Liberty Colored High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Liberty Colored High School
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Rosewood Center in 2009
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jct. of SC 93 and Rosewood St., Liberty, Pickens County, South Carolina, U.S. |
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| Area | 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) |
| Built | 1937 |
| Architect | Works Progress Administration |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000270 |
| Added to NRHP | April 18, 2003 |
Liberty Colored High School was a school for African-American students in Liberty, South Carolina. It was built during a time when schools were separated by race. This period is known as racial segregation.
The school was first called Liberty Colored Junior High School. Today, the building is a community center known as the Rosewood Center. You can find it at East Main Street (South Carolina Highway 93) and Rosewood Street in Liberty. The school was built in 1937. It stands where an older school, called a Rosenwald school, once stood before it burned down.
Because of its important role in educating African-American students in the area, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on April 18, 2003.
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School History and Changes
The first school for African-American students in the Liberty area started in 1899. It was held at the New Hope Baptist Church. A year later, a wooden school building was built next to the church.
Around 1922, a new school was built on the same spot where the current building stands. This was a Rosenwald school, named after The Rosenwald Fund. This fund helped build schools for African-American children across the South. Money for this school came from parents, the community, and matching funds from the Rosenwald Fund. Sadly, this school burned down in 1935.
Building the New School
The current school building was constructed in 1937. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped with its construction. The WPA was a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. Additional money came from the State insurance fund and local donations.
The new school was first named Liberty Colored Junior High School. It taught students from first to ninth grade.
Growing into a High School
In 1945, the school added tenth and eleventh grades. Its name then changed to Liberty Colored High School. Twelfth grade was added in 1949. This school was one of only two high schools for African-American students in Pickens County.
It served students from Liberty, Norris, Central, Clemson, and nearby rural areas. In 1955, the two high schools for African-American students in Pickens County joined together. They became Clearview Colored High School in Easley.
After the High School Moved
After the high school moved, the building was used as an elementary school. It was still for African-American students. It was named Rosewood Elementary School because it was on Rosewood Street. This school taught grades one through seven.
In 1970, schools in Pickens County began to desegregate. This meant students of all races could attend the same schools. The students from Rosewood Elementary gradually joined Liberty Elementary School. The building was then renamed the Rosewood Center. Pickens County Schools used it for special education, adult learning, and teacher training.
Current Use of the Building
The City of Liberty bought the building in 2001. They started to renovate it for city offices, but this plan was stopped. In 2002, Liberty Baptist Church leased the building. They used it as a youth activity center.
Today, the building is a community center. People can rent it for parties, receptions, and other events.
School Building Design
The school is a one-story building made of brick. It has a gabled roof covered with asphalt shingles. A part of the building sticks out, and this is where the main entrance is. This entrance faces East Main Street.
The entrance has three brick arches. Each arch has a special stone called a key stone and other decorative stones called imposts. Above the middle arch, there is a louvered vent. The main door is a double door with fanlight transoms, which are small windows above the door. There is also a second entrance on Rosemont Street, designed in a similar style.
Inside, the school had an auditorium, four classrooms, and offices. The auditorium stage was also used as the lunchroom. Originally, the basement had separate restrooms for boys and girls. In the 1950s, the stairs to the basement were closed off. The hallway was then changed to create new restrooms.
See also
