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history of apex elementary

First School built in 1932.

  • A Rosenwald School - schools funded by the Rosenwald Foundation with matching community funds. Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck & Co. - offered matching funds to rural black communities for pre-designed schools on landscaped lots with playing fields.
  • Apex School was constructed between 1931 and 1932. The cost was $11,200. the Rosenwald Fund paid $2,000, public funds paid $7,700 and contributions by black citizens were $1,500.
  • Planting an acre of tobacco on the land that is currently Apex Elementary and hosting "box parties" raised the contributions by blacks.
  • Apex Rosenwald was a "four teacher school." Most of the materials were shipped by Sears, Roebuck & Company to the site by train.
  • Apex Elementary was one of the few bricked Rosenwald schools.
  • The land was donated by the Baldwin family.
  • The Apex school had 100 students and 4 teachers.
  • In 1942, Apex Elementary was the first Negro School in Wake County to be accredited by the N.C. State Department of Education.
  • During the mid-forties, Apex Elementary became Apex Junior High with grades 1 through 9.
  • In the fifties, a 10th and 11th grade were added. The school became Apex Consolidated High School. By 1970, a 12th grade was added.
  • During the 1970's, our school once again became Apex Elementary.
  • In 1992, the Rosenwald building was demolished to make way for a new 2-story building.
  • In 2002-03, all of the remaining buildings were destroyed except the gym and the now 10-year-old 2-story building and a new school was built.
  • Apex Elementary has a long history of community involvement and commitment to the larger Apex community continues today.