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Original East End School, ~1910s
(Courtesy Durham Public Schools)
The East End Graded School, built in 1909, was the third graded school established for African-American children in Durham, after the Whitted School (at Ramsey and Proctor Streets in Hayti) and the West End Graded School. The locations of these schools reflected the locations of predominantly African-American neighborhoods at the turn of the 20th century. The original frame structure was 70 x 75 feet in size with 10 classrooms. In 1927, it enrolled 352 students. A 1927 writeup notes that a proposed "extension of Haywood Street into Drew Street" would "come close to the school."
Whether this or population growth necessitated a new structure, I'm not sure, but in 1932, a George Watts Carr-designed masonry structure replaced the original frame school.
Additions were added to the school in 1948 and 1961.
Throughout this period - for 36 years from 1930 until 1966 - F. D. Marshall served as principal at East End.
(Featured on front page of The Carolina Times, June 11, 1966. Shared by Natalie Creed, full paper online at DigitalNC.)
On April 24, 1963 the school burned quite badly.
Looking west, 04.42.63.
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
Looking northeast, 04.24.63.
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
Looking north, 04.24.63
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
Interior shot, after the fire, 04.24.63.
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
Interior shot, after the fire, 04.24.63.
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
Interior shot, after the fire, 04.24.63.
(Courtesy The Herald-Sun Newspaper)
But it appears that the remains of the school were repaired/rebuilt relatively quickly. The beginning of the end of segregated schools in Durham began in 1959, but court-ordered desegregation didn't occur until 1970-71. East End continued on after this period as a desegregated school, though like the surrounding neighborhood it remained predominantly African American.
School buildings, 07.02.84
I believe East End ceased to be a regular public school in the mid-1990s, but I don't know exactly which year.
Today the former school building appears to house a church: Bethel Family Worship Center.
Looking northeast from Dowd and Tucker Sts., 07.12.08
This building was the subject of a What's It Wednesday?! post on Open Durham's social media accounts (Facebook and Instagram), the week of March 20, 2019. Follow us and stay tuned for more finds!