10;




C: passed before my time, Miss Sarah Johnson, and I had an uncle pass before
 my birth and his name was Willie and I was named after him in memory.

B: Now were they all here in Gainesville?

C: This was their home.

B: This is a lovely home. I am enjoying being here this evening.

C: Glad to have you.

B: Thank you. Was this community, it is now called the Fifth Avenue Community,
 I do not know what it was called years back, was this the better section of
 town for the blacks?

C: Yes, on this side of town it was better for blacks.

B: Now what was the street in front of you called?

C: Church Street. When I was a child it was Church Street. Now it is Fourth
 Place. We enjoyed this area then. My mother would cook cookies and have
 the children to come in and we would have little parties in the yard. I
 did not have any brothers or sisters so that is the way I was entertained,
 with communicating with other children in the neighborhood.

B: Now is there anything that is on the Fifth Avenue strip now that was there
 and that was important years ago to the black community, building wise
 that is still there today?

C: No, they had the old theatre, used to be on Fifth Avenue cross the street.
 Right across Fifth Avenue. It was on Fifth.Avenue but it was in the left,
 here on the right side of Fifth Avenue.

B: Any other buildings that were important, that used to be used years passed?

C: Yes, they had the church that was on Fifth Avenue, you know. It was the
 AME church, on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Eighth Street.

B: Did you go to Lincoln?

C: No, I have never gone to a public school other than one year and that was at
 St. Petersburg at Gibbs High.

B: Only one year at a public school?

C: That is right.

B: Did you feel that you should have taught at a public school, having gone
 to a private school?

C: Sure.

B: Why?

C: Experience.