07/02/2024
Elizabeth Crawford Memorial High School celebrates its 90th Anniversary. What began as a desire to provide rudimentary education to underprivileged children, and wards of affluent families in the Snapper Hill Community of Monrovia has now become a memorial to one of Liberia’s earliest female educator.
In 1934, Mother Elizabeth Crawford began afternoon study classes on the front porch of her home on upper Carey Street . She began this task during the period when the only schools available were those privately operated by either Christian churches or by private individuals. Mother Crawford thus provided the means for these children to acquire some form of education.
As the number of students increased, it became necessary to move to a more formal set up and the school became an elementary school. Old Lady Crawford School as it was commonly known became one of Monrovia's prominent schools at the time when there were hardly any public schools in Liberia. It was renowned as a premier provider of early childhood education.
Being a devout Christian, Mother Crawford along with Mothers Ella Bishop Sharpe, Corina Hilton Van Ee, Martha George, Sadia Page, Lucinda Gittens, Louise Stubblefield, all of saintly memory, organized in 1953 the Religious Evangelical Fellowship Crusade Prayer Band Inc. other devoted and committed mother's and Brothers who served as Supervisors and Directors that made a mark under their leadership which led to the success and growth of the school where Mothers, Rachel Flowers, Lucy M.Bannerman, Alice Sims, Alicia Mobley, Florence M Beah and Irene C. Miller. Directors, Matthew R. Walker, Jessie Karnley, Buckle, Rev. James Coleman, Rev. Emmanuel W.Tarr and Bro. Samuel B. Early, an interdenominational prayer group. When Mother Crawford had aged, she turned to these friends to continue her dream of educating the children of Liberia. To realize this dream, she bequeathed her homestead on Carey Street to the Crusade Prayer Band which has owned and operated the school since her demised in 1966.
The school, Elizabeth Crawford Foundation School, continued as an elementary school under the principalship of Mr. Gittens and later Mr. Fred Harris. With the need to improve the edifice, the building was demolished and a modern school building was constructed while the school move into the Barclay Building 1983-1986. This modernization project was spearheaded by Mr. Matthew R. Walker, Director of the Crusade Prayer Band.
Principalship of the school then turned over to Mr. Frank A. George upon completion of the building and returned to Carey Street in 1986
The school remained an elementary school until 1991 when it transitioned to a junior high school to accommodate the many students who were internally displaced during the first civil war. The name was then changed to Elizabeth Crawford Memorial High School. Thereafter in 2000, the school became a senior high school.
As the school celebrates its 90th Anniversary it remains committed to Mother Crawford's desire to provide quality education to the children of Liberia.
Happy 90th Anniversary 💐🎈🎁🎉🎉🎁🎉🎉🎉🎁 🎉🎁 🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎁🎈🎉🎁🎊🎉🎉🎈🎁🎈
