SECTION. ONE PAGE FOUR
history
OF SCHOOLS
(Continued from -Page One)
"Meeting House". And this area
is just east of the Don Phillips
house and where the 2-story
residence of Mrs. Walter Scales
stands.
However, it is not believed
that any building was ever
erected on this acre site, but
instead the little "Night's
Chapel" adjoining the lot was!
used in week-days for the
school, and Sundays for a com
munity church. This is borne
out by the fact that on January
1, 1825, the lot was conveyed
by the Trustees to William Cov
ington. Though the Town was
still almost in "swaddling" -'clothes,
the Founding Fathers
looked ahead with a vision. The
Academy Trustees on April 9,
1799, bought from Tod Robinson
Not No. 12. This Lot No. 12 was
owned by Thomas Childs ac
cording to the 1788 Plat ; and
today standing about on this
Lot is the two-story residence
of Mrs. T. C. Leak across street
from the present Methodist par-
He Is
On Ms Wcj
TA I LOR I NG CO.
of Indianapolis
Is Sending Its v
SPECIAlllEPRisENTAfivr
Corirad Lynn
Who Will Be At C-r Store
: Monday, April 27
Let him show you the new,
colorful and distinctive fab
rics and fashions. Let him
take your measurements now
for delivery later . . . and
remember our prices are
low
Every Gormen We Make
Is fadlvidaolfy
Tailored to Measure
Opposite Courthouse
Rockingham, N. C.
$$Sw-. j v. '' I ;
fftt
MM
Wrought Jron Works
Lamps and Lamp Shades
i - w
Flower Containers
; ' Recommended by N.
Decorative Mail
Imported Basket Wear
AND
Numerous Other
J- Ideas fat-Yourr Homer
MRSvSAM T. SNODDT MTCS. EETAtftt Ft
sonage. Then in 1808 the Trus
tees obtained a 20-fo6t strip
connecting Washington and
Franklin streets, just on the east
side of the present Methodist
church, for a street tc the Lot
No. 12 school building. As
Time moved on, successive
changes were made, and finally
the school became located on
Lots 30, 31, 17 and 18 (the old
Grammar School Site).
Just think of the water, fig
uratively speaking, that has
gone over me aara since iiwi
time in these 166 yearfe!
It is interesting to note the
family names of the first Board
of Trustees of the original
Richmond Academy. Those
names are with us oday
Henry William Harrington (the
first of many in this section to
plant cotton) , Thomas Dockery,
Thomas Crawford, Mil;s King,,
Edward Williams, Dudley Mask;
William Hunter. Men of Whom
we are all proud.
This Academy was he fore
runner of our mode -n high
school. The Academy a fas more
advanced than the subscription
schools, and prepared students
for College.
But while the Academy has a
serious job to do, that of em
phasizing EDUCATION with
stress on the three It's, still
there was was time out for fun
and frolic, albeit the teachers
were undoubtedly stern and
commanded discipline There
must have been gay par ies with
fun, dancing and merry-making
the Minuet, the Quadrille and
the Waltz.
The Academy eviden :ly went
into decline, because we find a
Legislative Act of 1846 passed
to revive the original 1788 Act
which to quote "had become ob
solete and ceased to nave ef
fect." And after a lapse of
58 years, a new Board 3f Trus
tees was named in 1847 Sher
iff John C. Knight, Jair es Pick
ett Leak, William B. Cole, Dr.
Calvin C. Covington, ohn W.
Cameron, William G. Wjbb, and
Congressman Walter ' Leake
Steele.
Then came the War 3ays, of
1861 to '65. And SI erman's
army came throirgh Roc cingham
in March, 1865, : pillaging and
destroying and burning the
twn-storv wooden cotton mill
v
(yarn) that had been built in
1337. the seventh oldest cotton
mill in the State. T iat mill
was known as the Richmond
Mill, chartered by the General
Assembly in December, 1833
iust a month after Wake Forest
Institute was authorized atf;
Cartledge Creek convention
Nov. 4. 1833. This mill was re
built in 1869 as Great Falls mill,
and then in the 'Seventies and
'Eighties and later more and
more mills were built around
our town so that the Tjown be
came known far and wide as a
great Industrial Center.
Despite Reconstruction and
Carpet-baggers, the Richmond
Academy continued to operate;
and another Legislative Act was
passed in 1883 giving t le Trus
tees authority to buy and sell
property. '
With the approach of the Gay
'Nineties, prosperity returned
to our devastated fe mtmana
and with it a renewed interest
in Education.
And while the Academy con
tinued to operate through the
years, there sprang ip other
schools, all of a private nature.
Among these schools was
that taught by Rev. Anc few Mc
Millan in the 'Seventies in an
C. Garden Club
Boxes
Decorative
COX"
old dwelling with a long porch
that stood where the Manufac
turers building now stands,, or
perhaps it can be better identi
fied as the Radio building or
the building just east of KAY'S
new Colonial-type structure.
Rev. G. W. Neal was principal
of the Academy coming here in
August, 1877; he was 8 years
at Newbern.
In the early fall of 1881 a
young wisp of a girl, Lucy Phil
lips, came to our town to teach
she a little 19year-old girl
fresh from college. And this
girl was married on April 9.
1883, to Moses H: Russell a
merchant of the town. And
Mrs. Lucy Phillips Russell to
day, at the age of 91 is sturdy
and well one of our commu
nity First Ladies, and a per
son our'Townis happy to honor:
Still another teacher in the
'Eighties was Dr. Carroll and
his Classical School gained a
state-wide reputation. He then
taught in the old J.,M. Penning
ton wood' shop, then" about where
the Carolina Standard lumber
plant now is located, owned by
W. P. McRae and Leo Page. ,
-O.n April 25, 1889, a new cor
poration came into being The
Rockingham Educational & Li
terary Assn. On the following
day the Trustees of the old Aca
demy leased the building and
lot to this new group for a per
iod of 50 years on condition
that the new Association would
erect on the lot a school build
ing to cost not less than $2000.
And from that date might be
said to start the upward trend
in education here. A build
ing was erected in 1887 of brick
and had two class rooms on the
first floor and an assembly hall
upstairs.
Members of the old Richmond
Academy when the lease was
executed in 1889 were T. C.
Leak, H. C. Wall, W. T. Coving
ton, W. I. Everett, A. M. Mc
Aulay, H. S. Ledbetter, H C.
Dockery-
For twelve years the Academy
was operated by the Rocking
ham Educational & Literary
Association; and then on Au
gust 27, 1901, the Association
leased theproperty to the Rock
ingham, Graded School the
land fronting- on .Washington
street 228 feet, and extending
southward, on Lawrence street
382 feet" to Franklin street
Four rooms were added
1901.
The first Trustees- for the
new Graded School in 1901 were
Settle Dockery, Paul Whitlock,
Thomas S. Wright, William C.
Leak, George Warburtoh M. H.
Russell, A. J. Maxwell, Marion
Lee Hinson, Robert L. Steele,
James Pickett Leak, W. N. Ever
ett, H. S. Ledbetter. The Super
intendent in 1901 to 1906 was
A. B. Hill.
In 1902 a young teacher came
to our midst who has made his
indelible stamp upon,the educa
tional life of our entire section.
That young man was L. J. Bell
just a little over 24 1-2 years
old. And it's this Mr. Bell whom
we delight to honor today and
for whom this fine new $275,000
new building is named. This
man became Supt. Hill's assist
ant. And in 1906 he succeeded
Hill as Superintendent and
served honorably and magnifi
cently for 42 years a man gen
tle in spirit, doggedly set on giv
ing the community the BEST
that could be provided With
limited means; a kindly man a
real gentleman and an EDUCA
TOR without a peer! In 1916
he took on the duties of Coun
ty Superintendent as well, and
filled both positions with abi
lity and honor until his health
necessitated his retiring as
County Supt. in 1947 and as
Town Siipt. in 1948. And your
School Board in 1948 se
lected our present James E.
Huneycutt as Superintendent
a worthy successor to a great
man.
But, we must hurry on with
this story.
In the winter of 1901 Senator
Cameron Morrison introduced
the Bill to give a charter to
the Rockingham Graded
Schools. In May of that year
the town people ! voted a tax
on themselves to help support
this school. And four brick
rooms were added that summer,
the school opening in Septem
ber with 200 pupils and six
teachers. (Just here we might
add that now in J953 we have
57 white teachers in our three
schools ajida total enrollment
of 1548 W - C- " " - -
Of those twelve Trustees
named in. jMl onljj can is Uv
ihm- Lawyen- Pauli WJiitlbck. in
Charlotte. Members were ap
ROCKINGHAM , POST-DISPATCH, RICHMONt) COUNTY,
pointed to serve on a staggered
basis and re-elections to be
made by the remaining Board
members for four-year terms.
This plan- was followed until
the Spring of 1931 when Re
presentative E me r s o n Scar
borough had a Bill passed
changing the system of select- j
inir School Trustees, and pro
viding for a Board of five, to
be elected for two and four yaar
terms. And that is the system
in vogue today.
in the 52 years since 1901
there have been but five Chair
men W. C. Leak from 1901 to
1918, W. N. Everett 1918 to
1923, George S. Steele 1923 to
1931, Bruce Benton from 1931
to 1945, George P. Entwistle
from 1945 to 1947, and Isaac S.
London from 1947 to the present
time (1953).
Now let's pull back the cur
tain to May 1, 1901. The Board
Chairman then was W. C. (Doc)
Leak. The teachers were A. B.
Hill, superintendent; Edwin A.
Armstrong, ' principal; Miss
Martha (Mat) Johnson, Miss
Nellie Armstrong (later marri
ed to George Steele), Mrs. Fan
nie Wood Steele, Miss Pat Le
Grand. Grand.
The same Board one year
later. The time early summer
of 1902.
L. J. Bell comes to the Rock
ingham school, as principal re
placing Edwin Armistead. (He
born at Kings Mountain on Jan.
26, 1878, and graduated from
the University ' in 1898 with
highest honors).
The Board in sessions 4 years
later. The time early summer
mer of 196.
L. J. Bell is elected" Superin
tendent, and Miss Pat LeGrand
as Principal. An addition to the
school is badly needed. Supt.
Bell suggests a bond. issue for
additional rooms and an audi
torium. The enrollment for fall
of 1906 to be 260.
Even though the school was
overflowing, it was not until
1911 that, the auditorium and
four class-rooms and an. off ice
were completed. And thus the
building stood until 1952;when
it was torn down to make avail
able the lots for business pur
r.nsps: And in its stead the
Board bottght thirteen acres ofl
land iii the northeastern edge
of town, and completed and
moved into this $475,000 L. J.
RelL building April 10, 1952.
(Previously in 1922 a '3-story
brick high school .waa built. on
a 15-acre tract also in the north
eastern part of' town, and "for-
mally opened January 1, 1923).
On the cornerstone of the new
addition to the . old grammar
school in 1911 were engraved
the names of the following
Trustees W. C. Leak, chair
man, M. L. Hinson, Robert L.
Steele, J.P. Leak, W. N. Everett,
H. S.Ledbetter, H. C. Dockery,
Claude Gore, George P. Entwis-
j tie, C. C. Taylor (none now liv
ing). When the building was
demolished in 1952, the old cor
nerstone was preserved for fu
ture posterity as well as the
old school bell and this bell
is to be enshrined in this school,
even as the name of our be
loved Mr. L. J. Bell will be en
shrined and perpetuated.
Principals to serve under Mr.
Beil since 1906 were Miss Pat
LeGrand, O. V. Hicks, Miss-Nettie
Brogden, Miss Bessie Dun-,
lap, Joseph Allred, Miss Kate
Finley in 1918 (still Principal
of the high school) and Miss
Bessie Terry in 1922 she still
principal of this L. J. BelhEle
Today and Friday
: Thev were two of a kind.
"His Kiridioi
A Wbfflan,
ROBERT MITCHUM
JANE RUSSELL
Sat. SILVER NIGHT
$115.00
FIRST PRIZE
"Rose of Cimarron"
Natural Color
JACK BEUTEL
Srincfey and4 Mondays
r "The Duel at Silver
Creek"
In. Technicolor
AUDIEl M.URBHX
mentary School, but resigning
as of June 2, 1953.
Following World War One,
prosperity and growth inevita
bly required more room, and so
the high school was built in
1922. On a plaque in this high
school are the names of the fol-
lowing Trustees of 1922-1923:
W. N.Everett as chairman, H. S.
Ledbetter, Claude Gore, George
P. Entwistle, C. C. Taylor, L, J.
Bell, J. Stansill Covington,
Bruce Benton, Nancy Pegues:
Leak, George S. Steele, E. A.
Allen, E. Burton Terry. Only
four; of these are living.
In 1926 still more room had
to be built this time a splen
did six-room building and au
ditorium on a lot donated by
Claude Gore. Miss Sena Dunn
is principal of this school in
Great Falls Village.
From 1901 to 1931, the School
Board had consisted of about
twelve members and it was a
"self-perpetuating" board. With
depression of the early 'thirties,
the people began to feel that!
there should be a more demo
cratic method of selecting Trus-
l " Tl T. ' i
tees,, ana sq ,-tvep. rinersuii
Scarborough introduced in the
1931 Legislature a bill to
change the system by having
five members, with two to be
elected for four years, and three
for 2-year terms. This Board
who took over in May, 1931, con
sisted of Rev. Bruce Benton as
chairman, George P. Entwistle,
M. B. Leath, W. P. McRae and
W.H.McCall.
Dr. Benton served as Chair
man from 1931 to 1945 when he
retired from the B6ard, and
George P. Entwistle succeeded
him as chairman. Mr. Entwistle
served until 1947 when he re
signed, and Isaac London was
made chairman, and still is. Mr.
London had been elected to the
Board in May 1943, and re
elected successively.
The present Board as of
1953, consists of Isaac London
chairman, John Entwistle, Dan
Gore, Leo Allen and Lonnle
McrCaskill.
.And, before closing, this
record would be incomplete did
we not state that the Town on
Dec. 9, 1936, voted a special 25
cent 'tax ort the'mseive's to pro
vide a nine month and a twelfth
grade; and then on May 28,
1949, the ' Town and Counfy
voted a bond issue of $1,750,000
for new school-buildings- and
with its part of the bonds the
Town built a new Negro .high
school and" this new Bell Ele
mentary. And since way back in the
'Twenties-the school has been
on the Accredited "A" list
in fact; the Rockingham school
was the THIRD school in North
Carolina to be so rated a fact
that can be laid to the vision
of L. J. Bell, and his two able
principals Miss Kate Finley
and Miss Bessie Terry.
And one final Avord- we also
have with us as one of our ex
cellent grade teachers . Miss
Maude Moore who came to our
There's
WHEN
Bob 'n. Mickey . . .
zaniest pair of M.
P.Js that ever
breezed 4n with the
draft!
With
EDDIE
MayeHoff
AND
JACK
Dempsey
Starts With
Late
Show
Sat. Nite
TH II II II . ..YAii ,1 W. - J
1 r-' " .W fl OmS
i - m i a nr n 1 K ,
ill s t, s iJAt ft rt
il l t f i t r nil . , , , f ft . .
niri x v l 5. inm si-. y$&ts&imM' mm m
IIS k. Ii . wa:-.:i---Uyff:;i-:-fr MM . . "ti
71- L A i V i M. -
Thursday A Donald O'Connor
- v'
Friday Or. Bebbie
N. C.
grammar school in November,
1909, and has been a Rock of
Gibraltar for the young child
ren over these nearly forty-four
years.
And : Mrs. C. P. Stewart (the
former Miss Lottie Linton)
came to theRockingham gram
mar school in 1909 and taught
for eight years.
SUPERINTENDENTS
ROCKINGHAM SCHOOLS:
A. B. Hill 1901-1906
L. J. Bell ........ ... 1906-1948
J. E. Huneycutt 1948-
Principals:
E: A. Armistead 1901-1902
L. J. Bell 1902-1906
Miss Pat LeGrand ... 1906-1910
O. V. Hicks . 1910-1911
Miss Nettie Brogden ... 1911-1913
Miss Bessie Dunlap f 1913-1916
Joseph Allred . 1916-1917
Miss .Kate Finley,
high ... , 1918-
Miss Bessie Terry 1922-1953
Mrs. Mattie Ewing, .
Great Falls 1926-1928
Miss. Frances O'Daniel,
- Great Falls 1928-1943
Miss Sena Dunn, G. F. 1948-
Board Chairmen:
W. C. (Doe) Leak 1901-1918
W.. N. Everett 1918-1023
Geo. S. Steele Sr 1923-1931
Rev. Bruce Benton 1931-1945
Geo. P. Entwistle Sri 1945-1947
Isaac S. London 1947-1953
Board Members: 1901-1953:
Allen J. Maxwell 1901-1903
Sheriff T. S. Wright... 1901-1904
M. H. Russell 1901-1904
Paul C. Whitlock 1901-1906
George Warburton ... 1901-1908
A. Settle Dockery 1901-1911
Marion L. Hinson 1901-1912
Robert L. Steele Sr 1901-1916
W. C. Leak Sr. 1901-1918
J. Pickett Leak Sr. ...... 1901-1918
W. N. Everett Sr
Hal S. Ledbetter
Mv- T. Hinson
H. CDockery Sr.
C. C. Taylor ..:
L. J. Bell
1901-1928
1901-1925
1903-1906
1904-1911
1904-1931
. 1906-1922
Geo. P. Entwistle Sr. 1906-1947
Claude Gore .. 1908-1931
A. D. Dumfes ; 1911-1917
Dr. W. P. Webb 1912-1917
John C. Dockery Sr. 1916-1921
an?
Late Show' Saturday Nite
Sunday and Monday
CHARLTON HESTON
RHONDA FLEMING
JAN STERLING
FORREST TUCKER
A Paramount Picfur
C-2AZ
f
1
THEY GET TOGETHER AS TJk IP.
1
TEAM
Reynolds
. . i - 4 ;.x&rsr a
Ed. A.. Allen . 1917-1925
J. Stansil Covington 1917-1931
Rev. Bruce Benton
E. B. Terry
Mrs. W. C. Leak ........
1917- 1945,
1918- 1928
1918-1931
George S. Steeele Sr. 19211931
Rev. W. R. Coppedge 1922-1925
A. G. Corpening 1925-1931
Dr. J. M. Ledbetter 1925-1931
E. B Liles
John Morrison .
Ozmer L. Henry
W. H. McCall ....
M. B. Leath .........
W. P. McRae
Isaac S. London
Athos Cockman
Minor T. Hinson
Jay Helms . .
Dan Lenox Gore
John Entwistle ...
W. Leo Allen
1925-1931
1928-1930
.. 1928-1931
..... 1931-1943
.... 1931-1947
.... 1931-1947
1943-1953
1945-1947
.. 1947-1951
.... 1947-1951
..... 1947--..-..--
X 9 47
1951......
1951-.-.
L. F. McCaskill Jr
PTA Give London
Appreciative Vote
At its regular meeting April
16, 1953 the Rockingham Parent-Teacher
Association voted
to express its appreciation to
Isaac S. London for his-services
to the Rockingham City
Schools during the past ten
years as a member of the School
Board and expressed its regret
at his decision to withdraw from
that office.
The Parent-Teacher Associa
tion also expressed its appreci
ation of the unlimited time he
has devoted to the repent build
ing program and the loyal sup
port given to the Parent-Teacher
Association and the schools,
both as a member of the School
Board and as editor of the Rock
ingham Post-Dispatch.
Mr. London has been a mem
ber of the School Board since
1943, serving as chairman of the
board since 1947. He has actively
surported the building programs
for the colored school, the
tek-lnlainni
Today and Friday
Battle of the Ages for the
'Loveliest of Harem Beau
ties
'(Thief oi
Damascus '
Color by Technicolor
PAUL HENRIED
JOHN SUTTON
SaU Double Feature
FREE PRIZE NIGHT
GENE AUTRY in '
"Wagon Team"
Plus
BORIS KARLOFF in
"Strange Door"
Sunday '
A Pleasure Parade
"About Face"
In Technicolor
GORDON McRAE
to the
UP FOR LAUGHS . . .
Elf
yviryn
MARILYN
"She's
They're a pair of M. P.'s
(Miserable Privates) ... .
playin? the old Army game
with Marilyn . . off limits
lady barred - to military personnel!
Saturday
only
O
O
TITURSD AY,- APRIL 2.1, id.-.t
Great , Falls cafeteria, and the
L. J. Bell Elementary School.
LEGION WILL ELECT
NEW OFFICERS TONIGHT
The local Post of the Ameri
can Legion will elect officers
during a dinner meeting at the
Hut on Ledbetter Lake tonight
(Thursday ), it was announced
this morning by Commander
Stubbs. All members are urged
to be present; also members of
the Auxiliary..
Today and Friday
Tougher than the Barbary
Coast.
"Sin Town"
Constance Bennett
Saturday Only
Double Feature
Jack Pot Drawing
Cash , and Merchandise
TIM HOLT in
"Stage Coach
Ed"
HIT. NO. 2
It"s a Horse on Lou and
a barrel of fun for you!
ABBOTT & COSTELLO
" Ain't H."
Sun., Mon. and Tuesday
-
First Run Picture
3 Big Days
Sit i TBlBLS!
, LONG and
y LEAN...
A Westerner
you looked at
twice... in a
showdown
once! ft,
Starring
Umd BRIDGES Lee J. COBB
Marie WINDSOR Luther ABLER
WITH
Restricted!"
4
Gary
Cooper
"Distant
Drums"
1 j'lrrl g eSwjly i
W inn n ii rmn r n i
10
I J '
M
;