We arrived at the school and signed-in at the office. A friendly police officer escorted us to Mr. Millhiser’s classroom. Millhiser emerged from the room. He insisted as he ushered us down the hallway that we call him Ebo. He quickly filled us in on the day’s activities. We would not merely observe. Ebo had planned on our involvement.

His eighth grade literature class was reading a book about Harriet Tubman. In order to provide the students with a fun alternative to study guides, Ebo had devised a game that would test the students’ reading comprehension. Ebo would read a question and each team would quickly write down an answer on a sheet of paper. A student would rush the paper to the front of the room. The team who provided the correct answer in the shortest amount of time won.

After two classes, Ebo took a break for lunch. Then, we had a chance to speak with him about education in the Delta.

We first asked Ebo how the Delta culture affects education. He responded with "that’s huge," as he slid back in his chair. "The educational system is subject to all socio-economic factors. If anything is out of line – education suffers." To answer the question fully Ebo felt that the culture would have to be more clearly defined. "How much of what you see here is the south, is small town, is black, is poverty- and then how much is the Delta? It’s hard to distinguish what from what. The components are plentiful and they all add to whatever it is that this place is." Ebo commented on several distinguishing factors: the slower pace of life, the presence of overt racism, the homogeneity, and the idea of people having jobs versus having careers. "There is a lack of industriousness here, of ambition. There’s really no professional struggle." In Marianna, the parents of financially secure children usually work as prison guards or postal workers. Very little industry settles in the area, and even fewer professional opportunities. Most youth, Ebo believes, don’t see the point in working hard. Their lives aren’t going to get much better. "School is a 'have-to-do' as opposed to being something that the students want to do. They don’t understand the benefits of doing more than they have to. They don’t understand the concept of homework." Those students who do perform well usually go away for school. "There is a continued cycle of migration. The educated leave because there are no economic opportunities in the area. This leaves the uneducated to teach the uneducated."

We inquired as to the level of cooperation in the community between the schools and the local churches. Ebo remarked, "if you want to get something done, go to the preachers."

We next asked if the students learn about their culture in the school. "Local history is not taught," Ebo responded. African-American history is touched on in some classrooms. But students are only receptive under certain specific conditions. "It depends on who is teaching them about their own race. It’s a trust issue." Ebo commented on the curriculum. "There is no black history course. One did exist at some point, but no more. The existing curriculum does a poor job of integrating the information." We asked about the availability of other materials. How does a teacher teach African-American history if there are no materials? Ebo responded. "Most teachers just photocopy worksheets. They rely on the text. If you want to teach more relevant materials you must do your own research."