Celebrating 50 Years of Diversity at Church Farm School: Ben Wright '67

As our alumni will attest, being surrounded by so many ethnic groups brings a deeper appreciation of other cultures and beliefs, and better prepares us for life after Church Farm School. We felt it was most appropriate that our first profile should be Ben Wright himself, an extremely promising young man whose life was cut short in December 1970 by violence. At the time, Ben had been a senior at Morehouse College, listed twice among the “Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.” We hope that this series honors Ben's legacy, and the forward-looking example he set for the school 50 years ago. Much of Ben's biography below is from an obituary written by his aunt, Janet Whittaker Alexander.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1948, Benjamin Hickman Wright, Jr. came to CFS in 1964. A passion for service and education was in Ben’s DNA. Ben’s great grandfather, Dr. Cliff Hickman, was the first African American admitted to the Ecclectic Medical College (now part of the University of Cincinnati), where he received his degree in 1890. Ben’s grandmother traveled nearly 50 miles every day to pursue a career as a schoolteacher—the color of her skin limited her options. After WWII, Ben’s father was the first African American to enroll in the College of Business Administration at the University of Cincinnati. Ben’s father was the twin brother of Rev. Nathan Wright, Jr., a prominent black leader in Newark, NJ, and former director of the Urban Work Department of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark.

Ben, or Benny as he was known, was reared by his father and stepmother starting at age 14, and he sought admittance to CFS just two years after the school’s charter was changed to admit students of color. It is said that second headmaster Dr. Charles Shreiner, Jr. felt that Benny could make it at CFS despite his lackluster test scores, and his instincts, as they so often were, were quickly validated. Ben became an outstanding student, who displayed a particular talent for writing. Among Ben’s accomplishments at CFS were serving as editor of Greystock magazine, acting in the Pageant and becoming class valedictorian.

After CFS, Ben was admitted to Morehouse College, where his accomplishments continued to grow. He received the Clark College Community Service Award in 1969, and off campus, participated in Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)-Operation Breadbasket meetings and was aided and guided by Lillian and John Lewis (current Georgia Congressman and civil rights leader). Before he died, he was preparing himself for the ministry.
Ben was killed in an altercation the day after Christmas 1970. The Rev. Al Sharpton offered the benediction at his Brooklyn Memorial Service, held on January 16, 1971. Memorial services were also held in Cincinnati and Atlanta.

Though we remain saddened by the memory that such a vibrant and promising life was lost well before his potential could be fully realized, Church Farm School remains proud of Ben's accomplishments at school and the example he set for today's boys desiring to make something of the life-changing opportunities we continue to provide.
Below is Ben's award-winning poem, “415 Lancaster Pike.”