OSU Involvement at Washington School

In the Spring of 2021, OSU Public History students teamed up with Civil and Environmental Engineering students to conduct a survey and assessment of the buildings. Findings included discovering significant damage to the kitchen located at the back of the gymnasium, as well as to the East wing of the classrooms, which endured a fire. While the gymnasium and the original front classrooms sustained some flooding damage, the buildings were found to be structurally sound. Perhaps the biggest surprise came from the auditorium, which continued to serve as a community events venue for decades after Washington School ceased to offer classes for students. There is no evidence that recent flood waters have entered this space.

In Spring 2022, Dr. Laura Arata and Dr. Mette Flynt co-taught a Historic Preservation course which allowed students to gain hands on experience with preservation projects. A team was assigned to Booker T. Washington school: Macy Jennings (Art History graduate student), Yixin Wang (Art History graduate student), and Olive Galvez (Environmental History undergraduate student). This group was tasked to determine the school’s National Historic Register of Places (NRHP) nomination eligibility, and implement an online component to the already established exhibition at the Sheerar Museum.

During the course of the semester, State Historic Preservation Officer Matt Pearce came to speak to the class. This allowed for students to ask questions caters to their individual projects. After speaking with Pearce, the team was able to conclude that the nomination should include local level of significance, and mirror after similar, successful nominations relevant to black education. This group of students completed several vital elements of the NRHP nomination, which included the recommendation to demolish the two wings. This would mean only the original school building’s structure would be listed. Going forward, there are possibilities for this space and how it could serve the current Black Stillwater community. If Oklahoma State University could acquire the funds to purchase, restore, and repair Washington School, it could serve as a hub for black students attending the college. The funding could come from re-creating the main gymnasium into a coffee shop, and become a communal space for excellence and learning. Such a coffee shop could also employee student workers, only adding to the contributions to black student success. Murals could be utilized to cover up the graffiti.