Lucille Hunter Elementary School

Last updated
Lucille Hunter Elementary School
Lucille Hunter School.jpg
View of the front entrance to the school in 2024
Address
Lucille Hunter Elementary School
1018 East Davie Street

Raleigh
,
North Carolina
27601

United States
Coordinates 35°46′28″N78°37′22″W / 35.77444°N 78.62278°W / 35.77444; -78.62278
Information
School type Public (Magnet, GT, AIG) Primary
Motto"It's happening at Hunter!"
Established1927
School district Wake County Public Schools
PrincipalH. Trent Evans (interim)
Enrollment700+ [1]
Campus typeUrban
Color(s) Navy blue   and gold  
MascotEagle
Website Hunter Elementary

Lucille Hunter GT/ AIG Basics Magnet Elementary School, also known as Hunter Magnet Elementary School, formerly Lucille Hunter School, is a historically black elementary school for academically intellectually gifted students in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. Hunter Elementary offers Gifted & Talented curriculum and was Wake County's first magnet school. [1] The school was the first school in North Carolina to be named after an African-American educator. [2]

Contents

History

Hunter Elementary is named after Lucille Hunter who, born in 1883 to former slaves in Wilmington, North Carolina, was an educator that taught in Raleigh's segregated black schools for over forty years, including a position as a third grade teacher at the now demolished Washington School. At the time of her death in 1926, she was teaching at disestablished Crosby-Garfield school. The decision to name the school after Hunter was reached after her former students and colleagues lobbied the Raleigh Township Committee. [3]

From 1833 to 1840, the ten acres (4.0 ha) of land that the school was later built on was a quarry that yielded stone for the North Carolina State Capitol. Later, the plot was used for public executions. The Raleigh school board purchased the land on July 14, 1926. [2]

Construction of the school was completed in 1927, funded by money from a bond issue. At the time of its opening, racial segregation laws were in place in North Carolina. Hunter served black students from first grade to seventh grade, and had black faculty and staff. Most of the school's books were handed down from white institutions, and fundraisers occasionally had to be held to purchase new ones. The Great Depression in 1929 brought economic hardship on students, and some had to drop out in order to support their families. [3]

In 1935 the Garfield section of the Crosby-Garfield School in Raleigh was damaged by a fire. Students attended classes at Hunter until repairs were finished in 1939. [4] [5]

By 1953, the seventh grade class was moved to Washington Graded and High School, leaving Hunter with only grade one through six. [3]

Early in the morning of January 22, 1965, a large fire engulfed Hunter, [6] completely destroying the school's main wing. [7] Teachers were awoken and came to save records from the blaze. The cafeteria and gymnasium were not seriously damaged. Two 14-year-old students were later held responsible for burglarizing the school and igniting the drapes in the auditorium. They were reprimanded and sent to a reform school. Classes were held in Hunter's basement and at John W. Ligon Junior-Senior High School until repairs were completed. [3]

In 1971, all Wake County schools were desegregated and Hunter became a center for sixth-grade students. At the time, single grade schools were seen as a less controversial way to get communities to agree to integration. Needed repairs that had been previously ignored were quickly addressed. [3] In 1978, after the merger of the Raleigh City and Wake County Public School Systems, Hunter became the county's first magnet elementary school, serving grades kindergarten through six, offering a program for academically gifted children. [1] This was seen as a way to attract students from West Raleigh to remedy the school's falling enrollment. Hunter was the first Wake County school to have teachers certified to instruct Gifted & Talented classes. In the 1980s the sixth grade was dropped from the school. [3]

In the 1990s the school was featured in a broadcast on ABC's Good Morning America, where psychologist Robert Sternberg's theories on intelligence were tested on students. [3]

Hunter celebrated its 75th anniversary during the 2002-2003 school year and obtained a portrait of Lucille Hunter, now displayed in the school's media center. [3]

Awards

In 2013, Hunter received a School of Distinction merit award from the Magnet Schools of America (MSA) trade organization. [8]

In 2014, Hunter received a bronze award from Advocates for Health in Action. [9] That same year it received a School of Excellence merit award from the MSA. [10]

In 2016, Hunter received the School of Excellence Award from the MSA. [11]

Notable alumni

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apex, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Apex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. At its southern border, Apex encompasses the community of Friendship. In 1994, the downtown area was designated a historic district, and the Apex train depot, built in 1867, is designated a Wake County landmark. The depot location marks the highest point on the old Chatham Railroad, hence the town's name. The town motto is "The Peak of Good Living".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garner, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Garner is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 31,159 as of the 2020 census. A suburb of Raleigh, the city limits are entirely within Wake County, though portions of unincorporated Wake County, as well as the Cleveland community in northern Johnston County, have Garner mailing addresses. It is part of the Research Triangle region of North Carolina and serves as a bedroom community for the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knightdale, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Knightdale is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Knightdale has a population of 19,435, up from 11,401 in 2010. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the town's population to be 17,843, as of July 1, 2019. Knightdale's population grew 10.4% from 2010 to 2013, making it the second fastest-growing community in the Research Triangle region for that time period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zebulon, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Zebulon is the easternmost town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 6,903 at the 2020 census. Zebulon is part of the Research Triangle metropolitan region. In May 2022, Zebulon was ranked North Carolina's second fastest growing town, only behind neighboring Wendell.

Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School is a magnet high school in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It opened in 1997 as a magnet school with a focus on math, science, and technology. The current magnet theme is University Connections, which focuses on providing students with interactions and experiences with colleges, universities, and workplace environments while still in high school. The school operates on a modified calendar, with the fall semester usually starting in late July and with longer, more frequent breaks during the school year, completing classes before the end of May.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enloe High School</span> American public, magnet school in North Carolina

William G. Enloe GT/IB Magnet Center for the Humanities, Sciences and the Arts, also known as Enloe Magnet High School or Enloe High School, is a public magnet high school offering Gifted & Talented and International Baccalaureate programs located in eastern Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. It is operated under the Wake County Public School System. The first integrated public high school in the city of Raleigh, it was named after William Gilmore Enloe, the Mayor of Raleigh at the time the school was opened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athens Drive High School</span> Public school in North Carolina, United States

Athens Drive Magnet High School, formerly known as Athens Drive High School, is a secondary Wake County public high school in southwestern Raleigh, North Carolina, that serves grades 9–12. As of 2023–2024, the school has 2,062 enrolled students and approximately 127 hired educators. It is also part of the Wake County Public School System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wake County Public School System</span> School district in North Carolina, United States

The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is a public school district located in Wake County, North Carolina. With 159,995 students in average daily membership and 198 schools as of the 2023–24 school year, it is the largest public school district in North Carolina and 14th-largest in the United States as of 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Hope High School</span> Public school in Cary, North Carolina, US

Green Hope High School is a secondary school located at 2500 Carpenter Upchurch Road in Cary, North Carolina. It is a part of the Wake County Public School System. Green Hope High School has a current enrollment of over 2,000 students, and is one of the highest performing high schools in North Carolina. After only ten years as a Wake County High School, Green Hope earned the North Carolina Honor School of Excellence designation, an honor that only a few high schools in North Carolina have achieved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ligon Middle School (North Carolina)</span> Public (magnet) school in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

John W. Ligon GT/AIG Basics Magnet Middle School, formerly John W. Ligon Junior-Senior High School, is a public magnet middle school in the Wake County Public School System located in the Chavis Heights neighborhood of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was historically an all black high school in Raleigh until it was integrated in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broughton High School (North Carolina)</span> Public school in North Carolina, United States

Needham B. Broughton High School, commonly known as Broughton High School, is one of thirty-two high schools in the Wake County Public School System. It is located at 723 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Broughton was named after businessman and politician, Needham B. Broughton, who contributed much to the public schools of the Raleigh area. Broughton is known for its castle-like stone facade design and tall bell tower. The architect was William Henley Deitrick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Gaston Pearson</span>

William Gaston Pearson (1858–1947) was an American educator and businessman in North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syracuse City School District</span> School district in the U.S. state of New York

The Syracuse City School District is a public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Syracuse, New York. The district includes the entire city limits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolyn Hunt</span> First Lady of North Carolina

Carolyn Joyce Hunt is an American educator and politician who, as the wife of Jim Hunt, served as the Second Lady of North Carolina from 1973 to 1977 and twice-served as the First Lady of North Carolina, from 1977 to 1985 and again from 1993 to 2001. She is the longest serving first lady in North Carolina history and she and her husband were the first governor and first lady to serve two four-year terms in North Carolina. As first lady, she served as the Chairwoman of the advisory council for the Governor's Office of Citizen Affairs, which promoted volunteerism throughout the state, and as Chairwoman of the North Carolina Friendship Force Program, a chapter of Friendship Force International, which promoted international student exchange programs in state public schools. In between her terms as first lady, she served on the board of directors and the executive committee of Friendship Force International and, in 1986, was elected to the Wilson County Public School Board.

Maycie Herrington was an African-American history conservator, social worker, and community volunteer known for her work to preserve the history of the Tuskegee Airmen. She was involved with the Tuskegee Airmen from World War II, when she worked for the Red Cross while her husband Aaron trained to become a fighter pilot. Herrington died on May 24, 2016, at the age of 97.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Magnet Elementary School</span> Historic school building in North Carolina, United States

Washington Magnet Elementary School is a historic school and building located at Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. It was built in 1923-1924 to serve African-American students in Raleigh and is now a magnet elementary school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vernon Malone College and Career Academy</span> American public, magnet, secondary school in North Carolina

Vernon Malone College and Career Academy (VMCCA), is one of the flagship schools of Wake County Public School System. It is an application-based early college in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. The building was formerly a Coca-Cola bottling plant before being renovated to its current configuration.: It was first opened in 2014 as a career and technical education institution focusing on college and career readiness. It has six programs offered to students through Wake Technical Community College which include; Biopharmaceutical Technology, Cosmetology, Multi-Trades/Facilities Technology, Nurse Aide, Simulation and Game Development, and Welding. The school is formally a part of the Wake County Public School System. Their official mascot is a Silverhawk.

Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy (WYMLA) is a public secondary school for boys in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is a part of Wake County Public School System.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "School Information". Hunter Magnet Elementary School. Wake County Public School System . Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  2. 1 2 "History". Hunter Magnet Elementary School. Wake County Public School System . Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Vinegar, Iris june (2002). Kushner, Christine (ed.). "Hunter's Heritage" (PDF). Hunter Magnet Elementary School. Lucille Hunter Elementary School PTA. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  4. ↑ Barbee, Jennie M (1943). Historical sketches of the Raleigh Public Schools, 1876-1941-1942. Raleigh, North Carolina: Barbee Pupils' Association.
  5. ↑ "Crosby-Garfield School". www.ncsu.edu. North Carolina State University. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "School Fire Believed Set By Vandals". The Dispatch . Raleigh, NC. 22 January 1965. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  7. ↑ Fire Engineering. Vol. 118. Technical Pub. 1965. p. 81.
  8. ↑ "2013 Schools of Distinction" (PDF). magnet.edu. Magnet Schools of America. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "Brains & Bodies Awards | Advocates for Health in Action". Archived from the original on 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
  10. ↑ "23 Wake magnet schools earn national honor". WRAL.com. Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  11. ↑ Hui, T. Keung (2 March 2016). "27 Wake County magnet schools win national awards". The News and Observer . Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Maycie Herrington's Biography". Thehistorymakers.com. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.