| History of Our School |
Carver School can trace its beginning to the private school for
Coconut Grove black children that was started by D.A. Dorsey in
1899. In 1901, the first public school was organized at St. Paul
A.M.E. church under Rev. John Davis. The next year, the school
moved to Thomas Avenue on land donated by patrons and friends.
"The Little Schoolhouse", as it was fondly called, served the
community until 1923 when the school was moved to Lejeune Road.
In 1924, George Merrick,who was developing Coral Gables, offered
the Board of Education five acres on Grand Avenue and Lincoln
Drive, and a newly designed nine room Spanish building in
exchange for the unfinished building on Lejeune Road. The new
school, known as the Dade County Training School, housed
elementary and junior high, and served black students from as
far away as Homestead.
Mrs. Francis Tucker, a Tuskegee University graduate, and friend
of Dr. George Washington Carver, became principal in 1929, and
served until her retirement in 1956. Beginning in 1934, one high
school class was added each year until the first senior class
graduated in 1939. When Dr. George Washington Carver died in
1942, Mrs. Tucker led a movement to rename the school in his
honor. By this time the school was severely overcrowded and many
portable classrooms filled the school grounds.
In 1950 the
School Board acquired five additional acres and hired architect,
Alfred Browning Parker to design a modern, new high school,
which
opened in 1952. Carver High graduated its last senior class in
1966. In the fall of that year, senior high students were
transferred to Coral Gables Senior High, and the former high
school became Carver Junior High.
In February, 1970, the Federal court ordered the Dade County
School system to desegregate all the faculties, and the
following fall paired Carver Junior High with Ponce de Leon,
making Carver a 7th grade center. The court also ordered Carver
Elementary paired with Sunset, Coral Gables and Merrick
Elementaries making Carver Elementary a kindergarten, 1st and
2nd grade school. Since integration, Carver has added a proud
heritage of being a model bi-racial, tri-ethnic school serving
students from Miami, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and Key
Biscayne.
During 1985-86, Carver's population dropped to 53% of capacity.
After many meetings with community and school officials, Carver
requested to become a magnet school in international education,
an idea that was initiated in 1982, at the Southern Governor's
Conference. The first International Studies classes came to
Carver in the 1987/88 school year. Since then, Carver has become
a magnet school housing both the International Studies Program
for students continuing their studies from Sunset Elementary
School, and for French and Spanish nationals, and the
International Baccalaureate Preparation Program for students
beginning their study of foreign language at Carver in the sixth
grade. Carver is the only middle school in Dade County offering
advance placement testing in French, German and Spanish at this
level.
On May 31, 1994, governor Lawton Chiles proclaimed International
Studies Day in honor of the first sixteen graduates of the
International Studies Magnet program.
Carver graduates have and will continue to distinguish
themselves in all areas of public and private life. Hard-working
administrators, a dedicated faculty, and a supportive community
continue to inspire and educate the leaders of tomorrow. |
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