What happened to Nicholls after we left . . .                                . . . and what's in store for its future In the 1970s, Nicholls' mascot became the Bobcat, the student newspaper became the Nicholls Yell, and later, the name of the school was changed to Frederick A. Douglass High School. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, including the Ninth Ward neighborhoods around the school. In many ways, time has not been kind to our Alma Mater. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, National Guardsmen made the old Nicholls building their home. A picture appeared in The Times-Picayune. After Hurricane Katrina, Al Ohm made a visit to the old neighborhood. Al's photographs can be found here. Prior to the 2009 Reunion Picnic, Mary Olivier, Betty Miller, and Mary's husband, Mike Thurman, found their way into the old building. Mary's account of their fascinating visit can be found here. The architectural firm of Ehlinger & Associates was contracted to provide architectural services associated with the auditorium of F. T. Nicholls / Frederick Douglass High School. An article titled "School Sites on 280 Years of History" tells the Nicholls-Douglass story and includes an architectural rendering of the auditorium. See the firm's publication ARCHITECTURE. A 2007 article in The New Yorker magazine described the problems at Douglass High School. Since Hurricane Katrina, Frederick Douglass High School has been the subject of several articles in The Times-Picayune describing its difficulties and its uncertain future:      Sep. 20, 2008      Long-troubled Douglass High could lose its identity      http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/longtroubled_douglass_high_cou.html      Dec. 10, 2008      Six fires set at Frederick Douglass Senior High School in the past week      http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/students_may_be_to_blame.html      Feb. 20, 2009      RSD to phase out two high schools      http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/rsd_to_phase_out_two_high_scho.html      July 24, 2009      New Orleans charter school operator plans expansion      http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2009/07/kipp_schools_a_leading_charter.html      Nov. 2, 2009      Gas leak forces closure of Frederick Douglass High School      http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2009/11/gas_leaks_forces_closure_of_fr.html Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, the old Nicholls/Douglass building became the home of the KIPP Renaissance High School. Their website notes: "KIPP Renaissance High School is located at 3820 St. Claude Avenue. We are housed in Frederick Douglass High School, formerly Francis T. Nicholls High School. We also share the building with KIPP New Orleans Leadership Academy and the offices of KIPP New Orleans Schools." Prior to the school year, the old Nicholls building was freshened up by volunteers with fresh coats of paint and a clean-up. A four-minute video of the work can be seen here. Return to previous page