Quotes from Bearcat Players, Classmates Regarding Historic 1970

Football Season, School Year, Integration:

• “When I was 17 years old, I didn’t think much about the bigger picture. At 17, the world is what you experience each day. In previous years, a few of us had watched E. T. Hawkins football games. They played on Thursday nights. They were good. They were fast. They played hard. Now, those guys were going to be our teammates. We lived in the same town. We walked the same streets. But we didn’t know one another. I never really thought about how they were feeling – leaving their school, having to compete for positions on a team that went undefeated the year before. But heck, we lost 16 seniors and two of our coaches. Nobody really expected us to be very competitive, except us! The tone on the football field early in August set the mood for the whole school year. There were no racial classes. Our band was All-Superior…again! We figured it out. Perhaps we were too naive to see the big picture. If that was the case, then good for us. Good for Forest, Mississippi. Good for America!” – Lee Dukes, 1970 Bearcat Team Member

• “Our little world was undergoing a drastic change with the start of the 1970-71 term, as it marked the first year of full integration. Most took the change in stride and vowed to make it work. Although my memory is obviously not as sharp today as it was 50 years ago, I can only recall positive experiences and successes from that historic time as an FHS Senior. Granted, it was a challenging time for the administration, faculty, staff and especially the student body, but in my opinion those challenges were successfully met and obstacles overcome. We were fortunate to have strong school leadership in Supt. L. O. Atkins, Principals McClain Hatch and Milton Walker at the high school, Principal E. T. Hawkins and Assistant Principal Ken Gordon (also served as athletic director) at Hawkins Middle School; and Principal Dorothy Ishee at the elementary school, who made sure the transition was handled effectively and without incident, and that the school’s academic reputation for excellence was maintained.” – Bubby Johnston, 1970 Bearcat Team Member

• “As a sophomore, I guess I was naive of the importance of that school year (1970-71). I feel the adults in charge thought the worse would happen during that school year and took things away such as clubs and, I believe, (the) break (period) during the school day. Class only! But as children/teenagers most always do, we adapt to change. If there were problems, I never knew it. And because there was class only, sports was our extra-curricular activity and Fridays was our time to enjoy that. We were able to have pep rallys on Fridays in the gym and the excitement of the football players, band and student body all coming together to get everyone ready for that night’s game was nothing like it! And Friday nights were also fun and exciting with the whole community out to support the Bearcats and follow them to 11 straight victories! Looking forward to August 21!” – Stacey Stegall Pace, 1970 Bearcat Cheerleader

* “One thing I remember we never considered losing. We didn’t think anyone could beat us. I remember losing to Morton our sophomore season and the miserable bus ride home. Some of us made a decision that night it wouldn’t happen again!” – Rodney Russell, 1970 Bearcat Team Member

• “ The 1971 Rambler (yearbook) is a product of what has been happening behind the closed door and covered window. I hope this annual is a pictorial memory book of the outstanding year we have had. Although it was different this year, we adjusted easily and smoothly and were able to make Forest High School known throughout the state. Our school was a success only because of you – the people – in it.” – Dea McCrory (Irby), 1970 Bearcat Cheerleader/1970-71 Rambler (yearbook) editor.

• “ You have before you a pictorial record of great historical significance in the development of the South. It depicts the most drastic change in public education in our state and throughout the southern part of the United States since the beginning of the twentieth century. Here is portrayed a school district that changed from token racial integration to total integration between the last day of one school session and the first day of the following session. This transition was accomplished through the efforts of many people in the community with a special effort coming from the students of both races. To you, the elementary and secondary students attending the public schools in 1970-71, posterity is indebted for your successful efforts to continue a program of quality education for all youth despite the frustrations and sacrifices experienced by each of you. Your patience has endured the frustrations, your loyalty to public education has kept you in school, and your Christian good will for all mankind has been your source of strength as you made the necessary adjustments. You have met the challenge with dignity, and you have every right to be proud for your great achievement in maintaining good schools for all youth. With the type of citizenship you have demonstrated we shall move forward to a better day for America and all its citizens. – Supt. L. O. Atkins’ Message in 1971 Rambler

• “ In the fall of 1970 it was my privilege to teach English and speech classes during the first year of integration at Forest High School. There were a number of ball players, band members and cheerleaders in my classes. From my view as a teacher, I saw respectful students, talented athletes, and caring coaches working together and forming amazing bonds of friendship and true brotherly love. At the same time, the football team brought statewide fame and positive recognition to the entire Forest community. It was my joy to encourage them in the classroom and to cheer for them at their games. An unforgettable picture in my mind is seeing Billy Thompson (senior white running back) and Raymond Robinson (junior black running back) sitting side by side in my speech class, then cheering for them as they were standouts for our first integrated team. Sadly, both Billy and Raymond are deceased and will not be with us to recognize the team of 50 years ago. They will be remembered along with their loyal teammates and beloved coaches by their grateful fans. To the 1970 Forest High School Bearcat Football Team and Coaches we proudly say, ‘You are GREAT!! Thanks for the priceless memories.’” – Norma Ruth Lee, on her “heartwarming thoughts” about the 1970 football team and the first year of integration.

• “The success of our 1970 team concluded in an undefeated season like the “Remember the Titans” team. However, I did not feel or notice the anxieties or bias portrayed in that movie. Perhaps it was because we were all raised with a respect for all or perhaps it’s because our segregated white team would go watch the first half of the Black Bearcats’ game on Thursday nights. I remember one night when they played Pelahatchie and the score was 36-0 when we had to leave at halftime. That was with six touchdowns called back because of penalties. The Black Bearcats ended up winning that game 90-0! Thus, those guys gained a lot of our respect as athletes prior to joining forces. Coaches Gary Risher, James Clark and Billy Ray Rill did an excellent job of keeping us focused on the only thing that mattered, “Winning!” They were the perfect group of coaches for that time. They were the kind of coaches that you wanted to play hard for and win for. They treated us with respect as individuals and not just as a means to an end. As a lineman, my position coach was James Clark. I couldn’t have asked for anyone to have been more knowledgeable and easier to play for. Whenever his name comes up, I think of his famous words, “Hit Somebody!” That really should be on his tombstone. Every Thursday night as I was trying to go to sleep, I would go through each position on our team and compare them to each position of our opponent, and would conclude each time that man-for-man we were better at every position than the team we were about to face. I believe the success of our team helped bring the entire community together. Even today, I don’t see the racial bias that is so prevalent in other places. With all the risk of injuries from playing football, many ask, ‘Is it worth it?’ I say it is because of the many life lessons learned on a football field. Learning to play as a team, sportsmanship, leadership, hard work, discipline, goal setting and perseverance are just a few valuable lessons I learned from my experience playing football.” – Jackie Calhoun, 1970 Bearcat team member.

• “When we went to Forest High, we were treated with respect; it was

something we weren’t used to. Compared to when I was younger at

E. T. Hawkins, we were treated with respect. I didn’t experience

anything bad at Forest High School. Winning was good. I like

winning. I used to lay in the bed and dream about making

touchdowns—and my dreams really came true on the field. Football

came natural to me. I like football. I had good coaches. I had all the

respect for the coaches and the players. As we get older, people go

their separate ways, but I’ve got the memories. I’m from Ludlow. I

came from the country. We moved to Forest. I learned a lot about

how to live in the city – at least it was a city to me. I am sure they had

some problems (with integration). I never heard about them. We all

got along. Occasionally, we’d have a word or two, but nobody got in

fights. That’s why we had such a winning season in my opinion. I

didn’t have nothing on my mind abut playing with white or black

players. It didn’t cross my mind. We focused on winning. Our

mindset made us win!” I just remember those two-a-day practices.

Between practices, me and the guys would hang out at E.T. Hawkins

School. It was serious business. We worked hard. We didn’t think

black and white because we were thinking so hard about football.

You’d lay down at night and think about football. I don’t know what

all else went on. I always thought we got along just fine. Overall, we

were treated better over there than we had ever been treated all our

life. Everything we did, we were proud of. One of the things I

remember that I see as a difference between then and now – the

whole town was behind us. They fed us steaks out at the Big G

Ranch. Everyone was behind us. We had a good time. The support

from the community boosted our morale. That support really made a

big difference. So many memories of different things. One of the

most amazing things I remember was watching Jackie Calhoun kick

the ball. That was the most amazing things I had ever seen. He could

punt that ball so high. I would look up in those lights and watch that

football. I had never seen anything like it. It was amazing. I was

always hard on myself. I was good, but when you look at football,

there was always someone better than you. Pulpwood was one of

the things that made me tough. I was hauling since I could just haul

the measuring stick. Hauling pulpwood made me tough and strong. I

remember the last game when Coach Risher’s son was sick. It was

sad and affected us all. You’re in the moment when you hear about

it, but you’ve got to push on – and we won the (championship) game.

It was a good night. – Willie Bowie, 1970 Bearcat team member.