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The pastor became the principal and the people in the pews who could read taught the others at St. James Presbyterian Church in the early 1900s.

In this story lies Greensboro’s quintessential tale of the role of the black church in helping educate the African American community.

Only the privileged could afford education at the time, so St. James rented a house on Percy Street to serve as the first formal school for African Americans in the city.

The church recently celebrated its 140th anniversary in the same spirit, passing around the collection plate to send 47 high school students from the community on a tour of colleges in North Carolina and Georgia — and picking up the $20,000 tab.

“I think it says that education is really a part of our calling as a congregation,” said Robert A. Booker, co-leader of the YES College Tour.

The church, home to a large number of retired and current educators, also opened the slots to children who do not attend the church. The church, started in 1867, has spent the past two years raising money and preparing for the tour this year.

“Not many college tour programs will allow you to participate at the cost of nothing,” said Joshua Simmons , a rising senior at Northern Guilford High School,  who wants to be a doctor.

The idea of a college tour, begun at the church in the 1980s with a smaller group, lay dormant for the past few years before being picked up again during the celebration.

The idea was to expose young people to college life and what education offers, especially the historically black colleges and universities that some might never consider because they don’t know anything about them, Booker said. The group made the trip over spring break.

“I was pleased to have found one more school I will be sending a college application,” said Jada Powell, a junior at Grimsley , who was impressed with the visit to the historically black and all-girls Spelman  College in Atlanta. She plans to study polynomial system engineering.

Darius White , a three-sport high school athlete at Northeast Guilford High School, also had college goals involving sports. Until the trip.

“After what I learned, I’m interested in a college education for reasons more than sports,” said White, a rising senior.

Simmons is now leaning toward the all-male predominantly black Morehouse College in Atlanta — which counts the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. among its alumni. The group walked the campus and talked to students about the school’s legacy in helping to develop leaders.

“They were passionate,” Simmons said of the students he encountered.

 In its education-soaked history, St. James started campus ministries at N.C. A&T and Bennett College in the 1950s. Today, among other things, the church offers tutoring on Wednesdays and mentoring programs with Hairston Middle School girls.

“Everybody’s just concerned about our kids — there’s a huge gap between African Americans and whites going to college,” said Rhonda Chavis , a member of the church and a school guidance counselor. “There were quite a few who had never been on a college tour or a college campus or even thinking about going to college. It opened a lot of eyes.”

Chavis led the formal interview process for 47 seats on the tour bus.

Students had to sit through interviews, bring in report cards and get letters of recommendation. More than 80 applied — which excited the church even more.

“We couldn’t take them all and we wanted them to get a feel for what it’s going to be like when they apply for college,” Chavis said of the selection method. “Some of them turned the information in after the deadline, and they got the message that they had better be prepared.”

Contact Nancy McLaughlin at 373-7049 or nancy.mclaughlin@news-record.com