Mitchellsburg offered all-age school for Boyle students in 1900s
Published 10:26 pm Friday, August 30, 2019
- Photo contributed Students at the old Mitchellsburg School in 1929, are shown with their teacher Ocea Broyles, far left in first row. Students, from left, are: front row, Sherman Evans, Marvin Bandy, Thomas Broyles, Estill Tate, Earl Quinn, Marjorie Craig, Ruby Rose Baker, Frye Tharp, Minnie Pearl Holly, Mary Lee Wofford, unknown, Mary Haste Baker, unknown, Marjorie Vermillion, Oradell Jones and Josephine Lamb. Second row, Amos Tate, E.B. Fuell, Marvin Reardon, unknown, Marvin unknown, Harry Reardon, Elizabeth Tate, Nellie Tate, unknown, Roller, Franklin Quinn, Oscar Reardon, Helen Evans, J.B. Jones, unknown, Evelyn Evans, Betty Broyles and W.C. Roller. Third row, Louis Broyles, W.C. Fuell, Warren Evans, Leonard Holly, Alvie Roller, unknown, Edna Doss, Welsh Evans, Willa Bell Pelly, Vivian Pelly, in front, Agnes McDermott, Edna Broyles, Hazel Bandy, Elizabeth Chambers, Flora Mae Reardon, Nellie Jones, Forrest Doss and unknown.
Mitchellsburg was among the small communities in Boyle County that offered a school for students of all ages before there was bus transportation to take them to the larger schools.
Bits of information in this article were gleaned The Advocate-Messenger archives.
The earliest mention of the wood-frame school was in 1903-04 when Betty Cox was teacher.
Martha Cox was a teacher in 1906; Zora Purdom was a teacher in 1910; Alma Owens was principal and Carol Jones was a teacher in 1920, and Sarah Richardson taught there in 1925 when B.F. Richardson was professor and Elizabeth Armstrong also was a teacher.
Lucille Harberson taught there but left in 1915 to attend classes at the Normal School in Richmond.
Personnel also included: 1915, Gladys Tucker, principal, and Ethel Westerfield, teacher. Fifty-nine students were enrolled in the same year. Gladys Rucker and Alma Owens were teachers in 1918.
Earns prize
Gladys Tucker and Ethyle Westerfield were teachers when school ended in 1918.
Alex Broyles, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.W. Broyles of Brumfield, was presented a knife for his perfect attendance record the same year.
Student plans to be teacher
Lucille Janet Hart finished the sixth grade class of 1928. She planned to be a teacher at the deaf school.
“She would scatter joy and sunshine wherever she may be,” ended a speech at the end of the graduation. Lucille Hart married and became Mrs. Lucille Bruce and ended up spending most of her career as Boyle Circuit Clerk.
Honor roll
In February 1929 with an enrollment of 29 pupils, the honor roll included:
February 1929: Grade 1, Sherman Evans, E.B. Fuell and Josephine Lamb. Grade 2, Mae Vermillion, Oradell Jones, Geanell Phillips and Evelyn Evans. Grade 3, Stanley Satterly and Leonard Holly. Grade 4, Nellie Jones, Flora Reardon, Robert Cloyd and Hazel Bandy.
Grade 5, Vivian Pelly. Grade 6, W.C. Fuell. Grade 7, Agnes McDermott and Willa Pelley, and Grade 8, Lula Tate.
