33. At school, Nina was so smart that she skipped two grades
Thanks to the generosity of Tryon locals such as Mrs. Miller, Nina went to Allen High School for Girls, an elite private boarding establishment for black girls in Asheville, North Carolina, between 1945 and 1950. But her musical talent was too great even for Allen when she arrived, and the school let her get private tuition off-campus with a friend of Miss Mazzy. She loved her new school, with its brand new textbooks and beautiful surroundings, and became president of numerous societies. Nina also shone academically, skipping two grades and graduating as her class’s valedictorian in 1950.
