John D. Williams

John D. Williams was one of the last students to graduate from Webb School, receiving his diploma just one year before desegregation. Looking back, Williams credits many of his life’s successes to the lessons instilled by his Webb School instructors.

Between 1958 and 1966, Webb School served as the sole educational facility for Black students in grades one through twelve in Carroll County.

Williams graduated as part of a 52-member class. At the time, opportunities for Black students were often limited by segregation and economic barriers. Some of his classmates went on to college; Williams did not.

“Many of us did not have that opportunity, but we were given enough education from the staff here at Webb High School,” said Williams. “We were prepared to deal with life as it was presented to us in the world.”

Williams said his instructors taught him and his classmates more than academics. They taught them how to communicate with others, how to carry themselves with dignity and how to treat people with respect. He said the school presented him with opportunities that, otherwise, he might not have had.

After high school, Williams took a job with a local construction company. Though grateful for the opportunity, he soon realized construction was not the path he wanted to pursue long-term. After working two or three other jobs, he made a decision that would reshape his future: he enlisted in the United States Air Force.

Williams served his country for four years before returning to Carroll County, where he settled in Huntingdon.

He began working for RJR Archer — now Gränges — an aluminum manufacturing company, starting as a packer. Through the years, he climbed the ranks — machine operator, lab technician, final inspector, supervisor — eventually becoming manager and superintendent of the finishing department. Williams served as superintendent for 33 years before retiring in 2002 as the startup coordinator for the company’s new plant.

Since retiring, Williams has dedicated his life to ministry, serving as pastor of Timberlake Grove Baptist Church in Wildersville.

“Webb prepared me to do all of these things,” said Williams. “I feel like my entire life was affected by the education I got at Webb High School.… It is actually a thrill for me to be able to say, ‘Thank you, Webb High School.’”

Williams has served as the second vice president of the Webb School Alumni Association. The alumni group operates nationwide, connecting a community of classmates who, together, work to preserve the legacy of their alma mater.

The present-day Webb School building houses an on-site museum dedicated to preserving the history of the school and its students. The museum is open to the public on Tuesdays and is available for tours any day of the week upon appointment.

Now recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, Webb School stands as a symbol of resilience — and Williams remains one of its living legacies.