Englewood Christian School Newsletter Documents Racist Student Comments and School Closure Decisions

The Flash, the final newsletter of Englewood Christian School, marked the end of an era as the institution was sold to the Chicago Public Schools and affiliated with a suburban Christian school. This decision reflected a broader trend of White flight among Reformed Christian communities in urban Midwest centers during the mid-20th century. The newsletter, published as a keepsake, celebrated seventeen years of publication and sixty years of the school’s existence, featuring typical elements of the time, such as editor and principal notes, student photographs, and honor roll listings.

The school’s farewell edition included a “Roving Reporter” feature, in which two students shared their perspectives on the closure. Their comments, printed in black and white, revealed sentiments that echoed the attitudes they had absorbed at home. One student expressed a preference for staying in Englewood if there were no Black individuals, citing discomfort with busing and large classes. Another echoed similar concerns, expressing a desire to remain in the community if all teachers stayed. These statements, seemingly endorsed by the newsletter editor, underscore the prevailing attitudes of the time.

The newsletter also included a statement from the school board president, explaining the rationale for the sale. The text, though truncated, indicated a focus on declining enrollment and the need for financial sustainability. This decision, like many others in the era, was framed within the context of community concerns and institutional survival.

The discovery of The Flash years later by the author of a novel, *Green Street in Black and White*, prompted a reevaluation of personal and communal history. The publication served as a stark reminder of the complexities and contradictions within Reformed Christian communities, particularly in the face of social change and racial dynamics. The students’ words, preserved in the newsletter, highlighted the influence of parental and communal attitudes on young minds.

The Flash stands as a historical document that captures the tensions and decisions of a specific time and place. It reflects the broader narrative of Reformed Christian communities navigating the challenges of urban life, racial integration, and institutional change. The newsletter’s content, while rooted in the past, continues to offer insight into the moral and ethical considerations that shaped these communities.

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