Rodessa High School is one of Louisiana’s many forgotten schools. In fact, Rodessa High School is one of Lousiana’s forgotten schools. Only so much is known about this high school. Many people have claimed the school to be “haunted”.
Rodessa High School was designed by Louisiana architect Seymour Van Os in 1937 as a two story brick building on a steel and concrete foundation and was built with acquired oil money and donations. The school building is about 33,437 square feet on 5 acres of land. Rodessa High School was built at a cost of $195,000. The two story building had 20 classrooms. The Rodessa High School building was a Public Works Administration building built in the 1930s as part of Lousiana’s New Deal heritage.
Classrooms for the 250 students were held in temporary buildings as the structure could not hold all of the students enrolled at this school at the time. 250 out of the 800 students attended classes in the temporary buildings until 1939.
Rodessa High School finally opened in September 1939. Enrollment in the beginning was 800 students. The first high school principal was Gladys Pitts Hendrick, a Rodessa native. Grades 1 through 11 were taught here. Rodessa High School (Rodessa School) was operated by Caddo Parish School District from 1939 to 1973 in Rodessa, Lousiana.
The first high school principal was Gladys Pitts Hendrick, a Rodessa native. Miss Gladys Hendrick was one of the first teachers at the school. (Ref: Shreveport Times, Page 7A, October 19, 1947)
In 1939, a tornado wiped out most of the town, but this school building somehow survived miraculously. Many people were killed in the tornado of 1939. Those killed in the 1939 tornado were buried in Tyson Cemetery, west of Rodessa High School.
A cemetery is located next to Rodessa High School and is called Tyson Cemetery. Tyson Cemetery was established sometime in the early 19th century. Several early 19th century interments can be found at this cemetery. This cemetery is still active. Modern headstones and fresh graves can be found.
Rodessa High School closed as a high school in 1955 when a new high school was built in nearby Vivian. The new North Caddo High School consolidated all of the high schools in the North Caddo Parish. The last senior class to graduate Rodessa High School was in 1955.
In 1956, Rodessa High School was renamed to Rodessa Elementary School (better known as Rodessa School) and remained that way until its closure. Rodessa School became a K-8 school for Caddo Parish School District. Once Rodessa High School closed, high school students had to start attending school in nearby Vivian, Louisiana to complete their education.
Rodessa High School was an all white school prior to 1965. The school desegregated in 1965 during the 1965-1966 school year.
After a high amount of asbestos was found in heater vent pipes by maintenance workers for the Caddo Parish School District, Rodessa High School was shut down effectively in 1973. Asbestos contributed to low test scores and appearent mesothelioma.Rodessa High School had also closed down due to a lack of funding, dwindling enrollment, and desegregation.
The gym had burned in a fire once after the school closed. So many people killed that they had to use the school as the morgue and also had to line the deceased up out front of the school as well as the back of the school. Many people have claimed Rodessa High School to be a “haunted school”. (Ref: HauntLA)
Someone at some point had set up a meth lab inside the former Rodessa High School. Exactly when is currently unknown. Over the years, the school was vandalized and stripped by scrappers. (Ref: uer.ca)
In 1996, there was a bit of debating about what to do with the former Rodessa High School property. However another discovery of asbestos was found. The heater vent pipes were made almost entirely of asbestos! So demolition would bankrupted the school district at the time. Nothing happened as a result. However the school district has evaluated the land and determined if there is a need for the land several times over the years.
In 2008, a group of ghost hunters were arrested for trespassing on the former Rodessa High School campus by the female sheriff deputy officer for the city of Rodessa. Several others have been given warnings by the female sheriff deputy officer to stay away from the property as it is unsafe. Several others have trespassed on the property including paranormal experts, ghost hunters, and urban explorers curious about what was left behind.
In 2016, a handful of newspapers reported about the Caddo Parish School District considering having Rodessa High School demolished.
In August 9, 2016, Caddo Parish School Board considered demolishing the old Rodessa High School as a recommendation from district staff. Shreveport Times reports the building is too far gone to renovate and it is currently not economically viable for remodeling. Caddo Parish School District Superintendent Lamar Goree says officials, school board members, and administrators have concerns and fear the building is too dangerous to remain in the community because of its structural condition. Not because it’s a huge building.
(Ref: Washington Times, Superintendent: Caddo school almost looks haunted, Wednesday, August 10, 2016)
(Ref: Associated Press, Wednesday, August 10, 2016)
(Ref: Shreveport Times)
Today the property is fenced with standard 6 foot chainlink and is overgrown with vegetation brush. Its interior has been vandalized severely. Most of windows are broken. The roof has deteriorated. The Rodessa High School building itself is contaminated with asbestos. Caddo Parish School District still owns the property. It is considered trespassing to enter the property and the building is unsafe.
Here is what you need to know if you plan on visiting. There is a house next door and directly across the street and the occupants are going to be watching your every move. They will send pitbulls to chase after you.
(Ref: uer.ca)
(Ref: Shreveport Times)
Rodessa High School is located at 9634 Rodessa Ida Road, Rodessa, Louisiana, US 71069.
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