Greenville’s Washington Elementary and High School was open for less than a decade, but it had an outsized impact on the Washington Heights community and the students who attended there, many of whom went on to excel in sports, cultural and leadership roles.
Now that a new maintenance facility for Greenville Transit Authority is under construction on the former school grounds, alumni are working to ensure its legacy is not forgotten. They are raising funds for a monument to celebrate the school’s success and serve as a reminder of what’s possible when a community supports its young people and their education.
Washington School Monument WHS Students from the 1968 yearbookWashington School opened in 1961, after Brown v. Board of Education ruled segregation unconstitutional, and closed in 1970 when the ruling began to be enforced. It was built to relieve overcrowding at other local schools for Black students, drawing from neighborhoods like West Greenville, Travelers Rest and Piney Mountain. Charles Gardner, monument committee chair of the Washington Elementary and High School Alumni Association, said there were long-standing athletic and other rivalries between some groups that raised concerns.
“They selected students from neighborhoods that didn’t get along. Some said, ‘It won’t work; the situation will blow up.’ But once they got there, they gelled,” Gardner said.
Gardner credited Principal J. Wilbur Walker with fostering unity by creating a nurturing atmosphere that encouraged achievement while supporting students’ mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
“If you said, ‘I’m hungry,’ he would give you something to eat. If you didn’t have any money, he would get lunch for you,” Gardner said of Walker. “The school was unique. It was a special place, a caring place. I wanted to go to school — it was the place to be. That kept a lot of kids in school until they graduated.”
In a podcast featuring members of the alumni association, “The Mighty Few: Exploring the History and Legacy of Washington Elementary and High School on Apple Podcasts,” former students recalled how happy and proud they were to attend the school, despite passing by several closer ones as they were bussed there. They also recounted the school’s lack of resources — sports teams using other schools’ old equipment and band uniforms creatively sourced from thrift stores.
“We had a beautiful lab with no Bunsen burners,” Gardner said. “They were teaching using the telephone book and income tax forms.”
With genuine care for their students, the educators overcame these obstacles, providing what they could for those in need and keeping expectations high.
“If you weren’t performing, it was nothing to see teachers show up at your house,” Gardner said. “They demanded that you excel. You were expected to come to learn.”
The school’s sports teams and musical ensembles excelled as well, sometimes besting larger and better-equipped competitors. Despite its short history, the school produced professional football and baseball players and others who went on to prominent careers in the arts.
Gardner’s own trajectory includes attending Voorhees College, serving on a nuclear submarine, promoting literacy at the Greenville County Library and serving as community services director for the city of Greenville. He is one of many who went on to fill vital roles a variety of fields. Alumni continue to gather every year in September for a weekend celebration.
When New Washington Heights residents protested the building of the GreenLink facility in their neighborhood, Gardner and others worked to find ways to meet the needs of all. The proposed monument became part of a plan that includes walking trails from the neighborhood to a park designated for community use and a community room named for Principal Walker.
The Community Foundation of Greenville is administering a fund for this project. To donate, visit cfgreenville.org/giving/donate/ and choose “Washington School Monument Fund” from the drop-down menu.
The Mighty Few: Exploring the History and Legacy of Washington Elementary and High School on Apple Podcasts is a reflection on a pivotal time in Greenville’s history. It is available in podcast apps.
