Old Dillard High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Dillard High School
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Location | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
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Built by | Cayot & Hart |
Architect | John Morris Peterson |
Architectural style | Mediterranean Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 91000107 |
Added to NRHP | 20 February 1991 |
The Old Dillard High School is a very important historic school building in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is also known as the Colored School or Walker Elementary. You can find it at 1001 Northwest 4th Street.
This building was the first school in Broward County specifically for black students. Before this, earlier schools for black students did not have their own buildings. The school was built in 1924 by a team called Cayot & Hart. The architect who designed it was John Morris Peterman.
On February 20, 1991, the Old Dillard High School was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a special place in history. It is the oldest school building still standing in Fort Lauderdale that was built for black students. The school is named after James H. Dillard, who was a strong supporter of education for black people.
The first principal of the school was Joseph A. Ely, who led it from 1924 to 1937. After him, Clarence C. Walker, Sr. became principal in 1937 and served until he passed away in 1942.
In 1950, the high school students moved to a new building. The old building then became Dillard Elementary School. Later, a new building was made for Dillard Elementary. In 1954, a group of citizens asked for the old school building to be named Walker Elementary. In the late 1980s, the building was almost torn down. However, people in the community worked hard to save it, and they succeeded!
Old Dillard Museum: A Look into History
The Old Dillard Museum is located right inside the historic Old Dillard High School building. This school was built in 1923 and was the first school for black students in the city.
The museum has many interesting exhibits. These exhibits focus on the history and culture of African Americans in the local area. It's a great place to learn about the past. You can find out about the museum's activities on its Twitter page.
More Historic Schools to Explore
- Old Lincoln High School (Tallahassee)