Michael Davis:  

School I started kindergarten, in 1950, at Garfield Elementary on Fifth and Barnet Streets in Dayton. The school was named for our 20th US President, James A. Garfield, born 1831 in Orange, Ohio, near Cleveland. Elected in 1880, he was shot by Charles Guiteau in 1881, becoming the 2nd of 4 assassinated presidents. Garfield was the 3rd of 7 Ohio-born presidents. See my bulletin board: "7 Ohio-born US Presidents". My kindergarten teacher was Ms. Spicer. Classmates Donald Hubbard and Gregory Suel have remained lifelong friends. Leroy Rogers was a good buddy. My first grade teacher was Ms. Parker, in 1951. She started me reading Alice and Jerry. My 2nd grade teacher, in 1952, was Ms. Long, whom I wanted to marry. Volly Hart was always the leader of our posse that galloped around the schoolyard during recess. His cousins were twins, Leroy and Larry Hart. My 3rd grade teacher, in 1953, was Ms. Perry, my first drill sergeant. She kept fear in all the students who dreaded getting hit on the knuckles by her ruler. The following summer, I went on a major field trip to Washington, DC, with the 8th grade class, led by teacher, Mr. King. I fell in love with Annie Miles, an 8th grader, who seemed to think I was cute but too young. My 4th grade teacher was Ms. Karen Samuels, in 1954. Somehow Eddie Lee Foster always seemed to know when she was on her period. Eddie Lee and Lemuel Booker became an All-City football players at Dunbar High School. I sent multiple valentines to some of my favorite female classmates. Willy Ed Lindsey later became a standout runningback at Roosevelt HS. Betty Watson had the quick wit. Craig Owens became an All-City basketball player. Wilma Williams, Rose Sutton, and Nancy Cook got lots of attention from the boys. Joe Powell started becoming the smooth talker. Lloyd Puddin" Clark was always smiling. The Wheeler brothers, Robert & Cecil, developed the most intricate dance moves, dancing together. William Haygood was a great singer and later a Golden Gloves Boxing Champion. Booker T. Phillips had great parties, I learned to play Spin-the-Bottle(smile). The principal was Mr. Lansdowne. Garfield school was demolished in the 1990's, I think. I started 5th grade at Edison Elementary in Dayton, in 1955. Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), the famous alleged inventor of the incandescent light bulb, was born in Milan, Ohio, a Buckeye. Black inventor, Lewis Latimer, may have made huge contributions to many of Edison's inventions. My fifth grade teacher was Ms. Roesel. I (my Mom) bought lots of Ovaltine which I hated but wanted to cut out the seal to get my Captain Midnight Secret Decoder Ring. My 6th grade teacher, in 1956, was Ms. Everett, loved by all. My art teacher was Ms. Hart. My Gym teacher was Mr. Toohey. Horace Gaulding had a deadly jump shot and later helped Roosevelt HS win the Ohio State Basketball Championship in 1960. My 7th & 8th grade HR teacher, in 1957 & 1958, was Ms. Irene Schultz, who taught me math, Mr. Fields and Mr. Shields-history and social studies, Ms. Wallick-English, Ms. Eager-Health & Science, Ms. Rumba?-Home Economics. I don't remember the teacher for Wood Shop. I started Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in 1959. The school opened in 1932 on Summit Street. Paul Dunbar was born June 27, 1872 in Dayton. He died there February 9, 1906. He was a world renown poet and writer. Dunbar HS was built so African American teachers could have their own segregated school to teach, they were unwelcome at most white schools. Dayton was a racially segregated city. My 9th grade HR teacher was Ms. Bernice Sumlin. My Algebra teacher was the amazing Mr. Richard Payne. Mr. Bill Scott taught me General Science, Ms. Turner-English Grammar & Literature, Mr. Leo Stewart-Spanish I, Mr. David D. Albritton-Physical Education, and Mr. William Edwards was the band director. I played clarinet and alto sax. I took biology in summer school from Mr. Bob Feuer at Fairview HS. He was also a basketball coach. Classmate Julie Kitzes is now a law partner at the prominent Akin-Gump Law firm in Washington, DC, where Vernon Jordan was also a law partner. My 10th grade HR teacher was Ms. Marie Stokes. Mr. Emerson Harewood taught me American History, Mr. Alphonso Mallette-Plane Geometry, Mr. Bill Scott-Chemistry, Mr. Leo Stewart-Spanish II, and Ms. Laura Jones-sophomore English. I played alto sax in second year band, again under Mr. William Edwards. Mr. Ivory Suesberry and Mr. Ed Adams took turns teaching Physical Education when Coach David Albritton wasn't available. My 11th grade HR teacher was Mr. William Woods. I took English Grammar & literature from Ms. Jessie Hathcock, Advanced Algebra-Mr. Payne and Physics-Mr. Mallette. My 12th grade HR teacher Mr. Bill Scott taught Advanced Chemistry, Mr Mallette- Trigonometry & Solid Geometry, Mr. Clarence Francois- Choir, Ms. Jessie Hathcock- English, Mr. Leo Stewart- Civics & Social Problems. I graduated valedictorian in a class of 110. College I started college at the University of Cincinnati in September, 1963. I studied Chemical Engineering. My first room was in an off-campus private home on Euclid Avenue. Later, I moved into Dabney Hall as cousin Ken Calloway's roommate. Ken had influence as a UC basketball scholarship player. Lou Martin became a study buddy, touch football teammate and lifelong friend. Clarence Shelton and I started jam sessions with our clarinets, now he's cut about 8 cds as a multi-instrument musician and my clarinet is broken. Second year I moved into Sawyer Hall with Phil Gary & John E. Young, another lifelong friend and frustrated musician. Third year, I moved off campus again to a private residence, either Mr. Topie's or Euclid Avenue again. Fourth year, same as third year. Fifth year, I moved back into the dorm, Sawyer Hall, and roomed with Lee Bauman and a guy who played bagpipes, his pipes were not very popular. Last school quarter I roomed with Ron Ramsey and another guy. I did not graduate from UC and I moved to Chicago to enroll in and graduate from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1971. Workplace I started working, immediately after graduating high school in 1963, at Inland Mfg, Div-GMC (now Adelphi Corp) on a GMC Sponsorship and co-operative (work-study) program at the University of Cincinnati. It was at GMC that I first experienced significant racial insensitivity & harrassment. Racism has been a complex life experience and significant changes have occurred the past 50 years. It would be interesting to discuss racial perceptions and memories with past coworkers and managers. I left Inland in 1968, under the stress of my inability to deal with the many racial inequities that I observed. Some coworker names I remember from Inland are Elwood Berry (a 1962 DHS grad), Jim Fedorczek, Joe Hagan, Harrison Harding, Harry Holcolmb, Tom Hook, Al Ipiotis, J. Michael Losh, Rusty Neff, Joan Pettiford, Steven Pettiford (a 1966 DHS grad and Rhodes Scholar), Harold & Bob Reindl, Chris Roberts, Tom Rochford, Mr. Roede...Expand for more