Oral Histories: Teachers of the Lost Year

As a result of desegregation within Little Rock Central High School (1957-1958), Governor Orval Faubus closed Little Rock’s four high schools: Central High, Hall High, Little Rock Technical High, and Horace Mann.  Students of the four high schools lost access to free public education for the 1958-1959 school year, furthering racial tensions.  Below are teachers of “The Lost Year” who contributed their recollections to the UCA Archives.  For digitized transcripts, see our Digital Collections.  For more information about “The Lost Year,” see the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

 

Interviewee: Leon Adams

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: March 19, 1996

Taught: First, Second, and Third grade music

 

Interviewee: Howard Bell

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: March 13, 1996

Taught: Biology Teacher

 

Interviewee: Oliver Elders

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: February 5, 1996

Taught: Basketball Coach

 

Interviewee: Jo Evelyn Elston

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: March 19, 1996

Taught: First Grade Teacher

 

Interviewee: Gene Hall

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: April 2, 1996

Taught: Head Football Coach

 

Interviewee: Jo Ann Henry

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: October 25, 1995

Taught: Math Teacher

 

Interviewee: Elizabeth Huckaby

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: December 18, 1995

Taught: Guidance Counselor

 

Interviewee: Willie Johnson

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: January 11, 1996

 

Interviewee: Nyna Keeton

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: January 26, 1996

Taught: Career Development

 

Interviewee: William R. Lincoln

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: March 18, 1996

Taught: Mathematics and Photography

 

Interviewee: Jerome Muldrew

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: December 1, 1995

Taught: Social Studies

 

Interviewee: Nancy Popperfuss

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: March 9, 1996

Taught: American Literature

 

Interviewee: Shirley Stancil

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: February 27, 1996

Taught: Counselor

 

Interviewee: Betty Summerville

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: January 16, 1996

Taught: School Nurse

 

Interviewee: Arceal Terry

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: December 18, 1995

Taught: Typewriting

 

Interviewee: Rosalia Torrence

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: December 1, 1995

Taught: unknown

 

Interviewee: William Sonny Walker

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: April 30, 1996

Taught: English/writing/literature

 

Interviewee: Patricia Williams

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: March 22, 1996

Taught: High School English

 

Interviewee: Maud Woods

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: November 10, 1995

Taught: Math

 

Interviewee: Mary Ann Wright

Interviewer: Sondra Gordy

Date: March 18, 1996

Taught:  unknown