SECTION D MAY 24, 2010 THE FREE LANCE–STAR FREDERICKSBURG, VA. SUDOKU>>D3 TV PAGE>>D6. COMICS>>D7 MONDAY LIFE DIAZ IS BLUE OVER GREEN ERA ‘THE GOOD WIFE’ IS GOOD STUFF SO LONG, COMFORT ZONE FLAG MEMORIAL DAY FACTS Actress says farewell to Fiona in ‘Shrek.’ Show is smart enough to change as it goes. Nas and Damian Marley team up for CD. Our page will get you set for long weekend. MOVIES >> D4 TELEVISION >> D5 MUSIC >> D4 KIDSCOOP >> D8 HISTORY >> CAROLINE’S FIRST HIGH SCHOOL FOR BLACK STUDENTS HAS RICH PAST ‘It was like their little oasis’ BY EDIE GROSS THE FREE LANCE–STAR John Richardson never went to school, and his wife, Clara, completed only seventh grade. But the African–American couple wanted more fortheir children. “My parents were deter- mined we’d all graduate from high school,”said 81-year-old Lillian Richardson Sizer, who, along with her four siblings, did just thatin segregated Caroline County. 1948: HOME ECONOMICS 1964: SENIOR PROM “It took a big effort. It was a sacrifice for them.” THE SERIES TODAY: Former Caroline high school has long and proud pre-integration history. TOMORROW: Some of Union High’s graduates share their memories. The Richardson kids attend- ed Union High School in Bowling Green, and Sizer grad- uated from there in 1946. It was the only high school in the county for black students until 1940S: AGRICULTURE CLASS 1969, when Caroline schools integrated. Times were difficult, but the teachers and parents created a nurturing atmosphere at Union wherepersonal growth was encouraged and academic excellence was all but expect- ed. The school’s rich history, which stretches back to the early 1900s, is no secret to those who attended or worked there. But a Maryland genealogist with roots in Caroline County 1952: BASEBALL TEAM 1950: SOFTBALL TEAM SEE UNION, PAGE D2 GET THIS ‘Bachelorette’ Ali is calling the shots now movies THESE DVDS ROCK BY DERRIK J. 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Staten Island dating franchise. and Tahiti during her quest now in love and has his friend. He’s a great guy and a decided to risk it all for love. And she’s got all the roses. 10. Crazy Heart Fedotowsky previously for love (premièring tonight relationship, and he’s en- SEE BACHELORETTE, PAGE D5 COMING UP IN FAMILY >> TIMELY READING SUGGESTIONS FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES D2 LIFE FREDERICKSBURG, VA. MONDAY, MAY 24,2010 THE FREE LANCE–STAR UNION: Graduates of former school say teachers there gave them strong launch FROM PAGE D1 hopes to educate others about the school’simpact through a book. Marion WoodforkSim- mons first started talking to Caroline residentswhile re- searching her family’s con- nections to the county. Her immediate ancestors left Caroline in the 1880s, but she has plentyof extended family still there. Many of the people she interviewed mentioned Union High School and its importance within the African–American commu- nity. She decided to writea book about the school, and has interviewed at least50 graduates and former em- ployees so far. “I think the thing that impresses me most is every- body talks about the teachers and the principals. They say, ‘The teachersreally cared about us—not just academi- cally but they cared about the whole student.’ Teachers had very high expectations of them,” said Simmons. “Societywas telling them they wereinferior. Theyhad an environment where they were nurtured and encour- aged, and theyjustflour- ished. It was like their little oasis,” she said. “Adults put their arms around the chil- dren and protected them. 1938: SCHOOL PHOTO The school, the parents, the church did a lot to counter all the negative.” HUMBLE BEGINNINGS The county’s first high school for black students was founded by the Caroline Sunday School Union, an association of Baptist churches. Called Bowling Green In- dustrial Academy, it opened in 1903 with five students and one teacher. By the time it was integratedin 1969, it 1968: MAY POLE was one of the largest high schools in Caroline. In 1914, the union donated UNION HIGH SCHOOL the school to the Caroline County School Board, which Maryland resident Marion Simmons is interested in talking called it Caroline County Woodfork Simmons, whose to people who attended or Training School. Fifteen ancestors are from Caroline worked at the school. She can yearslater, it became afully County, is working on a book be reached at 301/549-3659, accredited four-year high about Union High School, by e–mail at marion@woodfork school, and itsname was the county’s African–American genealogy.com or by mail at changed to Union High to high school for nearly 70 Box 505, Burtonsville, Md. honor its founders. years. 20866. In the early days, there 1940S: TEACHERS were no buses. So African– University for ayear before mel Turner and Harvey Lat- American families living Awood stoveheated the “Not doing your work just near-total domination on the getting married. Recalling ney, the Caroline com- near the school off U.S. 301 place, and on the coldest wasn’t an option,”said Tay- field. her experiences at Union for rented rooms to students days, students set fires in tin lor, whose father, aUnion “The environment was monwealth’s attorneyfor 30 Simmons’ book was fun, she from other areas of the barrels and crowded around. High grad, was as strict as his sort of like a family,” said the years, attended Union, Tay- said, and she hopes people Supplies—everything from teachers. “He’d even make up Rev. Joseph Dobbins, 70,a lor said. county during the week. enjoy reading about the athletic equipment to frogs tests for us, and they were pitcher and left fielder who “I think that school built When buses finally started school’s history. used fordissection—were always harder than the graduated in 1959. character.There arelotsof serving Union, theywere “I think it’s wonderful tight and often provided teachers’ tests.” He was the firstofhis successful stories about often driven by students, she’s doing all this research,” through donations from par- Stepping out of line meant parents’ nine children to earn families who have roots in recalls 1969 graduate Calvin she said. “It should be ents and teachers. getting assigned to the a high school diploma, some- that building,” he said. “I’m Taylor, who went on to teach known, the struggle people in the county’s schools and “Some people had to walk dreaded litterpatrol—or thing he did at the urging of sure if we go back and look, a worse, ateacher might stop longtime principal George B. went through to provide an number of people who have serve on the Board of Super- two to three miles to get to a education.” by your home to “chat” with Ruffin. made a number of contribu- visors. bus stop,” Simmons said. Union High’s teachers in- “That’s the point that your parents. “He was tough, but he was tions to this community “If a child had alicense, good,”said Dobbins, who stilled respect and courage in younger generations need to “Theywere veryno-non- went to thatschool. The they drove the school buses. sense,” said Taylor. “But you ultimately attended semi- their students, said Taylor. see. Now, kids take going to education studentsgot in And you just did what they know, they really cared about nary, earning bachelor’s, Many of those students used school forgranted. Their those days still impacts us to told you,”said Taylor,who y o u .” master’sand doctoral de- what they learned there to added that young bus drivers grandparents and great- They urged studentsto go grees.