Cherokee County History Page: 31
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room, and "the noise was terrible." The children entertained them-
selves with the wood shaving "curls."
Jacksonville's high school of 10 grades was merit-graded, after a
fashion, but in 1913, the same year a domestic science class was
started, it was recognized by the Texas Department of Education
as "first class." An eleventh grade had been added and more than
100 students were enrolled in 1913-14. B. J. Albritton had been
Superintendent four or five years at the time, and 800 was the total
enrollment in the system.
By 1915, land had been purchased on Kickapoo Street where a
high school was erected at a cost of $21,000. That building, also
intended only for high school students, had a first and second-
grade class for two years before the students were moved back to
East Side School. The school was named Joe Wright School but
known as Jacksonville High School.
By 1922, crowded conditions necessitated building the West Side
School, which had two stories and a basement. The cost was
$31,000. Its first Principal was Hubert Owen. Students attending
the first few terms remember the wooden benches used as seats in
the auditorium.
That same year the first Fred Douglass School for black children
was built at a cost of $5,700. Local funds for that were supple-
mented by money from the Julius Rosenwald Foundation. It con-
tained six classrooms, principal's office, book room, and audito-
rium. It was on the present Elberta Street School site.
When the student body of Jacksonville High School (Joe
Wright) had "outgrown the building" in 1925, a new structure was
built on Neches Street. Its cost was $125,000. Trustees were G. W.
Gibson, O. W. Childs, C. D. Shoemaker, R. J. Irvine, W. W. Holman,
I. T. Shotwell, and W. J. Weatherby. J. J. Montgomery was Super-
intendent of Schools.
A second Fred Douglass School, that one in the Lincoln Park
Addition, was constructed in 1930 at a cost of $20,000. For that
time, it was one of the most modern buildings in East Texas.
Enrollment had increased to 500 students for all grades, and 10
black teachers were employed.
Total enrollment in white schools had reached 2,000 by then, and
when the trustees met Oct. 13, 1930, discussion concerning East
Side School was lengthy. A local newspaper observed that "The
building at present is pitifully overcrowded and architects who
have looked at it say it is impossible to make additions, so the
erection of a new building seems to be the only logical thing." The
Depression years came then. Notified that the state school appor-
tionment would likely be cut from $17.50 to $14.25 per capita,
Superintendent Larue Cox advised that this would cost the Jack-
sonville schools approximately $6,000, which would have to be
East Side School in Jacksonville
sat on the site of the Tomato Bowl ~; I
Stadium, earlier the site of the
first public school in Jacksonville.
That school was destroyed by a -
tornado in the late 1800's during '
lunch time. When opened in 1912, r
East Side School was considered "
one of the most modern in East
Texas. - Gordon Hugghins Photo
Collectionobtained from some source "in order to keep the schools running, as
they are now." Expenses were cut, all plans for erecting even a
temporary building were dropped. Fewer teachers were hired, and
salaries were not set at the usual time.
In a local newspaper of Feb. 14, 1933, a headline read: "City
Schools May Succumb to Crisis Unless Taxes Paid." Local school
taxes were delinquent in excess of $45,000. By Aug. 4, 1933,
$8,638.89 had been collected, and school continued. Teachers re-
ceived $67.50 per month on a 12-months basis or $90 per month for
nine months. A formal budget for the Jacksonville schools was first
made in 1932 because of the money crisis. By 1936, the salaries of
teachers were raised.
In 1938, the most extensive building program in the school's
history began: a gymnasium on the high school campus on East
Rusk Street, the present East Side School building, and an audito-
rium at Joe Wright School were constructed. The Tomato Bowl
Stadium was started with the help of the Federal Works Progress
Administration (WPA).
On Sept. 18, 1951, a bid was let for the construction of the Fred
Douglass High School at a cost of $308,490. The building was on
Gaston Street and adjacent to the Fred Douglass School. It was
used as a high school until 1970.
In 1952, the present Joe Wright School and West Side School
were built. In 1958 Elberta Street (Primary) School was erected. As
progress continued, a cafeteria was added at East Side School, and
additions were made for classrooms.
The present Jacksonville High School building was completed in
1958-59. The first class graduated in 1959. This made possible the
establishment of Jacksonville's first junior high school in the old
high school building on Neches Street. Jack Moore, former Princi-
pal of West Side Elementary School, became administrator of the
new school.
In 1966, elementary school students began choosing a school to
attend under the freedom-of-choice system. By the fall term of
1970, the school system was integrated. The former Fred Douglass
High School housed Special Education students and sixth grade
students. The Elberta Street School was used as a public kinder-
garten (with restricted enrollment) and a Learning Disability Cen-
ter. This center was established under the Emergency School As-
sistance program in November, 1971. H. V. Jones was Principal of
both schools.
During the Jacksonville Centennial Year (1972), additions to
Jacksonville High School were in progress, and in January, 1972,
969 students were enrolled. Jacksonville Junior High had 561
students, while elementary schools showed 641 at East Side, 461 at
West Side, and 575 at Joe Wright. In Special Education and_-w3 P -
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Cherokee County Historical Commission (Tex.). Cherokee County History, book, 2001; Jacksonville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth354360/m1/41/: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Cherokee County Historical Commission.