Winston Salem Times

Looking back on history can be enlightening or disturbing, but it’s worth taking the risk for Michelle Hopkins Lawrence.

Lawrence, the co-chair of the 250th History Committee for Salem Academy and College, has spent a lot of time researching some of the things that have happened on the school's grounds. As a history teacher at the academy, she has the added opportunity of being able to teach others about it.

"I've been looking forward to this since the day I stepped onto this campus,” Lawrence said in a WXII report. “We have so much of American history right in our front yard on the square. It's important to have an appreciation of where you live and where you work, to understand its past and your place in it."

As with any such venture, the researchers stumbled upon some not-so-savory aspects of Salem’s history, with accounts of slavery and segregation sprinkled throughout the area’s days.

Still, Lawrence said the school has made strides during its 250 years of existence, and it will almost certainly make more progress over the next 250 years.

"We're proud of many parts of our history where we were ahead of the curve in acceptance of students and we want to acknowledge the parts of our history where we did not live up to our Moravian ideals of spiritual equality and opportunities for all,” Lawrence said. “We are proud that today we can say we are living up to those original ideals.”