Arkadelphia Rosenwald School

Arkadelphia Rosenwald School. . , Located ten miles south of New Boston and five miles northeast of Maud, the community of Arkadelphia formed in the mid- to late 1800s to serve the African American community following the Civil War. Arkadelphia became a thriving community for many years and grew in population in the early 1900s. In the 1920s, the Arkadelphia School was built as part of the Rosenwald Fund started by businessman Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington. The program aimed to assist in the establishment of African American schools in the south, and as a matching grant, communities were required to contribute cash and in-kind service donation in the form of materials and labor. The donations were great sacrifices, but the community organized committees responsible for finding and buying a school site, cutting and hauling building materials, and providing labor to construct the school. Originally constructed with three rooms, more were added, and consisted of an auditorium, office, and two classrooms, all heated by wood-burning stoves until the 1950s. , The school offered classes to the 12th grade until the late 1940s when the African American schools were consolidated and 9th through 12th grades were transferred to Central High School in New Boston. Around 1965 and 1966, schools in Texas integrated and students were sent to Maud schools. The Rosenwald School in Arkadelphia became a community center, providing an event center for area activities and a place for youth programs. Around 1993, the school was demolished for a new church. Although no longer standing, the Rosenwald School represented a commitment and determination to educate the Arkadelphia community and contributed to the heritage and culture of the area.