Code,990040
Subject,Gerald Hughes
Date,7/17/2013
Interviewer,Timothy Klypchak
Abstract,"Gerald Hughes is an African American Clevelander who served within the Cleveland City Schools for many years. He describes his various positions at various schools. He also points out differences and similarities these schools experienced. He recalls how it was to work with the PTA and how important it is to have an active parent base. He recalls the challenges that busing brought to the school district. He then discusses what it was like to live in Cleveland Heights and his fond memories of Cain Park, among other places. He briefly discusses how the sectionalism that divided the city on East-West lines dissolved and downtown Cleveland became a central location."
Tags,"Sowinski Elementary, racially mixed, Crispus Attucks School, Hough, East High school, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, PTA, vandalism, equal schooling, bussing, Harvey Rice school, Gordon School, desgregation, Cain PArk, Boulevard Neighborhood, Cumberlain park, Nighttown, Cleveland Heights, East-West divide in Cleveland"
Special Notes,"notes about high points, audio quality, etc..."
minutes:,
0,Thanks for making up part of the lost interview; describes Sowinski Elementary school
1,Sowinski Elementary was right next to Polish Catholic church; mentions how went to elementary school in the beginning of desegregation;
2,"Gradual process of desegregating the neighborhood, but still noticable"
3,Poverty level was high in the area- racially mixed faculty that worked well together; went for a year then went to Crispus Attucks in Hough - predominatly black school
4,Went to a Grad school in Pittsburgh then went to East High School; Some parents in the school were helpful to the African-Americans coming in
5,Jr High kids were more trouble than the elementary school- always threating violence
6,"Difference between Pittsburgh, when he went there for grad school, and Cleveland"
7,Says that Pittsburgh was just changing in a positive way; He went to UPitt and Carnegie Mellon
8,After Grad school he had a dual assignment- worked in deans office at CSU and assistant principal at East High-acted as a liason lasted a year
9,People who lived near East High had a strong element of community
10,Describes the problems that East had; after his one year he went back to Sowinski as a principal-population hadn't changed completely still changing
11,Problems that existed were there but a little more subtle; (11:50) did the city have any programs
12,Describes the PTA and how they liked to work for the school until the desegregation order came through and restricted people; He was there from 1973 to 1980
13,Vandalism towards the school during his time there; Firebomb thrown in and destroyed a corner of the floor
14,Breakins would disrupt and distract from teaching the students
15,"Community at the time was supportive of the school, which was a plus"
16,The firebomb did not put the room out of commission for too long
17,"Desegregation took place in 1980, but Sowinski school was closed- bussing took place which disrupted the community"
18,Talks about Harvey Rice School and 1/3 of the kids were bussed in from the near westside and Harvey Rice schoolkids were bussed out to places like Gordon School
19,Logistics of bussing were extremely problematic
20,Describes Harvey School and the various rooms in the school
21,Desegregation and bussing took time away from education in order to manage the programs along with other problems that took away from education; PTA changed structures that also distracted
22,White Flight and what bussing was negative and positive for
23,"Doesn't know when desegregation ""ended"""
24,Harvey Rice was bigger than Sowinski but still not enough room
25,"Describes school close by to Harvey Rice, but they were not close to middle schools"
26,Teachers were very cooperative to the desegregation order in his experience
27,Resources were scarce
28,With desegregation came money for resources included equipment and busses; white flight was a major issue because a balance had to be maintained
29,Benefits of desegregation to students: interaction with new groups
30,Revists struggle to keep PTA culture after the desegregation order shifted everything
31,(31:45) did not deal with the issues at middle schools or high schools because they were not close to harvey rice
32,"(32:45) about desegregation: ""the remedy is what caused the problems"""
33,Discusses athletic desegregation-balance on the field but maintain competitiveness very difficult logistically
34,"Positives of desegregation: faculty more dispursed across the city, youngsters learned about new cultures,"
35,"Teachers and administrators how they changed from when he first started til when he left: worried about how to fund, evaluate, and use resources available"
36,
37,Cain park is a gem in the community - accessible; many festivals- mentions the art festival
38,discusses plays at Cain park;
39,First time he came to Cleveland he was taken to Cain park; Describes Cain Park
40,Recalls his moving to his neighborhood and how it had only one other black family when he moved in-but it was diverse
41,The area is predominantly African-American now
42,
43,The community organizations he was a part of-limited
44,Discusses Street Clubs; He lives in the Boulevard Neighborhood
45,"Talks about block parties near his street, but never one on his street-used to be more in other communites, but not as many anymore"
46,"Access to Cain Park and Cumberlain Park, accessibility with many things in his community make his a livable community"
47,"Plays Piano, but just for himself"
48,Says no to racial issues that arose on the street when he first walked in-nothing that affected him direcetly al least
49,loved the sense of community that his neighborhood engendered for him
50,had no overt racial problems in his community
51,No multi-racial designation on any form or appilcation
52,
53,"Racial problems stemmed from it being a new experience for many, but heights high should be commended for the way they handled the problems as they arose"
54,Goes back to talking about Cain Park
55,Describes the many connections between all of the parks from Cain to Cumberland to Rockefeller to Dennison among others
56,"Mentioned Nighttown, and downtown places to go like the department stores"
57,Cleveland Heights fosters community among its residents
58,"Cleveland Heights school system is in flux at this moment, its changing; Cleveland Heights is a unique neighborhhood like tremont"
59,Cuyahoga line separating East and West has faded from consciousnesss-not completely
60,Downtown has gone from an Eastside place to a Central Place
61,Thanks and End of Interview