Simms, Lois, August 28, 1984
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: August 28, 1984
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
The interview begins with Lois Simms, an Avery graduate and teacher, retelling her family history: her grandmother, Patsy Willard-Ferguson, was born free on December 10, 1859, in Charleston. Her grandfather, Jonas Ferguson, was born at Whitehall, SC, and owned a farm. Her grandmother house-sat the Francis-Marion Whaley residence at 6 Gibbes St. Her mother, Anise-Ferguson (?), graduated from Avery in 1912. Her father came to Charleston from Raleigh, NC working as a barber. Simms went to Wallingford Presbyterian Academy through 8th grade. She then attended Avery in 1933. The interview focuses on Simms’ description of various Avery faculty members, in particular, Benjamin Cox, John Potts, and Ms. Clyde. She vividly remembers rhetorical presentations. Simms later attended the theology seminary of Johnson C. Smith School in Charlotte, NC double majoring in Social Studies and English. She also comments on her first-year teaching experience at Avery, the teacher salaries, and the looming threat of Avery’s closing due to the withdrawal of American Missionary Association (AMA) funding. Simms taught at Laing High School before coming to Burke under principal Garson in 1935 -- she elaborates on differences between the Avery student/faculty body and that of Burke. References are made regarding the manners and culture of the changing student body coming from the East side, as well as color consciousness and class stratifications. She recounts how issues of race relations, racial discrimination, and history curricula about slavery were only present later in her career at Charleston High in the early 1970s. There are also brief references to the local NAACP branch and Civil Rights efforts. The interview is concluded by Simms retelling her feelings regarding Avery’s closing in 1954 and possible explanations thereof, such as white neighborhood fears.
The oral history is conducted by Dr. Edmund Drago.
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