New Oxford School Honors District’s Black History

Construction site for new Central Elementary School. Photo by Malia Carothers

In a little over a year, a new elementary school will be coming to Oxford but the buzz is centered around the name. The new school is called Central Elementary School, paying homage to the former segregated high school of the same name.

The new school will be built in the same location that Central High stood, serving the cities black students before integration. Oxford School District Superintendent Brian Harvey says there was no better place for the building.

“I made the recommendation to the board to name the school central elementary basically giving homage to the history that that sight had always been.” Harvey adds, “given that it was on that sight, I thought it was fitting and I think the community and the board agreed with that.”

Before Central High School, the school was called Oxford Training School (OTS), also a segregated high school. Dorothy Thompson, an alumna of OTS was part of the class of 1962 that changed the name to Central.

“The reason why we named the school was because we always got poked fun of… We named it because we didn’t want (the later classes) to go through the same thing we went through.”

Thompson, however, is displeased with the board’s decision.

“What I disliked about the Oxford School District is that they tore the school down.”

Thompson wishes the school was kept standing so former classes could visit for reunions and there would be a way to remember OTS.

The board plans to dedicate the office and lobby area to the schools that previously occupied the space with different objects from the time that reflect back to that time.

Thompson is skeptical.

“If it comes true, It’d be fine. But I still think it should have some history of Oxford Training School.”

The school is set the open August 2020 and will be located across the street from Oxford Intermediate School.

Story contributed by Malia Carothers and Grant Gibbons.