Now a charter school called “Jacksonville Classical Academy”.

2043 Forest Street

Old schools demolished and rebuilt on the same property

The original Forest Park Elementary School  # 104 was built at the corner of Forest and Goodwin in 1954 in what is called Mixon Town.  The building was one of the schools listed in the Negro Schools of Duval County booklet of 1955 and erected as one of the “separate but equal” schools. In 1954 the Supreme Court deemed segregated schools unconstitutional which called for the desegregation of children including transferring and bussing. Forest Park was built to house some 1,000 school children.Sylvia wrote on a Facebook link, “We were the last class at Forest Park.  We were separated by our last names to attend (the other schools.). We were put on a yellow bus.”

That comment and others are on  “Forest Park Elementary School Alumni” Facebook page with over 500 members. The love for their former school and teachers is obvious even though there were concerns regarding the property.

The positive comments reflect their love for their teachers and staff members.  One who turned 100 years old in 2020 was Catherine Whitehead Terry.   Greg wrote of her: “ ‘Loved Ms. Whitehead, she was a very special, caring teacher and made us feel so special”.  Patricia wrote of her, “She was one of my favorite teachers at Forest Park”. Harriet wrote, “She was a very good teacher”. Greg wrote: “ Not only a very special teacher, she was a very special person who cared about people period”. 

Other comments include a great many about the “garbage landfill” nearby and the stench from it.  For example, Henry wrote. “ I remember the garbage dump next to the school, the door and smoke when they burned trash or the smell from Jones Chambliss , or the smell from the 3 chicken houses or the smell from the McCoys creek, we would have to close the windows when the smell got too bad”. 

According to an “Abandoned Florida” website writing, the city dumped combustion ash which was spread around the area including in the nearby McCoy’s Creek. The writer wrote: “The EPA’s investigation found ash deposits in the ground soil typically less than 2 feet thick but was as thick as 10 feet deep in some areas. The deepest ash deposits were located adjacent to McCoy Creek. While the Forest Street Incinerator Site covered approximately 10.5 acres, the total area impacted by the ash was approximately 27 to 29 acres.”  As a result, Forest Park and Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary with a similar concern were permanently closed.   Following closure, cleanup groups began digging up soil and later demolishing Forest Park school.

Today, Google indicates that Mixon Town has a population of some 1,205 residents.   In riding through the neighborhood, it remains predominately Black.  On Sunday the parking lot of the area church was full with congregants going in and out.    Many homes in the area have been recently purchased and new construction is going up in pockets of the area. Behind the school there remains a lot of large equipment including dump trucks, excavators, backhoes and more so work is still being done.

The new Forest Park school which opened in 2020 under the name “Jacksonville Classical Academy” has begun serving K-6 with approximately 500 students attending selected by random lottery. Grades are being added and over time is expected to house K-12th grades.  

According to the charter school website: The Jacksonville Classical Academy is a “charter school and accredited by the NCA, Cognia organization and promoted by Hillsdale College with this comment on their website: Jacksonville Classical Academy (JXC) has been supported from the start up until now by the Barney Charter School Initiative (BCSI) of Hillsdale College and have met their benchmarks along the way. JXC receives training and support from BCSI each year. Jacksonville Classical Academy is a Licensed User of the Hillsdale College K-12 Curriculum.”  

Oh, the powers that be kept the old Community Center and are at this time having it painted and referbing the inside.

See you tomorrow,

Nan

Sources:  Abandoned Florida, David Bullit, EPA, Facebook Alumni page for Forest Park, Google Search, Personal visit. Negro Schools of Duval County, 1955, University of Florida, George A. Smathers Library. 

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