South Park High School

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and here's how I'm gonna tell it to you. Back in 1922 and 1923, the South Park Independent School District built something in Beaumont that turned out to be a lot more than just a high school. One building, one address, and somehow it was pullin' double duty right from the start.

While South Park High School was holdin' classes, so was South Park Junior College, and they shared that same roof for ten years. Ten years. Now that's a building that knew how to stay busy.

Then 1932 rolls around, and the junior college gets a new name: Lamar Junior College. Just like that. And if you know anything about Beaumont, you know that name kept on growin'.

By 1971, Lamar Junior College had become Lamar University. But here's the thing: the college had already packed up and moved to its own campus back in 1942, leaving South Park High School to carry on alone. And carry on it did.

All the way to 1986. That's when South Park High School was merged with West Brook High School, and the old building became a junior high school. A new chapter written right on top of the old ones.

The marker puts it plainly, and I think it puts it right: South Park High School represents both the past and future of education in Beaumont. One building, a whole lot of story.

What the marker says

Built by the South Park Independent School District in 1922-1923, this structure also housed classes of South Park Junior College for ten years. Renamed Lamar Junior College in 1932 and Lamar University in 1971, the college institution moved to its own campus in 1942. South Park High School remained at this location until 1986, when it was merged with West Brook High School and this facility became a junior high school. South Park High School represents both the past and future of education in Beaumont.