Douglass school gets historic designation

when education was segregated. and for the people who lived it, it was a difficult but important time for el paso’s african american community. abc-7’s andrew j. polk was there for the DEDICATIONs :15 :28 :46 el paso’s schools weren’t always dedicated to educating all children. for the entire african american community, it meant they had to teach their own children the best they could and they did it at the douglass grammar and high school. sot frances hills “The most important thing is that the teachers were so kind, and so interested in the students. and they encouraged us to do well.” standup “so here in south central el paso, on fourth and kansas, the original building is still standing. it now houses an armored services company, but as people gather here today to recognize the history and commemorate the plaque, it’s also a look back into a different time here in el paso, when the school system was segregated by race.” sot loui james “We helped each other. We worked together, families. It takes a whole village to raise a child. And that’s what we had.” there were many hardships. louis james was among the last segregated classes at douglass as a seventh grader in 1956, but he grew up way out in fabens. his teacher picked him every morning, and to get to school he had to wake up — “Oh, about five o’clock in the morning! laughter Every morning, get up at five o’clock.” for hills, james, and all the douglass alumni at the dedication… the memory and now state historical commission recognition means a lot. and they all it would not be possible without the teachers, who made sure sure they had a chance to succeed. “And our teacher was dedicated. Like i said about Mrs. Kelley. She drove to Fabens, 28 miles from El Paso. 56 miles a day, to teach grades one through eight. Every day.” andrew j polk, abc-7. the el paso school system was the first in the entire state of texas to desegregate in 1956. this week marks national volunteer week…