Written by John McElligott 6/18/2020 and Re-Posted 1/18/2021
George Washington Carver High School
Location
1300 East Wall
Midland, Texas
U.S.
Type | Public
Nickname | Hornets, Texas State Champions Football & Basket Ball 1961 & 1963
Education for the black children of Midland started in 1931 within the Greater St. Luke Church. In 1933, the first public school for blacks was built at the location that would later become Carver Junior-Senior High School and eventually Carver Cultural Center. After the death of George Washington Carver, the school was renamed in his honor. In 1949, enrollment reached 550, and in 1950 a six-room brick building was raised, which included a gym, an auditorium, a book room, dark room, and was the beginning of generations of students and athletes and families that became memorable.
Carver was a place that I never saw personally, but have recently read about it’s name sake and remember a baseball pitcher named Marshall King. He was 6 feet tall when I was 9y/o playing for the Mac’s in a practice game. They kicked our butts and I struck out 3 times. In addition later in the 60’s we played pony league ball all together. Later the leagues were all mixed and included our Mexican classmates as well. The big story about Carver is they won the 1961 Texas State Football Championship the first in the history of Midland. In addition in 1963 our Black Brothers won the Texas State Basketball Championship. Keep in mind they did it with hand me down equipment!!
However, Carver was still separate from Midland High and Lee High till around 1968 when the transfer started. Only Seniors remained at Carver for that last year. So we need to find some transfers from that era and ask them what they think. Where is Billy Godwin when you need him since everyone on the other side of the tracks new him well. Billy never had an enemy except when the Canadians kicked him out of their country for reasons that are still top secret.