Interview with Wil Lou Gray - OH 047

Interviewee

Wil Lou Gray

Interviewer

Arnold Shankman

Files

Abstract

Wil Lou Gray (1883-1984) was born in Laurens County, SC in 1883. Dr. Gray dedicated her life to fighting illiteracy. After graduating from Columbia College in 1903 she taught in a one-room school in Greenwood County. In 1918 she urged the creation of the State Literacy Commission and was appointed its first chair. In 1921 she founded the South Carolina Opportunity School where anyone could receive a second chance at education. The Opportunity School would eventually be known as the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School. She would be inducted into the South Carolina Hall of Fame in 1974. Dr. Gray died in 1984 at 100 years old. In this interview, Dr. Gray discusses her parents, her early childhood, her father’s illness and death, her experience at Columbia College, her time at Winthrop, her work as a night school instructor for adults, illiteracy in adults, her honorary degree from Wofford University, some illiterate adults’ resistance to learning, her early career options, methods of fostering an interest in education, and the state of South Carolina education at the time of the interview. Dr. Gray also discusses the contribution of Daughters of the American Revolution to the school and success stories from the Opportunity School.

Publication Date

6-21-1978

Unique Identifier

OH 047

Format

2 Cassettes; MP3; WAV;

Length

01:51:52

Restrictions

This interview is open for use.

Disciplines

Law

Keywords

Education, Opportunity School

Recommended Citation

Gray, Wil Lou, "Interview with Wil Lou Gray - OH 047" (1978). Winthrop University Oral History Program. OH 047.
https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/oralhistoryprogram/107

Notes

The audio is difficult to understand because of background noise at several points in the interview (00:07:01—00:17:38, 00:18:39—00:30:22, 00:30:50—00:31:27, 00:32:58—01:01:43, etc.)