Woodlawn High School – The Beginning of a Legacy

Woodlawn High School had its beginning in 1888 in a one room school called Rosedale School. A new school house, named Hillman School, was built on the corner of Hoo Shoo Too and Tiger Bend Road in 1895. In 1910, Jones Creek School was built for students who lived in the Jones Creek area. The community agreed to consolidate the two schools under the name Seventh Ward School in 1911. After World War II, the population in the area increased and the two building school did not have adequate space for the increased student population. In 1949, construction of new buildings for the school began.

Since the area was no longer called the Seventh Ward, the PTA held a contest to select a new name for the school. The name “Woodlawn”, submitted by Mrs. W.H. Woodward, was chosen. As the school continued to grow, new buildings were added.

Unfortunately, the original school building and surrounding buildings were unknowingly built on a fault line, which caused the buildings to constantly shift. This shifting eventually led to the deterioration of these school buildings. Tax payers agreed to fund the building of a new Woodlawn High School in a new location only a few miles away on Jefferson Highway. The new Woodlawn High School was the first new school to be built in East Baton Rouge Parish in 30 years. The new school opened its doors in 2003 and now houses over 1100 students.