W. O. Boston High School Explained

William Oscar Boston High School
Streetaddress:600 South Shattuck Stret
City:Lake Charles
State:Louisiana
County:(Calcasieu Parish)
Zipcode:70601
Country:USA
Established:1949
Closed:1983
Type:Public high school
Campus:(Urban/Country)-->
Colors:Red and white
Nickname:Panthers

W. O. Boston High School was an American public high school in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Named in honor of William Oscar Boston,[1] it opened in 1949 as a segregated school for Blacks.[2] [3] It was renamed from Second Ward Colored School, which had been in the community since the late 19th century.[4] W. O. Boston's first principal was Ralph C. Reynaud.[1]

In sports, the W. O. Boston Panthers won three state titles in 1972 in boys basketball, girls track and field, and football.[5]

In 1983, the school merged with Lake Charles High School to form Lake Charles-Boston.[4] [6] [7] At the time, W. O. Boston was predominantly Black, while Lake Charles was racially relatively even. The school board supported the merger to eliminate a one-race school. Blacks opposed it, contending that it destroyed Calcasieu Parish's best example of racial balance. The resulting Lake Charles-Boston was 78.2 percent Black and 21.8 percent White. Blacks also disagreed that Barbe High School, which was predominantly White, was largely unaffected by the board's desegregation plan.[8]

Notable alumni

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Black History Month: W.O. Boston & R.C. Reynaud. February 28, 2017. KPLC. January 20, 2023.
  2. Web site: W.O. Boston Negro high school dedicated. Louisiana Digital Library. January 20, 2023.
  3. Web site: W. O. Boston School. Louisiana Digital Library. January 20, 2023.
  4. Book: Hutchings, Jessica. Lake Charles. 44–45. Arcadia Publishing. 2015. January 20, 2023. Google Books. 9781467113281.
  5. Web site: Warren. Arceneaux. 'We were like family': In December 1972, W.O. Boston High School Panthers beat Haynesville 11-6 to claim state football title. December 4, 2022. American Press. January 20, 2023.
  6. Web site: Lake-Charles-Boston tough test for Bunkie. September 21, 1989. Daily World. 12. January 30, 2023. Newspapers.com.
  7. Web site: School Plan Is Protested. January 20, 1983. The Daily Advertiser. AP. 6. January 30, 2023. Newspapers.com.
  8. Web site: Hearings Ordered In School Case. October 27, 1983. The Daily Advertiser. 18. AP. January 30, 2023. Newspapers.com.
  9. Web site: Jim Griffin stats . Pro Football Reference.com . January 22, 2023.
  10. Don. Smith. Charlie Joiner. The Coffin Corner. 18. 2. 1996. January 9, 2023.
  11. News: Tyler. Nunez. McNeese basketball legend David Lawrence dies at 58. American Press. March 21, 2017. March 22, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170322112443/http://www.americanpress.com/20170321-MSU-Legend-Lawrence-Dies. March 22, 2017. dead.
  12. News: McNeese great Edmond Lawrence dies at 62. Daily World. July 17, 2015.
  13. Web site: Who is Wilbert Rideau?. January 16, 2005. KPLC. January 20, 2023.

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