As a CHS 1955 graduate friend of mine and I prepared to leave Camden that Fall afternoon in October of 2005 to drive home to Little Rock, we decided to drive by to view the high school and football stadium area, since neither of us had seen the high school grounds since our day of graduation in May, 1955.  Hard to believe Fifty (50) years had passed since that May graduation day, and never once had I nor my friend, for that matter, been by to review the sad progression that time took during this fifty years on such a hallowed ground.   A sad day for each of us; my friend and I both agreed as   we viewed the shallow space left by the progression  of time where once stood the hallowed halls of learning and memories of our innocence in days gone by.

Mail could no longer be delivered to 330 Union Avenue, SW, Camden,
AR, 71701.  One could no longer dial TEmple 6-3790 and expect a voice on the other end to answer "Camden High School".  A sad day indeed that I, personally, was not ready for.  I was feeling almost overwhelmed with nostalgia.   I could not believe the inner emotions that were coming close to consuming me.  From that day forward I decided to study and review with reverence as much of the history of CHS from the beginning up to the sad day of the final brick being removed and  the hole that was left covered and smoothed over.  A sad day indeed!

What brought about such a drastic change in this fifty (50) years?  I learned a lot in asking questions, but it became evident that feelings got hurt, friends no longer friends.  A city almost divided!  This is an area which will be left to history and the passage of time.  CHS is where the memories are; so let us proceed from that point.

How many CHS graduates know the name of the high school before it was ever called "Camden High School"? From the 7th grade up through our senior year, six years, we passed a plaque in the hall that referenced, somewhere around the auditorum doors, the name of the building as the Abe Lazarus High School!   It could have been around the doors that went to the outside of the building, which were the central doors, which were across from the doors entering the auditorum.

It seems, as the rumor goes that Mr. Lazarus was, at one time, head of the school board and a prominent business leader.  As a prominent business leader in a well known local distributorship establishment, funds became missing; thereby rumor had it that Mr. Lazarus was responsible, therefore the name of the high school was changed to Camden High School.  It would be nice to know if the school board records during this period of time were available for public viewing.  I think it would be most interesting to have the opportunity look through the records at that time to determine whether it be "fiction/rumor" or fact.

Regardless, whether it is "rumor" or "fact", it still makes for an interesting story!