82R13276 JGH-D
By: Smith of Harris H.R. No. 886
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, An official Texas Historical Marker honoring the
proud history of George Washington Carver High School in Baytown is
being dedicated at a ceremony on April 30, 2011; and
WHEREAS, The culmination of a joint effort between the
Baytown Carver High School Recognition and Preservation Society and
the Harris County Historical Commission, the marker will allow
visitors to learn more about the school's vital role in the
education of African American children in Baytown; and
WHEREAS, George Washington Carver High School traces its
origins to the first public African American elementary school in
the area, which was founded in 1921 and moved to a site at Carver and
Oak Streets in 1924; the school was expanded to include students
through the ninth grade in 1927 and was later named for the
well-known scientist, educator, and inventor George Washington
Carver; and
WHEREAS, The campus became a four-year high school in 1941
and moved into a new building four blocks away in 1948; the students
of Carver High excelled at both academics and extracurricular
activities, earning their alma mater distinction as one of the top
African American high schools in the state; through the years, the
school won nine state band competitions and eight state sports
championships sanctioned by the Prairie View Interscholastic
League; and
WHEREAS, The high school was closed in 1967 when the Baytown
schools were desegregated; the building served as the home of
George Washington Carver Elementary School until 1995 and was
demolished in 2002, though a new Carver Elementary was opened
nearby, carrying the school's name and its tradition of educational
excellence into the 21st century; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of its history, George Washington
Carver High School figured prominently in the lives of many Baytown
youth, and the dedication of this historical marker provides a
fitting tribute to the essential role it played in educating
several generations of city residents; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby commemorate the establishment of a Texas
Historical Marker on the site of George Washington Carver High
School in Baytown and commend all those responsible for their
efforts to bring this worthwhile initiative to fruition; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
for the Baytown Carver High School Recognition and Preservation
Society and the Harris County Historical Commission as expressions
of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.