- South Hills Elementary School
- Homepage
Fort Worth ISD Lily B. Clayton Elementary Continues 100th Anniversary Celebration
Current and former Lily B. Clayton Elementary students and parents, faculty, and community leaders and friends are invited to continue the 100th anniversary celebration this Sunday, Jan. 30, at 3 p.m. A one-hour centennial program will be held to commemorate the first day of school at Lily B. followed by tours of the school.
Lily B. Clayton Elementary School, a beloved neighborhood campus known for academic achievement and its 1920s and ‘30s architecture, will celebrate its centennial beginning this month with a series of events for students and parents, faculty and staff, alumni and community leaders.
Originally named Mistletoe Heights Elementary School, “Sweet Lily B.” opened its doors to 79 students for the first time on Jan. 30, 1922. Today the school is home to more than 500 Pre-K through fifth grade students and is known for its dedicated faculty and staff, engaged families and many treasured traditions. The school consistently performs well in state rankings.
“Lily B. is the heart of the Berkeley Place and Mistletoe Heights neighborhoods and an asset that continues to draw both alumni and new families to this historic community,” said Lisa Mocek, the school’s PTA historian, who is spearheading celebration planning. “Our teachers, administrators and families do an incredible job providing children the foundation they need to succeed in life. And the school connects all of us in ways that shape lifelong friendships.”
Additional Upcoming Centennial Events:
Monday, Jan. 31, 2022 – Lily B. Birthday Party for current students (throughout the school day)
Homecoming Weekend – Feb. 17-19, 2022
1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17 – Unearth 1992 Time Capsule at Lily B. Clayton flagpole, 2000 Park Place Avenue. All are welcome.
4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18 – Pep Rally featuring Paschal High School band. All are welcome.
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 – Family Picnic on school grounds with food trucks, family fun and school tours. All are welcome.
6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19 – Fiesta Centenaria at Smokestack 1948 for former students, former and current parents and staff. For tickets or more information contact lilybcentennial@gmail.com.
The Lily B. Clayton campus began as a four-room schoolhouse. Principal Lula Parker didn’t have an office in 1922, so she worked at a desk in the hallway. Four classrooms were added in 1925. A major addition in 1934-1935, designed by Preston Geren, included an auditorium, kindergarten room with a fishpond, cafeteria, library and six classrooms. Architectural features included a clay tile roof and panels depicting Mother Goose rhymes, according to the Architecture in Fort Worth website.
The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 and is designated as a City of Fort Worth Historic Landmark.
Courtney Barrett has taught kindergarten at Lily B. since 2004.
“Lily B. Clayton is a family, and it has been the educational foundation for generations here in Fort Worth,” she said. “I started here at Lily B. as a student teacher and later a substitute teacher before getting the kindergarten job. I was thrilled to have both of my daughters attend school here. My father went to school here, as well. My great-great-aunt was Lula Parker, the first principal at Sweet Lily B. I have deep connections to this school, and I love it.”
Parent involvement has been a hallmark of Lily B. Clayton’s culture, bolstered by a strong PTA and frequent opportunities to volunteer. In 1922, the PTA and community petitioned the school board to rename the school in honor of Lily B. Clayton, a beloved high school Latin teacher in Fort Worth. In the 1970s, concerned parents paved the way for an after-school care program that became Clayton Youth Enrichment Services, which today serves thousands of students throughout Tarrant County.
-FWISD-
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and the Fort Worth ISD Mobile App for the latest information