Lily B. Clayton Elementary School
historic place
Lily B. Clayton Elementary School in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, opened in February 1922 as Mistletoe Heights Elementary School. It began with 79 students and three teachers. Lula Parker, the first woman to lead a Fort Worth school, served as its first principal. On November 20, 1922, the school was renamed to honor Miss Lily Ben Clayton, a respected Fort Worth teacher. Miss Clayton taught Latin for 50 years, starting in 1885, primarily at Fort Worth High School and Central High School. This was the first Fort Worth school named after a woman. The school expanded in the 1930s, with a Public Works Administration project from 1936 to 1938 adding two-story wings, a library, auditorium, and classrooms. A pivotal moment occurred on September 5, 1963, when Mrs. Connie Blakey and her son, Kenneth Ray Blakey, integrated the school. Kenneth Ray Blakey was the only Black child to register at Lily B. that day. In 2002, Lily B. Clayton Elementary School was designated a Historic and Cultural Landmark. The school continues its legacy, becoming one of Fort Worth's first two elementary schools to offer a Dual Language Enrichment program in 2013. This site represents a significant part of Fort Worth's educational and social history.