Creston Hills Elementary School

City/Town: • Oklahoma City

Location Class: • School

Built: • 1934 | Abandoned: • 2008

Historic Designation: • African American Heritage Site

Status: • Abandoned • For Sale

Photojournalist: • Michael Schwarz

Table of Contents

In the early 1930s the Creston Hills neighborhood development was well underway with more than 40 new homes already built. Construction on the neighborhoods had started to slow as the new neighborhood became more established. The area was developed as a strict whites-only area of town at first, but the demographics would soon drastically change.

With the neighborhood growing the decision to erect a school came about around 1930. By 1931 a temporary two-room building was moved from the Harmony School grounds to a new foundation. Finishing touches to the interior commenced the week after. Around 50 children were expected to enroll in the brand new school from the nearby addition. It sat facing the city park with plenty of room for children to play and future expansions.

It wasn’t long before they outgrew the small structure and a more permanent and sufficiently sized building was fought for in 1933. A $32, 950 estimate was given on blueprints and materials for a building of dark brick. But funds for the building were harder than originally thought for the construction of the enlargement. This caused plans to be delayed several times and by November of 1933 it was the only building on a 14-project building program that had not had a contract let. In addition to lack of funds there was also an issue regarding the location. The school was to be built on the Southeast corner of the park, but Civic Club members called on the park board asking for a transfer of the location to the northwest corner. Requiring a technical transfer of property deed.

An agreement was made that reduced the cost of building to move the location to the Northwest corner of the park. But still there were more roadblocks, this time internally. The board members were split in a vote on whether or not to award the contract then or wait until the protest period was over. Funding was secured through the WPA and the following year work on the school would start.

Construction of Creston Hills Elementary School ca. 1934

Officially dedicated on November 9th 1934 with an open house and program. Conferences with teachers as parents toured their soon to be children’s classrooms. Doris Packham, a sixth grade student that would be enrolled that year made the speech of acceptance. It included four lavatories, seven closets, and 117 students within its first year open.

In the 1940s the demographics of the Creston Hills neighborhood had begun to change drastically. What was once a strict white development had started to turn into a predominately Black neighborhood as “boundaries” changed slowly throughout the decade.

In 1948-49 the school had once again become overcrowded and an addition for the school was underway, costing to start $93,121. This was the case for many schools in Oklahoma City built in the early years of the 20th century. As the population exploded, especially in the Creston Hills area the schools needed to expand to accommodate the growing population. A five-room addition and parking lot was added and officially open in 1950.

Creston Hills Elementary School was predominantly an African American school although it was integrated. It was the only school in the OKCPS system at the time with a minority-majority and it stayed this way even until its closure with a minority enrollment of 95%. In 1956 the minority-dominated school had an all-White faculty which often arose issues among parents, teachers, and students. The Black Dispatch reported that OKCPS began looking into the possibility of installing an all-Black faculty so that “philosophy of “as the student population goes so should the teachers go.”

Rumors circulated that the all-White faculty had put in requests for transfers to other schools to which Principal Evelyn Borah responded “A request for transfers is a personal matter, and a teacher’s prerogative.” Also pointing out that this was the season when most teachers put in transfer requests anyways. She followed it up by stressing that she did not believe any transfer requests were made out of personal bitterness or unhappiness in teaching in an integrated school. And Gilbert Robinson Director of Personnel with OKCPS backed up that statement by saying every teacher was given the option to continue teaching when the school became integrated or be transferred and all chose to stay. Ira D. Hall would become principal of the Creston Hills Elementary School beginning in the fall of 1956. He would head the all-Black faculty and was well qualified to do so.

Creston Hills Montessori Academy (CHMA)

In 1999 Creston Hills Elementary was reimagined as Creston Hills Montessori Academy, a magnet school for OKCPS. Magnet schools were designed to raise achievement scores and reduce racial isolation by offering specialized curriculum. These were referred to as several different names including enterprise, specialty, charter and magnet schools. Montessori, the theme Creston Hills took on is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. In Montessori classrooms children make creative choices in their learning, while the classroom and the highly trained teacher offer age-appropriate activities to guide the process.

The way this transformation was possible was through a federal magnet school fund. Over the next three years CHMA would receive $556,943 in federal funds. The target of these magnet schools were predominantly Black schools and again aimed at reducing racial isolation, in order to achieve this these schools would have enrollment open to students even outside of the neighborhood attendance zones.. CHMA relied on advice from the Oklahoma City University who provided training on how to implement the Montessori method.

But the first year of CHMA produced numbers less than expected. With the enrollment of 1998 consisted of 293 African American, 2 White, 5 Hispanic, and 1 Native American students. The first year of the magnet school consisted of 414 African American, 38 White, 11 Hispanic, and 5 Native American students. The amount of White students alone was 38 times that of last year, most would think this was a successful turnout but officials were less than impressed with the still very off balanced diversity.

But the magnet schools phased out throughout the early 2000s as well as many school consolidations and to allow for saving money to put towards the MAPS for Kids program. Creston Hills Montessori Academy absorbed around 150 students from one of Garden Oaks but CHMA was amongst one of the schools to fall victim in 2003 that would have all its students transferred to Moon Academy. The building wasn’t vacant for long though before it was in use again.

John Wesley Charter School

John Wesley Charter School began leasing the building in the building in fall of 2003. It served as a high school grades 9-12 and hovered around 100 students give or take. The school received no federal funding making it ineligible to accept transfers. But the school only lasted 5 years closing in 2008. The building has sat vacant ever since becoming a haven for illegal activities and vandals. Many neighbors concerned over about the possibility of a fire being started in the building like many others.

In recent years it has been a huge issue of abandoned properties left by OKCPS and Urban Renewal Authority. The Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority got the property from the city in December. Some of these structures include OKCPS Admin Building, Columbus Elementary, Whittier School and loads more. But in 2022 when confronted about the many vacant properties that are piling up code violations, Urban Renewal owner of Creston Hills, said they ARE making attempts to get the building into new hands. “We have been putting signs up in the area to try and find a buyer,” said a spokesperson.

This seems like hardly an effort to get the building into developing hands but there have also been talks that the organization is considering tearing down the accessory structures around the school, but leaving the school building itself intact. It seems like a looming fate for the entire property is demolition like so many others in OKC.

Gallery Below of Creston Hills Elementary School

Bibliography

https://www.newspapers.com/image/444467943/?terms=creston%20hills%20school%20negro&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/444473585/?terms=%22creston%20hills%20school%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/594896484/?terms=creston%20hills%20school%20negro&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/594897907/?terms=%22creston%20hills%20school%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/444478788/?terms=%22creston%20hills%20school%22&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/594927875/?terms=%22creston%20hills%20school%22&match=1

https://www.livingplaces.com/OK/Oklahoma_County/Oklahoma_City/Creston_Hills.html

https://www.newspapers.com/image/872013701/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/872013825/?terms=creston%20hills%20school&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/449542514/?terms=creston%20hills%20school&match=1

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2006/04/23/magnet-school-concept-phased-outbrin-city-district-other-options-chosen-charter-enterprise-specialty/61888786007/

https://www.newspapers.com/image/454896244/?terms=creston%20hills%20school&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/454713889/?terms=creston%20hills%20school&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/455340873/?terms=creston%20hills%20school&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/455043218/?terms=creston%20hills%20school&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/451688932/?terms=%22john%20wesley%22%20charter%20school&match=1

[Photograph 2012.201.B0148.0348], photograph, 1934; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc313710/: accessed February 7, 2021), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.

[Photograph 2012.201.B0148.0347], photograph, October 30, 1935; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc316217/: accessed February 7, 2021), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/444473585/?terms=creston%20hills%20school&match=1

https://www.newspapers.com/image/594890872/?terms=creston%20hills%20school&match=1

https://okcfox.com/newsletter-daily/empty-creston-hills-school-building-causing-headaches-for-officials-residents-elementary-abandoned-oklahoma-city-okc-urban-renewal-authority-alliance-economic-development-code-enforcement

If you wish to support our current and future work, please consider making a donation or purchasing one of our many books. Any and all donations are appreciated.

Donate to our cause Check out our books!

Creston Hills alumni, what happened to our school? I attended Creston Hills when it was only Kindergarten to Fourth grade…..Top three teachers that I will never forget….Mrs. Keaton (4th grade teacher) wrote, casted, directed and played the piano for all of the plays……Ms. Lang (3rd grade teacher) she instilled a healthy fear in all students sitting at the end of the hall making sure no one was acting up in the hallway….and Ms. Powell (2nd grade teacher) great teacher. I now live in Los Angeles, CA. Viewing these pictures make me sad to see all of my elementary memories reduced to rubble. That school is an iconic monument for me….Fix it Jesus.

ii attend creston hills K 6 enjoyed everyday liked my teachers its sad that its just a waste so many need that neighbor hood schools my happist time there when I was picked to become to be a JR POLICE those were good days

I too attended Creston Hills ('84-'88). Made my first friends there and think of those days often. Have since moved away,but will never forget Chieftain pride! Miss it a lot.

Everyone should help Annette turn it into a Charter school. She has great visions for helping the community. We are prayer partners.

Tammy Anderson?!!!!?

I attended Creston Hills back in the 70's when it was a 5th year center. I loved that school! I was introduced to the Arts there. I learned how to play the violin and had my first Art and Gymnastics classes. We felt like we were in a performing arts school. I hate to hear that it closed down and is in disrepair.

Thats because okcps board invest more money in the suburb areas or certain schools and where all the blacks schools or were the black Children attend they tell us we cost them more money. So basically what has happen our schools has been shut down our Children bused across town also they have found away to try an go back to segregate us back together look at Douglas, shut down Parker elementary & combine Parker & Green pasture schools together also moved Martin Luther King schl. Just look around Our schools have been made charter schools and there's a waiting list sad. But we as the people let these things happen

All of the Eastside Schools were good back then !!
The good memories that I have decades later, I seem
to laugh myself silly !!! Seasons change and so
do the times, but the memories will last forever !!!

I want to Creston Hills and had to walk to school from N.E. 15th. Margie & Helen Byrd— It's really sad to see the school in such a condition. I remember being in band there,being chased home by many school kids, my first school crush. Wow !!!!!!

theo washington is my dad

i live right acroos the street from there and all my family went there and we are still in the same old house and we loved that school hated to see it shut down and now it a waste of land and we still need it to educate the kids on samething to due to stay off the street make good out of the old hillside pride

I also attended school there (89-94). Made alotta good friends and miss them all. As a person who is familiar with the area I get sick everytime I pass the school. I can still hear all my friends running around and remember the goings on on the playground. I hear the okc pd bought the school and will make a subdivision, yeah, two years later still no poe-poe. That school was a great place to get an education and the teachers were top notch. Much love to my fellow Chieftains and Tigers, I remember the vote to change the name do you? P.S. I married a neighborhood girl from Creston Hills (Aleicia H.) 2 kids and 2 decades later we still laugh about me being a rapping wolf one year and rockabilly Santa the next. AAAAhhhh yessss, those were the days.

I attended Creston Hills elemantary as a kid. The school was a wonderful place full of learning and children interation. I have peers that I will remember for a life time that went to this school. There will never be another school like this.

I went to 2nd grade at this school, around 1968. Almost drowned in the swimming pool.

I have to agree with Ninja. This school could have served an area that really needs good education and opportunities.

Another Oklahoma City Public School shut down because of low funding and enrollment.

Creston Hills Elementary School