The Barefield Learning Center, a historic structure that once served as the Barefield School, was demolished on March 26, marking the end of an era for a building that stood as a testament to African American education and resilience in Refugio County.
The demolition took place at the site on East Commons and Bayou streets, where the building had stood since its construction in 1929 as part of the Rosenwald school-building program. Funded in part by Julius Rosenwald, then-president of Sears Roebuck Company, the two-room stucco structure was erected to provide educational opportunities for African American children in the segregated South. It was later named in honor of Professor A.T. Barefield, a pivotal figure in Refugio’s Black community who taught from 1902 to 1949 and championed education and citizenship.
The building sustained irreparable damage from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
The Barefield School’s roots trace back to the post-emancipation era when African Americans, previously denied education during slavery, sought learning opportunities. The first African American school in Refugio, known as the Refugio Colored School, operated in a modest shotgun building at Santiago and Osage streets before relocating to Alamo and King Streets. That early school lacked running water, with boys fetching it from Osage Street, and students cutting firewood to heat the building in winter. After it burned down in 1927, Professor Barefield arranged for classes to continue at the Bob Button Dance Hall and Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church until the Rosenwald-funded school opened.
The 1929 building expanded in 1933 when the local board of trustees moved a two-room structure from the white school to accommodate growing attendance. Though the original Rosenwald School is gone, the 1933 addition remained a symbol of progress until its demolition this week.
Refugio Mayor Wanda Dukes was among the 1960-61 sixth-grade class members who reunited at Refugio City Hall in June 2024, celebrating their shared memories of Barefield.
The Texas Historical Commission recognized the site’s significance in 2013 with a marker designating it as the only Rosenwald School in Refugio County. Located at 612 E. Commons Street, the building later became the Barefield Youth Center, continuing its role as a community hub until its recent deterioration prompted the decision to demolish it.