To know where you are going, you must remember where you have been, former Texarkana teacher and school administrator Edna Shepherd says
Shepherd, who graduated from Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in 1947 during the height of school segregation, believes today's students have more choices and should use them to become productive citizens.
"We had no choice," Shepherd recalled of her school days when black students used the school district's "hand-me-down" textbooks and desks after the white students were finished with them. "Separate but equal was the law of the land. But as many of you know, they were far from equal."
Shepherd's comments were made Saturday night during the fifth annual Tri-Schools Alumni Association unity banquet at Arkansas High School's student center. The association, formed in 1996, is composed of former students of Dunbar, Booker T. Washington and Macedonia high schools.
Dunbar was at West Seventh and Elm streets. It is now on West 10th Street and serves as an elementary school.
Washington was at Pinehurst and Marietta streets and was used for several purposes after integration. Today it houses the Texarkana, Ark., alternative programs.
Macedonia now houses the Bowie County School of Success.
"Make no mistake about it, we remember the Dunbar Buffalos, the Macedonia Mustangs and the Washington Lions," Shepherd said. "It was not easy, but thank God, we made it."
Shepherd earned a bachelors and masters degree from Prairie View A&M University. Her teaching career has included 29 years as a teacher in Arkansas, New Jersey and Texas. For six years she was an assistant principal at Texas High School.
Saturday night, Shepherd aimed her message at current high school students, including six who shared their talents with alums who gathered for an evening of reminiscing, food and fellowship. The students were Tracie Callaway and Delsin Layton of Arkansas High School; Narashia Smith and Derrick Walker of Liberty Eylau High School; and Alexandria Lockett and Jordan Waller from Texas High.
Callaway gave a speech entitled "What is a Dream,'' and Layton sang a contemporary gospel tune, "No Weapon," by Fred Hammond. Smith gave a speech entitled "My Dream of a Better America," while Walker played two tunes, including "Amazing Grace,'' on trombone. Lockett gave a speech entitled "What America Means to Me," and Waller sang a rhythm-and-blues tune, "Where I Wanna Be," by Donnell Jones.
Callaway gave a speech entitled "What is a Dream,'' and Layton sang a contemporary gospel tune, "No Weapon," by Fred Hammond. Smith gave a speech entitled "My Dream of a Better America," while Walker played two tunes, including "Amazing Grace,'' on trombone. Lockett gave a speech entitled "What America Means to Me," and Waller sang a rhythm-and-blues tune, "Where I Wanna Be," by Donnell Jones.
"Voices from the past from Dunbar, Washington and Macedonia are calling your names," Shepherd told the students. "They are asking what have you done and what are you doing to make the world a better place."
Another highlight of the event was the announcement of James King as this year's Achievement Award recipient. King is the father of four and serves as president of the Liberty-Eylau School Board. He also is a supervisor at Red River Army Depot.
Past winners have included Robert Utsey, Ethel Pauley Jones, Robert McDonald and Willie Jewel Ray.
