Subject: Educationpage 7

Production of Wedding of the Painted Doll at Lakeland Elementary School

An oral history interview conducted with James Edwards during Lakeland Heritage Weekend 2007. Mr. Edwards remembers Lakeland as a place that had a lot of things to do for African Americans of all ages, which were not available in other communities. His family lived in Lakeland for three generations, and he discusses the fact that his generation did not have the opportunity to live in Lakeland. Mr. Edwards believes that urban renewal did not have to go the way that it did in Lakeland and that the community was fooled. Can be contacted by phone for further information. Note: Very short because beginning of interview appears to be cut off or unrecorded. Starts with some of the last questions asked to other participants and doesn’t have the beginning general information

Class of 1950

The first page of the brochure - Establishing the times and places of the reunion.

During reunion trip of Lakeland High School class of 1950 to Wildwood NJ

On the left is a photograph of a man posing a woman for a portrait, presumably a senior photo. Beneath is a quote from 'Meditations of the Heart' by Howard Thurman about memory and recollection. Opposite are photographs from all the different classes - from physics to troweling to music.

Lakelander yearbook

Exterior of the invitation, embossed with a woodgrain pattern and a more decorative pattern, with a golden detail reading "50 Senior Class." Interior of the invitation is embossed with "Senior Announces the graduation." The interior has an announcement with the date, time and place of the Commencement Exercises of the Lakeland High School. Also scanned: the envelope the invitation came in.

Edwina Herald Buckner stands with her fourth- and fifth-grade class in 1953, in front of the Lakeland Elementary and Junior High School. The third through sixth grade classes were housed in metal-clad temporary buildings behind the older brick building. Buckner taught both classes and offered free ballet lessons after school.

Lakelander yearbook

Lakelander Yearbook

Report card for Elwood Harrison Gross report card from 1946. According to Maxine Gross, he was not the best scholar. He told stories of skipping school the first day. His mother said when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up he told people he wanted to be "a fix it" A Pupil's report card for Elwood Gross's fifth grade year in 1945-1946. He passed onto sixth grade. He received fairly low marks - mainly C's, with some D's and B's mixed in. The back of the report card is signed by Agnes Gross. Teacher was B. R. Waters

Photos from the Baccalaureate Service and the Awards Assembly.

Lakeland High School, the community's second Rosenwald School, was built in 1928. The Lakeland community joined with their neighbors in Bladensburg, North Brentwood, Ammendale, Muirkirk, and Laurel to request that the school board approve construction of a high school for African Americans. Lakeland was selected as the site for the new high school due to its central location and the availability of train transportation. Shown here are the young women of the 1930 student body of Lakeland High School.

Folks Made the School video and report and screening event at College Park Community Center in Lakeland. The video was a product of a University of Maryland American Studies Class under Dr. Mary Sies. Their work also included written reports and the compiling of oral histories. The work was done in partnership with the Lakeland Community Heritage Project

Lakelander yearbook

Lakelander yearbook

Interview transcript Delphine Gross with her grandmother, Agnes Gross for a class in the 1980s Agnes Gross' house was on the land of the College Park Community Center, but was taken bc of eminent domain. They then relocated to a property in on 54th Ave. Agnes Gross is the youngest of 14 siblings. The interview is marked up with notes from the teacher. The first page is the interviewer asking Mrs. Gross about her family, her hometown, and when she was born, more about her background in Murkirk - her schooling, the church she attended, etc. Asking about a nearby school, Mrs. Gross's father's land, and Mrs. Gross's work history. Going into detail about Mrs. Gross's family, what she stored during WWII, and her siblings., More about Mrs. Gross's siblings - then more of her work history. When doing domestic work, she was paid as little as a quarter an hour. Mrs. Gross raised her baby-sitting rate to a flat five dollars, which was somewhat expensive at the time. For context, she also says that you could get the best pork chops for fifty cents. She also speaks on how some things, mainly convenience, are better now than they were when she was younger, and how some things are worse (such as crime). Speaking of how times have changed, such as the segregation in public spaces she faced when she was younger. Also speaking about life during the Depression - you would help anybody who came to your door., Working conditions - people, especially black people, were paid very low wages. Often they'd work until they physically couldn't anymore - she speaks of old women who would "pull themselves up on the streetcar" because they needed the money from working.

Elwood Gross grade 5 of Lakeland Elementary School with teacher B.R. Walters for the 1945-46 school year

Lakeland High School class of 1950

From Julius Rosenwald Fund Archives, Franklin Library Special Collections

Continuing the pattern of seniors and signing.

Lakeland’s first kindergarten classes were taught during the 1930s by Ruth Johnson Taylor Lancaster. Kindergarten was then discontinued at the school, until the 1960s. Here, the 1965-66 kindergarten class poses during the school’s May Day celebration. (Courtesy of the Gross family.)

Cover page of the Journal. Lakeland Jr. Sr. High School 35th Reunion Souvenir Journal, a yearbook from the 35th Class Reunion (June 14-15, 1985) at First Baptist Church in College Park, Md and the Ramada Inn in Lanham, Md. See Description for any details on this particular page. Note from donor Arthur Dock: "Edgar Smith put this together for us. It has a few letters and a set of senior superlatives and the yearbook photos of each student. The next item is the program for the 35th Class Reunion. Then there are a series of photographs of one particular party--the reunion. 14 photos. Also an inventory list for the 3 items.

Fairmont Heights High School

Two graduates outside again, in cap and gown. Also scanned: the back of the photo.

List of addresses for all the seniors.

Playing field of Lakeland Elementary School. The school building is out of view to the left. To the far left is an above ground community pool

Clippings of obituaries from staff or students who were working at/graduated from the school in 1962.

A decorative title page, with the title of the school and the county, along with an illustration.

At the time of these progress reports Lakeland ES was segregated. Located on 54th and Lakeland, right across the railroad tracks. The principal at this time was Edgar Smith. Smith was principal from about 1928 when school opened to about 1968. Smith not native of Lakeland.

Lakelander Yearbook

Haliburton and Essex family photos.

Bettye Marshall's 12th grade report card, for the school year of 1949-1950. Her homeroom teacher as written on the report card is Myrtle A. Fentress, the class sponsor. Marshall mainly received B's, with a few A's and one D - in Physical Education. The back of the report card, where parents were asked to sign to acknowledge that they'd seen the report card.

Jean Gray's 8th Grade report card from Lakeland Jr Sr High School during the 1945-46 school year.

Lakeland Elementary School 1965/66 Miss Pinkney