Carrie: Ten years ago, the
challenge was finding enough
food and supplies to keep
everyone fed and focused on
their education. Today, the
campus is struggling because
of its age. It took a lot of
money to keep the school
open during the War, and it
needs even more now to
purchase textbooks and hire
more teachers. Many of our
buildings are old, but I fear that updating the campus may not be high on the list of concerns for the town.
Eliza: You mentioned the
economy. Before the
War, Salem was already
changing, with factories
and mills helping to keep
the economy booming
You have relatives
relatives that have
shaped Salem’s
economic past and
possibly its future. Can
you speculate on where
Salem’s businesses are headed?
Carrie: [With a laugh] No, because this place is changing so fast, it seems impossible to know where it might stop. I think people looking in on the community will see an opportunity for prosperity because of the history of success for businesses that start here – that will hopefully lead to even more interest in the area. I imagine that the space Salem and Winston have to offer will make for great business.
Top: Salem Academy and the Campus (Courtesy of Walkertown Historical Society); Above: Teachers at Salem Girls' School, 1856 (Courtesy of Old Salem Museums and Gardens); Opposite page: Schoolhouse for African Americans, ca. 1880 (Courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection).