The 16th Dogan Alumni Reunion will be held in Fairfield next weekend with three days of activities, including the popular Big Broadcast, Parade, Picnic on the Grounds, Basketball Tournament, and Memorial Service.
Registration will include a complimentary lunch on Friday, July 12th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Dogan Cafeteria. Lunch is being provided by the McShan and Solomon families.
The Big Broadcast will be held at Fairfield High School Auditorium from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Soulfulsensation.”
Social Hour will follow immediately at the Dogan Grounds from 9:30 p.m. to midnight. Enjoy mingling, reminiscing, dancing and snacks.
Saturday, July 13th will begin with the Parade from downtown to Dogan, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Business Meeting will follow at 11:00 a.m. with election of officers, followed by Picnic at the Dogan Cafeteria and on the Grounds of Dogan campus.
Open Gym Basketball games will take place at the Dogan Gym. Game Coordinator is Isaac McElroy.
A Dinner / Dance will be held that evening at 7:00 p.m. at Twisted Vines Event Center. Theme is Royal Blue and Gold Legacy Soiree.
On Sunday, July 14th, a Memorial Service will be held at Fairfield High School Auditorium beginning at 10:00 a.m.
The Historical Legacy of the Origin of Dogan High School
1935 – 1968
The history of Dogan High School began in 1926 with the name of Fairfield Colored School. The Fairfield Colored School was located in what was known as “The Flat” on a small one (1) acre plot, east and adjacent to the First Baptist Church.
Prior to 1935, there was no high school in Fairfield for colored (black) children to attend. The Fairfield Colored School only went to the ninth grade.
In order for black children to receive a high school diploma their only option was to leave home and attend a high school designated for black children. The nearest high school at that time was in Palestine, 36 miles away.
Only a few colored families could afford the cost of sending their children away from home and one was the family of Billie Lorenzo McIlveen.
Billie Lorenzo McIlveen was a progressive colored businessman in Fairfield and the originator who set into motion the establishment of Dogan High School for colored (black) children. His strong determination to equip his son with a high school education became the motivation behind his belief which was that “a kid that young should not have to leave home to finish high school.”
Billie went to the white leadership and told them that due to the population growth within the colored (black) community, coloreds (blacks) needed a high school in their community for their children to attend.
Subsequently, Billie conferred with Willie Solomon (a highly-respected individual in the community) regarding Billie’s idea of establishing a high school for the colored (blacks) and Willie was in agreement.
The first location that was considered was where the Fairfield ISD Bus Barn is currently located.
Billie also met with William “Bill Nolan” Noland (also a highly respected individual in the community) and informed him that he had discussed the idea of establishing a high school and its location for coloreds (blacks) with Willie Solomon. However, Bill Nolan stated that the location of the bus barn was too close to town and that ultimately, the Caucasians (whites) would not allow the black school to be located so closely to town.
Undeterred, they pursued investigating the land of the current location back in the early 1930’s which was called the “Poor Farm,” where Dogan is currently established.
The Fairfield Colored School was relocated in 1934 to its present site with the same four (4) faculty members and the nine-grade system.
Principal Mae V. Donahue met with Superintendent P.D. Brown and afterwards called a faculty meeting to consider names for the new high school.
The name “Dogan” was unanimously chosen and presented to the Board of Education for approval. It was officially approved and recorded with the local and state boards as Dogan High School.
It was named after Dr. Matthew Dogan, Sr., who at that time was President of Wiley College in Marshall, Texas.
Info from official document presented to Texas Historical Commission, August 30, 2016 submitted by Sandra McIlveen Goolsby.
