I was a little nervous when the students at Harford
Friends School and I began our studies of The
Underground Railroad,and local Black history..After
all,this was the Book's first chapter,and uncharted
territory for all.
As the kids settled in to the project,my fears were
replaced with pride. After four three hour
sessions,the first chapter of an original piece of
fiction inspired by our studies had been composed. The
story centers around a boy and girl,both slaves. The
kids worked together,with no help from teachers or
parents. I'm very proud of what they created.(click
here to read)
I emphasized to the students that there is history
beneath our feet,and in front of our
faces,everyday,everywhere.It's just that many of us
never bother to check it out,because we don't know
it's there.
I knew that we would not have to look very far to find
some tasty local Black history. After all,we live in
Maryland!
As it turned out,we would Christen the Book Of Dreams
by entering the first chapter just two miles from our
school.
In 1867,a one room school house was built from
wood,and stood amidst the rolling farm land of
Darlington,Maryland.
The school was for black children only,during the long
years of segregation.
The Hosanna school has been restored to it's original
condition..It still stands alone with fields all
around,as though little had changed.
As we entered the classroom,there was a
silence,occasionally punctuated by the creaking of a
wooden floor board..The old desks were still in their
original positions,empty and mute. A pot belly stove
sat in the same corner as it always had when it was
the sole source of heat for the small building. There
was a quiet energy about this place..
It would not have taken much to imagine the ghosts of
children and teachers long gone,learning to
read,write,and add in this very room. Many of the
children and some of their parents who had never
learned to read walked 6-7 miles each way,rain or
shine. Teachers in black schools such as this were
paid about half of what teachers in the white schools
were paid. The curriculum in black schools was very
different than in white schools as well. The local
board of education explained the disparity by stating
that the black children would grow up to be farm
hands,so they did not need the same level of education
as their white neighbors children.
The cool thing about today was,that we did not need to
imagine ghosts..We had Christine Tolbert with us,who
along with her parents and grandparents,had been a
student here as a young child.
We also had Gladys Williams who was Christine's
teacher,right here in the very room in which we all
were now seated.
Today,they would both be OUR teachers.
The kids listened well,and asked many questions as the
ladies wove their stories of a bygone
era..Later,Tamika Hudson read two original spoken word
pieces to us all,in the voice of Harriett Tubman.
Christine told us that even when she was a child,there
had always been strong relationship between the Deer
Creek Friends Meeting,and the Hosanna School,and
surrounding black community.She said that today felt
like a family reunion of sorts. Tamika and Gladys
seemed to really hit it off,as did we all.The kids
then put quill pen to Cotton paper,and the first
chapter had been entered.
It was an awesome day,and not one that any of us will
soon forget.
I know that the Book will travel to many schools and
historical sites,and I'm looking forward to seeing it
take on a life of it's own.
Gandhi Hurwitz
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