Lewis County Historical Society meeting March 6

The Lewis County Historical Society met the first Monday of the month at the site of the old Rosenwald School which is now home to the Senior Citizens Center. People who attended rural schools in Lewis County shared experiences of being a part of this school system.

Sometimes school had its crazy and funny incidents. Barbara Hinson’s father, Everette, disrupted classes when he took a notion to ride a cow with a cowbell on it past the school, causing all the students to rush to the window.

Others recalled times quite different than today. Take the outside bathrooms, better known as outhouses. Crossing a creek to get to the building. A pipe from a spring to get water. Wood stoves, Riding a bus, one over an hour each way, that had to be paid for, or having to take special lessons, like piano or elecution. Walking through heavy snow with light shoes on, bare legs and a dress. Being bored in third grade, so the teacher made her learn to write with left hand when she was right handed.

And there was a brother who had to sit next to the wood stove because his feet got wet when going to the outhouse. Lunch was often a sack lunch brought from home and if you were lucky you could buy a Coke for 6 cents.

Rosenwald School was the school built for African American students which has been restored and is now part of the Senior Citizens Center. It was constructed with volunteer labor, money from pastry and baked goods sales, yard sales, donations, and matched with funds from Julius Rosenwald in collaboration with Booker T Washington. Ms. Frankie Mitchell entertained the group with relating her experience there. Different mothers would prepare meals for the kids and teacher, Ms Eula Allison. This teacher would come from Nashville on Monday, stay and teach all week and then return back to the city on Friday.

The children weren’t allowed to say “I don’t know” or would have to write it 100 times on the blackboard. Her father made some paddles which hopefully weren’t used very much. There was an excellent band. And there were holiday programs and 8th grade graduation when all the girls would wear white dresses. After 8th grade, some students continued their education at school in Mt. Pleasant until schools in Lewis County were integrated in 1964.

Many of these buildings are gone now, several by fire (two suspiciously at the same time), two taken down and used to build a home, and many just abandoned to weather and weeds.

There will be an upcoming program celebrating this Rosenwald School, Lewis County Colored School, in the next few months in Hohenwald. Julius Rosenwald was born to Jewish immigrants and became the CEO and president of Sears and Roebuck. In collaboration with Booker T Washington, they established 4,978 school in 15 states, some in Tennessee, especially for African American students when may didn’t have schools to go to.

There is an exhibit now at the Tennessee State Museum, “A Better Life for Their Children” celebrating these schools and the philanthropy of these two men. This is a very important part of our legacy, and we are very fortunate to have one of these schools in this county.

The Lewis County Historical Society meets the first Monday of each month. All are welcome.