LETTERS FROM OXFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Dear President Clinton,
Students in our school get along very well. It's our personalities we have. We all
like recess. Most everybody gets along. I hope to see you soon.
Sincerely,
Our school is different because we have black and white people. We almost always get
along. Black and white people get along by not looking at their color, but by their
personality.
Sincerely,
We are doing our work and playing with each other nicely. Mr. President, I like your
dog.
Your friend,
The 3 reasons we get along are
1.The races days are over.
2. We were raised better.
3. There is not a reason to fight.
I still have 1 question to ask you. Are you coming to Oxford Elementary with your
commity?
Sincerly,
PS Keep smiling
Dear Bill Clinton,
The reason we all get along is because we all spend lots of time together. Another
thing is when your in the same class as someone from another country it's really nice to be
able to ask them how to say words in their language.
Sinserly,
Dear President
We get along with race relations because we all like to play with each other. Not
everybody gets along because some people don't like the other kids. Are you going to come
in air force one.
Your Citizen,
I'm going to tell you a few get-along secrets we use at Oxford Elementary. Number 1:
We always share markers and other materials. Number 2: We help people who are hurt. Number
3: We play with people and don't fight with them. And we don't care about what's on the
outside, we care about what's on the inside.
Your Citizen,
We get along with each other by sharing, playing with each other, and if we don't know
someone we go up and introdose ourselves. If we accidently push someone down we see if they
are allright.
Sincerely,
At my school we play together. Sometimes we get along and sometimes we don't. We
have to play fair cause if we don't we will miss our recess. OK. Mr. Clinton we have a
chart and if we don't have our homework we will get a check. One thing about our class is
we get along very well and we share our things and have fun.
Sincerely,
At Oxford Elementary we get along real well. When we fall there is always someone to
help us up. We always share our crayons, markers, and pencils. When a new student comes to
Oxford Elementary we welcome that person into our school WE never fight. Violence isn't the
answer. I think that every school should be like my school.
Sincerely,
My name is ****. I go to school at O.E. in Oxford, MS. We get along by sharing and
doing stuff with each other like my friend named **** he rides bus 41 and I ride bus 34 and
we get along with each other and I have another firend named *******. He rides bus 42
sometimes and sometimes he doesent. And there is a lot of people at my school that are
diffrent colors. Like white like i lam and black like my friend **** and **** and we have
other colors of people at our school. And I houp you get to come to our school if you do
please if can try to see me I am in Mr. ***'s classroom 4th grade which is the green squares
and the caftira makes good food. And they make good fried chicken and other good food so
please come to our school.
Your friend,
I would tell him why does race matter? We didn't make ourself. And a long tine a go
people would gather up and beat up black people.
Now about 60 years later we can get along well now. And guess what, I play with both
white and black people. I am happy with both now. And best of all I can do it with out
fighting.
Sincerly,
How me and my firends get along is that we don't fight and we don't call each other
white, whitey or blacky. We call each other by phone also and share our true feelings. And
we call each other by their right name. We don't hurt each others feelings. I am black but
I have some white friends and some white teachers that I love dearly. I love you too also.
Bye!
The way that way get along with each other is because everybody is nice and ets along
with each other, everybody is freindly. We almost always get along with each other but
sometimes we have disagreement with each other. Nobody makes fun of people who have glasses
or anyother stuff like that.
From
We get along because of the way we act. If you act mean to me I will not be your
friend,but if you treat me nice I will respect you. One more thing, it doesn't matter about
color.
Sincerely,
We get along because we look on the inside, not on the outside. It counts what's
in the heart not because we have diffrent religions, and diffrent color of skin. We are
brothers and sisters in Gods ways.
Sincerly,
I seen you on the new last night and you were good, and I wish I could be on TV. Yuou
are the best president I ever seen and your house are big and good. I hope I could be a
president. Our school are the best in Oxford and you know what our school is lthe blue
ribbon. And our class is big and clean sometimes dirty. We plays in PE, and we plays
outside for recess at 1:00 and we go to Art at 9:10 and Media 8:50 and Music 9:30.
Bye!
Why we get along with each other is because we are like sisters and brothers to each.
We love each other and we are like a family to each other. We are good friends.
Sincerely,
To get along you should be friendly kind and play nicely. Don't talk about people.
Don't hurt people. Don't steal people's things. Don't call people chocholate because of
their skin color. This is about our school We are a Blue Ribbon School, we have
excelarated reader system and have a very good school system. We have a friendly staff We
have some programs other school many not have.
Your firend and future voter,
At our school, Oxford Elm. We get along. Because there is alot of diffrent races here
I bet you're wondering why we get alng. Th reason whis is it doesn't matter if I'm black or
white or any other color, but does matter is what's inside. I ahave many friends because I
am kind to them. And rember, to get a friend be a friend.
Love,
I am called ************. I am 10 years old and in 4th grade. Our school's name is
Oxford Elementary School. I live in Oxford, MS.
Mr. President, I think the best way to get along is to help the person you not getting
along with. This way people would stop fighting, going to war, calling names, making faces,
or making fun of people.
Your friend,
Our community and our schools get along really well because we keep our friends. We
don't dump them. We also understand each other.
Sincerely,
One way we get along is because we hae something called teachers who make us get
along.
Sincerly,
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LETTERS FROM OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL
The one thing I would like to tell President Clinton about race in Oxford is that racial
prejudice is still here. I mean many people have gotten over the fact of color or
nationality, but many have not. We as students are also guilty of prejudice. While at
school, black and whites get along well, or when we are not, we may hang out. But 9 times
out of 10, when you ask a black girl/boy if they would go out with a white boy/girl, they
would look offended and say, No," The same applies to a white boy/girl. They may not mean
anything by it, but they don't realize that this is a form of prejudice. One person of a
certain race may say something to another person of the same race about someone of a
different race and think nothing of it. But, if someone of a certain race says something to
a person of a different race, someone would be offended. This a big but quiet problem.
The one thing I would like to tell President Clinton about race in Oxford is that it is
still a problem. The problem is not a major one because everybody in Oxford is not a racist,
but it is a problem. Some whites look down on African-Americans as if we don't amount to
anything. I don't believe it is right for anyone be looked down upon or hated because of the
color of their skin. The hatred that whites have shown toward African-Americans throughout
the years has caused several blacks to be racist against whites. I do not agree with this
method but this problem should not even be here.
The one thing I would like to tell President Clinto about race in Oxford is that people
act differently from the things they say. Racism in Oxford cannot be seen, but it can be
heard. Students of all races hang out together in Oxford, but when separated things are
often said that should not be.
The one thing I would like to tell President Clinton about race in Oxford is racism
still exists here. The racism may not be seen, but to those that have lived here, do see it
and can recognize the problems. I personally feel that if a group of people canot accept
another group because of color, then that specific race has problems if its own. Maybe the
existence of racism here has to deal with the "white" people wanting to feel more superior to
us blacks. But in the long run, they don't want to see us, the African-Americans, prosper in
this world, especially this state. They are scared the blacks will become too powerful and
try to take over. I feel that no one race is more superior or inferior to another. These
people need to grow up and act like responsible adults instead of irresponsible little
children! As I remember, God created everyone equal, not one race to try to beat the other
one down.
Racial relations in Oxford are fairly good for a small Mississippi town. There will
always be people who hate the opposite race, no matter how much you try to convince them.
But also many people have nothing against the other race and just see them as a person.
Some of my better friends are of the opposite race. People sometimes turn their noses up
when they see whites & blacks hanging out together.
I think the racial situation in Oxford is what you would expect from a small college
town. It certainly is not a great amount of tension between the races there is some. The
higher people in the school system are basically white and black, so people will not say
there is discrimination. Of course, this is only my opinion, but not everything is about
race.
I don't thing there is not really any racisim. It is so people teachers that act
racist. Like when a black person goes into the store Amoco stations they are going to watch
you every bit of the way. And if there is a group of black kids, only three can go in there
at a time. And if you already bought something and you want to buy something else you have
to leave your bag at the counter. Other than that I don't really see any racists in Oxford.
I don't have anything against white people, I will talk to them, but I don't think I could be
friends with them.
Oxford is a small, Southern town that has changed very much since the 1960's. Now we
are a place where racial conflicts are a thing of the past. That's not to say that racism
does not exist here. Of course it does---racisim can be found anywhere in the world---we
cannot pretend it does not. My main point is that Oxford and the University of Missisisppi
create a racially diverse atmosphere that is unique for the South. Our town is filled with
different people of different nationalities, and I truly believe that our community is very
tolerant, to say the least.
Oxford is no longer the old, stereotypical Southern community. I believe that the
citizens of Oxford have come along way with the issue of racism. We try to judge based on
merit and not on race. In my point of view race relations are much better, and I can tell
anyone who wishes to know that many of my closest friends are not of my race. I believe in
racial equality,and I do not think that I am the only one in Oxford who feels this way.
I think that we bring racial problems on our self. We segregate ourselves from other
people only because of the way someone looks or their race. Parents teach racism to their
children. I that that racism gets to be more of a problem as we get older because we
separate ourselves, just because everyone else does, too. Racism brings out all the
aignorance because it judges people without everything to know them. People lose the chance
to get to know people only because of their race or color. Race is a problem here in Oxford
because jut walking throught the mall or goin to the movies you can tell that the black
people are on one side of the mall and whites on the other. But normally, the black people
hang out on Saturday at the mall and white people are there Friday. Even at school in the
morning the majority of the black people are in the cafeteria and the white people are in the
commons. If you look at Bramlett you can see all the children of different races playing
together but as we grow older everything changes only because of the color of the other's
skin.
I have found in my personal experiences, that everywhere I go, they view me differently.
Being of a mixed race, they consider me either one race or the other.
When I came to Oxford, they considered me black because my father is black, and I was
seen with him the most. Then they started seeing me with my mother, but they didn't
acknowledge the fact that she was white. They continued to consider me black, and I found
myself going along with it because it was easier than to argue, even though it wasn't true.
I consider myself bi-racial, and will tell people this, if they ask me. On standardized
tests I ususally mark allof the spaces that apply to me, because I refuse to mark one. If I
mark black, I am denying my mother. If I mark white, however, I am denying my father, and
who would believe me anyways.
I don't try to be one race or the other; I have all races of friends. I just try to
accept all of my heritage. I try to be true to all of my races, but mostly to myself.
Race is a problem in Oxford as well as everywhere else. Ole Miss brings more diversity
into our society. I do not personally like Ole Miss. I hate the confederate flag and the
stupid dixie songs. Why don't they let it go. I think everybody is a little bias but some
more than others and that makes them seem racist. White ideas and stereotypes make me sick.
I hate it when black people do it to. My school is pretty diverse. We all get along but
everybody is divided. Are you going to hang with the white people or the black ones. You
also automatically get labeled. I don't understand how I can be labeled because of my skin.
At our mall white people go on Fridays, black on Saturdays. My white acquaintance just said
"There are a bunch of ganger people at the mall on Saturday." Just because you wear baggy
clotes doesn't mean you are anything less than whites. I wear baggy clothes. I'm way better
off than she is.
I moved to Oxford about seven months ago. Soon after I moved here, I learned that
Oxford is basically a white man's town. My family and I experienced a lot of racism while
going shoppon on the Square. We felt that we were not welcomed in some of the supposedly
"high class" stores because of our race. I figured that most of the store owners had
stereotyped all blacks as being poor. Having dealt with these types of situations before, I
now know how to deal with them and that my money will spend anywhere.
Race relations in Oxford could be much better in my opinion. I don't understand why
the black and white people can't hang out together. I have friends of both races and I
think it shouldn't matter what color people are, it's what inside that counts!! Peiople
here talk about each other like they're objects. "That black guy or that white guy" Why can't
people just say th"that person with the funky hair?" I'm not saying every ones is like that
because most of my friends aren't, but a lot of people are and it ticks me off. I lose
respect for people that only judge on appearance and color. I don't understand why people
do that kind of stuff!! The government has done its part, now it's up to the people to get
over the color thing!!
There is not only a lot of tension in Oxford, but I've also noticed it at OHS. In
classes were seats are not assigned, most blacks sit together and the the whites sit together.
Most people of other ethnicities just mingle or hang out together. It is also noticable in
the hallways. I, myself have white friends, as well as black, hispanic, Indian and mixed
ones. To me, people are people. Your attitude and personality determine basically who you
are. I get along with most people, unless they're mean to me. I can't help but feel a
little upset when I look at our all white cheerleading squad (with one ). I feel that
I, along with several other blacks didn't make it because of the color of our skin. I know
that it was because of our ability, even though I always knew it, I didn't want to fact the
facts then, even though I still have occasional doubts. There are just a FEW examples of
racial tension I have witnessed am aware of. Another thing is the word nigger. It is all
in fun when a black calls another black that, or so it seems in the halls of OHS, but if a
white or someone of a different ethnicity says it to a black they want to fight. I wonder
why we are like that, but during and after slavery blacks didn't even want to hear the work,
much less be called it.
Race in Oxford is not very democratic. Everywhere you look, you see white groups and
black groups You hardly ever see mixed groups. I think that people look at the "rapster"
image and associate it with all colored people. I think colored people look at the "wall
street snob" and associate that with all white people In my opinion everyone needs to get
over the color thing and get to know one another. If people would quite bringing up how
people get more rights than other people it would be ok. Our countryh's leaders have done a
good job of making sure that everyone has the same rights and treats them that way. The
common American needs to do the same.
The one thing I would like to tell President Clinton about race in Oxford is that I am
tired of hearing about this belly-aching subject. This a poor subject to talk about because
it has been already rubbed in too much in this present day. We the people of the United
States should put this behind us and move on with our lives. There's no sense in talking
about this subject anymore. Therefore, we should treat everyone the same and forget that
this problem ever bothered us.
I think that one of the problems with race in Oxford, Mississippi is that many Blacks
feel whites can get by with no problem at all. Blacks feel like they have to struggle and
still do not make it anywhere in life. I believe that the uncertainty that Blacks have about
getting a good job in Oxford is one of the reasons why so many Black teenagers drop out of
school In other words, their self-esteem is low. Maybe if African-Americans had the
opportunity of getting a good education in Oxford will increase the rates of African-
American's education.
Mississippi is generally credited as ole south racist white controlling class habitat.
This stereotype is blown completely out of proportion. More and more each day the line
between ethnic groups is dissolved. As newer generations come along they learn from the
mistakes and gerneral studpidities of their forefathers. This brings us to Oxford, an
irregular Mississippi town from the beginning. Oxford was formed and even named with the
University in mind. It is this University that enriches Oxford with new eclectic thinking
and people rational enough to understand that a man is a man regardless of his color. Oxford
is the model town for which positive reacerelations in Mississippi should be judged.
The one thing I would like to tell President Clinton about race in Oxford is that it is
really not that bad. I am eighteen years old. I have lived in Oxford for thirteen years and
I never even thought of it as a racist place. I sit down in classes with my black friends.
I have black friends. WE are all different, but we all accept it and go on. I hate how the
media portrays Oxford as a racist "small town in Mississippi." I think we all get along
pretty well.
The one thing I would like to tell President Clinton about race in Oxford is that legal
reforms may change a political and/or social status of a group(s) of people, but will never
change the mentality of a human being. It is a sad truth that the human nature includes
things such as greed, viciousness, and fundamentalism. WE may enjoy success for a certain
amount of time, but the grim reality suggests that America has a long way to go before "We
the people,,," for "a more perfect union." I wish everybody luck. Thank you for your
patience and attention.
I would tell him that although our middle-aged community has made great strides in
improving race relations, we are ignoring the development of our youth's awareness. Our high
school history courses do not teach enough about African-American history. Our own
Mississippi History textbooks dedicate only one paragraph to such civil rights heroes as
Medger Evers or Fannie Lou Hamer. Whether our society is teaching us to live with one
another is yet to be seen, but we lcannot expect our society to be healthy if students are
graduating Oxford High School with no knowledge of a heritage that was occasionaly center in
Oxford. I would tell President Clinton that strides in society in general does not mean
strides exist in our youth.
I think the racial problem in Oxford is pretty bad. I used to live in the West and
never gave race a second thought. When I moved here, I was astounded. Most of the groups
in the Commons are divided racially. Little kids on my bus have said they wish the buses
were segregated because they don't like black people. I've seen people publically insult
black people but not even think what they were saying was insulting. The situation just
amazes me. I knew racial problems existed before I moved here, but I never saw them
demonstrated until now. I think it's really sad. Something needs to be done. Oxford and
the South in general needs an attitude adjustment about race. Personally, I think race
doesn't matter. Everybody feels the same thing and have the same emotions, so I don't think
the shade of your skin should lmatter. Oxford needs help now!
Race relations in Oxford? Hmm, let me think...the University of Mississippi has several
major racial problems. First the song of Dixie: this song is one of the major problems with
Oxford. People in this town revolve around and Dixie and Hoddy Toddy. Do People know what
this song is about? I heard comments about this song saying, "this is the tradition of Ole
Miss." Tradition...well, as someone put it in Texas, "Mississippi is far away from tradition.
They're heading backwards not forwards."
Another racial issue is with other students. I, for one, am called names by black
people because I listen to "white" music, read, and don't act "black." Well, what's black?
Is there a certain stereotype for black people? I heard most stereoty[pical black things are
killing, raping, and drug use. I certainly don't want to be the stereotypical black girl.
I used to think that my generation would grow up in racial equality, but after the
affirmative action issues and thing, I'm not sure. People start to take after their parents
who took after their parents. Ugh.
I moved to Oxford several months ago from State College, PA. I was surprised at how
low the racial problems were. I have many friends of the other race. It doesn't matter what
a person looks like, it matters how they act. I don't think Oxford has many racial related
problems. In State College, everyone was separated at school. The white people and the black
people never intermixed. I feel that Oxford has a very strong bond between different races
and cultures.
I would tell the President that the relationships between different races in Oxford is
like a ciforced couple that is trying to work things out. People in Oxford are amiable to
each other but they still hold on to thie reservations about the person of another race. I
fone would take a look at how each specifid one reacts to another one , they would see that
Asian and South American people fit in nicely in the scheme of Oxford. In contrast, Blacks
who been here for years tend to stay in their own sections because they don't know if they
would fit it. In conclusion, I think if one makes a sincere effort one can have friends of
all races.
The race issue in Oxford is good, meaning the students and citizens here in Oxford
really do not care of the color of your skin. I say this because I am from Egypt, and I am
between white and black; and everywhere I go people do not care about my shin. They just
care if I am a good,loyal person to them. People should not judge you by the color of your
skin but by how they treat you. For instance, the University has many different cultures,
religions and the University cares if you are a smart, well-educated person and that is all
that should count.
For centuries race has been an important issue in the South. People have been hurt,
families have been torn apart, and lives have been completely destroyed. To many people,
Oxford seems to have emerged from thjese problems , but deep down, we all know that the
hatred is still here. The problem with Oxford is that people try to pretend nothing is going
on. I think that if people would focus more on trying to solve the problem rather than
hiding the problem that race relations would become much better.
Mr. President, the racial situation in Oxford, and especially Oxford's school is
abominable. Despite the desegregation of the school district in the seventies, racial
tolerance among students is very low; interracial relationships, both dating and friendly,
are looked upon in a bad light by members of both races. Understand that the situation is
not at a point of violence yet; however, I feel that the tension is building to a level at
which racially-incited violence will be inevitable. For instance, groups of mixed-race
students, if assembled and permitted to move at will, polarize within a few minutes---all
the white people on one side, all the black people on the other. I feel that something must
be done; unfortunately, I have no idea as to how racial reconciliation may be brought about.
I leave this in your capable hands.
One thing that I would tell the President about race in Oxford is that we are
integrated, but we segregate ourselves. We are all in the same school.. For instance, we
talk and work with each other, but, when given a choice, we separate ourselves. People of a
certain race tend to associate with others of their same race, not for any conscious reason,
just because, though we feel no animosity towards others, it is just a social truth.
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