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Railroad coach donated by the railroad around 1916 |
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The brick school built about 1920 |
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Bruceton Grade School |
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Bruceton Central High School |
Citizens of Hollow Rock
and Bruceton have been most helpful in compiling this history of
Central High School. We had to connect the memories of several
people to get a complete picture. This copy has been proofread
by some of those who helped us compile it. Of course, the
pictures we have used are old and didn’t reproduce as clearly as
newer pictures. Our special thanks go to Mr. Ed Holcomb, Mrs.
Lillian Blair, Mr. Joe T. Herndon, Mr. W.D. King, Mr. Joe Corlew,
and Mrs. El. Wright for helping us collect information and
pictures for this historical edition of the TIGER. Hollow Rock,
first known as Sandy Ridge Community, was established at a very
early date in Carroll County. One Hollow Rock citizen recalled
an academy where Prospect Baptist Church now stands. Another
recalled an academy, but thought it was located where the old
Hollow Rock High School was. It is recalled that the academy was
in existence in the ~ or 1890’s. Memories are sketchy about the
academy. The first school in Hollow Rock was somewhere around
1914. This was a two room frame school headed by Professor
Woods. There were four grades in each room. When the work was
completed in one room, students advanced to the West Room for
the other four grades. Some of the first teachers in this school
were Mrs. Sadie (Martin) McGill, Mrs. Elizabeth (Palmer) Nance,
Miss Annie Robertson. Discipline was administered in the ‘‘big’’
room by Professor Woods. Chalk was kept in the big room, and a
special treat was to go get it for the teacher. Upon one
occasion a student was sent for chalk, and before he could
reveal his mission1 he was firmly reprimanded by Professor
Woods. The only high school in the area was at Hollow Rock. The
high school was a small frame building located across the street
from the present site of what is now the kindergarten. Some
students also came here from Block City School House and the
Butler School House. Students had an option of attending high
school either at Hollow Rock, Huntingdon, or Camden. There were
five special trains, and students rode free of charge. The rents
served as the crew and the railroad furnished the coal.
About 1920 a two story brick building was constructed
where the kindergarten now stands. In 1922 two classrooms were
added upstairs and one downstairs. This attractive, modern
building served the Hollow Rock-Bruceton community until the
high school was moved to its present location in the fall of
1927. Moving from Hollow Rock High School to Central High School
was Professor El. Wright as Headmaster, a position he had held
for several years. The Hollow Rock-Bruceton Special School
District was formed, which is a separate entity of either Hollow
Rock or Bruceton. The building at Hollow Rock continued as a
grammar school until 1960, at which time Pat Patterson bought
and razed it. The present educational facility at Hollow Rock
was erected in the early 1960’s and served as the Hollow Rock
Elementary School until it became the kindergarten. Prior to
1921 the railroad community which was later to become Bruceton
was known as Hollow Rock Junction, having only a few scattered
buildings. The entire area was crisscrossed by two railroad
tracks which formed the junction. There was dissatisfaction
with the name Hollow Rock Junction, so the town was renamed New
One. Later it was again changed to Junction City. Finally, in
19251 the name Bruceton evolved, from the name of Mr. Bruce, who
was an official of the railroad at that time and who had helped
in getting Bruceton founded and off to a good start. Crocker
School located on Rowland Mill Road where Mr. Jestes Reed now
lives was the first remembered school which served Bruceton.
Major Crockett owned all the land above the factory and donated
the land for the school. Mr. James Taylor was one of the first
board members. Mrs. P.W. Maddox was one of the first teachers
and boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Taylor since it was customary for
the school board members to board the teachers. Mr. John Wyatt
replaced Mr. Taylor on the school board and continued to board
the teachers, Mrs. Russell (Ruby) Robinson of Hollow Rock and
Miss Nancy Aden of Christmasville1 who are still living, were
teachers at Crocker School. In 1918 Mr. Prentice Pinkley bought
the old Crocker School building and moved it across the street
from its original site to Ms farm and renovated it into his
home. Today the building is occupied by the Albert Riley family.
(Clay is a senior this year.)
Around 1916 the railroad donated a coach to be used as
a school. This school, which began with 36 pupils, primarily
served children of railroad employees. It was located near the
railroad tracks since a railroad crane operated by Mr. H.P.
Bayless ‘‘boomed’’ it off the track. Miss Lucretia Owens, the
teacher, boarded with the H.P. Bayless family; and Mr. Bayless
paid $26 a month on her salary since he had two children
attending this school. In 1919 a school was erected at 401 W.
College Street and was officially named First Bnceton School.
County funds were not available to build this school1 so many
interested citizens went ahead with plans for the building and
it was paid off by public subscription and donations from many
people. Some teachers at this school were Mrs. Maude Black;
Lilly Ann Turner; Bro. Boyd, a Baptist minister; and the last
remembered was Henry Stevenson. Mr. Stevenson bought this
building and renovated it into a house which is now owned by
Gene Wilson. (Gary is a junior; Wendy is a freshman; Michael is
in the second grade.) With the operation of this school, the
Coach School closed and all students in this area attended First
Bruceton School. Soon Bruceton Grammar School was erected (the
old Community Center). When it overflowed, some of the students
from Bruceton Grammar School attended school in the Compton
House, near the present site of Regina Arnold’s Dance Studio.
These two buildings served as grammar schools for Bruceton until
finally, in 1927, the building at Central was occupied. This
building housed grades 6-12. This building has served this
community until the present time. For the sale of history, the
citizens of this community voted a bond issue which will finance
the construction of a new high school and eight elementary
classrooms. Construction is planned to begin this summer.
Superintendents of the Hollow Rock-Bruceton Special School
District have been Mr. E.E. Wright, Mr. W.L. Darnell, Mr. H.B.
Smith, Mr. Joe T. Herndon, and the present superintendent, Mr.
H.H. Reed. All of the people to whom we talked were brimming
with interesting and amusing facts from their school days. Space
would not allow all us to print all; however, we have chosen a
few to share. Mr. Joe Ted Herndon past student, coach
principal, and superintendent recalled from his student days
being the State Baseball Champs. (Note picture on p. 164) Mr.
Hemdon also recalled moments from his coaching era when his
football team defeated Jackson for the Little Cotton Bowl. Mr.
Herndon attributed much of his success to the fact that the boys
did what was asked of them. To prove this point he remitted of
one particular practice when his boys were in a huddle and he
spotted a wild goose. He motioned for the boys to hold the
huddle and to keep quiet. Mr. Herndon got in his car, went to
town, got his gun, returned, killed the goose, and then broke up
the huddle. Another small victory for CHS. History records that
the school grounds were once a graveyard. One grave still
remains. It was discovered while building the highway. The
casket was buried and the new highway built over it. |
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