Valena C. Jones School (Mississippi)
School in Hancock County, US 1892–1969
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Valena C. Jones School (1892–1969) also known as Bay St. Louis Negro School, was a public school for African American students in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, US. The school offered classes for first grade through tenth grade.[2] The former school building is part of the Old Bay St. Louis Historic District, and is listed as a contributing property by the National Register of Historic Places, since July 8, 2010;[3] and listed as a Mississippi Landmark since May 26, 2023.[1]
| Valena C. Jones School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
310 Old Spanish Trail, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, US | |
| Coordinates | 30.309730°N 89.343177°W |
| Information | |
| Former name | Bay St. Louis Negro School |
| Established | 1892 |
| Closed | 1969 |
| Grades | 1–10th |
| Designation | Mississippi Landmark |
| Designation date | May 26, 2023[1] |
History
It was founded as the Bay St. Louis Negro School in 1892.[1] The school was renamed after Valena Cecelia MacArthur Jones (1872–1917), a noted 19th-century African American educator, who served as the principal at the school from 1892 until 1897.[4][5][6]
A one-story, L-plan, modern style brick school building was constructed in 1947, at 310 Old Spanish Trail.[3][1] In 1969, the school closed.
From 1969 to 1972, the campus was reopened and served as a primary school until its full closure.[4] After the campus served as the Hancock County branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast.[4] The Valena C. Jones Memorial United Methodist Church (1926) at 248 Sycamore Street is located nearby.[3]
Notable alumni
- Beverly Anderson (born 1943), mathematician and professor emeritus at University of the District of Columbia[2]
