Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 4, 1994 TAG: 9411040078
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
In September, members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People asked the board to consider renaming either Christiansburg High School or Christiansburg Middle School after the Holmes family of Cambria. The Holmeses -Rosa, Zimri and Zedikiah - taught mostly in Montgomery County for a combined 100 years both at the segregated Christiansburg Institute and then in the county's integrated system during the '60s and '70s.
But parents and students have spoken out against a name change, saying to rob their school of its name would be like robbing a family of its name.
"Certainly these people are worthy, but there has to be another way to recognize them," said Connie Lowe, president of the PTAs at both the high and the middle school. "Right now the School Board is holding our kids hostage - we can't order anything with the Christiansburg name in quantities because we don't know how much longer that will be our name."
Lowe also said she thinks changing the name of one of the schools would be too expensive and would hurt school spirit. At Tuesday's School Board meeting, five students spoke against the proposal.
An ensuing discussion by board members led to a sharp exchange between member David Moore, who is on the school renaming committee, and Barry Worth, who urged the committee to come up with a recommendation by the next board meeting in mid-November.
"We need to put a time line on this, and seriously put it to rest by November 15," Worth said, adding that he has talked with more than 150 people about the issue.
"Just let this thing work out," said Moore, the board's only black member. "This is a relationship. Let's not be in such a hurry. It can turn into something real nasty if it wants to. And I don't want that to happen."
Bob Goncz, who serves on the committee with Moore, said he wants to have a positive proposal to bring to the board rather than simply decide "yes or no on a very serious request."
Regardless of the results, board member Dick Edwards said, a decision must be made soon.
"We're looking very indecisive on an important issue," Edwards said. "This board needs to get ahead of these issues and get results."
To the dismay of Christiansburg PTA members, the board set Jan. 3 as its target date for reaching a decision.
"I'm disappointed that they feel that they want to keep the kids in the schools hostage that long," Lowe said. " I thought Nov. 15 was a reasonable request."
by CNB