Keller: History’s lessons on race should not be forgotten

Published 12:06 am Saturday, July 11, 2015

Last week, I quoted the following from a church service:

“We as a nation should be less concerned with the preservation of a racist past than the creation of a just future.”

It’s time to move on! The past is history. We shouldn’t forget it.

It was easy not to have conflict with black members of the community while growing up in Reserve during segregation, because we had very little contact. Black members of the community had their own schools and did not have equal access to restaurants, recreation and medical facilities.

Was it a way of life for me? Yes.

Was it justice? No.

Did I see a gradual change in my  lifetime? Yes.

The only contribution I may have made toward integration was through sports. We had two gyms in Reserve: Leon Godchaux High School for whites only and Fifth Ward High School for black athletes.

I love basketball, and since the black players were unable to use the gym for the whites, I organized a group of my friends and, on Monday nights, we would play at Fifth Ward — whites against blacks.

We never won a game, but we had fun. I quickly learned that as a rule, white boys couldn’t jump.

As I mentioned, all schools were segregated. I think St. Peter School was the first school to integrate, which happened when my oldest daughter, Ronny, was in first grade.

When Ronny was in the sixth grade, Sister Mary Joel, the principal, advised the School Board we would have our first black nun. Some members and parents objected and said they didn’t want their children under her authority.

She was assigned to teach Ronny’s sixth grade class. Even today, Ronny still says that Sister Maria was one of the most influential people in her life.

This morning, I called Ronny and asked if she remembered the play Sister Maria directed for the class.  She said, “Daddy, the name of the play was “Aunt Drusella’s Garden.”

I had forgotten the name, but still remember that it was a big hit!

Sister Maria later went to Compton, Calif., to teach. She and I stayed in touch through Christmas cards for years.

Eighteen years ago, I spoke at St. Joseph Academy, an all-black girls school in New Orleans. I was excited to see that she was on the staff.

Sister Maria’s time at St. Peter’s in Reserve was exciting for the Keller family and many others. She is part of our history and has not been forgotten.

If you have any questions, or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477 or e-mail hkeller@comcast.net.