October 8 through December 2011

One hundred years ago, Brusly High School opened its doors to students in West Baton Rouge. Guest Curator Joanne Bourgeois has researched and assembled a rich collection of photographs that document the history of the Brusly High School that show the many different generations of students who studied in those classrooms.

The beginning of public education in West Baton Rouge can be traced to 1877 when records reveal that H.M. Favrot was a school director. The first schools were simple one room schools, many on or near plantations. School board minutes indicate that Eureka Central School was the first public school in West Baton Rouge Parish, with the first teachers hired in 1884. The Eureka Central School operated until Brusly High School opened in 1911. The first original two-story wooden frame structure was built on land purchased from Harry L. Laws of Cinclare at the cost of $100 per acre. Records show that schools established for African American students, beginning in 1888, included those at Sardine Point, Morley, Addis and Choctaw.