Editing Oktibbeha County, Mississippi (section)

==Education==
The county has one school district: [[Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District]] since 2013.<ref name=consolidation /><ref>
* 2020 Map: {{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28105_oktibbeha/DC20SD_C28105.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609204540/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28105_oktibbeha/DC20SD_C28105.pdf |archive-date=June 9, 2021 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oktibbeha County, MS|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 18, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28105_oktibbeha/DC20SD_C28105_SD2MS.txt Text list] - In 2020 there was one school district
* 2010 Map: {{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st28_ms/c28105_oktibbeha/DC10SD_C28105_001.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609204927/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st28_ms/c28105_oktibbeha/DC10SD_C28105_001.pdf |archive-date=June 9, 2021 |url-status=live|title=SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Oktibbeha County, MS|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 18, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st28_ms/c28105_oktibbeha/DC10SD_C28105_SD2MS.txt Text list] - In 2010 there were two school districts</ref>

At one time, the county was served by a number of single-teacher schools. Gradually these were consolidated into larger schools, including [[Starkville High School]], Longview High School,<ref>{{cite news|title=Second Berry Camp at Longview Next Week|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87065612/1920-06-18/ed-1/seq-1/|access-date=December 18, 2017|publisher=Starkville News|date=June 18, 1920}}</ref> the Self Creek Consolidated School district, and many others.<ref>{{cite news|title=A & M Men Add Big Sum to Fund Rebuild at Self Creek School|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87065612/1920-06-18/ed-1/seq-1/|access-date=December 18, 2017|publisher=Starkville News|date=June 18, 1920}}</ref>

By 1922, there were about twenty small public schools for African-American children across the rural county. The county maintained a segregated public school system until 1970, although the US Supreme Court had ruled in ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' (1954) that such arrangements were unconstitutional. Schools for African-American students were historically underfunded.

In 1922, community groups arranged to match funds from the [[Rosenwald Fund|Rosenwald Foundation]] in order to build and operate improved [[Rosenwald schools|rural schools]] for these children; the first two were erected in the communities of Trim Cane and in Turnpike. A total of eight Rosenwald Schools were built in the county between 1922 and 1927. The largest of these, Oktibbeha County Training School, was opened in 1926 at a cost of $127,000. Other schools included a three-teacher school in Longview, Maben Colored School with two teachers; Pleasant Grove, which had four teachers; True Vine school (3 teachers), and Rock Hill School, which also had four teachers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Ruth |title=Early African American schools in Oktibbeha County - FROM DAYS PAST |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/13B918C9FA277768 |access-date=September 20, 2018 |date=December 11, 2011}}</ref>

Until 2013, Oktibbeha County was served by both the [[Oktibbeha County School District]] and the [[Starkville Public School District]]. Until 1970, the schools were segregated. From 1923 until 1970, African Americans attended schools that were located on US Highway 82, which is now known as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. These schools, originally built with Rosenwald funds, were variously known as the Oktibbeha County Training School,<ref>{{cite web|title=ABOUT O.C.T.S|url=http://octshhs.org/?page_id=1196|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> Rosenwald School, and [[Henderson High School (Mississippi)|Henderson High School]]. In 1970 the schools were integrated. Henderson was designated as the junior high school. The Rosenwald School was destroyed in a fire.<ref>{{cite web|title=Segregated Education|url=http://starkvillecivilrights.msstate.edu/wordpress/segregated-education/|access-date=November 10, 2017}}</ref> This site now hosts Henderson-Ward Stewart Elementary, which was built on the site of Ward Elementary in 2010 for a cost of $4.8 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=Henderson Ward Elementary School Renovation |url=https://westbrothersconstruction.com/portfolio_page/henderson-ward-stewart-elementary-school-renovation/ |access-date=September 14, 2020}}</ref>

In 2013, the Mississippi Legislature passed a bill requiring that all Oktibbeha County schools be merged into the [[Starkville School District]], in order to consolidate administration.<ref name=consolidation>{{cite web|title=COMMISSION RELEASES PROPOSED PLAN FOR CONSOLIDATION STRUCTURE|url=http://starkville.ms.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=19561&|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140204160346/http://starkville.ms.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=19561&|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 4, 2014|publisher=Starkville, MS|access-date=February 5, 2014}}</ref>

The county has two private schools: [[Starkville Academy]] was founded in 1969 as a [[segregation academy]] to avoid integration,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Spencer|first1=Mack|title=Public domain, private options|url=http://djournal.com/news/public-domain-private-options/|website=Djournal.com|access-date=September 25, 2015|date=May 17, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.starkvilleacademy.org/index.php/mission-history/|website=Starkvilleacademy.org|access-date=December 3, 2017}}</ref> and Starkville Christian School, which was founded in 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.privateschoolreview.com/county_private_schools/stateid/MS/county/28105|title=Oktibbeha County, MS Private Schools|website=Privateschoolreview.com|access-date=December 3, 2017}}</ref>

===Higher education===
In terms of higher education, Oktibbeha County is within the service area of the [[East Mississippi Community College]] system.<ref name="Coursecat0709p3">[http://www.eastms.edu/academics/documents/EMCCCATALOGfor2007-2009.pdf "CATALOG 2007-2009"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218112338/http://www.eastms.edu/academics/documents/EMCCCATALOGfor2007-2009.pdf |date=December 18, 2010 }}, East Mississippi Community College website (pg. 3); retrieved March 1, 2011.</ref> The campus of [[Mississippi State University]] is located in Oktibbeha County, partially in Starkville and partially in an [[unincorporated area]].<ref>[http://www.cityofstarkville.org/cosdocs/ZoningMap.pdf "Zoning Map"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224012004/http://cityofstarkville.org/cosdocs/ZoningMap.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031032338/http://cityofstarkville.org/cosdocs/ZoningMap.pdf |archive-date=October 31, 2010 |url-status=live |date=December 24, 2010 }}, Town of Starkville; retrieved March 1, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.msstate.edu/web/maps "Campus Map"], Mississippi State University; retrieved March 1, 2011.</ref> Its growth has led the Starkville to become the largest city by population in the Golden Triangle.

===Public libraries===
The county also runs the [[Starkville-Oktibbeha County Public Library System]].