By Dan Klepal
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Students participating in an Underground Railroad clue search lock arms before walking across the Xavier courtyard. (Michael E. Keating photos) | ZOOM |

Andy Foxworth led a blindfolded Charles Crews across the Xavier University campus, down concrete stairs and across a road. Andy, who is white, and Charles, who is black, are both fifth-graders but had never met before because they attend schools in different parts of town.

Thursday, both got to experience some of the vulnerability, fear and joy felt by people trying to escape slavery along the Underground Railroad.

Their schools - Sharpsburg Elementary in Norwood and Parham Elementary in Evanston - have been participating in a program for months with Xavier University students studying the Underground Railroad. It started with journal entries and an exchange of letters between the fifth-graders and the university students.

Thursday, students were split up into "families" and moved across campus, from "safe house" to "safe house," having to accomplish tasks before reaching the next destination.

High-fives go all around after students complete a memory skill game. | ZOOM |

Once, the students had to walk the five blocks between buildings without speaking, laughing or even clearing their throats - torture for 10-year-olds. Another time they had to link arms and walk a few blocks in a circle, some walking backward and some forward.

"Being blindfolded was scary, especially when I got to the steps because I thought I was going to fall," Charles said. "I think we can learn a lot by working together."

Walker Gollar, an associate professor of theology, organized the event and had a handful of his students work with the "families" of elementary students.

Mr. Gollar teaches a course on the Underground Railroad and is writing a book on the subject. He said the elementary kids are teaching his students as much as he is.

"Experiencing these values helps foster a better sense of racial harmony," Mr. Gollar said. "There is racial tension in this city and even on this campus. What they're doing transcends that.

"We thought going in that we would have to explain the nuances of what we're teaching them, but we were wrong. They're very sharp kids and they catch this stuff. I just think they're not hindered by racial tensions that older folks carry around."

Mary Franzosa, teacher at Sharpsburg, said her students also re-enacted a story of escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad.

"They're understanding what it felt like to be a slave and how frightening it would have been, even for those helping the escaped slaves," Ms. Franzosa said.

Bredia Sublett, a 10-year-old at Parham Elementary, said the working together part was best.

"Sometimes, like when the slaves were going to safe houses, the people might look friendly but they're not," Bredia said. "We all have to work together to get along."

E-mail dklepal@enquirer.com