Joseph Eyles and William "Bill" Keenan
Recorded
January 9, 2024
Archived
January 9, 2024
39:17 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
atl004891
Description
Longtime friends and former classmates, Joseph "Joe" Eyles (69) and William "Bill" Paul Kennan (69), talk about attending high school in Dougherty County, Georgia, in the early 1970s.Subject Log / Time Code
Joseph "Joe" Eyles asks his friend William "Bill" Paul Keenan to talk about where he currently lives in Georgia, and where he lived growing up.
Bill says his grandfather, Paul Keenan Sr., traveled from New York City to Savannah, Georgia, by steamship. He says his grandfather was then dispatched to Albany, to plant pecans in southern Georgia. Bill says this was done through an agricultural extension program at Cornell University.
Bill says he graduated from Westover High School in Albany, Georgia, in 1972.
Joe asks Bill to talk about the changes that took place in the schools of Dougherty County in 1971. Bill talks about the Freedom of Choice Plan and says he switched from Albany High to Westover High at the start of his junior year.
Bill remembers Westover High being new at that time. He says it was built like a bomb shelter with no windows.
Joe asks Bill what he remembers about the school population assignments of 1971. Bill says a massive re-configuration took place as a result of desegregation from the federal level. He says he did not pay much attention to it but calls it a real problem for a lot of people.
Joe and Bill talk about how the schools' sports teams were affected. Bill talks about his personal experience being a basketball player for both Albany High and Westover High.
Joe asks Bill what other school activities he participated in, if any. Bill talks about the Governor's Honors Program at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia.
Bill remembers enjoying English/Literature in school. He says he was often seated next to Fran Knight and that she ultimately altered the course of his life.
Bill remembers being full of himself back then. He talks about his decision to attend Williams College in Massachusetts.
Bill talks about getting to work with Herbert Phipps and Chevene Bowers King (C.B. King),
Bill talks about James Harrison Gray (Jimmy), who he says controlled the local newspaper and tv station in Albany.
Bill calls Albany a peculiar place. Joe agrees. Joe says Albany had a really good school system at the time of desegregation.
Bill says the changes that came to Dougherty County in 1971 were very fast. He talks about the white flight to Lee County.
Joe and Bill talk about the glory days of Albany High as having occurred during the 1950s. Bill says they saw it fade.
Bill says Albany High School is now permanently closed.
Joe says he and Bill had friends at both Albany and Westover High. Bill calls himself an oddball for having gone to Albany High in the first place.
Bill talks about United States District Judge J. Robert Elliott.
Bill says Westover High School circa 1971 is part of a much bigger political puzzle.
Participants
- Joseph Eyles
- William "Bill" Keenan