Monday, April 24, 2023
Preservation underway at historically Black school Rheagan Stinnett O’Colly Contributor The Stillwater community came together on Saturday to begin the process of preserving the historic Booker T. Washington School. Booker T. Washington School, referred to as Washington School by alumni, served Stillwater’s Black students from 1908 to 1956. Oklahoma once had over 50 Black schools. Today, only three remain. Washington School is the only one left with the restoration potential. “From a personal perspective, I’ve been aware of Washington School for a long time,” Michelle Charles said, communications specialist for the City of Stillwater. “It was one of those things that was always on my radar, but one day they came to me, and they told me that an anonymous donor had come forward that would enable them to buy the school, and I almost cried.” In December, the City of Stillwater purchased the Washington School property with a gift of $250,000 from an anonymous donor. From there, community members, the Washington School Alumni Association and Mount Zion Baptist Church joined forces to begin the restoration process. “Because I have such a connection with it, and it has been such a long process, I was given the opportunity to coordinate things from the city side for this cleanup and work with
Rheagan Stinnett Booker T. Washington School is the only historically Black school left in Oklahoma with the restoration potential.
the different departments,” Charles said. “I have been very gratified to be able to work on this from the city’s side and make sure that we can provide whatever resources we have to make this happen. It’s kinda up to the community to make the most of those resources, and it seems like they’re doing it, and I’m thrilled with that.” Iris Slade, a Washington School Alumni, described the grounds as “a blessed land.” Since 2010, Slade has led the charge to get Washington School designated as a historic
property. Until recently, Slade has struggled to drum up support for the restoration project. “Everybody else has moved away. We have a few people that are still here that have some ties to it, but it was a struggle, Slade said. “I had no help until other people, the alumni, realized it could really be saved.” There are only two structures left today that represent the rich history of Stillwater’s Black community. “This building [Washington School] and this church [Lawson’s
Temple] are the only historical things that we have left, that’s it,” Slade said. “Anything of African Americans’ seems like they want to tear everything down, and we don’t get it.” Washington School first opened in 1908 at 619 W 12th Avenue. The school served students from kindergarten to eighth grade. Students would then have to travel out of town to attend high school. The community built today’s structure in 1938. The new building allowed high school students to attend Washington School. See Preservation on 7
Dancing for a dreamer
Money raised for undocumented students
Stephanie Landaverde Staff Reporter
Chase Davis Ben Abram pitched 5.2 innings vs Kansas on 110 pitches on Saturday.
3 takeaways
Cowboys clinch series win in Lawrence, look for sweep in tight Big 12 race OSU’s past nine games offensively have been a tale of two halves. From April 7 through April 15, the Cowboys held a five-game stretch scoring 21 total runs, averaging 4.2 per game in that span. The ensuing four featured 59 Daniel Allen combined runs plated, good enough Staff Reporter for an average of 14.75 runs per game. This includes 29 total in games one On Saturday afternoon, OSU and two against Kansas. did something it had only done once On Saturday, 10 different Cowbefore under Josh Holliday. boys recorded at least one of OSU’s Win a series in Lawrence vs 14 total hits – three of which held Kansas. multi-hit games. In six trips to Hoglund Ballpark Abram’s strong start: since 2013, the Cowboys have come Ben Abram wanted to record out as series victors twice, including quality performance after a disapSaturday – improving to 27-13 overall pointing ones his past two outings. and 10-7 in Big 12 play “I just want to be able to throw Here are three takeaways from a long game,” Abram said after a loss the Cowboys series-clinching, 14-3 to TCU. “I want to be able to get over win over the Jayhawks. that hump and give a good game.” Offense stays hot: See 3 Takeaways on 3
Bailando por un dreamer: dancing for a dreamer. Friday night, Sigma Lambda Beta, the Latin American Student Association, and the Latin Dancing and Cultural Club hosted “Bailando por un dreamer,” a Latin dance fundraising event in the Student Union ballroom. The goal of the event was to raise money to fund two scholarships for undocumented students at OSU: one undergraduate and one graduate student. A third $250 scholarship was given out randomly to someone who bought a presale ticket. Maggie Suter, a human science education freshman,
won the $250 scholarthe choice organization ship. of a fellow alumnus of “I think everythe fraternity. body deserves to have “[DAOK] helps an opportunity, espeadvocate for people of cially undocumented undocumented status as people,” said Jorge a whole, but one of their Osuna, photographer biggest things that they and community member do is advocate for unwho attended the event. documented students,” “They deserve to have Hernandez said. a chance to show who Hernandez said they really are and the DAOK helps undocuchance to get something mented students by to achieve their dreams familiarizing them with and goals.” the Deferred Action The event raised for Childhood Arrival over $1400. Half went application as well as toward the scholarships helping undocumented and the remaining funds people contact imare to be donated to migration lawyers and Dream Act Oklahoma, take practice exams for a nonprofit organizathe citizenship test. tion based in Oklahoma The event opened City that educates and its doors at 7:30 p.m. advocates for the local and had an hour of immigrant community. dance instruction beginFrancisco Hernan- ning at 8 p.m. A live dez, sociology junior, band, the Colao Band, membership educator played Latin music. of Sigma Lambda Betas Around 10:45 p.m. and co-chair of the Hernandez announced event, said while there the winner of the underare other organizagraduate scholarship: tions with similar goals Perla Rosales Avelar, in Oklahoma, Sigma junior in civil engineerLambda Betas chose ing. DAOK because it was See Dancing on 6
Stephanie Landaverde The goal of the event was to raise money to fund two scholarships for undocumented students at OSU: one undergraduate and one graduate student.