different than they are. I wonder what would happen if they ran ads like this: