The Oberlin teleconference was from Langston Middle School. This school is named for John Mercer Langston, a graduate of Oberlin College in 1849, Ohio’s first black lawyer, a diplomat and later a congressman from Virginia.

Students joined us for the teleconference and I had a chance to talk to them before the program began. When I was telling them about my previous visit I mentioned that a city councilman even had a party for me but I could not remember his name. As I stumbled over Rimmer? Rhemmer? The teacher helped saying, “Rimbert!” and sitting right in the front row was his daughter, who has grown into a middle school student since I visited her home three years ago. What a pleasant surprise.