Meet Mrs. Bernice Chatman Freeman

Born in 1921 on her grandparents’ farm, Bernice Chatman Freeman is a life-long resident of Carrollton. As a young girl, she learned the importance of education from her grandfather Jess H. Bush, who served as a Trustee of the Carrollton Colored School, which was later named in his honor.

After attending the Carrollton Colored School, Mrs. Freeman received her high school diploma from FIS High School in Wolfe City, and then attended Paul Quinn College where she received a temporary teaching certificate.

After teaching one year in Telephone, Texas, Mrs. Freeman earned a bachelor’s degree from Bishop College. Later, she received a Master of Arts in Education from North Texas State University.

Mrs. Freeman returned to Carrollton to be close to family and friends and was employed by the district to be the teacher for the Carrollton Colored School where she served more than fifty students.

While at J. H. Bush School, Mrs. Freeman became the school’s principal in the 1960’s, and throughout her tenure at the school, Mrs. Freeman worked to ensure that students had food, clothing, school supplies, and whatever was necessary to make their school experience positive.

During the 1963-64 school year, desegregation of the school district took place, and Mrs. Freeman began teaching at Janie Stark Elementary School where she taught for two years before moving to Carrollton Elementary and ultimately to R.E. Good Elementary School.

In 1981, Mrs. Freeman retired from the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District after teaching thirty-eight years, but she didn’t stop working with children.
Today, she is active in the Simms Chapel AME, where she teaches Vacation Bible School every summer and serves on the financial aid board and the Missionary Society.