GHSBP
J.L. Williams (Commerce)
The absurdity of segregation rears its head in many different ways. The state, under Governor Herman Talmadge, put together the Minimum Foundation Program. While it did do a good bit in improving white education around the state, its main purpose was to ward off integration by transforming black education around the state, which had been utterly neglected. Black schools, most of them the equivalent of shacks and scattered everywhere as most counties had done little consolidation, were now brought together in new buildings with new equipment.
J.L. Williams was one of the schools built as a result of the Minimum Foundation Program. It replaced Commerce's earlier school, Johntown, and consolidated all elementary schools on its side of the county (the other half - as well as all high school grades, including those who had been attending Johntown - would attend Bryan in Jefferson).
J.L. Williams is a prime example of the absurdity. The school was completed and opened in 1957. Integration meant that it closed in 1968, a mere 11 years later.
The State School Building Authority's terms stated that the Commerce city school system had to pay the state for 20 years for the two schools it funded them (Commerce High being the other). This was signed in 1955. Therefore, unless terms changed because of integration, Commerce city was paying the state until 1975 for a building that taught children for barely half the terms of the lease.
J.L. Williams (Commerce)
The absurdity of segregation rears its head in many different ways. The state, under Governor Herman Talmadge, put together the Minimum Foundation Program. While it did do a good bit in improving white education around the state, its main purpose was to ward off integration by transforming black education around the state, which had been utterly neglected. Black schools, most of them the equivalent of shacks and scattered everywhere as most counties had done little consolidation, were now brought together in new buildings with new equipment.
J.L. Williams was one of the schools built as a result of the Minimum Foundation Program. It replaced Commerce's earlier school, Johntown, and consolidated all elementary schools on its side of the county (the other half - as well as all high school grades, including those who had been attending Johntown - would attend Bryan in Jefferson).
J.L. Williams is a prime example of the absurdity. The school was completed and opened in 1957. Integration meant that it closed in 1968, a mere 11 years later.
The State School Building Authority's terms stated that the Commerce city school system had to pay the state for 20 years for the two schools it funded them (Commerce High being the other). This was signed in 1955. Therefore, unless terms changed because of integration, Commerce city was paying the state until 1975 for a building that taught children for barely half the terms of the lease.