The Little Red School House of Dauphin Island is now a welcome center/museum and historic site, but it is near and dear to many of those who live on the island today.
It has stood for over 8 decades and battled the test of time. After locals, teachers, students and supporters protested the idea of it being demolished, it was moved down to its new home across Town Hall in 2016 after many years of negotiations, fundraising and planning.
Prior to it recently being moved near the Town Hall to serve as a historic center, it helped build the foundation of the community by nurturing and educating many of those who currently reside on the island.
Today, it is more than just a historic building; it is of immense sentimental value for locals here. It is considered a part of the fabric of Dauphin Island.
Why is the Little Red School House so significant to the Dauphin Island community and how did it put it on the map?
The History of the Little Red School House
The Little Red School House is a red wood-frame building that was constructed in 1930 on the east end of Dauphin Island.
It had a small faculty of part-time and full-time teachers an average of about 70 students, and it remained active as a part of Dauphin Island’s education system up to 2016. It wasn’t the first school on the island, however, as a one-room school was built in 1898.
Although the school taught K through 6th grade, several grades were combined in order to adequately teach the small number of students in each grade. Teachers would also handle multiple jobs, from counseling to warming up meals, on top of teaching multiple subjects.
With limited state funds, the Little Red School House really depended on the parents and community for support. It was a great success because of their involvement and really thrived despite its size and limited funding.
The Transformation of the School With Community Help
The school was transformed throughout the years to meet student needs, with the help of local and national businesses, private donors, and several other organizations.
They assisted with renovating classrooms, developing office space, a teacher resource room, and a first aid room. In 1991, the All-Purpose-Room was added to the main building which acted as a lunchroom, meeting area, and auditorium.
All of these renovations and updates were made possible by the generous donations and aid by entities such as the Dauphin Island Property Owners Association, Exxon Corp. and Mobil Oil among many others.
The Big Move
The school was used up until the 2015-2016 school year, which saw the launch of a new, long-planned elementary school.
In 2016, after years of fundraising and organizing, the officials of Dauphin Island took care of the relocation of the Little Red School House near the Town Hall where it now serves as a museum and community center.
The move was possible due to the massive success of fundraising, including $60,000 from private donors and $200,000 from the Town of Dauphin Island and the Chamber of Commerce. The relocation ensured that the building would be preserved and that its value will not be forgotten.
The building was cut into three pieces to move it, in the same way that it was previously moved in the 1950s from the eastern end of the island to the west side. As it has always been, volunteers from the community helped with the repairs, paint, and other odd jobs associated with the move.
The Little Red House is indeed a significant part of the heart of Dauphin Island; it has been since its early days. The kids there received an incredible high-quality education despite the lack of funding and devoted care from not only the teachers, but the entire community.
Now that it is a historic site, has been covered in the media, and has the potential for being listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it has indeed put Dauphin Island on the map!
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