Back to School in Swain County

Swain County Schoolbuses, circa 1927

Source: Asheville Citizen Times, February 6, 1927

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It's that time of year! The children of Swain County (including my own) have returned to school to start the 2016-2017 term. In lieu of a lengthy blog post this week, I'm sharing a few old pictures and notes/stories about the schools in Swain County in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Please note that 1) the pictures are not necessarily related to the text; and 2) some of the pictures are not of the highest quality, as they were pulled from old newspapers and old books.

Enjoy!

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Hightower School/Church on Needmore Road (still standing as the Hightower Church)

Photo provided by Linda Banwarth (with many thanks for this priceless piece of history).

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What follows is an account of 'Bill Hamilton's'  first day of school.'Bill' appears to have lived in the greater Japan/Almond/Judson area and wrote about those communities for the Bryson City papers in the late 1800s.  As I cannot place a Bill or William Hamilton in Swain or Graham counties in the appropriate time period via the census records, it is possible that 'Bill Hamilton' was a pen name.  He was a very articulate man, and therefore it should be noted that his story below is strictly written 'tongue in cheek'. I have copied it verbatim from the newspaper in which it appeared.

"....My father, seein that I needed some schoolen, started me ter school, my first time in life so a week or so before hit was ter commence my good old mother, who was taken, hit seamed a relarm in amount of interest in her 'dear sun' learned me the A.B.C's and by good management and acasional use of the rod of kerection, succeeded in learnin me the alphabet, so on the morning school commenced. She fixed me dinner, consisten of a corn dodger, a piece of meat, and a quart bottle full of Butter milk and off I put ter the school house four miles distant.

In due time I arrived on the spot, quietly deposited me dinner under the door steps of the old log school house, and in I went, thinking I was a lucky boy, and one god had endowed with extra ordinary mental ability as soon as matters of that kind are ever done. I tooked a seat and that teacher told me to 'off with hat' which I did with rapidity, and flutter bation of mind. Then turning to me lesson (The Alfabet' and axed me what tha first letter was, I studied a little looking first at teacher then tha letter, and ter save me from Halifax I couldent annountit for him. Now said he 'You get this letter in your mind so you can tell me what it is by dinner time,' and left me ter work out on me own edecation with fear en trimlen , so I ruminated and spelt, quirked, twisted and choked and spelt at the tarnel old letter and never did make hit out. For I hade clean forgotten the name of hit, when dinner was announced I was one of the fust ter leave my seat. Fur I was a gitten tarnations hungry, an made for me dinner basket under the door steps, where I had place hit that morning, and lo and behold the tarnations free goer Hogs, had done wound that matter up. Havin clearned up every speck of dinner septen that big bottle of milk, which was found atter some sarchin.

Durin play time I axed a boy what the name of the fust letter was, and I kept sayin it over til the teacher hollered 'Books' and in we all went, me with the balance, still sayin over that letter. Dreekly that 'teacher' cum ter me, says 'Bill ye got that letter yet.' An I looked and every body in the house was looking right at me, I got excited, could feel me heart a beaten in me years, occasionally turnin blind, last I made out to get me mouth off and say 'A' very well said the teacher what is the next. Here I stalled again, Last he said 'what is it that stings boys sometimes' 'Yellow Jackets' said I. 'Oh you num skull you Bees' don't you know, so that is 'B'.

Now it is of no use ter say, that I said no more lessons that afternoon, and went home that evenin, proud ter say that I had at least gone to school one day in life....."

Bill Hamilton's Letter, The Bryson City Times

August 7, 1896

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Fairview School, 1938

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, Georgia

First Almond School circa 1926/1927 (A newer school would be built shortly after this picture was taken, prior to the impounding of Fontana Lake; the new school sat on the current site of the Almond Boat Dock. The newest Almond School, where my brothers and I went to elementary school and where my parents worked, is now the site of Southwestern Community College's Swain County Campus).

Source: Asheville Citizen Times, February 6, 1927

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Here's a description of a typical school day at the Cherokee Training School:

'.....The weekday program of exercises fitly illustrates the excellence of the superintendent's management, and explains the high order among schools which the Cherokee training school has attained. It is as follows; morning bell, 5 o'clock; breakfast, 5:30; industrial work, 6 to 9; school exercises, 9 to 11:15; dinner, 12 n; industrial work, 12:30 p.m.; school exercises, 1:30 to 4; industrial work, 4 to 6; supper, 6; recreation, 6:30 to 7; evening study, 7; evening prayers, 8; retiring bell, 8:30.'

Donaldson, Thomas. Indians, Eastern Band of Cherokees of North Carolina. 1892

Cherokee Training School and Students, circa 1889/1890

Source: Report on Indians, Taxed and not Taxed in the United States (Except Alaska), 11th US Census, 1890

The Old Soco Schoolhouse near the Macedonia Mission

Source: Report on Indians, Taxed and not Taxed in the United States (Except Alaska), 11th US Census, 1890

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Here is a snippet regarding very early schooling in Swain County in an article written about John Sadoc Smiley, Swain County Schools' first superintendent:

  ".....In 1871......there were 15 primary schools, with teachers doing work through the seventh grade. It wasn't until Lucian Holmes, a college graduate, came here to teach the Bryson City school that it went higher. Mr. Smiley received his education in the little one room schools, going to his first school in 1854 in Macon County; his second on Little Alarka and in 1856 was in school at Cold Springs, these three being the free schools of Macon County at that time. (The reader is reminded that though these locations are known to be in Swain County today, they were in Macon County at the time - Swain County was not formed until 1871)  Mr. Smiley....taught the first school in Bryson in 1871-1872 that had a four months term. In those days the teachers were examined by a County Board of Examiners. In 1881 the office of County Superintendent of Public Education was created and the place given to Mr. Smiley which he held for nine years. His opinion was that he wasn't 'literary enough, but that he went ahead and did the best that he could but was criticized anyway'. He worked for uniformity of textbooks; for a higher standard of teaching and for a longer term. Mr. Smiley says that folks hadn't been used to schools and (he) thought that they ought to be as long as a working day, from sun-up to sun-down. The first schools opened at 8:45 and closed at four. In speaking of the work of some of the pioneer teachers, he said, 'their work was noble'."

Article on John Sadoc Smiley, written by Anne D. Bryson

Asheville Citizen-Times, May 6, 1928

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Reverend John Sadoc Smiley, circa 1928

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times, May 6, 1928

Source: North Shore Historical Association newsletter, 1990

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Sources:
Asheville Citizen Times, 1927 and 1928
Linda Banwarth
National Archives and Records Administration, Atlanta
North Shore Historical Association newsletter, 1990
Report on Indians, Taxed and not Taxed in the United States (Except Alaska), 11th US Census, 1890