George Washington Carver High School (Naples, Florida)

George Washington Carver High School was a public secondary school in Naples, Florida. It served as the high school for black students until the public schools were integrated in 1968.

George Washington Carver High School
Location
Naples
,
Florida

U.S.
Information
TypePublic
NicknameRams

History

For most of its history, Collier County did not provide for education of the black youth of Naples. They were allowed to attend schools in Fort Myers, a one hour bus trip, and later to Bethune School in Immokalee. In the 1950s, schools for black children were opened, and grades were added year-by-year until by 1959 they reached high-school level and George Washington Carver High School was founded. There were two teachers provided for the school. Athletics were segregated as well, so the teams had to travel long distances for games. Black people were not allowed to attend the Naples High School's games, but were permitted to watch through the fence.[1] The school graduated a total of 33 students in its 9 year history. In the mid 1960s, Collier County School superintendent Bill Reynolds integrated the faculty of Naples High School by moving Herbert Cambridge, a teacher at Carver, to Naples. Unlike many segregated districts in Florida, there was no court order and black students were assigned to white schools with little public comment in 1968.[2]

The school site now houses the River Park Community Center as well as the George Washington Carver public housing project.[3][4]

References
  1. Macchi, Victoria (14 October 2012). "Naples' black high school has vanished, but alumni will recall it in rare reunion". Naples Daily News. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  2. Macchi, Victoria (20 October 2012). "Graduates of Naples' segregated Carver High reminisce at rare reunion". Naples Daily News. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  3. Grey, Kathy (23 March 2017). "CENTERED ON INCLUSION". Florida Weekly. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  4. Mills, Ryan (21 December 2016). "Herbert Cambridge is longtime educator among first to cross racial line in Collier schools". Naples Daily News. Retrieved 7 January 2019.

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