Franklin Parish Training School History
Thirty acres of land were sold by L. I. Moore and A. N. Moore, two brothers, to Sam Henderson and to Hubbard Jones, the original Board of Trustees, for the Winnsboro Colored High School. This sale occurred on January 24, 1902. The school formally opened in 1906. John W. Hunter was selected by the Board of Trustees as principal of Winnsboro Colored High School.
Winnsboro Colored High School operated from 1906 -1921 as a private school under the administration of John W. Hunter. Due to financial difficulties the school was purchased by Armsted Haynes. The Franklin Parish School Board purchased the school on January 22, 1921. Winnsboro Colored High School existed for 15 years.
The school became a public school operated by the Franklin Parish School Board. The physical school structure was a 4 classroom two story building and an auditorium. This building was destroyed by fire in 1948.
Mr. John W. Hunter served as principal from 1906 until 1924 when he retired. The school was named Franklin Parish Training School in 1924. Moses M. Simmons succeeded Mr. Hunter and under his watch Rosenwald funds were utilized for a Rosenwald Building and a principal’s residence. Mr. Simmons retired in 1930 and was succeeded by Miss Z. B. Hodge who was acting principal until 1932. Horace G. White became principal.
Some students who came to Franklin Parish Training School had to walk to school each day. The roads were dirt roads and in inclement weather some students did not come to school. 1949 ushered in the beginning of new transportation. Wisner students previously had to board in town to go to school. The school board paid for a bus for the Wisner students. A second bus route was granted, but the students had to pay 10 cents a day. Students rode the bus on days of inclement weather to defray the cost of travel. A third bus route was granted the following year. Finally, in 1952, four more bus routes were added to increase the total to seven buses. This innovation in travel allowed the students to spend eight hours at school.
In 1954 there was an increase in school consolidation and more bus routes were added. The climax of the number of bus drivers was eight in the 1960- 1961 school session. Interestingly the miles walked per day increased as the student body increased. The mileage increased from 1000 miles per day as a group to 3,600 miles per day. The advent of bus transportation changed this scenario.
In academic year 1932-1933 Horace G. White, Sr. served as principal. Alma L. F. White, Ida L. Jones, Edith B. Smith, Robbie Smith, Lenora J. Washington, Irene I. Hannibal and Thereisa Richmond were faculty members. This faculty taught English, arithmetic, geography, general science, agriculture and home economics.
In the 1960 -1961 academic year Horace G. White, Sr. was the principal. Faculty members were Alma L. F. White, Roberta R. Carter, Hattie Mae Virgil, Helen D. Crawford, Barbara B. Rollins, Eula W. Tate, Rebecca B. Singleton, Jessie L. Lyles, Sadie O. Singleton, Mary Lene Watson, Alene L. Grant, Lillian J. Blunt, Erma L. Singleton, Allie P. Major, Lucille A. Foy, Rosa H. Burke, Ruth L. Smith, Van Major Brass, Ruth T. Broom, Oliver W. Billups, Sallie H. Johnson, Etta D. Allen, Anna Belle Hooker, Mildred C. Richardson, Frank Bolton, Agnes M. Williams Horace G. White, Jr., Ephron Rollins, Brittie L. Washington, Amos J. Griffin, Sr., Nettie H. Griffin, Willie Z. Patterson, Johnny B. Patterson, Ethel J. Marshall, Mordessa R. Corbin, Bertha R. Small,
Freddie M. Ford, Delories, A. Greene, Emma G. Gordon and Berenice V. Cunningham. The original faculty in 1932 had expanded six times its size.
The school’s academic offerings expanded exponentially. Agriculture with various components were introduced: radio, farm mechanics, welding, crop production, livestock production, farm management, mechanical drawing, fundamentals of electronics, fundamentals of electricity, and horticulture. Home economics and its associated areas were child care, food and nutrition, clothing, housing and management and family relationship.
The science curriculum was expanded to include chemistry, biology, general science, photography, and physics. Mathematics included algebra I and II, geometry I and II, trigonometry and college preparatory mathematics.
Social sciences offered were American History, World History, democracy vs communism, Louisiana History, economics, geography and citizenship.
Language offerings were English, English Literature American Literature and French.
Music and physical education were also part of the school curriculum.
Extra-curricular activities included New Farmers of America, New Homemakers of America, Boy Scouts, band, choral club, $-H Club, Future Teachers of America, Adventurous Science Club, basketball ( boys and girls).
Franklin Parish Training School closed in 1969.
Franklin Parish Training School Basketball Team
African American High Schools in Louisiana Before 1970 