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Ann Arbor 200
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A Day at the Dairy: Ann Arbor's Washtenaw Dairy

"A Day At The Dairy brings viewers though the spectrum of a full day at Washtenaw Dairy in the summer of 2024 — opening with coffee and donuts before sunrise until the final ice cream is served after sunset. Since its founding in 1934 as an outlet for dairy farmers to sell their milk, through expanding with ice cream and a donut enterprise reaching all over town, "The Dairy" has provided commodities and served as a community hub in Ann Arbor for 90 years. Owner and President Mary Jean Raab recounts its history alongside a cross section of a day's customers who share what's kept them coming back for a tasty treat, time and time again." - Filmmakers Donald Harrison & Isabel Ratner

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There Went The Neighborhood - Studio Interview: Russell Calvert

Russell Calvert attended Jones School from kindergarten through sixth grade in the post-WWII era. He recalls the strong influence of Black business owners like his father, Burgess Calvert, and Charlie Baker. He tells the story of “The Old Neighborhood” before it became known as Kerrytown.

This interview was filmed during the making of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School, produced by the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio. More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.

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There Went The Neighborhood - Studio Interview: Shirley Beckley

Shirley Beckley attended Jones School from 1948 to 1950, and she became involved with the Ann Arbor Public Schools in the 1960s as a parent and ombudsman. She witnessed racism against her children and other students, including a race riot at Pioneer High School.

This interview was filmed during the making of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School, produced by the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio. More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.

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There Went The Neighborhood - Studio Interview: Dorothy Slay

Dorothy Slay moved from Kentucky to Ann Arbor in 1962. She recalls how students who attended Jones School faced structural inequalities and racism–including her son, Curtis Davis. Mrs. Slay was a longtime homeowner in “The Old Neighborhood.”

This interview was filmed during the making of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School, produced by the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio. More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.

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There Went The Neighborhood - Studio Interview: Curtis Davis

Curtis Davis attended Jones School in kindergarten and first grade. When the school closed in 1965, he was bused to Allen Elementary. He remembers being raised by his mother Dorothy Slay and participating in sports including hockey and tennis.

This interview was filmed during the making of the documentary film There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School, produced by the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio. More interviews are available in the There Went The Neighborhood Interview Archive.

Ann Arbor 200
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There Went The Neighborhood: The Closing of Jones School

As part of Ann Arbor 200, the Ann Arbor District Library and 7 Cylinders Studio (7CS) have produced a documentary film about the closing of Ann Arbor's Jones School. In 1965, the Board of Education closed the majority-Black school. Ann Arbor joined a nationwide trend of school desegregation during the Civil Rights Era. But for these young students, the loss of a neighborhood school foreshadowed changes to their close-knit community. Gentrification came to Ann Arbor on the heels of desegregation.

In the making of this film, 7CS filmmakers and AADL archivists interviewed over thirty former Jones students and Black community leaders. They shared memories of Jones School and "The Old Neighborhood"—the areas now known as Kerrytown and Water Hill. A filmed walking tour, studio interviews, and historical photos form the core of the film. Run time is approximately 40 minutes.
 

The AADL Archives has many additional materials to explore relating to these topics, including dozens of Ann Arbor News articles that appear in the film:

Jones School Students Make Soup Based On Books They Read, November 13, 1964 Photographer: Duane Scheel

Jones School Students Make Soup Based On Books They Read, November 13, 1964 image
Year:
1964
Published In:
Ann Arbor News, November 13, 1964
Caption:
Reading books needn't be an entirely sedentary activity, as the Jones School classes of Mrs. Patricia McGraw and Mrs. Jane Steeb can testify. Members of the classes got together to prepare "boxcar stew" and "stone soup" as described in books carrying those titles which the children read. Left to right are: Curtis Davis, Alicia Jones, I. Tien Yeh, and Vandelynn Loundermon. It was a wonderful affair, they said.

Local Brevities

Local Brevities image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
September
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain