I'm still very much in need of information from the African-American community.  I have virtually nothing so far representing the black community.  Here's what I'm looking for:

-photos of early black settlers
-information and photos from the black school used during segregation...I'd love stories and memories from and about students, teachers, and administrators
-family histories
-photos and information from past Holly Grove Homecomings
-Churches and ministers
-slave narratives from the Holly Grove area
-any other kind of information - stories, memories, photos, and memorabilia pertaining to African-Americans in Holly Grove

Hello again,

I checked with a two of my Sisters reference the name of Holly Grove's other school.  The name was Holly Grove Vocational High, The Lions was the mascot, Black and Gold the school's colors.  At the risk of being too selfish towards a favorite teacher, I'd have to say my 6th grade reading teacher...  My Sister, Willie B Williams-Stokes is my all time favorite. Here are some honorable mentions, Mr. Moses Burton (math) Mrs. Burton (1st grade) and Mr. Brown (Agri/wood shop) as well as Ms. Lue Birdie Collins.  Lastly, I need to mention my parents (Willie J and Pearlie B Williams of Pine City, AR) and Coaches Larry Scaife and Coach Sonny Gordon.  It truly "Takes a Village".

Holly Grove Normal School I believe.
Mascot was the Lion

Colors were black and Gold
I think I was in 3rd grade when the school became one.

Dennis Williams
Class of 1982

I interviewed Holly Grove Police Chief James Knowles in 1978 while I was an intern at The Sentinel newspaper in Clarendon. This story could also be posted on this web site under "Notable HG Citizens" because, regardless of his race, James Knowles was a respected leader and lawman in Holly Grove.

“Holly Grove Chief is Unique”
The Sentinel newspaper,
Clarendon, Ark.
Sept. 27, 1978
By Jane Dearing

Holly Grove, Arkansas, may not have the big business, big money or the big industry other places boast, but the town does have one man who has a heart bigger than any of these — Police Chief James Knowles.
Knowles, who is known to most in town as simply James, is a man the townspeople respect. Knowles bases his job on “fairness to the people.” It is this fairness, understanding and concern that have won him the friendship of the people of the town of Holly Grove. James Knowles, 33, the police chief of a small, Southern town of less than 1,000 people, is the only (as far as he knows) black police chief in the state of Arkansas. This fact is notable simply because in a small town such as Holly Grove, where some forms of racial biases do still exist, this man has risen above all the confusion and occasional hostilities to gain a success that is very seldom reached in situations such as Holly Grove. James Knowles has won the respect of a town. “I don’t think we have any better policeman in the state of Arkansas,” stated Holly Grove’s Mayor Bruce Crow. “It would be pretty hard to replace him. James is the kind of man who knows how to get along with people of any color,” the mayor said. “He doesn’t favor anyone — he’s just straight across the board.” Similar sentiments were expressed by State Trooper Ronnie Welch at a recent City Council meeting. Welch described Knowles as “one of the best police chiefs in the state.” Knowles, after hearing this, let out a moan, then repeated the statement, but ended it with a question mark this time. “I don’t know about that,” he said slowly. “I’ll say this — I’ve probably tried harder to BE one of the best, but now being the best, I don’t know about that. I kinda doubt that very seriously,” he said modestly. Knowles, who was born and reared in Holly Grove, began work with the city’s police department nine years ago, with no previous training in the field. Following graduation from high school in 1964 and a two-year stint in the army, Knowles worked part-time for the city, usually weekend night duty. The weekends gradually became full days, longer hours and, “once you get in it,” he confessed, “the work gets in your blood and you want to stay with it.” Knowles admits that there were “a whole lot” of barriers to cross in becoming chief. “Most of the time you’re on the proving side of everything,” he said. His beef is that the real workers, the ones that stay with the job, are often times overlooked when a new position opens. He said there have been many times when someone was “brought in” to do the job, when there were good men already on the force, capable of the job. “Some of the ones they (the City Council) have hired have been worse than those working steady.” He added, “You can always deal with your hometown people better than some outsider that you don’t even know.” Four years ago, James Knowles became Holly Grove’s police chief. From his years as a night duty policeman to the present, his work and duties have changed. When he first began, he had only a .38 caliber revolver and a nightstick. Now, there are better weapons, such as the 357 Smith and Wesson he carries. But more than that, “you have got the help of the whole county,” Knowles remarked. “It used to be if you saw a state trooper down here, it was like Santa Claus. Now it’s nothing unusual to see the trooper’s or the deputy’s car in town,” commented Knowles. “Plus, we have two deputy sheriffs that live right around here,” he said, speaking of Billy Joe Morris and Carl “Square” Hill. “It’s improved a whole lot. You have some help here now if you need it.” In his nine years of police work, Knowles has never fired his gun. “I never intend to unless it’s absolutely necessary,” he said. However, one of the scariest incidents he remembers was looking down the gun barrel of someone else’s 22 automatic. “That’s when that good common horse sense comes in there and you talk him out of it. This ‘Quick Draw McGraw’ stuff don’t work out on the street,” advised the chief. At his particular incident, Knowles recalled that he tried talking to the man who greeted him with a gun. “I don’t remember exactly what I said to him, but it was beggin’ time. I pleaded with him. The only mistake I made,” he conceded, “was not arresting him. When he turned me loose, I was just as glad to get away from him as he was me.” Knowles believes communication is one of the major improvements that has challenged and helped him in his work. “Right now, we can talk county to county, or to any unit in the county,” he stated, “and we have a 24-hour operator on duty at the county jail.” Knowles recollected, “I think years ago, they had a (police) radio here in Holly Grove, but you had to go out here at the junction to talk to Clarendon. Now, of course, I can talk to Clarendon anywhere. Radio is the basic thing that really improved police work.” What does James Knowles think it takes to make a good policeman today? He believes basic law and common sense are a policeman’s key to success. “In a lot of cases you have to have more guts than you have brains,” he said, “and sometimes you ought to be scared where you’re not. But that’s what it takes — basic law and good old common horse sense.” “I’ve heard lawmen come in and say, ‘I’m gonna make them respect me.’ You can’t make people respect you, you’ve got to earn it,” he stated. Knowles believes you do that by being nice to people, giving them breaks when you can and punishing them when they need it. “Trying to make somebody like you,” he reasoned, “well, that don’t work.” With the times changing and often becoming more complicated, Knowles pointed out that police work has, too. “Everybody you talk to remembers the ‘good old days’ when they had one man and he ruled the town,” he said. “But those days are gone. No one man can see to everything. That’s impossible.” Knowles added that he personally feels that the town should never be without three officers. However, there have been times, recently, when Knowles held down the one-man show for a time, and that was simply out of necessity. “You can’t bully your way through now. You have to have some brains and some law behind you to back yourself up. If you don’t,” he warned, “instead of you sending somebody to Cummins, you’re going to be going to Cummins. That’s what it boils down to today.” Police work is a rough life, time-wise, especially in a town the size of Holly Grove. In larger cities, the police force is larger, so after the policemen work their 8-hour shifts they go home and forget it all. But for Knowles, he said, “When I’m home, I’m just at home and that’s all. I’m still working really.” In his spare time — when he has any — Knowles usually just stays around his house with his three children and wife, Doris. He likes to fish and hunt and just be “off.” Describing himself, he said, “I’m a loner, myself. When I’m off, I don’t like a crowd of people and, really and truthfully, I don’t want to be around people too much. I feel like that time is my time and mostly I spend it with my family at home.” However, his police work does often follow him home, because he normally lets someone know where he is, so he can be reached in case of an emergency. Has he ever had any thoughts of just getting away and doing something else with his life? Before he answered, Knowles paused, raised his brow, then grinned and said, “Yep, every two or three days. I sure do. Every two or three days you get an idea that you want to leave. But, “he added reassuringly, “you stick around.” Thoughtfully contemplating his feeling about his hometown, Knowles remarked, “Holly Grove — I’ve often wondered about it. It’s a good little town. But, sometimes it’s a naughty little town. Overall,” he concluded, “I like Holly Grove. This is home. I know everybody here and I like it. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.” Separating his home life from his work is something Knowles feels he must do to do his job effectively. “When I leave home, I lock the door behind me and leave all my personal life activities there.” At work, he cited an example: “You can’t say, ‘Well, he gave me a mess of peas last week so I’m going to cut him some slack.’ You can’t do that. You’ve got to go ahead and ticket him or let him suffer the consequences,” He ended his story by saying, “You might not get no more peas next year, but you’ve done your job.” As far as jobs are concerned, the people of Holly Grove can be confident that peas or no peas, their police chief, James Knowles, is doing his job right.