Lincoln High School - Bumblebee Yearbook (Port Arthur, TX)

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HISTORY OF LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL The above is a representation of the present school building for the Negro youths of the city of Port Arthur, the garden spot of Jefferson County. In 1905 the Port Arthur school for our group was organized with Prof. A. J. Criner as principal. At that time, there were only six students. Prof, Crlner remained Prin- cipal until 1908 and was succeeded by Prof. M. W. Lawson. Who served as principal from 1908 to 1914 with three assistants. He was then succeeded by W. E. Sampson the present principal. Prof. Sampson, with five assistants, conducted school in a build. ing on Sixth Street together with the Odd Fellows Hall and the S'xth Street Baptist Church, from 1914 to 1916. Upon the recommendation of Supt. G. M. Sims to the school board, we came in possession of an entire block consisting of about two and one-half acres. And upon that plot of ground in the year of 1916 the building on page 12 was erected and known as the High School for our group. While at the same time other small buildings were erected on the same grounds. But Supt. Sims with his far reaching vision saw that the Negro school was moving on to progress and that the curriculum was being changed and in order to make such a change a success a school building must meet its demand. Again this great man, a lover of education and the ad- vancement of the human race, presented the needs of the Black boys and Black girls of Port Arthur t0 the honorable school board, who in turn heard his appeal and gave to the Negro youths of PortArthureone of the best, if not the best, school buildings for the accumodation of the Negro boys and girls to be found anywhere in this Suuth-land. This building is an up-to-date school plant with sixteen class-rooms with cloak rooms in connection. five lavatories and one book-room, a principal's office with all modern equipment and a Stenographer in charge, also sanitary drinking fountains, electric lights, bells and steam heat. It has a teacher's rest-room, each of these being fitted with modern equipment. It is located on Lincoln Avenue, from which it derives its name. Our school has continued to grow. In 1914 we had 334 students and four grades with five teachers, today, our enrollment is 1538 with eleven grades and 29 teachers. We have a department of Househould Arts and Domestic Arts and Cafeteria in conection, nManual Arts , uArts and Crafts . nMusic and Physical Education also a

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Miss Marie R. Brasfield Decease:D Mother of Lincoln School

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trained nurse to see to thes needs of the children. We operate on the Work, Study and Play Plan . 0111- wotki ndepartmental Inn. The different departments of our school oifers splendid opplortounities for the git and boys to live their present day life for their own best good and for the good of the community, thereby molding goed citizens. In 1918 the first graduates went out frnm our school three in number, two and one girl. And each year since we have had a closs to go out. 'Tis true that the members of our classes were few 1n number and it is equally true that those who grad- uated, with few exceptions, were worthy and have proven to be 11 credit to the school. Many of them have gone and today are in college have made and are maki mg good. It has been the aim of the school to send out students worthy of graduation and who had completed the prescribed course with ex- edit; and not merely to send out large classes to make an exhibition of numbers. The result has been and is that our graduates are making good in cur leading colleges. We are pleased to say that our students are admitted into 0111- leading college- without examination. Today we have six members of our faculty who were former students and are graduates of our school, after attending such colleges as Bishop College,Wi1ey College, Prairie View College, Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. At this time, we have representatives in Bishop College, Marshall,Texas;Prai1-ie View College-Tuske- gee Normal and Walden College, Nashville, Tenn. GRADUATES: The following is a list of 0111' graduates. Class 1918 Miss Mattie B, Halley Mr. Briseo Bameris Mr. Rodney Haley. Class 1919 Miss Elnora Jones Miss Millie Williams Miss Mable Bell. Class 1920 Miss Velma M. Dreyfus Miss Ethel Johnson Miss Esthmus Armstrong Mr. Lawrence Haley. Class 1921 Miss Lola Jones Miss Evon Bell Mr. Alfred Johnson Mr. Bethe Taylor. Class 1922 Miss Elmira Armstrong Miss Gertie Joiner Miss Grace B. Jeiferson Mrs. Cleonn Barker Price Mrs. Geneva Miles Carrol Mr. Mack H. Hannah, Jr. Mr. S. Earl Beauchamp Mr. William McAny. Class 1923 Miss Annie LauranTt Mrs. Leola Sm artT aloy xtea Wilder Noorbert Keliley Mr. Walter Sylverand tDeeeasedi Mrs. Juanita Fender Washington. Class 1924 Miss Evangeline Edgar Miss Qency Clements iDeceasedi Miss Bulah MEN 1.11t Miss He1en B. Jackso Mr. Thomas De Boy oArmsitumg Mr. Lester Mc Nulty Mr. Henry Williams. Class 1925 Miss Helen Williams Miss Julia Pugh Miss Gertie Wilbert Miss Corn Fuga Mr. Harvey Aaron. Class 1926 Miss Isabel Thompson Miss Jenel Waters Miss Alberta Ladet Mr. Walter Pen der Mr. Roosevelt Henderson Mr. Martin Jacquet Mr. Reference Martin.