Rogersville was 18 miles from the Tennessee-Virginia line in Stanley Valley where T T Ross lived. Roads were often muddy and near impassable. He and his neighbors needed a school close by so that their children could remain at home and still get an education.
\n
\nIn his 14 July 1883 column of \u201cAlong the Line\u201d for the Hawkins County Telegraph, he first told about the mail route starting 4 July 1883 in the valley — the valley was 22 miles in length — and the mail carrier liked to talk along the way and get the news. Then he wrote that the citizens of the area had “a meeting at Pleasant Grove Church yesterday for the purpose of building us a big school. William R Jones, Alex Skelton and T T Ross are a committee to select the teacher, the Committee’s address being Opossum Post Office.” (Opossum Post office later became Oakdale and the Skelton and was discontinued 31 Jan 1903).<\/p>\n
School was held at Pleasant Grove for several years. In his 6 Aug 1883 \u201cAlong the Line,\u201d he reported that “School has opened with 87 students. A A Hensley from ____ is the teacher. Mr Sheffly, Supt., should come and visit the school.” On 27 Aug 1883, Supt Sheffly crossed into Stanley Valley, spent the night with Mr Jones, and visited the school at Pleasant Grove Church. Mr A A Hensley had charge assisted by Miss Nannie Ross. They had a 10 month school with 109 pupils.<\/p>\n
1889 was the first mention of work on the school building (Okolona?) that I found in his log. Okolona High School ended its “First Annual Session” 29 April 1892. The following is a program of that commencement, kept by Fuller Walters, a descendant of one of the students. It was printed on one page, folded in the center to make 4 pages. The two inside pages were the students, the tuition and the requirement. The back page listed the books to be studied.<\/p>\n
Wm. C Patton,\u00a0 A. B., Principal<\/p>\n
Board of Directors<\/strong>:<\/p>\n T. T. Ross, D. F. Shanks, J. C. Spangler, J. L. Hensley, W. R. Jones<\/p>\n This is a new school situated in the Seventh District of Hawkins County, Tennessee, 19 miles N. E. of Rogersville.<\/p>\n Rogersville, Tennessee, printed at the Herald Book and Job Office. 1892.<\/p>\n Students<\/strong><\/p>\n From Tennessee:<\/p>\n From Virginia:<\/p>\n Geo Tarter Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n Primary Department\u00a0 37 Tuition<\/strong><\/p>\n Primary Department — $1.00 per mo. Fees should be paid at the close of each term.\u00a0 Boarding reasonable and in good families.<\/p>\n This is a new enterprise, and is managed by five of the most reliable men in the county.\u00a0 The building is well adapted to school purposes and is situated in the center of a good community that is interested in the cause of education.\u00a0 Post office and store nearby.<\/p>\n All students on entering school must subscribe to the following pledge and rules:<\/p>\n Pledge:\u00a0 I pledge myself that while a student of this school I will be strictly obedient to its rules and faithfully improve my time and opportunities.<\/p>\n Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n Rules<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.\u00a0 All students on entering school must subscribe to the pledge. Patrons of the school are asked to aid the teacher in the inforcement\u00a0 of these rules.<\/p>\n 9-Month Session<\/strong><\/p>\n First term opens August 15th 1892.\u00a0 Second term opens January 2nd, 1893.\u00a0 Entertainment at the close of each term.<\/p>\n Course of Study<\/strong><\/p>\n Primary<\/span>:\u00a0 McGuffey’s\u00a0 Reader 1 through 4,\u00a0\u00a0 Ray’s Primary and Ray’s Practical Arithmetic, McGuffey’s Spelling, Harvey’s Primary Grammer, Primary Geography, Eclectic History of the United States.\u00a0 Drawing made a specialty.<\/p>\n Secondary Department<\/span>: McGuffey’s\u00a0 Fifth Reader, Harvey’s Spelling, Harvey’s Practical Grammar, Davies’ High Arithmetic, Davies’ Primary Algebra, Robinson’s Plain Geometry, Steel’s Natural Phylosophy, S. and K. Geology of Tennessee, Paptou’s Agriculture, Composition and Rhetoric, Elocution, Peterman’s Civil Government, Steel’s Physiology, and\u00a0 B and S Bookkeeping.<\/p>\n Higher Department<\/span>:\u00a0 Wentwood’s Higher Algebra,\u00a0 Wentworth’s\u00a0 Trigonometry, Robinson’s Plain and Solid Geometry,\u00a0 Robinson’s Surveying and Navigation, Robinson’s Copic Sectiam and Anyletical Geometry<\/p>\n Latin<\/span>:\u00a0 Harper’s Indicative Method, Introductory, Harkner’s Reader, Ceasar’s Salic Wars (Harper), Brook’s Ouid, Cicero’s Orations (C and S), Horace’s Oder and Satires (C and S), Virgil Aneid (C and S) Harkner’s Latin Grammar, Livie, Book 5.<\/p>\n Greek<\/span>: Harkner’s First Greek, Xenophen’s Anabsis, Goodwin’s Grammar, Johnson”s Herodotus, Xenophon’s Memorabilia, Homer’s Iliad (Boise), New Testament.<\/p>\n Sciences<\/span>:\u00a0 Maney’s Physical Georaphy, Tenny’s Geology, Steele’s Chemistry, Steele’s Chemistry, Steele’s Minerology, Wood’s Botany.<\/p>\n Metaphysis<\/span>:\u00a0 Haven’s Moral Phylosophy, Haven’s Mental Phylosophy, Evidences of Christianity,\u00a0 Butler’s Analogy, Logic.<\/p>\n Patrons of the school and friends of education are asked to visit the school often.<\/p>\n The latest and best methods of teaching will be introduced into the school.<\/p>\n Our object is through work and our motto learn well what you learn and teach well what you teach.<\/p>\n Special<\/strong>: Each pupil will be charged from time of entering to close of term, and no reduction except on account of sickness or special agreement.<\/p>\n (source not identified.)<\/p>\n Barr, Robert The Rogersville Review<\/em> Thursday, June 20, 1969, printed a picture of Okalona School, 1913. The picture of the students belonged to Mrs Hattie (Marshall) Horton. She was 18 and this was her first teaching assignment.<\/p>\n Her brother was principal. Her salary was $25 a month, and of this she spent $10 a month for board . This list has many of the same family names as the first school in 1892. The first program spelled the name Okolona, but by 1913 it was Okalona.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n C D Jones
\nR Sivert
\nSamuel Gibbins
\nRobert Barr
\nA S Spangler
\nCrawford Jones
\nEllis Ross
\nStephen Shanks
\nSidney Jones
\nThomas Spangler
\nHenry Shanks<\/td>\nChas Ross
\nGeo Hensley
\nJ S Jones
\nJ H Ross
\nC H Walters
\nG E Bellamy
\nG R Bradshaw
\nAlice Hensley
\nMartha Hensley
\nMary Jones
\nLida Walters<\/td>\nPolly Spangler
\nReba Spangler
\nBettie Shanks
\nVona Shanks
\nNannie Shanks
\nMagie Bellamy
\nMary A Walters
\nLivia Spangler
\nBen Ross
\nJ H Stephenson
\nC M Ross<\/td>\nPhil Winegar
\nEd Bradshaw
\nRoy Bradshaw
\nG N Clifton
\nSue Ross
\nT T Ross
\nM L Winegar
\nBessie Winegar
\nMatilda Palmer
\nMaggie Palmer
\nFred Looney<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\nR H Tarter
\nRobert Larkin
\nOrban Hensley
\nFroney Hensley
\nIda Hensley
\nLydia Tarter
\nMaude Hensley
\nMaude Tarter<\/p>\n
\nSecondary Department\u00a0\u00a0 9
\nHigh School\u00a0\u00a0 7<\/p>\n
\nSecondary Department — 1.50 per mo.
\nHigher Department — 2.00 per mo.
\nMusic — 2.50 per mo.<\/p>\n
\n2.\u00a0 Each pupil will be required to have a song book and Bible or Testament.
\n3. All students must be strictly obedient.
\n4. Swearing and the use of tobacco in the school room are strictly forbidden.
\n5. The conduct of each pupil must comply strictly with the rules of morality as laid down in the Bible.<\/p>\nOkolona School – 1892<\/h3>\n
\nPalmer, Maggie, Matilda
\nBellamy G E, Maggie
\nRoss, Ben, C M, Chas, Ellis
\nBradshaw G R , Rog, J H, T T (Jr), Sue
\nClifton, T N
\nShanks Bettie, Henry, Nannie
\nGibbins, Samuel\u00a0 Stephen, Vona
\nHensley, Alice, Froney, Geo.
\nSivert, R. Ida Martha,\u00a0 Orban
\nSpangler, A S, Livia, Polly
\nJones, D C, Crawford, J S, Mary,\u00a0 Reba, Thomas, Sidney
\nStephenson, J H
\nLarkin, Robert
\nTarter George, Lydia, Maude, R H
\nLooney, Fred
\nWalters, C H, Lida, Mary A
\nWinegar, Bessie, Phil, M L<\/p>\nOkolona School – 1913<\/h3>\n