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i ne Historian ot September 2010 - Hancock County Historical Society
Page 2	THE HISTORIAN OF HANCOCK COUNTY
THE
HISTORIAN
OF HANCOCK COUNTY
EddiiCdemm, Editor Pat Fwhf, PuhHfther
Published monthly by the HANCOCK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
2UB BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ch?iie> Gray, Executive Director Jackie AlU?,Prestidert Scott Barley, First Vice Pusideit Betty IChegtr, Second Vice Presidert Barbara Warner, Trusunt CarolWasiekwski, Secretary Pat Fudu, Publicity Jtriy Zinnunnuv Hutonui EUu Cuera, Board Member * Large
MAILING ADDRESS:
P. O. Box 3356 Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi 39521
PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
108 Cue Street
Telephone/Fax [228] 467-4090
Email address:
hancock county hi s@bellsouth.net Website:
wwJ?ncodgwB<yh?toriahoA^xo? Mananm Humt, Webmatter
LOBRANO HOUSE HOURS
MONDAY ? FRIDAY 10:00AM ? 3:00PM Closed: 12:00?1:00 (lunch)
MISSION STATEMENT
?TO PRESERVE THE GENERAL AND ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY AND TO PRESERVE THE KATE LOBRANO HOUSE AND COLLECTIONS THEREIN, TO RESEARCH AND INTERPRET LIFE IN HANCOCK COUNTY, AND TO ENCOURAGE AN APPRECIATION OF AND INTEREST IN HISTORICAL PRESERVATION?
However, the small house was quickly outgrown Seeing the need for new facilities in 1909, the city began plans for building a new school and purchased a construction site, which bordered on St Francis Street and Old Spanish Trail, from Miss S. A Watts. Continuing its support, the Colored Citizens Progressive League contributed ?30 large sanitary school desks, 50 medium sanitary school desks; Hansell Chair and 1/2 dozen blackboard pointers.? The price was $400. During these first years the League continued to contribute to supplies and programs for the school and students.
In the succeeding years the city continued to invest in art and music for students in addition to standard and industrial curriculum studies through the purchases of a piano and art supplies
Ultimately a new and larger school was needed. In the June 17, 1938, edition of The Sea Coast Echo a front page headline read, "Making Room for the New, City Colored School Building Demolished to Make Room for $17,000 Structure.? It appears that with the building of the new school it was officially named after Valena C. MacArthur Jones.
However, the question arises: Why did it take another ten years before the school was built and opened to students for the 1948-49 school year? Or was there another school building between 1938 and 1949?
The September 10, 2000, edition of The Sea Coast Echo
reports on a reunion held for former students of the Valena C. Jones School. Gloria Payne, a 1948 graduate ?recalled attending school in a two story wooden structure that [had] burned down.? She also said, "After that, the elementary school students were housed in Mt. Carmel?s Church while the older students attended school in the Odd	Fellow's Hall. Neither
structure still stands.? When did this school burn, and for how long did children attend classes in these temporary locations?
In 1947 plans were drawn for a new black high school in Bay St. Louis, and the 1948-49 school year welcomed students into the newly built facilities. The Valena C. Jones School remained in operation until	desegregation brought
about its closure in 1969.
Since its closing as a school, the building has served as the home of the Hancock County Senior Citizens Group and the Bay St. Louis Fire and Police Departments. However, severe damage brought about by Hurricane Katrina has caused the fire and police departments to move into new buildings.
The school is one of the few surviving examples of a predesegregation school in the Gulf Coast area and represents a history that has value to residents and visitors alike. As such, it qualified for an historic restoration grant through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the newly renovated building will be used to house the local Boys and Girls Club
http://www.hancockcountyhistoricalsociety.com/newsletter/newsletter.php?id= 10-09