Okemah

S.L. O'Bannon was the teacher in the first school, which was opened in 1902 with funds gained by subscription, and classes were held at a store building.  The first public school was opened with D.L.Z. Chitwood as Superintendent in 1904 in a store building/buildings where the American Legion building now stands (6th and Broadway).  Noble School was completed in 1907 and named for Miss Mae Noble in 1929.  Okemah High School gained accreditation in 1912 and met in the old Noble School building until the building of 1918 was erected.

Okemah Football and Baseball Stadiums: History

http://thehistoryexchange.com/index.php/wpa-research/okemah-athletic-fields-and-stadiums-okemah/

Okemah Public Schools currently serves approximately 750 students at four sites. Oakes Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 3^rd grade. Okemah Noble Upper Elementary serves 4^th and 5^th grade. Okemah Middle School serves 6^th – 8^th grade, and Okemah High School serves 9th-12^th grade. The mascot of OPS is the Panther, and the school colors are black and old gold.

1902     Wilson School, 915 E. Atlanta

1907     Original Gr-JH-HS (Current Noble site)

1917     Mae Noble started teaching

1918     Original High School

1921     Original junior high school

1925     Lincoln School

1929     Building Dedicated/Named Noble Elementary

1938     Current Noble School replacement

1941     Band-Shop Building (Rock Building)

1948     Vocational Agriculture building

1949     Vocational Home Ec. / Cafeteria Building (2nd and Date)

1961     Second high school (current middle school at 2nd and Date)

1969     Oakes Elementary School (Closed Noble School) (cafeteria, offices and 16 classrooms)

1978     West addition to Oakes (added four classrooms)

1981     North addition to Oakes (added four classrooms)

1982     Okemah Multipurpose Building at OHS/OMS campus

1982     Noble building reopened at Okemah Noble Middle School

1987     West and South portables at Oakes

1992     South and West portables at Oakes, two classrooms and an office

1993     Ray Holman building (vo. ag., home ec., art)

2001     New high school (704 E. Date St.)

2001     Noble building closed; OMS moved to old high school and building renamed Okemah Middle School

2007     Okemah Panther Dome opened (East Date St.)

2007     New vocational agriculture building at site of new high school

2009     OPS obtained CIA softball complex across from new high school

2011     Major renovation to NE softball field

2011     New hitting facility and locker room at softball field

2014     New fine arts building at OHS site

2014     New track opened

2018     New multipurpose building at Oakes and new library at OMS opened

2018-2019     New Tony Dean Baseball Facility completed and opened

2021-2022     Renovation of OHS library; upgrades to Oakes and OMS libraries

2021-2022     Resurfacing of baseball field at Pecan Bowl

2022-2023     Replacement of flooring in numerous classrooms

2023     Renovation of football fieldhouse; renovation of former vocational carpentry building; renovation of OMS gym locker rooms