Code,920009
Subject,Emily Peck
Date,4/2/2008
Interviewer,David Urban
Abstract,"Emily PeckEmily Peck born and raised in Memphis, came to Cleveland after graduation from high school in 1950.  She describes her first impressions of Cleveland, mostly favorable, did not find animosity towards African-Americans.  Worked at Franklin's ice cream shop, then became first black nurses aid at Cleveland Clinic while attending Notre Dame nursing school on partial scholarship.  Worked on  Masters Degree in Education while raising five children, describes atmosphere and emphasis on learning at CSU in evening program, geared towards adults.  Describes living in Glenville, lack of nursery schools and importance of Head Start/Child Development programs. Peck recieved Principal certification and worked in Cleveland Public Schools. Discusses problems in public schools and how racial issues and financial difficulties hurt the children.  Racism in Cleveland and resultant problems.  African-Americans coming into Cleveland after WWII, clash with immigrants in neighborhoods.  Lack of opportunities for African-Americans, perserverence of upper middle class blacks.  Importance of education to Peck and her husband.  Her husband as professional engineer, formed African-American engineering company.  Carl Stokes provided blacks many new opportunities to work for city. Peck and husband stayed in Glenville because of love for Cleveland, even though schools were in decline.  Trouble in Glenville started with overcrowding of schools and subsequent decline.  African-Americans kept out of Collinwood, Slavick Village and St. Clair neighborhoods in 1950's and 60's. Describes East Boulevard as enclave of upper class blacks.  Problems caused by busing to Memorial School and Murray Hill, reaction of whites, building of new schools on Lakeview.  Church of Covenant protest at construction site, Rev. Bruce Klunder run over by tractor. Shaker Heights and Lee-Harvard as desired areas for educated blacks, housing based on class, not just ethnicity or race.   History of Glenville, night clubs and entertainment in area.  Survival of neighborhoods vital to city, avoid destruction by freeways and industry and support local talent and entrepreneurs."
Special Notes,"Glenville Resident, Community Activist, Educator"
minutes:,
0,"Introduction, Born in Memphis"
1,"May, 1950 Graduated High School, desired to go to college"
2,"Little Financial opportuntity to go to College, missed scholarship in St. Louis"
3,"Moved to Cleveland with older sister on E 111th, Glenville area"
4,"Difference between Cleveland and Memphis, lived in black neighborhood"
5,"Church life, diversity of churches in Memphis, hospitality and warmth"
6,"In Cleveland joined St. Thomas Aquinas, Catholic"
7,First job Franklin ice cream shop and first black nurses aide at Cleveland Clinic
8,"Nurse's aid in children's ward, partial scholarship to Notre Dame in S. Euclid"
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10,"Cleveland State for Master's Degree after married and had 5 children, how met husband"
11,"married Nelson Peck,  age difference"
12,"married 25 years, part time schooling"
13,"Love of Schooling, diversity of Cleveland State"
14,"Evening Classes, adult atmosphere, instructors counselors and teachers, sports"
15,Professors in College of Education emphathized program rather than extracurricular
16,"Early Childhood, Head Start Teacher 10 years before got Master's, resided Glenville"
17,"Y and Head Start volunteer, worked Huran Rd Hospital, emergency Room secretary"
18,"Job at Metro in admitting office, volunteered Child Development Program at Glenville High School"
19,Supervisor offered job as teacher in Child Development
20,"desired to go back to school for education, full time evening student"
21,"Received Principal certification, Al Tutalla superintendent appointed assistant principal at Paul Revere"
22,"desired to help Cleveland Public Schools,"
23,Became principal at Gracemont Elementary School
24,"Passion for the classroom, change in funding in public education"
25,reasons for problems in Cleveland public schools
26,"Glenville as up and coming community, Jewish population,"
27,"War Years brought diversity in industry, opportunities given to immigrants not African Americans"
,"African American excelled in education, racism part of decline in Glenville"
29,Husband became Professional Engineer
30,"Husband's advancement in engineering field, formed black engineering company"
31,
32,Mayor Carl Stokes offered jobs to qualified African Americans
33,"Love for Cleveland spurred social activism, why stayed in Glenville"
34,"problems in educational system, overcrowding"
35,"""Collinwood didn't want black people"""
36,"bought land on Wade Park, the new east boulevard"
37,didn't have money to built house on land
38,"Bought home on 120th, 3 stories, 1962"
39,"New school bult on Lakeview, overcrowding, want to widen the school district"
40,"Neighboorhood ""turf business,"" busing,"
41,"shipping black kids out to white schools, Son moved to memorial school, not allowed to associate with white children"
42,"transportation to Murray Hill school, self-contained classroom, Cleveland BOE build new schools in Glenville"
43,"Neighborhood enraged, marched on building site, Church of the Covenent, Rev. Bruce Clunder run over by tractor"
44,"believes Bruce was run over on purpose, pre-existing factors in neighborhood"
45,Educated black familes desired to move to Shaker and Cleveland Heights whereas other areas not receptive to blacks moving in
46,St. Clair and Slovek Village not receptive
47,Racism underlying factor in decline of Glenville
48,Blacks with education and jobs better sense of self
49,"Seeking prosperity, education beginning to create higher desires"
50,Housing based on Class
51,"Glenville began as Jewish working class, upper middle class blacks moved in"
52,"Upper middle class black neighborhoods, did not have black working class"
53,Descriptions of Night Life in Glenville/Gold Coast
54,"Ideas brought back from WWII, Cedar Area,"
55,Entertainers
56,Between Superior and St. Clair 105th was the place to be
57,Area hours places
58,"Mayor Michael White focued on schools and neighborhoods, not businesses"
59,"University Circle, good position to bolster neighboorhoods"
60,Highway development I-90 destroys neighborhoods
61,"Need for local stores, use marketable talents"
62,anti-big industry and heavy traffic
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