An Application for a Harris County Historical Marker for PHILLIS WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL by Debra Blacklock-Sloan with the assistance of Bernice Mistrot and presented to the Harris County Historical Commission I. CONTEXT Formal education of the newly emancipated black population of Houston began with the establishment of Freedmen’s Bureau schools in 1865.1 They were established on the campuses of three of Houston’s black churches: Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church (Rev. Elias Dibble, pastor), and Antioch Baptist Church (Rev. John Henry “Jack” Yates and Rev. Sandy Parker, pastors). There was also a Freedmen’s Bureau school at the Methodist Episcopal Church of Harrisburg,2 then a separate city 12 miles from Houston, but now part of Houston. Consequently, churches helped lay the foundation for the survival and education of blacks during the post-slavery period. Ministers such as Rev. Yates preached education, vocation and land ownership as a means to survive, despite blacks’ non-admission into mainstream America by whites. After the dismantling of the Freedmen’s Bureau in 1870, Gregory Institute, a private school, was established to educate black students in the elementary grades. In 1875, the mayor of Houston appointed a committee to look into the possibility of establishing a system of free schools in Houston, and the recommendation was the city should establish one school for blacks and one for whites in each of the five wards. By March 1879, there were 13 schools in the system, then nearing the end of its second academic year. The “colored” schools went to the seventh grade; the white schools included a high school.3 By 1892 Houston’s black population had risen to nearly 4000, and a real need for a black high school appeared on the horizon. Houston’s first high school for African-American students was proposed in 1892 and completed in the spring of 1893.4 On April 4, 1893, the School Board adopted the name “Colored High School” for the newly-completed school,5 which was located on San Felipe Street (now West Dallas) at Frederick Street in the heart of the Fourth Ward of Houston. In 1925, the school’s name was changed to Booker T. Washington in honor of the President of Tuskegee Institute. It was the first and only Negro high school in Houston until Jack Yates High School (Yates Colored High School) opened on February 8, 1926.6 Phillis Wheatley High School -1- Harris County Historical Commission Debra Blacklock-Sloan August 27, 2012, rev. September 7, 2012 The population of the black communities in the Third, Fourth and Fifth Wards increased, so the need for additional educational facilities was evident. Expenditures for Houston Independent School District (HISD) schools indicated that colored schools were at a disadvantage regarding buildings and equipment. During the years 1924-1930, HISD’s survey committee recommended different organizational structures for the building program regarding black schools and white schools. The committee recommendations included: 1. That a different organization be established for the colored schools from that of the white schools; namely, that the elementary school consist of the first five grades; that the secondary school consist of the next six grades, housed in one building and spoken of as the junior-senior school; and that in the junior-senior school vocational work be stressed, to prepare the pupils for special lines of work. 2. Three junior-senior high schools be established for the colored pupils, to be located in the three sections of greatest Negro population: one in the northeast section, centering in the Lyons Avenue district; one in the southwest section, centering in the San Felipe district; and one in the southeast section, centering in the Leeland Avenue district. The new buildings are called respectively Phyllis (sic) Wheatley, Booker T. Washington, and Jack Yates.7 II. OVERVIEW Phillis Wheatley High School, established January 31, 1927, is the third oldest high school for blacks in Houston. The first structure, located at 3415 Lyons Avenue in the Fifth Ward, was the former McGowan Elementary School building for white students.8 The school’s name was changed to honor Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784), a young African female captured and enslaved about 1761 and brought to Boston, where she was educated by her slave owner family and rose to fame as a renowned poet.9 The Houston Independent School District selected “Professor” E. O. (Ernest Ollington) Smith as Wheatley’s first principal.10 Smith, a native of Shelby, Selma Alabama,11 earned a B.A. degree from Fisk University.12 “Professor” J. C. Sanderson, a native of Sandy Point, Texas, was hired as assistant principal.13 Smith had previously served as principal of the following Houston schools: Hollywood, Booker T. Washington Elementary (later Richard Brock Elementary), Blanche Kelso Bruce Night School and Frances Harper Junior High.14 Regarded as a progressive educator, Smith had the longest tenure (1927-1945) as principal in Wheatley’s history. In 1950, Wheatley High School’s former campus on Gregg Street was established as E. O. Smith Junior High School.15 Phillis Wheatley High School -2- Harris County Historical Commission Debra Blacklock-Sloan August 27, 2012, rev. September 7, 2012 Phillis Wheatley Junior-Senior High School was initially composed of grades six seven to eleven, at a time when all Texas high schools ended at the 11th grade. Subjects taught were English, Mathematics, Latin, Music, Social Science, Physical Education and Vocational Education. The school’s first student enrollment totaled 490 students, and the first faculty consisted of Marie V. Butler, Robert C. Chatham, Amanda A. Dodson, Bessie H. Johnson, Esther S. Kennard, Rosa L. Lee, Jesse C. McDade, Amanda C. McDavid, Lillian P. Meeks, Priscilla Sykes Milligan, Georgia Muldrew, Laura E. Payne, Rachel Pendleton, Mattie E. Overton Roberts, James C. Sanderson, Robert Sholars, Ilma L. Smith, Wendell P. Terrell Sr., Phil H. Watkins and Callie Woodruff.16 Elementary schools were named for Sanderson in 1950, McDade in 1962, and Chatham in 1965.17 The following men also served as principals of Wheatley High School: John E. Codwell (1945-1958), William B. Moore (1958-1971), A. C. Herald (1971-1978), Charles Hebert (1978- 1983); Forest Henry Jr. (1983-1989), Eddie Orum (1989-1992), Harold Crawford (1992-1994), Horace Williams (1994-1999), Bruce Goffney (1999-2006), Wiley Johnson (2007-2011), David E. Edgerson (2011-). An elementary school was named for Codwell in 1978.18 The Wheatley school colors of “hybrid purple and spotless white” were chosen in 1927 and remain the same today. The school song’s music and lyrics “Our Alma Mater” were penned during the 1927-28 school year by Ilma Smith and Mattie Overton Roberts. The school motto is “Scholarship, Character and Service.” Extracurricular activities included the Beau Brummell Club, Knights and Ladies of Valhalla, Stage Crafters, Lucky 13 Club, Student Council, Hi Y, Debating and Public Speaking Club, “The Megaphone” (school newspaper), “Purple and White Squadron” (first drill squad), the Booster Club, Wheatley Band Orchestra.19 Former Texas Senator and U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Jordan attended Wheatley and was a member of the debate team that won national awards.20 Wheatley’s student population increased dramatically within two years, and additional buildings were added to the campus.21 In 1928, HISD’s third bond issue was approved, and the following year the school’s new building, which cost a little over $210,000, was designed by architect Harry D. Payne and built by Bace Construction Company.22 The building featured a three-story entrance facing Gregg Street, 31 classrooms, a gymnasium and an auditorium- lunchroom.23 Phillis Wheatley High School -3- Harris County Historical Commission Debra Blacklock-Sloan August 27, 2012, rev. September 7, 2012 In 1930, in an effort to combat illiteracy, HISD established Wheatley’s campus as one of 32 special sites designated for night classes. The black community responded enthusiastically as more than 100 persons, most over 50 years old, enrolled for the eight-week session.24 According to the book, Requiem For a Classic,25 Booker T. Washington, Jack Yates and Phillis Wheatley High Schools shared core values, customs, and rich traditions, which were reflected on their campuses and in their communities, and then passed down to future generations. One such tradition was the football games that began in 1927, under the jurisdiction of Texas Interscholastic League for Colored Schools (TILCS), popularly known as Prairie View Interscholastic League (PVIL) from the 1920s onward, though it did not formally acquire the PVIL name until 1964.26 Dr. John E. Codwell (who served as principal after the death of E. O. Smith in 1945) coached the Wheatley team, and Andrew “Pat” Patterson coached the Yates team. The Wheatley–Yates game was played on Armistice Day, the Wheatley–Washington game on Thanksgiving Day, and the Yates–Washington game on Christmas Day. The Christmas Day games were eliminated in 1939 due to the restructuring of the TILCS/PVIL, and as a result, the three schools rotated play on Thanksgiving Day. The Wheatley–Yates games drew larger crowds on Thanksgiving Day, netting big revenues for the district, and by 1946, HISD ended the rotation.27 This Wheatley–Yates game became known as the annual Turkey Day Classic, one of the state's biggest high-school competitions, played in Barr’s Field, West End Park, Buffalo Stadium or the Houston Public Stadium, later renamed Jeppesen Stadium. This cross-town rivalry generated community support, attracted near-capacity attendance, and was a source of pride and bragging rights for both schools. The schools and city merchants scored large revenues as students, alumni, and citizens attended the game, breakfast celebration, parade, rented vehicles and purchased the finest clothing money could buy.