The St. Louis question: "What high school did you go to?" Is often asked as a conversation starter there, since its answer conveys much useful information about the speaker. Students from Vashon High School came on a cultural visit to our high school, Webster Groves High, in 1969, about 40 of them. We had a broad discussion about the issues of the day. I was struck by their diffidence, given our own loquaciousness . Several days ago, an honors graduate of Vashon explained that the St. Louis question embarrassed her, due to Vashon 's [black] cultural context. Perhaps, if its students were conscientiously taught about the great George Boyd Vashon, its eponym, and that school's later proud legacy, such scholastic shame would vanish. I would surely hope so!
http://www.blackpast.org/aah/vashon-george-b-1824-1878
http://www.slps.org/domain/2956
Sunday, April 24, 2016
GEORGE BOYER VASHON
The St. Louis question: "What high school did you go to?" Is often asked as a conversation starter there, since its answer conveys much useful information about the speaker. Students from Vashon High School came on a cultural visit to our high school, Webster Groves High, in 1969, about 40 of them. We had a broad discussion about the issues of the day. I was struck by their diffidence, given our own loquaciousness . Several days ago, an honors graduate of Vashon explained that the St. Louis question embarrassed her, due to Vashon 's [black] cultural context. Perhaps, if its students were conscientiously taught about the great George Boyd Vashon, its eponym, and that school's later proud legacy, such scholastic shame would vanish. I would surely hope so!
http://www.blackpast.org/aah/vashon-george-b-1824-1878
http://www.slps.org/domain/2956