Central High School was a senior high school for
African-American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
students in
Galveston, Texas
Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Galvesto ...
. It was a part of the
Galveston Independent School District
Galveston Independent School District is a school district headquartered in Galveston, Texas, United States.
In 2013, the school district was rated as having "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.
Catchment area
Galveston ISD tak ...
(GISD).
Lorraine Smith Tigner, quoted in the ''
Galveston County Daily News
''The Daily News'', formerly the ''Galveston County Daily News'' and ''Galveston Daily News'', is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state of ...
'', stated that Central, established as the Central School in 1885, was the first Texas school for black people. In its first year Central had 125 students. It was renamed Central High School the following year.
In 1949 it had 700 students. At the time fewer than 5% of the students who graduated attended universities and colleges.
In 1968 the school was consolidated with
Ball High School
Ball High School is a public secondary school in Galveston, Texas, United States. Ball, which covers grades 9 through 12, is a part of Galveston Independent School District.
Ball High School serves the cities of Galveston and Jamaica Beach a ...
, previously the school for white people.
[
]
Campus
In 1949 the cafeteria, located in the school's basement, was so small that the seating for students eating their meals was in the first floor gymnasium. There was no proper playground since the lot designated for it was filled with three frame shacks; students instead used an area alley for recreation. The students used the Colored Branch of the Rosenberg Library for research and study halls as the school did not have a library of its own. The frame shacks, which first received electricity in 1948, held a variety of classes. One shack was used for band classes; one held art, drawing, mechanics, and science classes; and one held the school's health classes. Bill Cherry of ''The Galveston County Daily News
''The Daily News'', formerly the ''Galveston County Daily News'' and ''Galveston Daily News'', is a newspaper published in Galveston, Texas, United States. It was first published April 11, 1842, making it the oldest newspaper in the U.S. state of ...
'' stated that while, by 1949, all GISD facilities were under-maintained, Central High School was the one that "blatantly showed" the deepest "lack of respect of its pupils’ human dignity".[
]
Curriculum
The school offered cooking, home economics, sewing, and woodwork classes.[
In 1949 the home economics courses used cooking ranges dating from 1910.][
]
See also
* Education in Galveston, Texas
As one of the oldest and more historically significant cities in Texas, Galveston has had a long history of advancements and offerings in education, including: the first parochial school (Ursuline Academy) (1847), the first medical college (now the ...
References
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High schools in Galveston County, Texas
Public high schools in Texas
1885 establishments in Texas
Educational institutions established in 1885
1968 disestablishments in Texas
Educational institutions disestablished in 1968
Historically segregated African-American schools in Texas