Classroom Interview #2 Page 1 of 34 [classroom activity until 06:07.4] Danielle: If we could just have everyone’s attention, we’re going to go ahead and get started. I think – that’s what this is, is I think – I’m Danielle, and my job is to give a brief overview of why we’re here. And so, this course is “Documentary Theatre, Supervised Education.” It was started last year, and it’s a five-year project that looks at civil rights and education in Richmond, and so last year’s project was primarily about bussing and integration and just a broad overview of things surrounding those issues. And this year, we decided to be more focused, which is why we are using George Wythe as a case study and we wanted to just gain that same information, just looking at the one school. So, what we’re planning to do is put on a production, and at the end of the semester, using the information that we gather from these interviews as well as a couple other things that Amanda’s going to tell you about, so that is our ultimate goal, to put on a production. Amanda: So, what we’ve done in the class so far, is we started the semester reading off a comparison. We compared Douglas Freeman High School and Thomas Jefferson High School. It’s called Five Miles Away, World Apart. And just talking about the urban-suburban divide in education and especially in Richmond and all the history that’s entrenched in that. And in the process – following the historical process of segregation to desegregation and integration to basically economic re-segregation. So, after that – we’ve also been working with One Voice, which is a choir in Richmond, and we’re hoping to have some sort of musical piece in the play that we’re going to make from this, and to integrate them in that. They’re a cultural choir, and their whole focus is on bridging gaps between among diversity through music. And we’re trying to do something similar through theatre. So, they’re going to be a great group that we get to work with. We’re also making a digital archive, taking pictures from the Valentine History Center and from Special Collections at VCU of just race relations and the process of segregation to de-segregation in Richmond, and we’re going to put those up on the website that we can probably provide you guys with a link to so you can see and explore that. And then we’re going to take, do these interviews with you guys, and thank you all for coming and being a part of this and we will hopefully write a play from that, so that your experiences get put out to the community. So we can grow from that. Thanks. Browder: And I will just say one little thing, which is to put in a plug. First of all, we all need to get all of your information and consent forms, among other things so that we can keep in touch with you about the performance. We have already busted out of our planned performance venue, because I think we’re going to have a bigger audience than we anticipated. So, we are looking right now at either doing it at the Library of Virginia, which has a beautiful auditorium, or at VCU. And we will keep in touch and let you know. The performance is going to be on April 16 at 6 o’clock, and that much we do know. But the other thing I wanted to say before we got started is we’ve been teaming up with VCU Library of Special Collections, and we’re very, very excited that they are going to be starting a George Wythe collection, because one of the things that we discovered when we started in on this project, Salvatore Barajas, who is our digital archivist back there who is recording all of this, went to George Wythe, went to the Richmond Public Library, went to Library of Virginia, looking for old yearbooks and newspapers and everything else, and found that, in fact, no one had saved them. There was no one place where you could find them – not even at Wythe. So, one of the things that we’re really excited about is Classroom Interview #2 Page 2 of 34 starting a Wythe collection at VCU Libraries, and we brought along some information about that collection, and how your materials would be cared for and how accessible they would be, and we’ve also brought temporary custody forms if you want to leave anything with us for the rest of the semester or if you want to consider making a permanent donation. The head of Special Collections at VCU would be really happy to talk with you further if you have any questions about this or if you’re considering it. Because we think it’s really important history. It could be lost if the materials are not cared for. We’ve already been amazed looking at some of these old yearbooks and newspapers at the things that we’ve seen that we all had no idea of. And I think there are a lot of people now and in the future who are going to feel the same way, so we would really be honored if you would consider it, and we would be very, very happy to follow up and have the VCU librarians answer any questions you have. And thank you. And now I’ll turn it back over to you guys. Danielle: We can also start by just quickly saying our names. There’s a lot of people in this room. I know we won’t remember our names, but I think it’s a good way to sort of start off the process. I also wanted to add that there are many different ways of telling history, of narrating history. And one way we’re approaching to narrate history is by performing it. What that means is it means we’re asking students to embody your stories to narrate a specific history. So, for us, it’s really important for you to share those stories that we don’t necessarily read or hear about in books, in textbooks, on the Web, right? So, they have the opportunity to meet you in person to tell your stories and your experiences during a very specific period in time, that’s very historical, and to them it seems very foreign – to us that didn’t live that time, it’s foreign to us, but the stories that you tell us are treasures, they’re gems, right? And that’s what you leave for the future. Future leaders, right? The stories that you tell – they can then place it back into the textbooks that they read, right, because these are your words and your stories. And with that, we’re going to kind of compile everything together and kind of tell a story and share with the entire community. So, it’s something to keep in mind. With that in mind, my name is Patricia Herrera, and I’m one of the instructors in the class. And I’m going to pass it this way. Browder: I’m Laura Browder, and I’m the other instructor in the class. Rydell: And my name is David Rydell, but when I was in high school, a lot of people called me by my first name Tom, and Rydell is like the football helmets, which I’m related to, and I’m sure anybody knows sports, they’ve heard of Rydell football helmets. And then I went to U of R, so I’m alumni of this school, and I have a great feeling about this school, so I love what you’re doing. It’s wonderful. Female: Did you go to Wythe? Rydell: Yep. Female: What class … Female: Play piano – Rydell: And I’ve played piano since I was five years old, and I – I was one of the three senior superlatives, you know, with that – I guess you guys remember Most Talented, but I didn’t get it Classroom Interview #2 Page 3 of 34 because this guy named Richard – I don’t remember his name – but he was a phenomenal artist. Richard Jenkins. Richard Jenkins got it. Female: Class of ’70. Female: Class of ’70, that’s what I was trying to figure out. Rydell: And then there was Ann, who was – I knew her father, her father was a doctor – she was another pianist and singer, but we all three were voted for that, and I was really honored to do that, because I think we almost had like 400 people in the class. It was a huge class, graduating class, and I don’t recognize you all, but I’m sure I – Female: Well, I was in eighth grade, so – Rydell: Anyway, it was a great school. And when I was in school, there was just a handful of black Americans in our class, and I remember Walter Cook was in our class, who was good at track and football. And I was in his phys ed class, and I was like a real klutz. And there weren’t many Jewish kids in the school either. There was Diane Erenberg [sp?] and a few. Most people just – they didn’t even think about that, but I do remember that when Martin Luther King died, I was in the tenth grade, and there just weren’t that many African-American, black students in our class.