Spotlighting Pleasant Grove School
By: Ken Yarbor
Recently I spent time talking by telephone to Mrs. Gertrude Weaver about the early history of Pleasant Grove School located in the Hinson’s Crossroads Community. She began school at PGS in 1927 and graduated from eighth grade in 1934. The school had an enrollment of approximately 60 students in grades 1 through 8. She went to high school in Vernon and graduated from there in the class of 1938.
Land had been bought from Mrs. Annie Hood in 1926 to build the Pleasant Grove School. The four room bungalow style school welcomed its first students in the fall of 1926. First and second grade occupied a room. Third and fourth were together as were fifth and sixth. The fourth room was occupied by seventh and eighth grades. Students went across the road to Mrs. Annie Hood’s well to draw drinking water for the school.
Mrs. Weaver returned to Pleasant Grove to teach in 1941 and taught there through 1946. She served as principal for the 1945-46 school term. According to Mrs. Weaver, Mrs. Wyatt served as the first principal of the school. Other principals included Mr. George Moore, Mr. Sellars, Mr. Cary Fleming, Mrs. Jennie McKeithen, Mrs. Olga Hardy, Mr. Jim Russ, Mrs. Olive Berry, Mr. Rex Yates, Mr. Auburn Hood Mr. Johnny Jenkins,
Mr. JV Ross and Mr. RI Roche Sr.
Teachers, Mrs. Weaver remembers were Mrs. Lillian Fleming, Mrs. Iris Worthington, Mrs. Mary Hiley, Mrs. Mamie Evans, Mrs. Mary Russ, Mr. Carlton Brock, Mrs. Verna Fleming, Mrs. Margie McCrary, Mrs. Ola Hood, Mr. Auburn Hood, Mrs. Jessie Hinson, Mrs. Katie McDonnell, Mrs. Myrtice Smith, Mr. Fitzhuch Carter, Mr. Burton Farrell, Mr. Otis Pippin, Mrs. Lillie Bell Worthington, Mrs. Bell Sapp and Mrs. Ada Pate.
A barrack style building was put on the land where New Bethany Assembly of God Church is now located. According to Mrs. Weaver, it was sometimes used as an overflow classroom when five classrooms were needed to accommodate a large enrollment. Later on a building was added to the PGS school house for that classroom. Then, around 1940-41 another building was pulled to the school for a lunchroom.
A board of trustees made school enrollment decisions concerning hiring school personnel and the maintenance and daily operations of the school. One such decision was to close PGS for the 1928-29 school term because of a lack of funds.
The first graduating class of Vernon High School had all previously graduated from Pleasant Grove School. This was the class of 1932. The graduates were Carmel Brock, Ola Hood, Ethel Smith and Mary Yates.
Students either rode the school bus driven by Mr. Tom Morrell or walked to school. Ms. Joan P. Chance commented on school transportation in her book Reflections, located in the Chipley Library. She stated that the first school bus transportation in the county began in 1919. Only one school bus ran from Holmes Creek to Chipley until 1929 when a few school buses were added. According to Ms. Chance, school buses, at that time, were owned by the drivers.
In researching this article, I called Mrs. Mary E. Hagler, who now resides in North Carolina. She taught at Pleasant Grove School during the
1934-35 and the 1935-36 terms. She taught first and second grade students in the same room. Mrs. Hagler remembers teaching fifty students each year. She said that each of the four classrooms were heated with wood heaters which made the classrooms extremely hot or extremely cold. The wood heaters had stove pipes which often brought smoke into the classroom. Wood for the school was purchased by the trustees.
Mrs. Hagler recalled that Mrs. Belle Sapp taught third and fourth grade students in one classroom. Mr. Otis Pippin taught fifth and sixth grade and Mrs. Jenny McKeithen taught seventh and eighth grade. Mrs. McKeithen also served as principal. Two school buses transported students to school. Mr. Tom Morrell and Mr. Harvey Hinson delivered younger students to Pleasant Grove and then carried older students to Vernon High School.
Some teachers lived with families in the community. Mrs. Hagler boarded with Mr. and Mrs. John Lee, parents of Teresa Duke and Iris Worthington.
Teachers took a test to see what grade they could teach. The State of Florida designated the county seat as the location where these tests were administered. These tests were essay examinations which were sent to Tallahassee for scoring. When scoring was completed, teachers were issued teaching certificates that allowed them to teach certain grades. Mrs. Hagler was issued a Second Grade Certificate.
The school principal would use a hand held bell to call students to their classrooms. Teachers would start school each morning with a devotional, pledge to the flag and a time for singing patriotic songs. Arithmetic was taught to first grade students and then to second grade students. After Arithmetic, students went to recess where they ate sausage biscuits. The principal would ring the bell to call students to return to their classrooms. Next, Reading was taught, first to first graders and then to second graders.Following Reading there would be one hour for lunch. Students and teachers took their lunches outside and ate under the large shady oak trees. They brought their lunches in paper bags. Students would play outside until the principal rang the bell signaling time to return to the classrooms for the afternoon session.
After lunch there was rest time and then other subjects such as Music, History, Geography and Penmanship. At 2 o’clock students went outside to play team games (baseball or basketball) or circle games on the sandy school yard. When afternoon recess was over, students returned to the classroom where teachers read stories to them until dismissal at3 o’clock. Most students walked home, some rode buses, some rode wagons pulled by horses and a few students rode cars home.
Discipline was not a problem, Mrs. Hagler said. “Teachers had perfect cooperation from parents. The children were happy.” She recalled that her first and second grade students loved her and she loved them.
Some students still have fond memories of teachers and friends who taught and attended classes at Pleasant Grove School. Rev. Leon Jenkins, Pastor of New Bethany Assembly of God remembered Mrs. Ola Dunn, Mrs. Isabel Worthington and Mrs. Olive Berry. He also remembered playing marbles in the school yard and playing a creative game that students invented called “Gator in the Ditch”. According to Reverend Jenkins, there was a ditch near the school which was guarded by one group of boys (the Gators). The other group tried to capture it.
Mr. Thomas Jenkins, recalled a man from the community who would come to tell Bible Stories using a flannel board to illustrate them. He wanted the students to remember these stories and cherish them for many years. He also remembered spending many happy hours in the school yard playing marbles. After four years at Pleasant Grove School, Mr. Jenkins continued his education at Vernon High School.
Mrs. Merle Osment who still lives in the Hinson’s Crossroads Community, transfered from Wausau School as a child, but spent most of her early school years at Pleasant Grove. She has fond memories of teachers: Mrs. Carter, Mrs. Ola Dunn, Mrs. Lucille Brock and Mrs. Olive Berry. She also remembers Mrs. Lillie Bell, Mrs. Iris Worthington, Mr. Joby Kolmetz, Mrs. Gertrude Dunn and Mr. Fitchew Carter.
A highlight for her was serving as Fall Queen in the eighth grade while Mr. Horace Anderson, who also still lives in the Hinson’s Crossroads Community, served as the Fall King. She remembered that her mother, Mrs. Creamer, and Mr. Anderson’s mother sewed a crepe paper dress for her coronation.
Mrs. Ozment recalled fondly that students at PGS were allowed to say Bible verses and participate in daily Bible reading. Students repeated the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and sang the Star Spangled Banner afterwards. She remembers seeing her first movie ever at Pleasant Grove School. This was a silent movie shown to educate students about careers in the textile industry. It provided lasting information as she began a career in this industry where she worked for many years.
She remembers being allowed to attend revival services during school hours when they were being held in the community. Creative play at recess would result in student led church services in the school yard. Mrs. Ozment also spoke of vivid memories of school field trips which took the form of picnics, fishing trips and fish frys. She said, “These were the good ole days!”
Many fond memories of the “good ole days” at Pleasant Grove School still live today in the minds and hearts of teachers who worked there and students who attended school there. The spirit of PGS still lives!
