A&M students provide glimpse into Lincoln Center’s past

Lincoln School TAMU Arch Interpretation 4

On Tuesday night, I had the pleasure of viewing an interpretive architectural model of Lincoln School (1941-1965) that was presented by group of Texas A&M architecture majors. Their assignment was to render their interpretations of College Station’s Lincoln School and Bryan’s Kemp High School, both of which were segregated African-American schools.

The intriguing concept behind the project was to depict Lincoln School as it might stand today if much of the campus has not been destroyed by fire in 1966. The surviving buildings became the Lincoln Recreation Center in 1980.

Based on oral histories and the memories of former students, these talented young people captured a close and accurate portrayal of the schools. The former students were extremely proud, and emotionally moved, to see what they thought had been lost of their academic heritage.

A video presentation of this project will be presented to the City of College Station in commemoration of our 75th Anniversary.

As a side note, Russell Reid, an A&M architecture professor formerly of Mural Works, was also in attendance. He is the artist who created the impressive mural known as “Heroes” that’s located inside the Lincoln gym today.

After working here for almost two decades, I now have a much better grasp of the history of Lincoln School. I also see Phase 4 of the W.A. Tarrow-Lincoln Corridor Master Plan as a fulfillment, and maybe even restoration, of what was lost. The plan doesn’t replace the many buildings that were lost in the 1966 fire, but it does affirm the Parks & Recreation Department’s commitment to its mission:

To provide a diversity of facilities and leisure services which are geographically and demographically accessible to our citizens.”

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Lance Jackson

 
 
Lance Jackson
Supervisor | Lincoln Recreation Center
 
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