The City of Long Beach, Mississippi was incorporated as a town on August 10, 1905, though it had been a growing settlement since the mid eighteen hundreds. It is located on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast just west of Gulfport and bordered to the south by the Gulf of Mexico and a sugar white, man-made sand beach. Its history depicts the courage, the commitment, and the perseverance of its early settlers, the forebears of many present-day Long Beach residents, as they cleared the land, built their homes, their churches, and overcame obstacles such as those which were faced by all early pioneers. Truly they left to us, their descendants and the citizens of this town, a proud heritage.
No one is a stranger in this very traditional southern city of Long Beach, Mississippi. “The Friendly City” was aptly selected as the town’s slogan in 1905, and holds true even today, as our people give of themselves, their time and resources to work for a worthy cause or to help a neighbor in need. The nature of our modern day city is today very similar to that of our original town – friendly, steeped in southern culture and hospitality, and a warm and inviting place to live. Its 20,000 citizens have made this community a “friendly” place to call home.
Before August 29th, and a hurricane named Katrina, the city was best known for housing the University of Southern Mississippi’s regional campus (USM Gulf Park), “Crusin’ the Coast” (a yearly event know across the country), High School sporting events and hosting festive occasions like Mardi Gras. The city’s biggest employer is the Oreck Company, which assembles vacuum cleaners, followed closely by the Long Beach School District. The city prides itself on being a bedroom community, which instills a home town atmosphere.
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed over 75% of our town. What the day before was a thriving, growing City with expectations of new business development, was at that moment a City striving to survive. Assessments showed that no part of the city infrastructure remained operational and nearly all were dealt a mortal blow. The City’s Police station had its roof ripped off. City Hall, the public library, and all the business in the down town area were damaged by 180 plus mph winds, rain and a storm surge of over 35 feet. On the southern most part of our town, the homes and businesses on the first four streets running parallel to the beach were all wiped out. In many cases only foundations remain where buildings once stood. Through all this the people of Long Beach rallied their resources and spirit to help themselves and each other. The resources and facilities inland belonging to the city and the Long Beach School District, while damaged, served as the city’s points of distribution for relief assistance not only for the city residents, but also the many volunteer workers and first responders. The character of our proud heritage bequeathed by our ancestors – excellence, courage, and perseverance - now is being drawn upon by the citizens of Long Beach, Mississippi.
What we have experienced since August 29th has been incredibly stressful for our many families and neighbors. Many have lost their homes, jobs, and school, and face a significantly diminished tax base in Long Beach. Our children have experienced the same fears, losses, stresses, discomforts and inconveniences that we have, and have shown great courage, determination and resilience. We appreciate all donations you send to us to help in our rebuilding and healing process. The Long Beach School District is committed to assisting all of our students and families recover as quickly as possible from the difficult aftermath of August 29th and will continue to education our children in a supportive and safe environment. With the donations and contributions you send, you share in our commitment and speed the restoration of this community. Thank you for helping to ease our burden.
“The Long Beach Public School System began in September 1884, when Mr. W. J. Quarles, a former teacher from Tennessee, taught the eleven school-age children on the little settlement in the front of his home.”[1] Today the public school system includes three elementary schools (K-5th grades), one middle school (6-8th grades), and one high School (9-12th grades). All accredited as Level 5 schools with very strong academic standards and achievements. The family nature of the school district is personified in no better example than that of today’s superintendent, Mrs. Carrolyn Hamilton. Her father, Mr. Thomas L. Reeves, was superintendent of the Long Beach School District from 1952 to 1984. He lead efforts to rebuild the school system after hurricane Camille in 1969, and now his daughter, Mrs. Hamilton, finds herself leading efforts to rebuild after Katrina.
After the hurricane, the District Administrative Office building was made available to the city and served as a substitute police station, while provisions for a new temporary police station were underway. The office building sustained roof damage and other repairable damage that have been deferred until other higher priorities are met.
Harper McCaughan Elementary is a historic school site. It rested on what was the location of the first permanent building of the Long Beach School District, grades 1-10. In 1900, Mr. Harper McCaughan donated the property to the school district to be used for school purposes only, and a year later the brick school house was the first brick building on Jeff Davis Avenue. In fact, the Harper McCaughan Elementary PE facility is located on what use to be the cafeteria of the first school. Seven historic registered oak trees, each several hundred years old, are also located on the school grounds. Harper McCaughan is located in the heart of the city just three blocks from the beach on the main street of the city, Jeff Davis Avenue.
Harper McCaughan Elementary serves approximately 500 students, 45 teachers and assistants, and houses cafeteria with auditorium, two playgrounds, a library completely supplied with Accelerated Reader books, and a computer lab in each classroom. The school administration, teachers, assistants and employees of Harper McCaughan Elementary pride themselves on having achieved a Level 5 accredited school while maintaining the old time community school atmosphere. Their efforts where exceptional but could not stand up to the 35 feet storm surge and better than 180 mph winds of hurricane Katrina. The school lost several walls on the southern most side of the building to the storm surge and had very significant water and wind damage rendering the one story building a total loss to the District. Not even the basic supplies in classrooms on the northern side of the building were salvageable.
The historic nature of this school site will serve to strengthen our resolve to rebuild and the pride of our students, teachers and community will bring us all closer together to continue the high standards during this interim period as we rebuild Harper McCaughan Elementary School.
In the late 1890s, Mr. Quarles had bought land and donated it to be used as a site for a school to be built. He also donated trees for lumber to help construct the first one-room frame School house. The present day Quarles Elementary was named in his honor in recognition of his contribution and his leadership providing educational opportunities for the youth of the community.
Located several miles in-land Quarles Elementary serves approximately 550 students and 65 staff members, and houses cafeteria with auditorium, a playground, a library completely supplied with Accelerated Reader books, and a computer lab in each classroom. The school administration, teachers, assistants and employees of Quarles Elementary pride themselves on having achieved a Level 5 accredited school while maintaining the old time community school atmosphere.
During Katrina, Quarles Elementary received repairable damage to the facility and grounds and served as a community shelter. After the hurricane, the school facility continued as a community shelter for the many displaced families of Long Beach, and also served as a point of distribution for supplies. The school kitchens served to feed the many Long Beach Families with out power and food. When school begins on October 3rd, the school will play host to the destroyed Harper McCaughan Elementary School teachers and students. Until Modular classrooms arrive, Quarles students and teachers will attend school from 7:00am to 12:30 pm with the Harper McCaughan students attending school in the same classrooms from 12:30-5:30 pm. When modular buildings arrive the students of Quarles will share their campus and cafeteria with the Harper McCaughan students. The Quarles playground site will serve as the location for the modular classrooms while the rebuilding of Harper McCaughan is underway.
Reeves Elementary, formerly known as Green Acres Elementary, was erected in 1966. It was named to honor Mr. Thomas L. Reeves, past Superintendent of the Long Beach School District from 1952-1984. Located on the western side of the City, the school serves 490 students with 68 staff members. The facility houses 24 classrooms (K-5), 3 special use classrooms, 3 discovery rooms and 1 speech classroom. The school administration, teachers, assistants and employees of Quarles Elementary pride themselves on having achieved a Level 5 accredited school.
During Katrina, Reeves Elementary suffered major roof damage to the PE building and lost all the school’s PE equipment and use of the facility for the foreseeable future. After the hurricane, the school hosted the combined efforts of Colonial Heights Baptist Church and Long Beach Baptist Church to open a free full service grocery and cleaning supplies distribution center. The effort assisted on average some 900 people a day from the Long Beach and surrounding community. The facility served over 25,000 people in the first two weeks after the hurricane. One note, Long Beach Baptist Church staff lost their entire administration building and church facility and in some cases their own homes, and still managed to provide volunteers to help staff the distribution center.
The Long Beach Middle School was erected in 1963. Starting originally as a Junior High School for grades 7-9, it later became a Middle School for grades 6-8. Located just north of the Long Beach High School and two miles in-land from the beach, the school serves 830 students and 73 staff members.
During Katrina, the Middle School received severe damage to two classrooms (social studies, and English/Reading), the roof was breached in the Gymnasium (loosing all the gym equipment), water damage occurred in the computer labs, and the entire school suffered water damage to carpets. After the storm the School served as the point of distribution for Harrison County for ice, water and meals-ready-to-eat (MREs). Later the school setup a clothing distribution site which was later administered by the city and helped distribute 5 tractor trailer loads of clothing.
The school administration, teachers, assistants and employees of Long Beach Middle School pride themselves on having achieved a Level 5 accredited school, and are dedicating themselves to assisting the families of their students reach some sense of normalcy, and serve as an information center to help those in need find appropriate assistance.
Erected in 1957, the Long Beach High School has served as a community anchor in Long Beach with its clubs, sporting events, community outreach and alumni. Presently the school has 1050 students and 80 staff members. Located just 1 mile from the beach the school campus houses the athletic fields, stadium, student parking and 8 classroom buildings.
During Katrina, the school sustained extensive damage to four classrooms: 1-Art, 2-English, 1-PE. The Gymnasium also had portions of the roof peeled away causing internal water damage to the walls and surface. Ten other assorted classrooms received minor damage. Although damaged, the High School served as a dispatch location for Power Company Crews, who used the facility showers and rooms to rest exhausted crews.
The school administration, teachers, assistants and employees of Long Beach High pride themselves on having achieved a Level 5 accredited school, and are dedicating themselves to assisting the families of their students recover from this devastating tragedy. The top priorities are continuing the excellence in education and providing our students as rich and full a school year as possible.