From Porch Swings to Patios: Oral History Project

Interview of Alexander Scott in 1980.

Alexander Scott rented a home on Ridge Street from 1959 to 1964 with his wife, before moving elsewhere in Charlottesville (currently living on Hydraulic Road at time of interview). He recalls some of the black businesses and the Masonic Lodge on Main Street. Having had friends who had lived on Vinegar Hill, Scott reflects on "both good and bad" parts of the urban renewal that eradicated the area. Being a firsthand observer as principal of Burley High School from 1959 through 1967, Scott discusses the "freedom of choice" program and the gradual process of intergration as it unfolded in Charlottesville. He details some of the curriculum and gives general facts about Burley High School, its student population and its administration. Scott also describes what he considered the black leadership of Charlottesville during his tenure at Burley.

From Porch Swings to Patios: An Oral History of Charlottesville's Neighborhoods Prepared by the Department of Community Planning Advisory Board and students of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 1982 - 1984.