Teachers' Impact

Wallace Hampton described his teachers as “dedicated and they made sure that you did your work. They made sure. And one thing, too, the teachers when one person didn’t do what they were supposed to do, the whole class got punished. So you look at it back then you go ‘gee-whiz I was doing good. Why do they punish all of us?’ So we all got punished. They taught us teamwork. You worked as a team. You look at it back then like oh my God but they taught us some things. But as far as singling them out, sure some of them you kinda like better maybe. But as far as education-wise and helping you, they were all very strong.”

Douglas Patterson said “we had teachers there that taught us the best that they could with the curriculum that was supplied to us. And I remember that with some of the teachers, especially, there were things that they tried to, I guess, put in us, that was more than just the curriculum from the books that we were given to learn from.” Patterson also remembers all of the life lessons he learned from his teachers: “there were many things instilled in me through some of the teachers that we had that have carried on into my adult year and have helped me to be able to, what I say, ‘fit in’ in places that I may not have been able to fit in except that I had some of those instructions from some of the teachers in my elementary school. I really appreciate it.” Patterson said “there were so many things that we learned about life from them that were so many positive things in my life that helped me when I entered into high school--and entering into high school was a rough time, as we say, the time of integration. But some of the things I learned at Calfee really helped prepare me in ways that I had no knowledge that would come into being, that helped me be able to get through high school and get through high school in a good way. Even during that time, I had very, very little problems and I enjoyed my time in high school also. But that training that I got in Calfee aided me so much in my high school, and even in my adult life.”

Julius Fuller spoke fondly of all of his teachers. He said “basically all the teachers, they were dedicated people, and no one—at the time, as a child, you didn’t realize the difficulty and how hard it was for them to have a school, and now, looking back on it, you really appreciate the sacrifice those people made. They’re very dedicated people. At the time, like as a child, you just maybe didn’t care for them, but they were doing something for you that would pay off later on down the road.”

Richard Smith recalled that all of the teachers taught their students “how to respect people, and to learn, cause once you learn can’t nobody take it away from you. But every teacher had their own way of teaching, and we’re still… I couldn’t say anything bad about none of them. They all did a fine job out there.” His wife adds that “they had respect for us, so we had respect for them. And, what we learned, I think is just, it was instilled in us and they really wanted us to learn.” Carolyn tells of how generous teachers were at Calfee Training School. She recalls that if “a student didn’t have enough money to get their lunch and I know the teachers have taken money out of their pockets to give so they would be able to have a lunch.” Her husband, Richard, follows up by saying “it was a blessing, just to have those type of teachers.”

Dr. Mickey Hickman, former student and current president of the Calfee Community and Cultural Center Board of Directors, praises his teachers by saying: “those teachers they didn’t have all those fancy degrees and credentials that some of the white teachers had but one positive in a negative system is I think the black teachers probably cared for us more than had we been with the white teachers. I don’t know that, I’d like to think teachers care about all their students and don’t see color but I knew those teachers at Calfee cared for us. They knew what we were going to face and they held our nose to the grindstone and made us work.”

Reverend Gary Hash said "Calfee pushed you. I didn't realize it then but I think so now. The instructors at Calfee were preparing us for the world out there. It was not a level playing ground and they knew we were not going in on a level playing ground. And they were looking out for us. I didn't see it then at all. I see it now. Calfee was real strong on academics, discipline, and accountability. Academics, discipline, accountability. Academics, discipline - I killed it. It was like being in the military or college or something. I mean, I couldn't believe I was in the first grade and they were so strict discipline. They really pushed you academically. No one was ever treated like you're lesser than, or that you can't perform academically. They push to get it out of everyone. Now, kids can slip on over and slide into a category. If they start falling behind it's very easy. They start medicating and this and that now. Calfee pushed to get the optimal performance out of you. They perform at such a high level. When our teachers at Calfee, dressed like they were going to church every day. The excellence of our instructors at Calfee was just unreal. Their excellence, their preparedness. You could tell by the way they dealt with the academics and your discipline, your focus. It was just zero tolerance for bad behavior. Just zero tolerance for bad behavior. It was just push, push, push. A lot of support, and it wasn't a whole lot of sweet-looking little sweetie pie we understand, and, man, you had to be tough."

Reverend Gary Hash remembered the excellence of the instructors; he said "man, you would have thought it was a dress contest. That's how they dress. And they're not coming in scattered like they're half asleep. Man, they came in focused every day. There was no slack time. You never heard a teacher talking about 'I'm just not feeling quite well.' No, man, they just performed consistently. No excuses."

Reverend Gary Hash recalled "most people don't have a clue. So, I'm privileged to be a good Calfee alumni and to have the opportunity to talk some about it. But it was more like college. I'm serious. I mean, they were so serious they were just right at it all the time and they set the bar so high. I love the way they took ownership of the kids. And the teachers and the parents worked together. There was a lot of communication going on between parents and teachers and the company. You didn't talk. They did not tolerate misbehavior, teachers nor parents. They worked hard to create an atmosphere that was conducive to learning. It was just absolutely phenomenal. They were high achievers themselves. These teachers could have gone other places. They did not make the money the other teachers did, but they were no less prepared. Matter of fact, I think the faculty at Calfee was just absolutely amazing."

George Penn said "our teachers were dressed well every day, and they had something to put on your mind. I hear kids today in the classroom that could cut up. That was unheard of. You didn't do it. You did have corporal punishment in the schools then; you'd get a paddling or switch, so that was handled."

Lane Penn remembered "they went out of their way to make sure you---The only way back then that a kid didn’t learn was if they didn’t want to learn. The teachers were very dedicated. Then, too, kids had more respect for teachers than they do today. You didn’t talk back to the teachers. The teacher was in control in those days. You did what you were told. And of course, you were afraid not to, because once your mother and father found out you were a bad kid, you were very well disciplined."

Lane Penn said "well, one thing about Calfee School is that I felt that the teachers there then were much more dedicated than teachers are today. I think they feel are obligated to make you learn, you know, they went out of their way to make you have success, you know? And like I said before, you, I don't remember ever having a kid drop out. And because they were always there to try to encourage it to move forward, you know. You don't see that today. I think teachers are somewhat disadvantaged because the kids are in charge today. And they can't discipline kids like did back in my days you know. It's a whole different ballgame."

Robert Smith recalled "Mr. Smith: Well there’s a whole lot different now. I think that everybody that went to Calfee remembers it's good, you know. I mean you had good teachers and everything was pretty good. They had a band and they had everything. Of course, all the schools got it now, but at that time, before integrating these Black kids, some of them played trumpets and some played saxophones, different things, and drums. Right now, the children couldn't go through what we went through. They couldn’t do it."