Longview High School (1880-1976)
A Longview Male and Female Institute was established and began classes on September 7, 1874, with tuition ranging from $2.00 to $3.00 per month. Other than a few private schools such as this, Longview had no education institutions until 1880, when a frame structure was erected at the intersection of Green and College streets. The 3-story frame school had four rooms on the first floor, four on the second floor, and two in the attic. All other schools in this period were supported partly by tuition and partly by state funds for all grades except high school for which pupils had to pay.
The Longview Independent School District was created by a special act of the 31st Texas Legislature in March 1909.
By 1885, Longview had outgrown this building and in 1909 LISD Superintendent S.J. Blocker was also a builder and architect. He designed and supervised the construction of this first brick high school in Gregg County.
At Longview High School in 1913 there were 6 members of faculty and administrative staff, and 110 students - 15 seniors, 25 juniors, 21 sophomores and 39 freshmen.
In 1927, when oil was discovered in East Texas, school enrollment increased from 1,970 to 4,400 in a two-year period. No oil had been discovered with the Longview Independent School District, and a financial crisis was intensified.
Longview Independent School District purchased more property in the vicinity of Green and College Streets. This property was for the erection of a brick building to house Longview High School, replacing the frame structure built in 1885.
Located on 6.3 acres on the corner of College and Green streets, the new high school was constructed of multicolored brick and wood frame windows. It was built at a cost of $50,000. It was used for 4 years as a high school, then converted to a junior high school and housed 6-9 graders when a new high school was built on East Whaley Street in 1932. Former Campus Ward school was converted to a Junior High Annex. Campus Ward was the oldest school building in Longview when it burned down in 1944. Students from Longview Junior High Rotated classes with South Ward students until the new addition was built in 1945. In 1955 another addition was constructed.
In 1957 Longview Junior High was renamed Henry L. Foster Junior High School in honor of long time LISD superintendent H.L. Foster. It was renamed to Henry L. Foster Middle School in 1976 and grade 6 was moved to the elementary schools, and grade 9 moved to the new high school on Loop 281. In 1987 the building that housed Nicholson Memorial Library became an addition to Foster Middle School.
The Green Street school was, for many years, a center of community activity, having been used as a polling place and a temporary place of worship for various churches. The auditorium was used for civic music concerts, "Lion's Jollies," band concerts, and civic productions in the 1930s and 1940s.
In 1932, a three-story concrete and brick high school building for three grades was erected on Whaley Street. The urgency to relieve overcrowded conditions at the South Green site necessitated round-the-clock construction at times. The structure was designed by noted architect Mark Lemmon and built by R. F. Ball. It featured art deco entrances with terra cotta and fluted pilasters. The classrooms had hardwood floors. Redbud trees were planted near the street. The football stadium was added in 1933, and the building housing T.G. Field auditorium, the cafeteria and administration building was completed in 1955.
The annexation of the Rollins Common School District in 1936 and the Elderville Common School district in 1961 further added to the district's enrollment.
In 1965 Longview ISD and Judson ISD were consolidated.
The summer of 1970 desegregation was federally mandated. The fall of 1970 African-American students from Mary C. Womack High School, Southside Elementary, Rollins Elementary and Ned E. Williams Elementary were transferred to previously all white schools.
By August 19, 1976, following consolidation with Judson High School and the integration of Womack High School, enrollment growth dictated the move of the high school to the present location on Tomlinson Parkway. In 1988, after failed attempts by former students to preserve "old Longview High School," the building was demolished.
Other schools from Longview Independent School District's past and present:
Erskine Bramlette Elementary, located on Tupelo Dr., built in 1956.
East Ward Elementary, located on 1000 South Sixteenth Street, was opened in 1953
First Ward Elementary School building became the High School's Shop, Band, and Agricultural units in the 1950
Forest Park Junior High, located on Lake Drive, was opened in 1957
G. K. Foster Elementary, located on Sixteenth Street, was opened in 1953
Jodie McClure Elementary, located on Melba St., was built in 1956
Northcutt Heights, located at 515 N. Court Street, was rebuilt in 1931 after the original building was destroyed by a tornado. It has previously housed the LISD Administration offices, and currently is home of the Gregg County Multi-Purpose Senior Center, and Meals on Wheels.
Northside Elementary, located on East Marshall between First and Second Street, was opened in 1929 as an African-American school. It was later renamed Janie Daniel Elementary.
Pinewood Park, located on 200 Glenn Dr., was built in 1950, with an annex added in 1953
Rollins Elementary, built in 1953 for African American students, closed in 1970. It was located on Humble Road near Rollins St.
Southside Elementary was built in 1936. It closed in 1978.
South Ward Elementary school, located on Mobberly Ave. near Plilar St, opened in 1934, with additions built in 1947 and 1954
Valley View Elementary, located on Alpine Road, was opened in 1953
Ware Elementary, located off of High Street (then also called Ware Highway), was built in 1953
Information obtained from http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~katloregen/SC_LISD.htm and
June Lassiter, Public Information Coordinator for LISD