Club Boulevard Elementary School was built in response to the baby boom following World War II. Overcrowding at George Watts and North Durham Schools, coupled with rapid development in the Northgate area, made the 5.6 acre site at Glendale Avenue and Club Boulevard a desirable location for a new school.

    Club first opened its doors in November 1950, with Principal Baxter Ridenhour, nine teachers, and 321 students. The original building which cost $300,000 and was the first one-story school in the county, consisted of what is now the primary wing, the library, the auditorium and the cafeteria. The rear section of the school was added on in 1954, at a cost of $125,000.

    In 1970, Club Boulevard was paired with East End School. Children in the primary grades attended East End and grades 4-6 were taught at Club. Twelve years later, the school grades were reorganized, and since then Club Boulevard School has been a Kindergarten through fifth grade School. School enrollment peaked in 1966 with a total population of 607 students and 20 teachers. For the last school years Club's population has maintained a student body of 450 - 525 students.

    In 1973, Mr. Ridenhour retired and Fenner Boyd was named principal. Mr. Boyd retired in 1987, and Darryl Powell served as Acting Principal for the remainder of the year. Mr. Powell was named Principal of the school in June 1988. Mr. Powell served as Principal until June 1994. He saw the school through the merger of Durham City and Durham County Schools.

    In June 1994, Club Boulevard Elementary School was designated as one of the Durham Public School's nine Magnet Schools. It was renamed Club  Boulevard Humanities Magnet. Mrs. Carolyn Ridout was named Principal and charged with the task of opening a new addition and developing the magnet school. In April of 1995, the new addition, two Kindergarten classrooms, a media center and an office complex was opened. In the fall of 1995, Club Boulevard Humanities Magnet School opened with 471 students in grades Kindergarten through fifth. It is hailed as a model Magnet in the areas of art, music, dance, technology, literature and the humanities, most recently being named one of the top 15 Magnet Schools in the nation. The focus on quality of life and the humanities based school wide, year-long themes has attracted many families. The summer of 2001 Club Boulevard Humanities Magnet School was selected by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to be one of their Professional Development School Sites. This five year collaboration will provide research opportunities for both sites and pre-service placement for the university's student teachers. The 2001-2002 enrollment is at building capacity of 520 students and the school presently has a waiting list for this school year. Our school and our programs are thriving.




Club Blvd. Humanities Magnet | 919.560.3918 (p) | 919.560.2525 (f)

Principal's Corner | School's History | Parent/Student Handbook | Pavilions
Special Programs | PTA | Staff Directory
Events Calendar | Contact Us