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And as much as I had an idea of what I would face when I got to pre med school, I tried to lay a solid foundation in math, languages, chemistry, however, I did not get a chance to get high school physics.

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Before I left went to Philips. The first thing I did it claimed after matriculating was to seek out students who had been there the year before, and tried to get a light on the teachers. I did the same thing and claim that I had dont at Philips

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High School. I sought out the toughest teachers in the entire school. And as much as I had to take all my high school physics in one semester I was advised to go in Mrs. Zoel Ferguson's class understand that she was clever. For chemistry. I was guided to Mr. Faucet F A U C E T. T. by English composition, it was Mrs. B U R E N T. For biology It was Mrs. Knight, K N I G H T, here's where I started putting a [Inaudible] period. I had done so well in French. At at the [Inaudible] and Edwin Phillips, I decided I would pick up another language. Comma, two years language was required for graduation. And in the case of pre med student was required to be more or less proficient in reading and understanding scientific books period. I decided I would study German. I'll never forget the first day in German period. Found my course book, German one was supposed to be at room 347 period. And I stuck my head in it door, teacher, Mrs. P I E T C H called out Guten Morgen. Come and see you

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I said pardon my way. I'm looking for German one. She says this is German one. Oh my god, what am I what am i into now? All the student was sitting up there just speaking German

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with no apparent effort, I said but the students are speaking German is supposed to be German one. She said well, I'll tell you how that is. They're taking it because it's easy. Most of them are German Jews say oh my god, what am I up to now? I ended up studying German an hour and a half every night devoting two and a half hours to English, physics, chemistry English physics, chemistry and biology. Remember now I had made up my mind to go through with go through with everything I started and I had no place in my schedule for repeating classes period. From the first day on I was delighted with the way the teachers presented their subjects period about English. Both was English Composition period. What is commonly known as a freshman English period. The class met twice a week period. We will assign subjects this meant a clear sense to write a theme on a particular subject period for the class time to teach you selected two of the themes, read them in class and criticizes the picked out what she called the best theme

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and the worst theme. First she would read the best theme, that was usually mine. Ms. Burent would start out saying this is what I would consider the best theme there was turning to me. However, the contents of this theme is the

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word quant and a but the spelling of this theme with one D. I wouldn't be she wouldn't let give the student's name. She just started reading. And when she started reading she would read my theme.

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My goodness gracious period. I recall the fact right then and there that I had skipped the sixth and seventh grades. But on the other hand, I had read widely. I read I read so much that I was able to put sentences together.

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There were perfect from a grammatical standpoint. However, spelling was more or less atrocious period. It's brand new, that only she will read my things. But every time the class miss she read my theme as the best. They had me stay after class one day and said I'm giving you a B. B. Because the contents I had just seen. However the spelling is definitely D. I asked why don't you let some member of your family go over your themes for spelling before you finish them for presentation? Question mark. I told her that by the time I got through, writing my composition, all rest of my family had gone to sleep. But I had the good fortune to run into an English major who was asleep and carpool along with me. And he agreed to check my theme for spelling period.

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I got A's thereafter. I got along fine with my high school physics. I had to take the two semesters in one semester, but I got along fine. No trouble whatsoever.

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The chemistry teacher was tough on detail. And I'm very glad that I had a chance to study under him. On the first day that class met, he stated that this was the beginning of a very important subject that we will have to take if we want to become physicians, that he was stressing detail that he had marked the hell out of us. If we fail to follow his direction period we will see it alphabetically period. At the end of each test period each student was told to turn his paper over and pass it to the next desk that to turn his paper over and place it on top of the first one and so on until last people was collected period. He would put the papers in his briefcase after the next meeting of the class. If anybody's paper was out of line, it was announced in class. And the dude was advised that he had failed the test period. He said I'm gonna flunk you out unless you get the details great. Because further along the road, if you're not able to follow directions, you will not be able to become doctors, dentists, pharmacists or whatever you expect to be period.

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Quote again when I give you an substance to identify. You're not able to follow directions, you will not be able to carry out the scheme so that

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you may be able to identify the substance in the end period. Some of the fellas got mad but I was so glad to hear that teacher told me that I knew that he was going to prepare me for it Whatever run into further on down the road period. Now, comma my first biology teacher was very good, very serious. She had one big one great fault to my way of looking at things. She was married to an Englishman. And from the way she talked, if you weren't an Englishman you weren't anything I got so tired of listening to her listen to her tell us about the periodicity of the English version. You understand that? From here you start another paragraph from going into another section of a story now, we start our best seeing the going into some detail more or less everything about the unfair land owners in this area. However, I want to set the record straight by relating some story relative to good and honest in this area. I just finished talking to

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a man of Robert Shaw Jr. Born and raised on the Neal farm was owned and managed by mystical lumbers they operated the whole area in this time period. Doctor [Inaudible] showed me history some history regarding the family however I do not have that information at hand at this time period.

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This means that his tenants and cows that the tenants children's always have the benefit of having plenty of milk also he included

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his tenants had large gardens period. So he sought to his tenants had all the medical attention they

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needed. Further from me that his two boys got right enough to wake them to doing fine work right along with tenants children period. They waked together, they played together. So far from me that it wasn't anything I've only ever even been [Inaudible].

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Jr. to spent the night with him. His mother's house period. [Inaubible] informed me that when Mr. Neal met a lady from Georgia, they were trembling in their boots.

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They see a lady from Georgia which change the ideal condition for them, conditions which were ideal for them on the farm when she came, came to run with them. They were soon dispaired however when they found that Mrs. Neal has the same type of placement that the husband was. But they found that even though she came from Georgia, she exhibited the same exhibited the same concern for the tenants that [Inaudible]

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time period. In addition to the farming project, Mr. Columbus Neal and his brother operated a mill in Tarboro period. When the two boys finished high school, they attended college after college, they returned to this area. By that time, the farming operation was not too profitable. However, Mr. Neal kept his tenants out there on the farm as long as they want to stay. In other words, that was the only home that they knew they were very lucky to leave that place. There still some members of Michelle's family at the present time are living on the farm and in different projects in town. After the two boys return from college and they took over the management of the whole mill. They continuously kept tight relationship with black employees that they have learned that in practice for growing in demand on their father's farm. To my fortune to have met the boys when they were 10 or 11 years of age they showed me the same respect the children showed me as the grew into manhood period. In time I consider I can see the Columbus Jr. and then Neal

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among my best friends so told me not only did the MRS Mrs. Neal senior look after them conforts. At the time it was perfectly for us to advance money tenants so that they could purchase cars period. However, the other land owners would retain the

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tariffs to the car that the tenant places until the entire purchase price will repeat along with the interest. Now whenever a tenant from the Neal farm bought a car the car was passed on to the tenant to purchase. And I understand that Mr. Neal would not charge the tenants interest and the interest on the prices of the car the landlord was retaining the title to the car and charge the tenant a hefty interest fine [Inaudible]. Now comma Robert Shaw is a big trace man as such, he is devoted to his country.

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He told me that once a year he invites the Neal brothers out to church to take pride in the services and they wait around with the rest of it congregation until dinner is served. You have dinner with other other members of the congregation. They have the same relationship with black people that they know that they had when they were boys coming up. On their fair and in fact seen it necessary to let the world know

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your family and Tarboro as a Neal period. Now before I leave the subject of landlord tenant relationship I feel it my duty to relate the related story concerning another man who exemplified what I might call the ideal manager period. In the place of Mr. Thomas Pieisaul P I E I S A U L

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again who managed the defensive farming operation for the Braswell B R E S W E double L Family F A M I L Y period. For many years, it was a custom for Edgecombe County commissioners to have women trained in home economics as a County Extension Agent period. Of course, there was one white agent and one black agent period.

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Ms. Hazel Parker was employed as the coloed county extension agent and her job was to go into the home of the tenants and she'd work the fundamentals of good housekeeping period. They taught the women the selection of food materials, the preparation of food materials, sewing, proper hygiene, family,

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landscaping and many other basic principles that made for a better life for better life for the children period. The health wise were encouraged to compete on a friendly basis with other housewives in the county period. The county extension agents work was shown off ever so at the county fair period. They just park encourage the women to do what's best to provide for their families because them were to prepare exhibit for the county fair. Of course, the place with spaces for exhibition where they went were segregated as with everything else period. However, their act of competition between them a sense of pride with the result that that the quality of life was improved of the family period. The county agents were to improve conditions directly directly proportional to the amount of cooperation that they received from the

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landlords and their managers period. Coming back to Mr. Pieisaul period. Pieisaul managed a large funding complex with the Braswell family in this area period. He got along very well with tenants and encouraged to really to make life better for the tenants and their families period.

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About the latter part of August when tobacco had been harvested, it was custom there for Pieisaul to organize the field date, on which date all the tenants were gathered at the sort of clubhouse on the farm period. During the morning because there were six of the farming operation were reviewed to the man, Mr. Parker organized the successes and failures caught over the year with the women period. Afternoon picnic type entertainment was the feature of the day period. There were several large lakes on the farm and Mr. Pieisaul saw to it that all the tenants kids who wished to have boat rides on the lake were organized and a baseball game was played period. Following that event, a huge barbecue dinner was laid out for everybody period. Mr. Parker invited me out to the field day exercises. I made a short talk on sizing the public health aspects of the practice of medicine.

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When the time came for the barbecue dinner to be served, white and black and also children formed one single line period. Everybody was served a huge barbecue dinner, as much as they could possibly consume [Inaudible] practiced the entire day period. I was surprised and delighted with this annual celebration period. Mr. Pieisaul's activity were not limited to a field day in August for his tenants period.

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The employer raised it nice to look after his tenants year round, during the entire year period. They would be likely to make the tenants home and instruct them on how to maintain the proper hygiene period.

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They would see to it that houses were well painted and secure against the cold in the winter and the heat in the summer period. The employer see to it that they had a refrigerator and let it refrigerate worked at all times period.

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As the medical care of the tenant, every member of the tenants family had whatever medical care that was needed period. The reputation for tenants and in dealing with tenants was known throughout the community. In fact later in the year when the committee a committee was established to carry out the desegregation of Edgecombe County schools Peiesaul was named [Inaudible] period. He took a lot of [Inaudible] however he skipped too fast in his determination to disable the Edgecombe County schools and did much damage and little fixing as his properties resented period.

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I remember written about good landlords, they got nice things after the activities, relationship to their tenants was [Inaudible] the farm of gratitude [Inaubible] and they had no trouble with tenants leaving their farm, in fact, tenants could not be persuaded by any means method to leave their farms period. As I've already stated, segregation was strictly adhered to in this area period.

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Positions come up with two exceptions and organized the Tarboro clinic period. This billing it was in a bid and on St. James Street. When I went around to meet the right doctors, around two entrances into the building period. One was marked white only and the other colored period.

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I entered the building through the colored entrance. It was it was and I met the manager. What can I do for you? I answered I'm Dr. Quigless and I came to meet the doctors period.

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Oh oh, you are a doctor. You come to Tarboro to practice? Yes sir, I'm coming. I'm coming to Tarboro to practice.

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Let's see who here. Oh yes. Dr. Robertson is here and I [Inaudible] it would be great to meet you Dr. Robertson. Come on out here I want you to meet

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the colored doctor come into town. And the first meeting with Dr. Robertson. I already related that we became good friends from the first time that I saw the man period. I began practicing Tarboro in late July of 1936 period. We talked we talked for quite awhile about some of the problems that we encountered when we first got to Tarboro. All of the white doctors in Tarboro were in a group except with two exceptions period. I continued to go back to the Tarboro clinic about two weeks later when the clinic manager saw me coming he said to come in through the colored entrance he was like doctor you don't have to go through that door you can come through whatever door. I answered well as long as you have this as long as it is a custom to have this entrance I will use it right along with your black, with your colored patients. He said oh well you do if you want to but I want to let you know that you don't have to go through that door unless you want to.

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I thanked him and as I said already its a custom to position to follow that custom if I didn't want to be chased out of town by people in here who did not feel as kindly toward blacks

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as the physicians did period. There was an occasion to go to meet a white dentist. I went to his office, I found that

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he had a waiting room for whites and one for blacks. He had an operating room for whites with up to date equipment. Across the hall he had an operating room for blacks. [Inaudible] were also kept in the operating room along with instruments that weren't in such good condition period.

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For me, I did not have did not need the services of the dentist at that time. I was being is now I was having trouble with my eyes

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and tried to find a good opthalmologist and I was directed to Wilson, North Carolina period. I made an appointment and went down to the ophthalmologists I found the same conditions existing in Wilson that I found in Tarboro.

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The receptionist, I gave the receptionist my name she took it down on the card and directly toward the

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colored meeting room period. When it came my time to see the ophthalmologist he said Oh no. He can come in here. I'll see you right in here.

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He checked my eyes [Inaudible]. However, I looked across the hall and it was there, the colored treatment room, a chair, some charts on the wall and you can even see they hadn't been used a long time. Patients [Inaudible] was unafraid. It's very Y E D. I did not suffer the indignity of having to be treated in the colored

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treatment room. But in my mind it was then and there that I would go as far as any way I could to see a black ophthalmologist, so I wouldn't have to be friendly with him about the situation of being or getting employed of colored treatment, waiting around a treatment room period. This is another paragraph start another paragraph here. I had been in Tarboro at least four and a half years. I was so busy developing a practice and treating patients that I had very little time for social life period. It is true that Tarboro had many congenial people. And everybody tried to make it pleasant for me. However, I hadn't become serious with any of my contacts up to about four, four and a half or five years. In my practice, I met Mrs. James J A M E S comma, she was a teacher in the Tarboro schools who has several relatives in Washington DC. I saw her at a reception one day, at the time I was making some small talk with a group of teachers period. Ms. James said, quote, doctor is this about the time for you to think of getting married, unquote, comma I mean, that's a question and unquote. I said, Well, Mrs. James, I haven't thought much about it to the present time. But I think as you said about to look around and see what's available in the community Ms. James quote. I have a sister in Washington, DC, and I go to Washington frequently. I know a nice young lady there that I would love for you to meet. I think you would like her. I asked her Washington DC question mark quote, quote me quote me. I think the Washington would be a little bit fast too fast for me. Unquote. James says, Oh, I don't know this is a nice young lady there. Well I'd like you to meet her period. About two weeks later, I have to go to Washington, DC, Mrs. James sister, Mrs. Cooper, C O O P E R. Talk to it and I missed the nice young lady unquote, in the placement of Miss Helen Gordon G O R D O N comma who was a teacher who was a teacher in the Public Health Public School System of Washington DC period. I was greatly impressed at our first meeting. In fact, I was impressed to a certain extent that I was back in Washington, DC, two weeks later. Further contact with Miss Helen Gordon period. I found, I found that we had so many things in common that our relationship progressed quite rapidly period. Now common, Helen had a younger brother and younger sister, they live with their father and their stepmother. The father was in government government service period. Her mother had died several years previously and her father had remarried period. All in all they represent a very happy, congenial family period. In a short while, I found myself returning to Washington DC in two or three weeks intervals over a period of several months period. One Sunday after arriving in Washington, I found that I had a tire that was going flat period. I drove my car around around to the alley behind her home. And while we were out changing the tire, I noticed a big city rat, that's R A T, rat, slowly walking down the alley. Period. Although there were two or three cats in the alley, and one dog I think by these are the cat cats know the dog gave the rat a second glance period. At that time I had to scotties. The male was named Snuffy Smiph, S N U F F Y Smiph S M I P H. The female I have named Suzie Q, S U Z I E Q, Suzie Q. Now the male, Snuffy Smiph was very mild mannered and did not wear his weight to pick a fight. However, Suzie Q comma, the female, loved to chase and eliminate rats. In fact, I made it a practice to go to the city dump at the intervals and she would have a field day chasing, catching, and eliminating rats, period. But I saw this rat walking down the middle of the alley in Washington with no interference by either from the cats, C A T S plural, or the dog exclaim. This what in the devil is wrong with that with those cats and that dog? I know they see the rat but why don't they chase it? Helen's brother quickly spoke up saying doctor you don't know these rats around here they can whip any dog and cat in the world period. It's time for me to speak up and say well, I bet you one thing if I bring if I should bring Suzie Q up here she will kill any rat in this alley period. He spoke after saying you bring your dog up top to bring your dog on up here. We got a bet you understand a bit. I said okay, I'll bring em. My next trip to Washington.

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To Suzie Q along with me. Along that early afternoon we went to an alley and it wasn't long before a huge rat

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came walking slowly down the alley period. As soon Suzie Q saw the rat, her ears perked up, it goes in a crack period. We all waited to see what would happen period. The rat walked on down the alley. Susie, Susie did not move a muscle everybody began to laugh at me. I said wait a minute. Let's see what's going to happen next. Susie went ahead the rat and stopped that rat passed her again. She did not move a muscle for a second time she ran ahead the rat and stopped

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near the point where she thought the rat would pass her. The rat attempted to pass a third time. Susie jumped forward grabs the rat by the head and cracks its skull.

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She threw the rat to one side started looking now for more rats. I collected my bet right then and there period. To make the long story of romance short by midsummer, by midsummer I found myself by midsummer I found myself engaged period. The wedding was set for September the first period. William Parker we call him S K Y, Sky was my best man period. comma here we are in Washington. Me in my best outfit. Sitting around for the ceremony to begin period. I did not feel ill at ease in the least period. Sky was sort of nervous. I looked at him say SKY What the hell? I'm the one getting married. He said Well, Quig I'll tell ya these things make me nervous anyway, I say well look at me, I'm not nervous what the hell you doingh, what you shaking about? Anyway, when the wedding started, Bill came out. And we were standing waiting for Mr. Gordon to escort his daughter and for the ceremony. I looked around I could only see two or three familiar faces period. Because she was the staring face of Washingtonian give me the once over period. All of a sudden, I began to shake. My knee began to shake and wobble. And then I thought this is very foolish. I can't stop my knee from shaking. So I raised my knee so it wouldn't shake but doggone it my head started to shake. Make well you know one thing. I agonized the wedding and I was very grateful it was over period. We planned on our honeymoon at Niagara Falls period. We took the night train from Washington to New York City. Period. Arriving in New York City changed trains period. I had reservations only P A R L O R, parlor car C A R period. That is the type of railroad car reserved seats that could be mostly who use if they didn't want to be crowded in the day coach, period. It turned out that we were the only blacks in the pilot car period. The seats were not assigned to the passengers. You just boarded the car showing your ticket to the conductor, picked your seats where you where you wanted them period. Being an old railroad man, I picked our seats in the middle of the car period. As the other passengers filed in, they took their seats around everywhere except one on either side of us period. The train left the station and as we proceeded toward Niagara Falls, more passengers boarded the train period. It was Monday morning, and apparently, several of the passenger were teachers headed for Buffalo period. They eyed they looked at us in a surprised and curious manner. And it appeared to me that they were surprised and curious as to who, what we who we were and where we were going. Anyway the last man to board the car looked around in desperation with with what appeared to be a sizable sigh of resignation and took a seat next to me period. Nobody said anything to us however. It was quite evident that they are not accustomed to see black couples on a parlor car period. Our stay in Niagara Falls was delightful period. On the way home. We took a parlor car from New York to Washington, period. I noticed there was amusement that we're there with the passengers have the same reaction on our return trip period. In Baltimore. A big man with a very loud, heavy voice was in the car. He looked around and only they can see was the seat next to me. He turned to traveling companion and said, you can take that seat there, I go back up here in the coach I'll see you when we get off at Washington period. I would have expected that type of reaction below the Mason Dixon Line. However, when I was leaving Baltimore to go into Washington, I was really amused. In fact, I turned to Helen and we both laughed period. When we got back to Tarboro, we had the reception and everybody missed my bride period. Everybody was up there happy with with us and with us. I said everybody but I don't quite mean that. Some of the younger ladies in Tarboro was sort of a [Inaudible] toward Helen, some were more downright nasty. But we laughed it off and went on about our business period. Helen began helping me right away, she helped me with my practice of course. We were very happy. It was very great to have somebody running the house period. Before our marriage, my sister had come to Tarboro to keep out for me however after several months she left us alone period. I began to depend on Helen to help me in my office period. She did a very good job and made friends with most with all of my patients period. After about three months Helen became nauseated, well I had an exam done by one of the physicians she was she was pregnant period. I began thinking right away. How nice it would be. Have a nice little boy. baby hair. About a full month of pregnancy. We took a trip to Chicago period. While in Chicago. We were looking forward to the birth of our child we went to Lane Bryant L A N E B R Y A N T that big store in Chicago that personalizes in maternity clothing and infant clothes period. Of course, we bought all this to wear, everything blue. And as we started out store I realized that we had all blue infant wear I said wait a minute, we don't have anything pink. So we went back to the counter we went back to the same lady and bought a cotton blanket, which was blue on one side and pink on the other period. When she was eight and one half months pregnant. I took her back to Washington, where she could have the care of a gynecologist period. In due time, the baby was born it was a girl period. We named her Helen Gordon Quigless period. She was such a pretty little thing that it didn't matter so much even if she was a girl period. There were some complications to the delivery however everything turned out beautifully period. Well, then, well by that time as a bonafide family man, I begin to see life in a different light period. I realized I realized that I was in Tarboro for life, and that my child or children would have to put up with the frustrations and inconveniences usually found in a segregated community. However, we were so happy to have Helen that I didn't give too much thought to our misgivens at that time period. When baby Helen was about nine months old. it became apparent that my dear wife was pregnant for a second time period. I remember the complications that attended the first delivery and

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I called on my good friend Dr. [Inaudible] Carter. He advised me to bring her over to see him at Duke University Hospital right away period. Examining my wife he he said, Well, Dr. Quigless I don't think you need to worry about any complications in this pregnancy with this pregnancy. I asked do you think she would be safe, could be safely delivered in Tarboro? He turned around looked me straight in the eye and said what do you mean by that young man? You bring me up? You bring me a patient and then you ask me let you take away from me I consider it. Quote I consider Mrs. Quigless my patient from this moment until this child is delivered. Now I want to see her once a month. When time for the delivery comes I want her in this hospital. Dr. Carter watched us closely during during the rest of her pregnancy when the time of delivery drew near I took her to Durham, North Carolina, to await labor pains period. She hadn't been in Durham for more than about 12 hours before the onset of labor began. The next morning, Dr. Carter called me well Dr. Congratulations. You have a fine son. And I hope he becomes as good of a doctor as you are. I lost no time getting back to Durham. My wife Helen was in good spirits I zoomed around to the nursery. The nurse held up this long red 7 pounds boy. His eyes were wide open when he greeted me. He didn't cry nor whether he was disappointed with the way I looked or not. He didn't cry. He just looked away in the other direction period. I said to him that's alright young fella I think we mixed together pretty well. Period. Pretty good period. Three days later I returned to Duke University Hospital with all these blue clothing that at last we were going to be able to use period. We got back home with Milton Jr. Little Helen said what is that? I said that's your little brother. She said little brother huh you look a little bit downcast and disappointed. You see comma she had been the queen of the realm until he got there. She felt that she was automatically going to be relegated to second place period. Remember, that's your brother say hi bro and since that time, I have called him bro. And everybody in the household let's call him bro, B R O, B R O, bro called him brother. Helen's stepmother came to Tarboro to look after us. She remained with us about six weeks period. By that time my wife had learned to cope with two babies they were starting to get along fine. They helped with and they'd share a space we put somebody's name. We came in to help her look after babies period with two children I became more interested in the type of life that they would have in Tarboro period. I've heard a lot about quote separate but equal unquote school system. As far as I can learn this black school system was separate but they are most unequal period. I understood that the school was in very good condition period. So far as a teacher were concerned. In other words, there were some very good elementary teachers in this area. However, as to the high school, everything was substandard, S U B S T A N D A R D. I understood that some of the teachers were inefficient as they'd generally pass from one grade to another, have in regard to their ability to grasp the subjects that they had been taught period. I understood further that school administration turn deaf ear to upgrading the high school facility as such is it was period. In talking with the students to different grade levels, I could see that their training was substandard period. And my several trips to the high school. I noticed some deficiencies, period. For instance, there was very little attention paid to the sciences period. One year, they were taught elementary chemistry. The next year we're taught elementary physics. There was one science teacher the two branches, period. Physics and Chemistry were never taught to service but never taught in the same year period. I learned further that the students taking those subjects but not obliged to laboratory wait period. The teacher would perform the experiments the students would watch him and they would write up the experiments period. As far as I was concerned comma, students would go out and collect leaves, write a description of leaves in a notebook and no attention was given to the zoological aspect of biology period. And the deficiencies were brought to the attention of a principal. He would assure the parents that the children were getting just what they needed. After all, they didn't need all this fancy stuff. And furthermore, we working toward that. One of these days we'll be able to get to a place where they can get all the subjects

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they need. PTA was organized however school administration did whatever they could discourage the participation of parents. On one or two instances when the meeting was scheduled with the PTA, as the school janitor would not be found to open the doors. In fact, I'm ran into this one day and I said just why did the janitor

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locked out on the nights that they've supposed to have a PTA meeting? The janitor himself apparently pulled me aside and said look, Doc, I don't want you to say anything about it. But you know, one thing, the principal told me to lock the school up and get lost. It was about that time that I started attending the PTA meetings. But these discrepancies to the attention of school administration. And I was advised that they are calm, a new comer to town will come in and change everything overnight. If I had just gone and attend to my business, all these may be all these matters will be cleared up in due time period. I was furthered advised that the administration had been here for a number of years, they had fought hard to get a high school established, they fought hard to keep get these going and whether they they were at the present time. And if I came in here runnint my big mouth, they wouldn't be able to get anything else done. The fact of the matter was, however that school administration had come up through hard times the Board of Education was frequently racist R A C I S T. And whenever the PTA took proposals to them to move education proposals were taken and nothing else was heard of them. Having a meeting with Board of Education. Meeting with State Board of Education protested every time the school administration would go around a braiding people, the places who are responsible for the proposals. Tell them they're gonna mess up everything the white folks are doing, we get these white folks doing what they're doing now. They ain't never going to do nothing else if you keep going up there running your big mouth about things period. Well the parents was fed up with this sort of thing they'd gotten to a place where gave up the idea to get any conditions improved at the school period. Now, when I came along, I just would not stand for that. I remember down in Mississippi, where I went to school, Latin was required to two years Latin was required. At least one year of chemistry was required one year physics for our second foreign language which have to be studied before you could make to be graduated from high school. I knew further that. If you pass your courses, you could not graduate from high school. But here in Tarboro, if you went down to that colored high school for four years, you will graduated whether you could read or not. I ran into several graduates of that school, the colored school of Tarboro, who really were unable to read period. They knew absolutely no grammar period. And comma if they took French for two years, they knew just about as much French after two years, as those students down in Mississippi would know after six months of the first year French period and I began to question the teaching methods. I was reminded that several students from Tarboro going to college, had very high remarks in fact some of them were honor students. I said sir, well that is three or four but I reminded the school administrator that the students who left Tarboro, who left the colored high school in Tarboro and went to college made good, made good not because of the colored high school, but in spite of the colored high school period. I became interested in the school situation. I organized a Civic C I V I C League L E A G U E period. The parents of school children were very glad to participate in the Civic League. We started taking demands of the school board and presenting proposals proposition to the board about every meeting period. We were discouraged. To do so. ever it is to be remembered, however, that that day in time the school board was self perpetuating, and that if a member resigned or died or what happened, whatever happened to him, the other members of school board would select a policeman from the boarding, white boarding middle of the population period. About that day in time the school board was strictly anti Negro period. And the chairman of the school board got in touch with two or three of the overtones in Tarboro and told them to advise me to stop trying to run schools that I wasn't going to get anywhere and do anything but stir up trouble period. Another thing we asked that a library be established for our children period the school board appointed tell us that they were appointed making capital letters the governing body for the East Tarboro Library, that is what they named this thing I was not put on the board but Helen, my wife was put on the board period. And both of them other members of the governing board for East Tarboro Library were influenced and in accord with the thinking of the administration of the colored high school period. That was the best we could do at that date and time period. This established the East Tarboro branch of the library, which consists of two rooms above a beauty shop period. The [Inaudible]. The books consisted mostly of encyclopedias, few books on Negro history, some worn school books, school textbooks period. Whenever a black person would go to the East Tarboro Library and request the book that they didn't have on the shelf, the request was sent in writing to the white library. And two or three days later, you'd be able to pick up the book you requested that is if the librarian at the white library saw it proper to let you use the book period. Now as the school textbooks comma both the time the students every current high school were issued books that had been used in the white high school period. Some of the books were in bad shape with pages missing, backs falling off. But there was a type of book that was easy to them. period by visiting the colored high school one day, I noticed that the students were writing on Blackboard very short pieces of crayons period. I asked the teacher why is it that they have to use such short pieces of crayon one not more than the longest pieces I saw were not more than an inch and a half long. She stated that they made requisition for the crayon, however, that the crayon was brought who were brought from the white high school. Worse the kids at the white high school usually has crayons and the pieces were sent down to colored high school