Milner-Rosenwald Academy served African-American school children from 1926 to 1962. After fire destroyed the old school in 1922, parents and community leaders led by Mamie Lee Gilbert and Lula Butler raised money for a new one. Seed money came from the Rosenwald Foundation, founded in 1913 by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald to build black schools in the South, and matching funds came from Rev. Duncan C. Milner of Mount Dora, a committed foe of racial injustice. Despite the inequity of segregation, the academy was a source of community pride, and its graduates became leaders, scholars, writers, and contributing members of society. Many remembered favorite teachers and activities such as the marching band, the glee club, the Maypole Festival, and the state championship girls' basketball team. As enrollment grew, a new Milner-Rosenwald Academy was built at 1250 Grant Ave. The old academy then housed the community's first kindergarten, the East Town branch library, the youth center, and later the Head Start program. After integration in 1970, Milner-Rosenwald Academy was renamed Mount Dora Middle School, and the name remained a cherished part of Mount Dora's history.