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Mill Grove School

Lillian SchoolPhoto courtesy of Fisk University Franklin Library, Special Collections

This three-teacher school was built for the 1924-25 school year. It was constructed on two and a half acres of land and cost $5,885. Of this total, $300 came from the black community, $4,685 from public funds (provided by the Durham County school board), and $900 came from the Rosenwald Fund. The Mill Grove School was located in Durham Township on Bob's Lane, off Roxboro Road and near North Duke Street. Before becoming Jeanes supervisor in 1926, Gertrude Tandy Taylor taught here.

Because students were dispersed across the area, in 1925 parents asked for busing to be provided, as it was for white students. Although the parents offered to purchase a truck to be used for this purpose, with the county paying for its maintenance thereafter, the request was turned down. In 1930, after the county's black community asked for a new high school since the existing one was too far for many of the students to attend, busing to Mill Grove was provided. Some high school classes had already been offered at Mill Grove by that time.

In 1937 the school burned down and was replaced by two black high schools elsewhere. The building's foundation and playground equipment are still visible today. Like other black schools, Mill Grove served as an important community center. In 2009 a school reunion was held.

Black School Patrons Named in the Durham County School Board Minutes

May 5, 1924 W. D. Dunagan, J. S. Holloway, Duncan Meeks, Ed Meeks

 




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