Historical marker dedication set for Albert V. Lee School

A dedication ceremony for a Texas Historical Marker commemorating Albert V. Lee School will take place at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, March 22 at the A.V. Lee Recreation Center, located at 6017 FM 247 in Midway.

The Madison County Historical Commission is sponsoring the event to recognize the school’s significance in local history. The marker celebrates what was once known as the Midway Colored School before being renamed in 1960 to honor longtime educator Albert Vernal Lee.

“I would like anybody in Madison County to come on out and listen to this dedication. It’s really important for everybody to know where their roots come from,” Kevin Johnson, president of the A.V. Lee Alumni Association, said.

According to Charles Bailey, vice president and former president of the A.V. Lee Alumni Association, the school played a crucial role for African American students during segregation.

“The school was built in the 30s and it was for African Americans. It was first called Midway Colored High,” Bailey said.

Research compiled by Joanne Green, Madison County Historical Commission marker chair, shows the school was built on land donated by Ira Leland Wakefield and his wife, Florence Christian Wakefield, in 1922. The Wakefields were a prominent Midway family who deeded .995 acres for the school.

The school operated until integration led to its closure around 1963, at which point students were bused to schools in Madisonville.

“In 1963, the school actually closed, and we were bused to Madisonville to Marion Anderson. Those who wanted to go to Madisonville High were allowed to, though it wasn’t mandatory,” Bailey said.

Marian Anderson High School, previously known as Madisonville Colored High School, has its own historical significance. According to its historical marker installed in 2004, Madisonville’s first school for African American students was established in 1880 in a one-room schoolhouse. The school was moved in 1885 to land donated by Rev. Neal Mccloud. By 1926, it had grown enough to warrant a new facility funded by the Julius Rosenwald Foundation. In the 1950s, students voted to rename it after world-renowned contralto Marian Anderson.

Bailey attended Albert V. Lee School in first grade in 1963, near the end of its operation, before later attending Marian Anderson. He noted that full integration came later, saying, “We fully integrated in the year of 1971. Madisonville was one of the last school districts in the state to integrate, and Marian Anderson High School closed in December 1970.”

According to Green’s research, Albert V. Lee started teaching at the Midway Colored School in 1925 and was promoted to principal around 1930. He served in education for 35 years before retiring in 1960, the same year the school was renamed in his honor.

“It was changed to Albert V. Lee in 1960 because Mr. Lee was the principal there for many years. They changed the name from Midway Colored High to Albert V. Lee School,” Bailey said.

The marker dedication represents a significant moment for preserving local history, Bailey explained.

“I thank the Madison County Historical Commission for the recognition. The only thing left of the school is the old gym, and the A.V. Lee Alumni Association has been trying to preserve that. Having it recognized as a historical marker is something great for the city of Midway as a reminder of what used to be,” Bailey said.

The gymnasium building is now used as the A.V. Lee Recreation Center, where alumni gather annually for a reunion on Father’s Day weekend.

“This marker will help let future generations know where they came from. You never want to forget your roots, and that’s what this marker will be for ages to come,” Bailey said. “We have a reunion on Father’s Day weekend ever y year and encourage those with ties to the school to come together. It’s an opportunity to gather other than at a funeral.”

Bailey said the only artifacts from the school’s history currently on display are photographs of former teachers, which can be viewed in the gymnasium on the stage.

According to Green’s research, after the school closed, the property was sold to William Forrest, who demolished most of the structures except the gymnasium, which he used as a hay barn for about 20 years. Later, at his wife Thelma’s urging, Forrest deeded the property back to the African American community, where it became the A.V. Lee Recreation Center.

For more information about the dedication ceremony, contact Kevin Johnson at 512-560-7008 or Joanne Green at 281450-1946.