Ector High School

Ector High School in Ector County, Texas, is a historically significant school in the United States. The school was established in 1921 and served as a central hub for education and social activities for the surrounding community. One of the most significant events in the school's history was the 1956 Ector High School walkout, in which Hispanic students protested against racial segregation and discrimination. The walkout, which lasted for several days, gained national attention and helped to bring about changes in the way schools in Texas and other states dealt with segregation. Ector High School has also produced several notable alumni, including former NFL player Roy Williams and country music artist Larry Gatlin. Unfortunately, the school closed in 2016 due to declining enrollment and budget cuts. However, the building remains an important part of the local community's history and is a reminder of the important role that education and activism played in shaping the history of Texas and the United States.

With the discovery of oil in Ector County in 1926, the area saw a continuous influx of people to work in the oil fields. As the general population grew so did student enrollment in area schools. As a result, on March 10, 1955, the Ector County Independent School District (ECISD) school board approved plans for a new high school to be built on a twenty-acre tract of land in the 800 block of West Clements Avenue on the south side of Odessa. The final plans called for a 164,052-square-foot building with thirty-two classrooms, an auditorium, band hall, gymnasium, library, cafeteria and workshops. Named after General Mathew Ector, a Civil War veteran and Texas legislator, the new high school opened in the fall of 1957. Prior to the school's opening, ECISD established a student committee to select a mascot and school colors. Students selected the Eagles and Columbia blue and white respectively and Ector High School officiall opened September 3, with an enrollment of 306 students. Being considered a 'minority school,' Ector's students were predominately Hispanic and African American. Beginning in 1974, the community of South Odessa began exerting pressure on the school district to fully desegregate. In 1981, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) filed a civil action to force ECISD to completely desegregate their schools. Instead of desegregating, Ector closed as a high school and became a junior high school while the current secondary students were sent to the other two area high schools. Ector High School's existence saw many successful athletic accomplishments including two state titles in basketball and one in track, produced many distinguished alumni and created multiple community leaders and social activitists. (2017)