A Look at Carver Middle School's Rich Heritage

Carver Middle School has a rich and varied history for providing education to the youth of Leesburg and its surrounding communities.  To truly appreciate all that has been accomplished here on our campus; we need to go back to our schools roots.

The first school for blacks in Leesburg was formed in 1876 in a building where St. Stephen A.M.E. Church is now located.  The school was relocated several times over the next forty-five years, including buildings on the site of the MT. Olive Progressive Baptist Church, Mike Street, and Main Street.  Until in 1921, a committee led by Mrs. Catherine Minister purchased property on Washington Street in order to provide for an urgently needed permanent building for their students.  The new structure was named Lake County Training School and opened its doors in 1922.  The school had an enrollment of less than one hundred students and only five faculty members.  Over time the school grew and in 1925 it was expanded from grades 1 through 8 to grades 1 through 10.  By May of 1933 there were over three hundred students and the first twelfth grade class had its commencement ceremonies.

Under the leadership of Perman E. Williams, Lake County Training School set its sights on gaining accreditation by the Southern Association of Secondary Schools.  To accomplish this, Mr. Williams spearheaded the separation of the elementary and secondary grades.  Thirty-six acres of land was purchased on Beecher Street to house a new black high school.  1954, Carver Heights High School opened its doors to students in the seventh through twelfth grades with Mr. Williams at the helm as the first principal.

Mr. Williams went on to become the first president of Johnson Junior College.  In need of a campus, a new classroom block was added at the north end of Carver Heights's campus.  For the next three years, 1962-1965, the campus served the needs of both the seventh through twelfth grade high school students and that of college youths from the African-American community.

The Desegregation Act of 1964 saw Johnson Junior College merging with Lake Sumter Community College and relocating to a new campus.  Carver Heights High School continued to operate until 1968 when grades nine through twelve were integrated into Leesburg High School.  The seventh and eighth grades remained to form the foundation for Leesburg Junior High.  The new Junior High opened its doors on August 20, 1968 with 846 students and forty-five teachers.  The school was eventually renamed Carver Middle School in the 1980s.

As Carver Middle School continues to strive to meet the changing needs of the our community, a new campus has been designed to emphasis the growing role of technology in education.  In August of 2006, Carver sets out on the next leg of its journey by becoming a technology school for Lake County School complete with brand new building, classrooms, and equipment.  Under the leadership of Mrs. Linda Shepherd, along with that of Mr. Greg Smallridge and Mrs. Margaret Eicher, Carver looks forward to maintaining its proud A rating and adding the next benchmark onto its long timeline.