The History of Alice O. Wilkins School
In the late 1800's Mr. James Choice was sent from Prairie View College to open a much needed school for black children. He was the first teacher of the all-black school with less than 30 students. The school was located on the corner of Ann and Mulberry street.
In the early 1900's, Reverend A.K. Black of Austin came as a pastor of the Baptist Church and succeeded Mr. Choice as the teacher of what was then called the Port Lavaca Colored School. The school consisted of grades 1-5 in a one-room school. Reverend Black taught for several years and decided that being a pastor and heading a school was difficult and decided to pastor only.
In 1907 Alice O. Crawford, a well-educated 16 year old lady from Chicago, Illinois and a Fisk University graduate came to Port Lavaca seeking employment after being refused by the Victoria ISD because of her age. Calhoun County ISD hired her at the age of 16 to teach at the Port Lavaca Colored School.
She later met and married Mr. Horace Miller. The had one son, Horace Jr. Mr. Miller preceded her in death. After Mr. Miller's death, she later married Dr. J.H. Wilkins from Galveston, Texas.
After Mrs. Wilkins came to the Calhoun School district, the school advanced to the 10th grade level. Mrs. Wilkins was elevated from head teacher to principal of the school.
May 1910 was the first graduating class consisting of a total of three (3) students: Ernestine Kitchen, Fannie Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Rydolph.
At some point during the decade between 1910 and the early 1920's the one room school was destroyed by fire. The school then moved to a location on the bay front owned by the late Judge Howard Hartzog family. Two small houses were purchased by the school district to house the Port Lavaca Colored School. Grades 1-4 were in one house and grades 5-10 in the other house. The two teachers at that time were Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Jennie Sayles.
In 1923, a new three-room Rosenwald School was built back at the original site on Ann and Mulberry street to house the students.
Several of Mrs. Wilkins former students returned after attending college and taught along with her. They were Jennie Fitzgerald, Alice Phillips, Artie Brown, Alma Ransom, Valerie Ross, Eddie B. Phillips,(music teacher) and Naomi Bellfield (the only PE and Homemaking teacher). Mr. Timothy Smith joined the faculty as the Industrial Arts teacher for the boys.
In 1937, Dr. A.W. Jackson, Principal at Rosenberg Colored High School recommended to CISD school board that the Port Lavaca Colored School be named in Mrs. Wilkin's honor. He was highly impressed by her academic leadership abilities and her concern for black children and their education. The school name was then changed to Wilkins High School.
In May, 1938 there was a dedication ceremony for the name change and graduation of the first class of Wilkins High School graduates. There were eight candidates: Ruth Bellfield, Rosalla Rydolph, Doris Ross, Beatrice Dean, Jessie Mae Etheridge, Leonal Hall, Levell Johnson, and Lloyd Brown.
Shortly after the first Wilkins graduation, the Wilkins Alumni Association was organized with Daniel Brown serving as President. Mr. Brown was instrumental in getting Mrs. A.O. Wilkins portrait hung in the school that was named in her honor.
All of the Wilkins students loved her. She stressed academic excellence, honesty, and fair play. She piloted the school for a little over 35 years.
Mrs. Wilkins was stricken ill in the classroom she loved so much on April 29, 1942. She passed away one day later in Victoria, Texas.
Today, Mrs. Alice O. Wilkins is known as "The Mother of Black Education in Calhoun County". A portrait of her is now displayed in the Calhoun County Museum.
In 1943, G.W. Adams of Goliad, Texas became principal of Wilkins School. Competitive sports and Interscholastic League competition were then added. Wilkin's school colors were blue and white and the mascot was the Sealion. The Adams Park on Benavides and Center street is named in his honor for faithful community service from 1950-1971.
In 1953, Mrs. Edna Brown was hired as the first and only Band Director. Other teachers hired on after Mrs. Brown were: Woodie Collier - Special Education, Betty Price - Art and Spanish, Bobbie Bradley - Social Studies, and Fate Harris - Coach.
The last graduating class of Wilkins High School marched in May 1955 consisting of eight graduates: Dennis Barefield, Adrene Fore, Bath Peoples, John Alvin Barefield, A.J. Garner, Jo Alice Washington, Thomas Dean, and Clarence Garner.
As a result of school integration, Wilkins High School students were combined with students at Calhoun High School. Additional grades were phased in each year from Wilkins to other schools in the district until total integration was achieved.
Wilkins closed it's doors in May 1965. Six teachers were placed in various CISD Schools. They were: G.W. Adams, Eddie B. Phillips, Naomi Chase, Woodie Collier, Marjorie Green, and Beatrice Adams.
In 1981, the Wilkins Alumni & Ex-Students Association was organize with Mrs. Naomi Chase as President. After the death of Mrs. Chase in 1986, Mr. D.J. Williams became President of the organization and held that position (30 yrs) until is death in 2016.
Since the organization of Wilkins Alumni Association in 1981 there have been 29 Scholarships awards from the association. Four scholarships were awarded by the Louis Butler family in memory of Mr. Louis Butler, a Wilkins graduate in 1942.
In 1982, Mulberry street was name A.O. Wilkins Avenue. In 2008, a Historical Marker was placed at the northeast corner of the Wilkins School grounds.
On January 25, 2011, Victoria College Wilkins Training Center grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony and tours of the new vocational facility took place. Delores White, Chairperson of the Wilkins Alumni Scholarship Committee gave the history of the A.O. Wilkins School at the grand opening. The doors of Wilkins were open again and offering education and opportunities on the Wilkins campus.
The legacy of Mrs. Alice O. Wilkins lives on.
