For some, a name on a building is just a name. For others, it can have a much deeper meaning.
Such is the case of Hardin-Jefferson ISD's Henderson Middle School in Sour Lake, named after former Principal James H. Henderson, the first Black principal of the then-China High School.
His name has been attached to the middle school for some 60 years, but a recent decision by the Hardin-Jefferson ISD school board is expected to remove it.
The school board at its March regular meeting voted to change the name to "Hardin-Jefferson Junior High," in an effort to "align the name of our new middle school building with the other campuses in our district," said district Director of Communications Mandy Fortenberry in a statement to The Enterprise.
The new name would adorn the newly-built middle school, constructed after the previous building was flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey in 2017.
But for some community members, the change is not a welcome one.
China resident and Henderson alum Beverly Carrier-Walters found out about the name change from her granddaughter.
"I was totally shocked," she said.
Henderson was a teacher and later principal of the then-China High School and when the school district integrated, the school was named in his honor.
"I was the only Black high school principal to survive (integration)," Henderson said in a May 24, 1973 article of The Beaumont Enterprise.
"He was definitely a community leader, he wanted unity, he stood for unity," Carrier-Walters said.
Claudia Tyler, a China resident whose mother, husband, children and grandchildren attended Henderson, also found out about the change via her grandson. Since Carrier-Walters and Tyler found out about the change, they've been spreading the word to other alumni, who were unaware of the change.
"A lot of people are not happy with this at all and to find out this way..." Tyler said.
Fortenberry said in the statement that "the board is currently looking into alternate ways to honor Mr. Henderson, as well as other past employees."
But in Carrier-Walters' and Tyler's opinions, there is no other way to honor Henderson.
"They threw him down to 'honor him and others' -- yes, we have a lot of people in this community that have done a wonderful job here, but nobody carries on their shoulders what he carried on his shoulders," Tyler said. "They can't put these two people together and say they did the same thing. You can't honor him (any better way) than for him to have his name (on the school)."
Both women plan to speak at the school board's next regular meeting at 6 p.m. Monday and encourage other community members to do the same.
Those wishing to make a public comment can do so at the district's Administration Building, located at 520 W Herring St. in Sour Lake. Speakers must sign up by end of business Friday as the district does not permit same-day registration.
Pick up Sunday's Beaumont Enterprise to read more about James H. Henderson's legacy and what his contributions mean to Carrier-Walters and Tyler.