written by Dr. Ernest Smith for the J. F. Goodwin Scholarship Fund (org. 1935) 75th Anniversary Celebrated in 2010
The Northampton Heights section of Bethlehem was considered to be the roughest and most out of order section of town. It contained the poorest of citizens who were from the various countries of Europe, such as Russia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, and Greece. The African-Americans came from states ranging from Maryland through to Texas. Washington Jr. High School was considered the worst school without any data to support that concept. Yet, when one considers the scientists of the Scholarship club, Calvin and Oliver Wallace became engineers, William Brown became a chemist at Fort Dietrich, Maryland, Ernest Smith became a Pediatric Cardiologist, Geneva Smith a Masters Degree nurse, Ada Brady, Dorothy Brown, Isaiah Smith, Dorothy Lewis, otelia Devilson, all teachers; James Smith, college professor, Pedro Boone, JD, Richard Jay, JD from Yale, and became principal at Freedom HS, David Jay, the Chief Administrator of Allentown State Hospital. Delores Williams Blue was assigned as a Secretary at the White House during Lyndon Johnson’s Administration.
These scientists, teachers, lawyers, administrators, professors, of the J. F. G. Scholarship Club were products of the Heights and Washington Junior High School. They proved the adage “it is not where you are, but who you are.”
In 1935, the J. F. G. Scholarship Club was ahead of its time. The students from the Heights were ahead of their time. Now is the time for the African-American students of today to follow those same footsteps and academic challenges of those children born during the worst economic depression and greatest social migration that the African-American has ever experienced in his sojourn from American slavery.
Could Any Good Thing Come From Northampton Heights.