Monument commemorates Chapel Hill's all-black school

A crowd of about 30 gathered Saturday to view the commemoration of a new monument celebrating the former students and faculty of Lincoln High School, which was once Chapel Hill’s only all-black school.

Located at the school’s former site on Merritt Mill Road — which today serves as administrative offices for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools — the monument lists every Lincoln graduate in the school’s history.

The school, which opened as the Orange County Training School, was renamed in 1948. Lincoln closed when integration took effect in 1966.

Alumni and local officials gathered Saturday to celebrate the school’s history and honor those who are a part of its legacy.

Vivian Burnette, a 1957 Lincoln graduate, said she came to the unveiling to reunite with old friends.

“It’s very special to me and I wanted to come and see some of my old classmates,” Burnette said. “I’ve got a lot of good memories of this place.”

“We had good teachers that were concerned with the kids and about the students’ learning,” she said. “It was a good experience.”

John Mitchell, a former Lincoln student who also attended the event, said he was pleased to have the monument as a way to honor the school.

“It is a way of preserving our heritage since it will represent all the graduates from our high school,” Mitchell said.

“As the years go on, people die and if you know these people, you can come and see the names.”

As part of the celebration, attendees participated in an opening prayer, the singing of the Lincoln High School Song and a reception following the unveiling.

Despite the positive atmosphere, some attendees stressed that there is much to do for equality within the education system.

Josie Foushee Smith, a 1956 Lincoln graduate and former teacher in Orange County, said the education system needs reform.

“A little bit of the community has been lost,” Foushee Smith said. “Less people go to the PTAs and stuff.”

“In the past, the church has also played a larger role in the education of the children, and I miss that.”

CHCCS Superintendent Tom Forcella said the district has been working on programs that will alleviate inequalities in the school system.

“One of my initiatives for future generations is to step up to eliminate the achievement gap,” Forcella said.

“Research has shown that IQ and intelligence is not stagnant. All children can grow and learn at high levels.”

Despite remaining issues with education inequality, Forcella remains positive.

“With effort and the right kind of instruction, we should be able to make progress with the achievement gap,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at city@dailytarheel.com.