French High School

{{Short description|Defunct public high school in Jefferson Country, Texas}} {{For|a secondary school for French students outside of France|Lycée Français}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} '''French High School''' was a public high school in Jefferson County, Texas in operation from 1913 to 1986. At the time of closure, it was operated by the Beaumont Independent School District, though it was initially operated by the French Independent School District.<ref name=Campushist>"[https://www.bmtisd.com/domain/306 Campus Motto, Colors, and Mascot]." Central High School. Retrieved on February 15, 2019.</ref> The school board voted to consolidate French High with Beaumont Charlton-Pollard High School into Central High School in 1986.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 31, 1986 |title=School Closing Provokes Tears |pages=B-9 |work=Austin American-Statesman}}</ref> Its namesake was John Jay French, a man who settled the Beaumont area. Its mascot was a buffalo, represented by Big Bills I and II. The school address was 4415 Concord Road, Beaumont, Texas

==Notable alumni== *Louie Kelcher, football player<ref>{{cite news|first=Mike|last=Granberry|title=Talk's Cheap To Chargers' Kelcher|date=July 25, 1980|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|at=Part III, p. 16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78729283/|access-date=June 1, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> *Billie Jo Spears, country music singer (graduated in 1955)<ref name="Beaumont Enterprise">{{cite news |last1=Garcia |first1=Julie |title=Vidor country singer Billie Jo Spears remembered as feisty star |url=https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Vidor-country-singer-Billie-Jo-Spears-remembered-2405128.php |access-date=September 22, 2024 |work=The Beaumont Enterprise |date=December 15, 2011}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Beaumont Independent School District high schools Category:Public high schools in Texas