What is your opinion of receiving second hand books, equipment, and uniforms?

"I think it was unfair and made me feel as if I was nobody and second hand equipment was not appropriate for the team." ~Billy Dean Cox (9th Avenue)

"You used what you were given and had to pretend to like it in the hopes that one day you would be given something new." ~Frank Wilson (9th Avenue 1951-1962)

"We were happy to receive them, because they could not afford to buy them. At least that what we were lead to believe." ~Doris Barnett Byorum (6th and 9th Avenue 1943-1955)

"Since I left 9th Avenue after the second grade to go live with my aunt in Connecticut and did not return until I was in the 8th grade, I did not know about anything second hand until I was in the 12th grade. When I saw unfamiliar names in the books I just attributed it to my being away and not knowing everyone.

But I do remember one incident that made me feel like a second hand citizen. With the VFW Essay Contest, I had recorded my speech, the principal had sent it to Hendersonville High School to be judged and the results sent back to 9th Avenue. I had attended an integrate school from the 3rd -7th grades and had wanted to be judged with all the students competing. Even though I won the contest from my school, it did not have a meaning because that was the first time I felt I was judged on my race and not the competition." ~Jessie Jenkins-Wilson (9th Avenue class of 1965)   

"At the time, it did not bother me. You can't miss what you never had." ~Renee Mims Payne (9th Avenue class of 1965)

"It was not apparent at the time that the textbooks were used-We did the best we could with what we had." ~Madeline Cunningham Royes (6th and 9th Avenue)

"It caused hostility, frustration, and degrading to the black schools, because we should have been treated as equal citizens. But as I look back on those days it caused the students to be more appreciative of their education and how they set goals high to over come those misfortunes that cause us to become bitter men and women."   ~Wilhelmina R. Mills (6th and 9th Avenue)

"Only option at that time, so you just accepted it." ~Lila Deloris Hill Wilson (9th Avenue class of 1962)

"Did not like it, but it was the way of the times." ~Harry M. Wilson Jr. (9th Avenue class of 1962)

"I was not good receiving second hand book sometimes the pages out of the books." ~Thelma L. Payne (9th Avenue class of 1965)

"At the time we had no other choice so we used what we received and made the best of it. It was alright. Never knew of it until the last 2 yrs of high school." ~Lottie Featherstone Maxwell (6th and 9th Avenue)

"We felt degraded, I didn't think anything about it then but after I'm older, I think its terrible and we were really lower class." ~Lillie Ann Recolia Brooks Brown (9th Avenue)

"I had such great teachers I didn't know about the used books, equipment and uniforms until I was an adult." ~Catherine Richmond (9th Avenue class of 1964)

"It was unfair to give us as blacks second hand books, and ect! However we were thankful for what we had, and proud of our school!" ~Catherine Richmond (9th Avenue class of 1964)

"I feel that this procedure hurt me in all area, such as history, map reading, foreign language and the SAT." ~William E. Payne (9th Avenue)

"It wasn't fair as our education was concerned. However, I'm thankful that I was able to get as much as I did. "A little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing." ~ Bessie "Judy" Owen (9th Avenue 1950-1960)

"At the time, I didn't know it was second hand." ~ George Davis (9th Avenue) 

"I have no opinion because at the time I didn't realize that they were second hand." ~ Lillie Ann Y. Ricketts (6th and 9th Avenue 1949-1961)

"I personally don't like it." ~Cora Johnson A. Young (6th and 9th Avenue)

"I didn't realize at the time, but looking back, I feel we were disadvantaged, but there were those that excelled in spite of it." ~ Geraldine H. McMinn (9th Avenue)

"I remember the time I received a new book. I was in the third grade and it was a reading book. My name was the only name in the book. I can still recall the smell and how it felt to open it and be the first person to turn the sharp crisp pages. My favorite story in the book and the only one I recall that I know that the book was "surprise, surprise, surprise!" ~ Ronnie W. Pepper (9th Avenue 1962-1965)

"Using second hand books, equipment, and uniforms did not bother me because I was used to "hand me downs." I came from a very large family where there were eleven children and a mother and father. My father, older brother and sisters worked for White people and were other paid with clothing and furniture. So when I received textbooks I was excited to see what was in the next book to learn." ~ Edith Cash Sloan (6th and 9th Avenue)

"As long as they were in good shape." ~Albert H Summey (6th and 9th Avenue)

"They were new to us!" ~Albert H Summey (6th and 9th Avenue)

"It was a shame and a disgrace because we should have equal education. We were always behind 2 or more grades." ~Robert G. Smith III (9th Avenue 1962-1963)

"1. I personally feel it was unfair to receive second hand books, equipment, and uniforms even though our parents were all tax payers to the federal and state." ~William Wynn, Jr. (9th Avenue)

"I disagree. We should have gotten new books, equipment and uniforms also." ~Barbara Moss Cash (9th Avenue)

"I didn't like it-very much-had to make out with what we had." ~Edna Mesbitt Allman (9th Avenue)

"I resented that, but more than resenting that, I will always be most grateful for the teachers who really didn't allow that to prevent them from making sure we got all we needed, and when I look at the education system today I realize how blessed we were because we really got more back then." ~ Diane Caldwell (9th Avenue)

"Not good! Most times we had to raise funds to buy equipment, we were glad to have books, but we had to carry everyone of them to school and home everyday." ~James Thurman Robinson (6th and 9th Avenue 1942-1952)