Felix A. Williams Archives - Sandy History Lady Blog

The beloved school for Stuart’s black community has long been of interest to me. When my oldest child started elementary school in 1970, she attended Parker Annex in the former Stuart Training School. The Principal of the Annex was Felix Williams, a community leader, who previously taught at the Stuart Training School.

Felix Williams and his wife, Fredricka, came to Stuart Training School as teachers in 1947 and from that time on Felix was a community leader. Felix A. Williams Elementary School in Jensen Beach is named for him.

This is Stuart Training School on October 31. 1956. Its location was on the property selected so a Rosenwald School could be built in 1919.

Although the accepted histories of Stuart Training School had inconsistency I had never taken time to do my own in-depth research but since I had the negatives of photographs taken by Arthur Ruhnke and Earl Dyer Ricou, I continually share important images of students, teachers and activities with anyone with an interest.

Now, because of Georgen Charnes and Martin Digital History, I am, as they say, in a Stuart Training School “rabbit hole.” I knew about Julius Rosenwald, of Sears and Roebuck, who gave generously to build schools for blacks but I thought some of my history-buff colleagues were grasping at straws when they wanted to connect the famous philanthropist to local schools. I was wrong.

This plat is from Martin County School District, courtesy Michael Syrkus who shared it with Georgen Charnes.

Perhaps this is a teacher outside the school built with the help of Rosenwald funds in Stuart when it was still within Palm Beach County.

This shows both entrances to the the school as well as an additional building on the school grounds. The training school is now in Martin County and the new building is called a “shop.”

By reading the School Board Minutes, it is possible to ascertain Robert Murray was teaching school in Jensen before 1925, when Martin County was created. His brother, Charles, a teacher who was also an undertaker, was hired to be teacher/principal in Stuart’s Rosenwald School called the “Martin County Training School.” It was soon to be called the Stuart Training School and this continued to be the name of the WPA Bert Keck- designed school built between 1935 and 1937.

Eventually, Charles Murray’s brother, Robert, became principal of Stuart Training School. Charles and Robert’s sister Ilma James was also a teacher a Stuart Training School, as well as Robert’s second wife Jamima Osborn Murray.

Robert Murray was Principal of Stuart Training School as was his brother Charles before him.

Stuart Training School was phased out in 1965 after the Carver Gardens School was built in Port Salerno. Eventually, Carver Gardens grew into the Murray Junior-Senior High School named for the Murray Family of educators. As full integration evolved, It became Murray Ninth Grade and is now Murray Middle School.

The Martin County Property Appraiser’s map shows the former Stuart Training School as it is today as the Spectrum Academy, an alternative public school in the Martin County School District.

The former Stuart Training School is now occupied by the Spectrum Academy.

THE NEXT BLOG WILL BE ABOUT JULIUS ROSENWALD.

The Woman’s Club of Stuart was working with Fredericka and Felix Williams and Lizzie Mae Allen, not only in securing the statue “Abundance” but also in improving parks and other facilities in East Stuart.

This photograph of Fredericka and Felix Williams with Lizzie Mae Allen was in Aura Fike Jones’ Woman’s Club scrapbook book. It is important to have a quality photograph of these civic leaders of Stuart’s Black community. I submitted it, along with many other photographs when we were gathering material for theMartin County Centennial Magazine published by Indian River Media.

I was thrilled when Michelle Moore-Burney, the designer, chose to feature the photograph predominantly on the front of the magazine. However, no names went with the people on the cover. The other unnamed people were, John W. Martin, Governor of Florida and Fingy Conners, who built a highway from West Palm Beach to Okeechobee City.

Now our Black leaders, the Williamses and Lizzie Mae Allen can be given their due.

Aura Fike Jones had her son-in-law, Clyde Coutant, photograph the Williamses and Lizzie Mae Allen because they were instrumental in collecting donations toward acquiring “Abundance” from their community. The itemized list of donations was included in her scrapbook.

These pages list many people who have disappeared for local history because of Jim Crow laws. It is important to have their names and participation in community improvement documented.

Lizzie Mae Allen was a leader who served on a number of boards and was active in her community and church. The home where the Allens lived and raised their children was the first residence in Stuart to receive an historic marker but the emphasis is on Lizzie’s husband, Tom Allen, and the white man who constructed the house. https://www.stuartfl.gov/660/7491/Thomas-J-Allen-Home-in-East-Stuart?activeLiveTab=widgets

Fredericka Williams was an outstanding woman who supported her husband in every way, was active in her community and church and taught six graders for 34 years. Felix Williams had a distinguished career and was more in the public eye. Felix A. Williams Elementary School is named in his honor. https://www.stuartfl.gov/664/Felix-A-Williams

Abundance, the statue for which Stuart’s Black community contributed hard earned cash, now stands in Haney Circle. .

It was the Woman’s Club 2025 tour of homes decorated for the holidays that caused me to revisit Aura Fike Jones’ scrapbook about acquiring the beautiful statue.

MORE ABOUT ABUNDANCE WILL FOLLOW.

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Tag Archives: Felix A. Williams

Stuart Training School

Woman’s Club Scrapbook Reveals Unsung Heroes of Stuart’s Black Community