Simmons, Thelma, March 26, 1980
Scope and Contents
The Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture Oral History Project contains 44 oral history interviews arranged in three series based on the corresponding project or scope of the oral histories. The majority of the oral histories were conducted or coordinated by Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture members with the exception of Phase 2 of the Avery Normal Institute Oral History Project which was conducted by the Avery Research Center. Within each series, the oral histories are arranged alphabetically by last name. Greater details about the contents of each oral history can be found at the file level abstract of each interview. Each oral history, when available, includes a transcript and any supporting documentation like questions, notes, tape logs, and interview release forms. Transcripts do not currently exist for every interview and work to create them is ongoing.
Series I: Avery Normal Institute Oral History Project, 1980-1996 contains oral histories with former students, teachers, principals, and community members of the Avery Normal Institute discussing their attendance at the school including classes, teachers, extracurricular activities as well as perceptions of the school in the larger African American Charleston community and perceived reasons for why the school was closed. 12 of these oral histories are accessible on the Lowcountry Digital Library including the interviews with Ruby Cornwell, Julia Craft DeCosta, Marcellus Forrest, Dr. Joseph Hoffman, Felder Hutchinson, Anna D. Kelly, Louise Mouzon, Peter Poinsette, and both interviews with J. Michael Graves and Eugene C. Hunt.
Series II: Laing School oral histories, 1981 contains two oral histories with former students of the Laing School in which they discuss their time attending the school, their lives after graduation, and their impressions of the Avery Normal Institute.
Series III: Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture oral histories, 1983-1995 contains seven oral histories with members of the Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture discussing the founding of the organization and its grassroots efforts to acquire and preserve the Avery Normal Institute school buildings. There are also oral histories in this series with former students of the Avery Normal Institute and Immaculate Conception discussing their attendance at both institutions.
Dates
- Creation: March 26, 1980
Creator
- From the Collection: Avery Institute of Afro-American History and Culture (Organization)
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions to this collection; however, a cassette player is required to listen to the audiocassette tapes. A cassette player will be made available to researchers in our reading room.
Full Extent
From the Collection: .834 linear feet (2 Hollinger boxes, 79 audiocassettes, and 27.7 gigabytes (audio and transcripts))
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Abstract
In this interview, Thelma Hoursey Simmons at first recalls her family history, in particular her father’s early death in 1919 that left her mother to raise five children on her own. After attending Wallingford Presbyterian Academy, Simmons joined Avery and stayed there until graduating. She recalls Avery’s excellent teacher training course under Mrs. Birdie Clyde and the influence of Principal Benjamin F. Cox and his wife, Jeanette. Simmons refers to Avery’s mandatory March examinations and the languages offered; she hereby also mentions the difficulty of merging Avery’s student body with Burke High School later on. She then refers in detail to her first teaching experience on Johns Island providing a vivid description of the difficult teaching and living conditions, especially transportation and the ill-equipped school building of the Promised Land School. She recalls dividing the students among herself and Mrs. Julia “Mamie” White, as well as first encounters with the Gullah language. Simmons emphasizes success stories with one outstanding student, Harleston Capers. She also remembers several people who had the financial means to send their children to a Presbyterian School, which was also located on Johns Island, and mentions the school for the white children. The interview further inquires about Mrs. Simmons’ religious background and her affiliation with Mt. Zion AME Church. The interview concludes by focusing on Mrs. Simmons’ brother, Alphonso Hoursey, in particular, his educational career and pursuits.
The oral history is conducted by Dr. Edmund Drago and Eugene Hunt.
Repository Details
Part of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Repository
125 Bull Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424 United States
843-953-7608
averyresearchcenter@cofc.edu