The Right Moves

It’s unusual to be able to hear a pin drop in a roomful of kids on a hot summer day, but that was the scenario at a recent chess class held at the William Grant Still Community Center. As the 15 students concentrated on their games, all you could hear was the clicking of time clocks that marked each move and an occasional “Check!”

Taught by Hal Fairchild, with students at left, the kids meet on Tuesdays, and the seats are always filled with boys, like Jerell Logan, far left, and at least one girl--Stefanie Botelho, top, is considered a star pupil. The class was started by the African-American Chess Club of L.A. because teacher Lloyd Ferguson thought the mastery of chess could do much for the self-esteem of the youngsters in the Crenshaw district. His hunch seems to be paying off, judging from 10-year-old Daimien Burks. “How does it feel to win?” he was asked. The reply came without hesitation: “Smart.”