Forerunner
lohn Marshall Cobb Was Early Teacher
It Happytop In Bellview Community
BT NOBA COBB SPENCEB
It must have been a happy group of pupils, ages 6 to 21 years,
attended the three months free school term, after corn was
at Happytop, which was a log cabin built by sturdy
?ttmeers, well beyond seventy years ago. on a hilltop three-fourths
>fa mile northeast of the old Bellview School site
U was about 1878 when Miss
i reels Shelton came to this sec
ion to tenoh subscription schools,
ihe taught one public school term
i three months at Happytop?
iter which Elisba Conley, W li
tem Carter 1, and S. C Hood
aught a successive term each,
bey having attended the reputa
?le Antioch School of Union Coun
y, Oj under the supervision of
M. Meuney and Rev. Benja
nln Ledfbrd and also the note
> or thy Hayvesville School taught
ly Prof. Hicks.
John Marshall Cobb, having
returned to the community, af
ter finishing what was termed
Junior College at the Hiawaasee,
Georgia School under the ad
ministration of Dr. George W.
Truett taught the Happytop free
school two terms prior to Us re
moval to Bell view where the
cilisenry of the community with
the help of the Masonic Lodge
416 A. F. & A. M. had erected
a building, a portion of which
served as Lodge quarters, the
-emainder for the housing of
the school.
BARTER TUITION
1 It was agreed that the public
erm of three months which paid
monthly be extended into a
en months' term for the first
the extra four months to be
need on a tuition basis of $1.00
pupil per month, to be paid
rter or the cash, if available,
enrollment swelled into the
of an assistant teacher,
paid his assistant. V. L. Kim
ey, who had a family, $20.00 per
oonth, retaining $5.00 of the
125.00 and living in his father's
jiame. The tuition fee was divided
?quail}' between Cobb and his as
iatant.
These efforts toward the aboli
'ion of illiteracy were the first im
>etus toward higher education in
his country section.
MOVED TO CABINS
Many log cabins and shacks
vere scattered here and there on
he campus. The occupants of
aame transported their living ne
:esshies, including their food, on
wagons from their homes after
many miles over rugged roads, did I
tLeir housekeeping and rooking
wiille attending to their school du
ties. Some families in the commu
nity boarded students at the low
rate of $4 00 per mhrsth
The attendance grew during
J. M. Cobb's administration un
til an eight months' term was
necessary. One year the matri
culation reached 308 pupils.
Some fathers attended as well
as their children. The range of
patronage comprised W. N. C.
North Ga.. and East Tenn.
The school was alive with the
seal of both teachers and pupils
and their efforts were" dedicated
?to reaching the higher climes of
knowledge and training.
Such conditions caused disci
pline to" be of little concern. In
the event of a break in behavior
or proper application to study,
there was no playing the game of
?tolerance. The offenders were
dealt with promptly, fairly, and
firmly. The supreme lessons w>ore
Evaluation of Time and the build
ing of character.
Groups were often seated under
trees on the campus during off
lesson periods solving problems in
CViath, dramatizing Lee and Grant,
and other notables in American
History?or marvelling at the bat
tle of Waterloo. UnOffensive free
dom of thought and expression
?were prized activities of the
school.
DEBATING SOCIETIES
The two debating societies were
ihe Ciceronian and the Demos
ihenian. The mental conflicts be
tween the debaters toughened
their minds, furnished fun and
alertness of thought as the ool
leagues on either competitive side
listened at the fellow with a voice
so big and mighty when he laugh
ed it was as if the thunder had
turned friendly or listened to the
little fedlow with screwy e^es and
a thin piercing voice that topped
treble singing like the notes of a
Scotch bagpipe.
He would seriously declare that
T De Witt TsImage was a greater
man and did humanity more good
than Bob Ingersol because "he
toted ids soul high." and that wo
men ??ere the equnl of men he
cause Mary Magdalene was the
first one to preach the gospel of
toe Resurrection at Chrfat
There were stirring and moving
times around old Bellvisw?re
freshing too for the boys and girls
who had been accustomed to tak
ing their suntan in the cornfield
Everybody was having a good time
now angling for knowledge
SPORTS
The school sports consisted of
games of Townbail, Quoit pitch
ing. Fox or hare and hound, and
baseball. Various styles of jump
ing?no "home-run hit" ever ex
cited a group more than when the
Taylor Cobb boys would take off
and gracefully rise and glide over
an eight rail fence with the ease
of an airplane sailing over the
Rockies.
board of trustees
J V. Allen who had migrated
to the BelMew community from
Forsyth County, N. c. was ap
pointed a member of the Board of
Trustees who were E. S. Nichol
son, A. M. Haitchett, J. F. Cobb, T
H Brown, J. B. Lee, C. Price, W.
C Ballew, J. S. Bell, George M
Whitmore. Henry Carol, J M. Car
ter. George W. Owenhy, Z T
?'vey, C. P. Martin, H. W. Cham
hirs. Dr. C. F. Walker, Robert
Hyatt. M. C King, and law J.
IV. King.
FIRST PIANO
Allen suggested there be a mu
sic department installed in the
Hell view Inrtimtc, as it was then
teamed. This was accepted by the
Heard and Mr. Al'on was requeat
ci to name a suitable instructor
for this new department He sug
gested Edwin Grey White of Win
ston-Salem. N C. a graduate of
the Pennsylvania Conservatory of
Music and the Scharwenka of New
York.
When Prof. White learned of
the opportunities of cultural de
velopment in this remote section
mid was informed that instrument
al music had never been taught in
this community and school; he ac
cepted the offer on a tuition fee
of $2.00 p-w pupil for a month of
eight lessons. He brought his con
cert grand piano which was placed
in the Happytop log schoolhoure
that had been moved to the Beli
view campus for Hie teaching
ouar'.ers of this department. His
p;ano was the first one many of
?he people had c-er seen. The mu
sical beck ground of thepe moun
tains yet echo the magic notes
taught by this Master.
The school board agreed to
build an exira and more com
building M feet square
which was placed astride the
N. C. and N. Ga. States' line
which was a bent Ul yards from
the first building erected.
J. M. Cobb was principal of the
Bellview School for six years. In
1891 he was elected to represent
Cheirok>ee County in the State Le
gislature. When he boarded the
train at Marble, N. C. to take his
seat with the lawmakers of his
state, it was bis first train trip.
The Southern railway, at that
time, had reached Marble on its
destination to Murphy.
MASHBURN SUBSTITUTES
Cobb employed Henry, Mash
burn of Wake Forest College, N.
C. to substitute for him during
his absence from the Bellview
school. Later when Cobb resigned
from the school work, he attended
the North Ga. military college, and
sometime after migrated to South
west -Missouri where he received
his A. B. degree at Missouri State
College, Springfield, Missouri.
PRINCIPALS LISTED
. J. M. Clement of Judson Col
lege. N. C. and Rev. J. W. Laving
succeeded Cobb for a season of
four years at Bellview. Other prin
cipals (not including assistants)
were T. B. Passmore, C. L. Pal
ner. a graduate of Wake Forest
College. N. C.. J.'c. Standi, Rev
R. E. Sentelle, Haywood County.
N. C., James Lovingood. and Rev.
J. W. Blackwoll, all of whom held
to the high standards and ideals
on which the school was founded
There was never dissension
b r t w e en the School Board
teachers. There was something
finer in the quiet spirit of hon
or in these men (both board and
faculty) that instinctively held
'hem to the ethics of their po
sition in choosing teachers and
gra'itating toward them by giv
ing them leeway to "gird up
their loins" and go to their
work untrammeled. Never in
the history of the Bellview
School was there a teacher vic
timized by any schism in the
school board.
(Most of the members of the
P.nard had no formal education
but they wen? eminently endowed
v i'.h insight and wisdom. To bor
row from Nopoleon "They were
"ictcrv organized " A majority of
he School Board psssed away or
noved to other stages.
Although a greater number of
he teachers was of the Baptist
faith the school was undenamina
, tonal. but Bible r- ading and pray
er were observed morning as
sembly each clny. The pupils were
instructed not only to b? students '
of text-books, but of nature and
the Bible where they could learn
more and more of the First Great
Cause.
Through the years the personnel
of the community has some what
changed. Many citizens have mi
grated to other sections. It was
finally agreed by a majority of the
remaining Board that the School
pass under tb? jurisdiction of the
Baptist denomination under A. E.
Brown who was ait that time su
perintendent of the Baptist Moun
tain Schools somewhat similarly
built to the Bellview School or In
stitute.
UNDER REV. BROWN
Under Rev. Brown's direction a
four-room building was erected
and he placed his brother. F. A.
Brown in charge, who with varied
?assistants carried on the work for
four terms In 1905 the School j
was moved to Murphy where its |
demise soon followed.
The State public school term !
continued to be taught at Bell
view twenty-three years until
1929 when the Martin's Creek, i
Bellview, and Brasstown schools
wtjre consolidated into a habita
tion of improved equipment and
the better facilities of a modern
school.
Lumping this bit of history to
gether Uts reader may be enabled
to understand the enthusiasm of
the stout-hearted horney-handed
men and women who cleared for
ests, lived the hard way, and made
heroic sacrifices that their chil
dren might have exceptional op
portunities of that time In a school
where l atin, Greek, phyries, high
er mathematics, and music were
'aught by high-classed teachers
who lit an educational torch which
had b-en b-pt alive in this hiourt
Jaln section locally and In many
states by such products as the late
A L. Martin of Suit. N. C. who
was for 3,1 years Co. Supt, of
Cherokee.
U:rder hit regime the County
adopted the Consolidated School
System. Today there are beautiful
highways traversing this county
and lite W. V. C. section.
The reboots are furnished^wltti
excellent libraries which have
been greatly expanded by the. In
terest of ths T.- V. A who
Instrumental In the beginning of
the regional and bookmobile ser
vice, the development of which
has evolved into the support of
the State, County, and Towns.
AMONG THE PUPILS ,
Of, the many old pupils of the
Bel Mew School who have impress
ed their communities with their
worthy work, we mention a few,
| viz.; Rev. William Hampton, Ma
i rietta, Ga, Joseph Carter and his
son John Carter who has been
principal of some of the outstand
ing city schools in North Carolina. I
' The late John Nicholson and his
wife, the lormer Miss Florence
Payne of Durango, Colo, who en
riched their section in Colorado by
their civic and cultural improve
ments.
The late Dr. B. Covinsood.
Dr. Columbus Jenkins. David
Watts who died while serving as
Clerk of the Superior Court of
Cherokee County. U. S. G. Phi
lips, the late David McNabb,
the late Green Sparks, Noah Ab
ernathy, A. R. Stalcup, the late
Mark Stalcup, all of Cherokee
County and many others who
have faithfully nourished the
educational and civic improve
ments of our County.
Also Luther Kijselburg. Culber-1
| son, a splendid citizen of- the i
?county and O. C Anderson of Cul-1
berson, the county surveyor.
John Brendle, Clay County, N. |
C., William Walker, and John F. 1
Hampton. Oklahoma The late
John Waldrcup, Texas; Robert ?
Hampton. Mineral Bluff. Ga., who j
has been one of the most success- I
ful business men of this section.
He served in the Georgia Legis
lature as representative of Fan
nin County, Ga., from 1931-1948.
During his last two years he was
a member of the Governor's staff.
He avers that whatever success he j
has had is largely due to the five ,
years training he had in the old |
Bellview School under John Mar-;
shall Cobb.
The late R L. Harris, Copper-1
hill, Tenn. Joseph Parsons who
has been an employee of the U.
i S. Government tax bureau system
lor many years. The Rev. Charles
I H. Dickey, Ranger, N. C.. who was
i a distinguished columnist on the
i Raleigh News and Observer at the
time of his death
Juan Ingram, Silas Chamber of
I Union County, Ga., Bowman .Mat
tock, Macon County. N. C.. R. B.
Keith, Canton, Ga. The late John
Collins, Nowatah, Oklahoma.
I Elbert Payne and wife and late
I Lillie Plott, Colorado. Mrs. Pat
Haralson, Mrs. Ellen Butt. Mrs.
Lennie Brackett, Blairsville, Ga.,
Mrs. W. G. Owenby, Marietta. Ga., J
Mrs. Medley Holt and Mrs Beat
rice Dobbs. Etowah, Tenn., etc.
Many more could be named, who !
attended Bellview Institute, espe- j
cially in this county. Many have \
passed on.
Also Mrs. Pat Haralson, Blairs
ville, Ga., wife of a leading Bliars
ville lawyer
LIKE A FAINT STAR
No doubt, there are those of the
okl pupils who ? are living visua
lize in their reminiscences a little
round light like a faint star dis
poning the darkness in the cabins
on the old campus at midnight
where the minds of diligent stu
dents were aflame in their quest
far knowledge that they might do
the creative thinking stressed toy
their teachers who made them
aware that books are tools that
thou^it must ripen into action
and success depends on what we
can do and accomplish after school
books ane laid aside.
We bespeak kindest memories '
for all the pupils of the shove I
mentioned teachers and their
loyal assistants, all of whom I
have passed on an far as we
know.
The old Bellview School site re
minds one who knew it In Us
?prime of "The Deserted Villag:
where toest companions were inno
cence and health. Best riches Ig
norance of wealth.
The old Masonic Lodge building
bu gone well Into decay. The
building \that wns on the states'
line has been disposed of long
ago. The one building under the
supervision of A. E. Brown is used
for the meeting place of the Home
Demonstration Club.
THIRD SUNDAY SING
i
The Third Sunday Afternoon
Singing will be at LRtle Glade
Church near Martin's Creek Sun
dag, Jan. IB. The Sky land Harmo
ny Quartet of Asheville will he
guest singers. They will also he
at the church Sunday night.
Low temperatures will reduce
internal cork damage to sweet po
tatoes, N. C. Agricultural experi
ment Station studies show.
. ii iBnri i
HENN
THEATRE
MURPHY, N. C.
Fri.-Sat., Jan. 16-17
Van Heflln-Yvonne De Carlo
?In?
"Tomahawk"
LATE SHOW
Brla Lugosi-Hugh Williams
?In?
"Human
Monster"
Sun.-Mon., Jan. 18-19
Bob Hep^-Jane Russell
?In?
"Son Of
Paleface"
Tae?rWed, Jan. 20-21
I.co Carrillo-Andrew Sisters
*? ?in?
"Cactus
Roundup"
DICKEY
THEATRE
MURPHY, N. C.
Thurs.-Fri.t Jan. 15-16
|
Lyle Talbot-Doris Herrick
I
?In?
"Untamed
Women"
Saturday, Jan. 17
Johnny Mack Brown
?In?
"Bury Me Not On
, The Lone
Prairie"
Sun.-Mon., Jan. 18-19
Dane Clark
?In??
"Gambler And
The Lady"
Tucs-Wed , Jan. 20-21
Gene Evans-Mary Welch
?In?
"Park Row"
HENN
THEATRE
ANDREWS, N. C.
FrS.-Sat.. Jan. 16-17
Jack Buetel-Mala Powers
?In?
"Rose Of
Cimarron"
I.ATE SHOW
Irene Rieh-Charlcs Bickford
?In?
"Queen Of
The Yukon"
Sun.-Mon., Jan. 18-19
Richard Conte
"The Fighter"
IVrd.-Thurs., Jan. 21-22
Howard Duff-CoVrn Cray ? =
1
"Models Inc."
Tuesday, Jan. 20
Bctte Davis
?In? *
"Another Man's
Prison"
VISIT OUR REMODELED STORE
Special Prices
Kansas Cream Plain or Self Risin?
FLOUR 25 lbs. $2.19
J. F. G.
COFFEE lb. .79
Lane Country
FRESH EGGS doz. .59
SUGAR 5 lbs. .49
Large Pkg.
DUZ, RINSO, SUPER SUDS 27
Large Pkg.
TIDE, BREEZE, SILVER DUST 29
Del Monte No. 2M> Can
PEACHES 29
? . ? ? ? * w : 1
Del Monte No. 2 Can
PINEAPPLE .41
Country Dried
APPLES lb. .35
White House No. 303 Can
APPLESAUCE 2 for .29
Red Cross No. 303 Can
PEAS 2 for .29
Green No. 2'/s Can
BEANS 2 for .39
2 Large or 4 Small
CARNATION MILK .29
Pure '/?? Gal.
SORGHUM SYRUP 1.50
Sour Wood 2'>2 Lit. Jar
HONEY 1.25
Popular Brand
CIGARETTES crtn. 1.59
16'e Puritan Print Bags
DAIRY FEED 4.25
FARMERS FEDERATION
Phone 62 iMurphy, N. C.
PRICES EFFECTIVE THRU JAN. 17
sale Final Clearance sale
DRESSES
REG. PRICE $12.98 now $7.98
REG. PI?ICE $ 9 93 now 5.98
REG. PRICE $ 8.93 now 5.00
REG. PRICE $18 93 now 12.98
MANY MORE DRESSES ON SALE FOR A
VERY LOW PRICE ?
CHILDREN'S SKIRTS
REG. PRICE $3.99 & $2.93
NOW $1.50
LADIES' SWEATERS
PULLOVERS
REG. PRICE $5.93 NYLONS
NOW $3.98
REG PRICE $5.98 WOOL
NOW $3.79
CARDIGANS
REG. PRICE $7.98 ?
NOW $4.98
REG. PRICE $5.98
NOW $2.98
LADIES* SKIRTS
REG. PRICE $8.49
NOW $4.98
REG PRICE $3.98
NOW $3.29
SUITS
lOOTc WOOL SUITS
REG. PRICE $59 98
NOW $30.00
REG. PRICE $49 98
NOW $25.00
RAYON 'SUITS
REG. PRICE $21.93
NOW $10.00
REG. PRICE $12.98
NOW $8.00
MATERIAL
CORDUROY PLAIDS AND SOLIDS
89c Per Yd.
/
AN ASSORTMENT OF MATERIALS
39c Per Yd.
SUMMER VOILS REG. PRICE $1.19
NOW 75c Per Yd.
BLOUSES
REG. PRICE $5 93
NOW $1.98
REG. PRICE $3.93 '
NOW $1.98
ONE TABLE OF SHOES $1.00. MANY OTHER ITEMS GREATLY REDUCED FIRST
QUALITY NYLON HOSE 51 GAUGE 49c PER PAIR, 1 PAIR TO CUSTOME R
TRUDY'S
PHONE 142-J MURPHY, N. C.
, ? ?