By Price H.R. No. 1149
74R13754 PAN-D
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, It is with great pride and a tremendous sense of
1-2 accomplishment that the alumni of old Hebert High School will
1-3 gather on June 21-25, 1995, to recognize this outstanding
1-4 institution for the exemplary education it provided to generations
1-5 of Texas schoolchildren over the course of its existence; and
1-6 WHEREAS, Long before public schools existed in Texas, the
1-7 need to offer educational opportunities to the state's most
1-8 valuable resource, its children, was imperative for children to
1-9 fulfill their desired goals in life; and
1-10 WHEREAS, Struck by this crucial element to ensure a
1-11 successful future, two former slaves, Ozan Blanchette and Usan
1-12 Hebert, donated two acres of their 75-acre tract of land for the
1-13 purpose of building a school in the South Park District of
1-14 Beaumont; both men dearly loved the people of the community, and
1-15 through their benevolence in providing land for the site of old
1-16 Hebert High, they provided a vital steppingstone for countless
1-17 young people who were yearning for their chance to obtain an
1-18 education; and
1-19 WHEREAS, The first educational facility for African American
1-20 children in Beaumont was organized by A. J. Criner on Anderson
1-21 Street in a one-room schoolhouse that was owned by H. Hall; and
1-22 WHEREAS, In 1886, the school was moved to a new structure
1-23 that was built on the same street, then known as Avenue B, and
1-24 Mrs. Criner began to teach her first class of students in Prairie
2-1 View Colored School; and
2-2 WHEREAS, A steady influx of new families into the area south
2-3 of Washington Boulevard and west of Avenue B quickly outpaced the
2-4 school's ability to accommodate the neighborhood's children and
2-5 necessitated the construction of another new facility; to that end,
2-6 a two-room frame building, complete with a front and back porch,
2-7 was built on a plot located at Usan and Sarah streets through the
2-8 vital assistance of H. C. Tappen, N. Gentry, E. Willard, A.
2-9 Lincoln, and Van Washington; and
2-10 WHEREAS, The school was renamed South Park Colored School
2-11 after its incorporation into the South Park District, and this
2-12 historic event was largely achieved through the efforts of Usan
2-13 Hebert, Ozan Blanchette, Louis Pender, Vince Bailey, Heck Tappen,
2-14 George Adams, Will Blanchette, Augustus Hebert, and Van Washington;
2-15 and
2-16 WHEREAS, With the backing of Superintendent L. R. Pietzsch,
2-17 the board of education, and trustee citizens, the school
2-18 progressed, erecting a two-story red brick building in 1922,
2-19 gaining accreditation as a high school the following year, adding a
2-20 new building in 1931, and a decade later undergoing extensive
2-21 renovations and additions in keeping with its new stature as a
2-22 four-year accredited high school; and
2-23 WHEREAS, The 1940s continued to bring progressive changes to
2-24 Hebert High School, starting with the graduation of the school's
2-25 first senior class in 1942; in 1946, A. L. Price became principal
2-26 of the school and, under his expert direction, more elective
2-27 courses were added to the school's curriculum, coaches were hired
3-1 for interscholastic competitive sports, buses were secured to
3-2 transport students, and the school's physical plant continued to
3-3 expand to keep pace with its burgeoning growth; and
3-4 WHEREAS, Within a few short years, however, the school's
3-5 capacity had been maximized and Mr. Price appealed to the school
3-6 board and district Superintendent J. J. Vincent to build a new high
3-7 school; personally taking on the task of finding an appropriate
3-8 site for the school, Mr. Price played an instrumental role in the
3-9 construction of Hebert High School, which was completed and
3-10 dedicated in February 1954; and
3-11 WHEREAS, Though Mr. Price passed away in 1959, he exemplified
3-12 the finest qualities of the teaching profession and will long be
3-13 remembered for his vital contributions to the schoolchildren of
3-14 Beaumont; over the course of its final three decades, the school
3-15 was led by principals James Jackson and Joe E. Bryant, both of whom
3-16 continued to set high standards for the school's students and
3-17 faculty as a result of their strong commitment to excellence in
3-18 education; and
3-19 WHEREAS, For nearly six decades, old Hebert High School
3-20 dedicated itself to the total development of its students, helping
3-21 to shape tomorrow's leaders with pride and determination; though
3-22 the doors of this venerable institution were closed forevermore
3-23 following its merger with Forest Park High School in 1982, the
3-24 spirit of old Hebert High School will long endure through the rich
3-25 heritage and lasting legacy of Panther Pride shared by its alumni;
3-26 now, therefore, be it
3-27 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
4-1 Legislature hereby commemorate Hebert High School on the occasion
4-2 of the school's reunion and extend warmest best wishes to the
4-3 school's former administrators, faculty members, staff, and
4-4 students who may be in attendance for this grand event.