Blount County TNGenWeb

 

In 1847 the Masonic Lodge built the two-story brick building, still standing and functioning as the Masonic Hall. There being no school house, the first floor of the hall was used for that purpose. It is thought that some of the teachers were: Lake Cox, Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence, Miss Henrietta Cox, Mrs. Adria Currnnings Richmond, Mr. Haggard, and possibly some of the Gillespies.

About 1892 a one room building was erected on the vacant lot ad­ joining Mr. George Moore and now covered by the lake. Mr. Nathan Coker, grandfather of Walter Coker (now Director of Recre,c1tion in Blount County) was one of the school directors at that time. The school was not continued there many years, but was moved to the property now owned by Ralph C. Jones. Some of the teachers of this one room building were Mrs. Adria Cummins Richmond, Mayme Gamble, and Mrs. W. D. (Orlean George) Hammontree.

The building now owned by Ralph C. Jones was a two room building where several people, now living in Louisville, attended school. Among the teachers were: Mr. Luther Miser, Mr. John Cupp, Mr. Feezel, Mr. George King, Miss Maude Harper, Miss Margaret McCall, Miss Una V. Payne, Miss Harriet Foust, Miss Hettie Brooks, and Miss Mary Friar. Water was carried from the “town spring” and passed up and down the aisles with a single bucket and dipper.

 

In the fall of 1918 a four room building was the new home for the children of Louisville, being ere ed on the present school site. It was to have the eight grades of elementary work and two-years high school. From 1927 – 1934 the first grade was housed in the Masonic Hall. In 1932 the High School was discontinued. In 1934 a primary room was added. The following are some who taught in this building: Mr. Luther Miser, Irene (Moore) Wilkinson, Margaret (Cates) Sherrod, Jennie Evelyn (Anderson) Blackburn, Perry DeBusk, Reed Rowan, R. O. Biggs, Myrtle (Williams) Kidd, Carl Abernathy,

Hugh Clabough, Crarence Barnett, George Ross, Marie (Jordan) Bryant,

beginning of the school year 1947. This building was built just a few feet t north of the one destroyed by fire. Besides the eight class­ rooms were two modern washrooms, a Principal office, and a modern lunch room in the basement. Frauk Cox, Dona Campbell, Clara Cox, Trula Keene, Elixabeth (Anderson) Prather, and Maude Harper were the first teachers in this building. Others have been: Myrtle (Coker) Wilkinson, Caster Templin, Roy Bridges, Robert French, Chester Snodderly, Willie Mae (Prater) French, Mildred (Sturgeon) Stevens, Velma (Brown) Prater, Pearl Moser, Keith Whitehead, Mary Morton, Margaret (Coulter) Hamil, and Charlene (Hamil) Patterson. The present enrollment of our school is 254.

A Colored school was started soon after the Civil War. Its first teacher waa a white man, Mr. Cox. It was first taught in a church, later a small building was erected on the church lot, near the Southern Methodist Church, for the school. This was used until

it was about ready to fall down. The present Rosenwald School was erected, not far from where the old one stood, about 1931. The Women’s Club raised funds and built a room at the rear of the school to be used as a Club Room. There the Club, the P.T.A., and other organizations for the colored people held their meetings.

Among its teachers were Dr. Prater of Memphis, Bishop Wallace, Mrs. Wolfe, Presiding Elder Branner, Mrs. McMahan, Mrs. Dixon, Olive Wallace, Elmira Montgomery, Mrs. Vinie (Cox) Warren, Mrs. O. C. Wallace, Octavia (Warren) Hord, James Russell, and Mary Craig.

The coming of the lake resulted in all our colored people relocating and there being no need for a school for colored children, the building was not replaced. All children living in our lying sections are transported by bus to the Lincoln School near Chandler Station.