Some history of Olive Heights Junior High School in Waco, Texas explained and explored.

This news article will explain some of the history behind one of the forgotten schools of Waco, Texas. That school is a junior high school called Olive Heights Junior High School.

Olive Heights Junior High School was established as Olive Heights Junior High School for Negroes in the Olive Heights neighborhood of Waco by La Vega Public Schools (now La Vega ISD) sometime during the 20th century. Exactly when is unknown however. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/53095675/)

The girls basketball team from Jefferson-Moore High School beat Olive Heights Junior High School on 12-6 win during 1941. That was Coach Dutch Meyer's description of the spring session. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/85550148/)

 

After leaving Paul Quinn College, J. W. Yancy served as principal for the Olive Heights Junior High School and the J. Newton Jenkins Elementary School. Waco News-Tribune reported J. W. Yancy was principal of Olive Heights Junior High school for negroes, east of the city​. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/53095675/)

Olive Heights Junior High School was under the direction of Waco ISD in 1950 during the 1949-1950 school year. School resumed on Monday, January 2, 1950. Waco ISD annexed Olive Heights Junior High School into their school district. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=35318067&fcfToken=ey)

Olive Heights Junior High School was rebuilt entirely as a new building in the year of 1951 during the 1950-1951 school year. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/47984537/)

“Plans for the new school building for Negro children of the La Vega district will be presented to patrons of the Olive Heights School Tuesday. Feb, 27, at 8 p.m„ according to J. W. Yancy II, principal. A special program in which all grades of the school are to participate is to be given in connection with the other features of the program.”

 

Now what led to the demise of Olive Heights Junior High School and its closure is unknown. What is known is that Olive Heights Junior High School no longer exists today. The building had been demolished a long time.

Olive Heights Junior High School was located somewhere along Spring Street & East 7th Street, Waco, Texas, US 76704.