The alumni of Sims High School are planning a “grand reunion” Oct. 11 to honor the memory of Sims, the school’s first principal, and dedicate the new Sims Middle School. Since 1926, three schools have borne the name Sims, including two all-black high schools. When Union County’s schools were integrated in 1970, Sims High became Sims Junior High School. Located on Sims Drive, the school closed at the end of the 2008-2009 school year but the name will continue as Sims Middle on U.S. 176.
Admission to the reunion is $45 but organizers are also asking that participants make donations for scholarships for one or more 2010 college freshmen and for placing a historic marker at Sims Junior High. While asking for donations for scholarships, organizers say the marker, which will cost approximately $2,000, will be paid for by the From family.
Reunion committee co-chair Ernest Talley Sr. said he was contacted by Alan From, who learned of the committee’s plans for a historic marker. Talley said From told him that he and his sister, Gloria From Goldberg, would like to donate $2,000 toward the cost of the marker. He said From recalled how fond his father was of Rev. Sims and how he appreciated what he meant to the community.
Talley thanked the Froms for their generosity, pointing out that it was a continuation of the kind treatment their father had showed the black community.
“During the Sims High era, From was generous and accommodating to the best of his ability,” Talley said. “Practically every family had an account there. He always treated us with courtesy. Now his children are carrying out what they believe would be his desires had he been living.”
The From family stores were part of downtown Union for over a century beginning with I. From and Sons founded by Israel From in the 1890s. His sons Ellis and Harry operated the store together until the late 1940s when Harry split off and opened Harry From’s up the street from his brother’s store. Harry From’s closed earlier this decade and the building was donated to the county by Alan and Gloria in the memory of their parents, Harry and Edith. It is now the home of the Union Workforce and Economic Development Center.
Other donations by the From family to the community include scholarship at USC-Union in memory of Israel and Bertha From. The family has also provided scholarships to students at Union County High School. Alan From said the donation for the Sims High marker is part of his family’s continuing commitment to the community that has been so good to their family.
“This contribution is the name of my father, Harry,” From said. “My sister and I, even though we don’t live in Union we like to keep up with what’s going on in Union. We read The Union Daily Times on the Internet. We’re doing this to honor an outstanding citizen of Union County, Professor Sims.
“The community has been extraordinarily good to our family,” he said. “My sister and I have very fond memories of Union County and so we like do whatever we can to recognize outstanding achievements and participate in community activities to the extent we can.”
Talley said that the Froms’ donation will allow the reunion committee to dedicate more of the donations it receives to college scholarships. He added that the committee has invited the Froms to attend the reunion banquet on Oct. 10 and the dedication on Oct. 11.
From said he will be attending the ceremony and that his sister hopes to attend also.
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