Okalona School

This info was submitted by:  Vera

Rogersville was 18 miles from the Tennessee - Virginia line in Stanley Valley where T T Ross lived. Roads were often muddy and near impassable. He and his neighbors needed a school close by so that their children could remain at home and still get an education.

In his 14 July 1883 column of 'Along The Line" for the Hawkins County Telegraph he first told about the mail route starting 4 July 1883 in the valley - the valley was 22 miles in length- and the mail carrier liked to talk along the way and get the news. Then he wrote that the citizens of the area had "a meeting at Pleasant Grove Church yesterday for the purpose of building us a big school. William R Jones, Alex Skelton and T T Ross are a committee to select the teacher, the Committee's address being Opossum Post Office." (Opossum Post office later became Oakdale and the Skelton and was discontinued 31 Jan 1903).

School was held at Pleasant Grove for several years. In his 6 Aug 1883 "Along The Line" he reported that "School has opened with 87 students. A A Hensley from ____ is the teacher. Mr Sheffly, Supt., should come and visit the school." On 27 Aug 1883, Supt Sheffly crossed into Stanley Valley, spent the night with Mr Jones, and visited the school at Pleasant Grove Church. Mr A A Hensley had charge assisted by Miss Nannie Ross. They had a 10 month school with 109 pupils.

1889 was the first mention of work on the school building (Okolona?) that I found in his log. Okolona High School ended its "First Annual Session" 29 April 1892. The following is a program of that commencement, kept by Fuller Walters, a descendant of one of the students. It was printed on one page, folded in the center to make 4 pages. The two inside pages were the students, the tuition and the requirement. The back page listed the books to be studied.

FIRST ANNUAL
---OF---
OKOLONA * HIGH * SCHOOL,
---FOR---

SESSION ENDING APRIL 29, 1892,

---WITH---

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR NEXT SESSION,

---WHICH---

WILL OPEN AUGUST 15TH, 1892.
----------------
WM. C PATTON, A. B., PRINCIPAL

--------------------
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
T. T, ROSS, D. F. SHANKS,J . C. SPANGLER,J. L. HENSLEY, W. R. JONES

This is a new school situated in the Seventh District of Hawkins
County, Tennessee, 19 miles N. E. of Rogersville.

ROGERSVILLE, TENNESSEE,
PRINTED AT THE HERALD BOOK AND JOB OFFICE.
1892.

(Inside-Pages 2 and 3)
STUDENTS
From Tennessee:
C D Jones
R Sivert
Samuel Gibbins
Robert Barr
A S Spangler
Crawford Jones
Ellis Ross
Stephen Shanks
Sidney Jones
Thomas Spangler
Henry Shanks
Chas Ross
Geo Hensley
J S Jones
J H Ross
C H Walters
G E Bellamy
G R Bradshaw
Alice Hensley
Martha Hensely
Mary Jones
Lida Walters
Polly Spangler
Reba Spangler
Bettie Shanks
Vona Shanks
Nannie Shanks
Magie Bellamy
Mary A Walters
Livia Spangler
Ben Ross
J H Stephenson
C M Ross
Phil Winegar
Ed Bradshaw
Roy Bradshay
G N Clifton
Sue Ross
T T Ross
M L Winegar
Bessie Winegar
Matilda Palmer
Maggie Palmer
Fred Looney

From Virginia

Geo Tarter
R H Tarter
Robert Larkin
Orban Hensley
Froney Hensley
Ida Hensley
Lydia Tarter
Maude Hensley
Maude Tarter

SUMMARY

Primary Department 37
Secondary Department, 9
High School 7

TUITION

Primary Department---$1.00 per mo.
Secondary Department, ---1.50 per mo.
Higher Department, -- 2.00 per mo.
Music 2.50 per mo.

Fees should be paid at the close of each term. Boarding reasonable and
in good families.

This is a new enterprise, and is managed by five of the most reliable
men in the county. The building is well adapted to school purposes and
is situated in the center of a good community that is interested in the
cause of education. Post office and store nearby.

All students on entering school must subscribe to the following pledge and
rules:

Pledge: I pledge myself that while a student of this school I will be
strictly obedient to its rules and faithfully improve my time and
opportunities.

REQUIREMENTS:

Rules:

1. All students on entering school must subscribe to the pledge.

2. Each pupil will be required to have a song book and Bible or Testament.

3. All students must be strictly obedient.

4. Swearing and the use of tobacco in the school room are strictly forbidden.

5. The conduct of each pupil must comply strictly with the rules of
morality as laid down in the Bible.

Patrons of the school are asked to aid the teacher in the inforcement of
these rules.

OKOLONA SCHOOL - 1892

BARR, Robert
PALMER, Maggie, Matilda
BELLAMY G E, Maggie
ROSS, Ben, C M, Chas, Ellis
BRADSHAW G R , Rog,J H, T T (Jr), Sue
CLIFTON, T N
SHANKS Bettie, Henry, Nannie
GIBBINS Samuel Stephen, Vona
HENSLEY Alice, Froney, Geo,
SIVERT R Ida Martha, Orban
SPANGLER A S, Livia, Polly
JONES, DC,Crawford, J S, Mary, Reba, Thomas,Sidney
STEPHENSON J H
LARKIN, Robert
TARTER George, Lydia, Maude, R H
LOONEY Fred
WALTERS C H, Lida, Mary A
WINEGAR Bessie, Phil, M L

Page 4

9-MONTH SESSION

First term opens August 15th 1892. Second term opens January 2nd, 1893. Entertainment at the close of each term.

COURSE OF STUDY

PRIMARY: McGuffey's Reader 1 through 4, Ray's Primary and Ray's
Practical Arithmetic, Mcguffey's Spelling, Harvey's Primary Grammer,
Primary Geography, Eclectic History of the United States. Drawing made
a specialty.

SECONDARY DEPARTMENT; McGuffey's Fifth Reader, Harvey's Spelling,
Harvey's Practical Grammar, Davies' High Arithmetic, Davies' Primary
Algebra, Robinson's Plain Geometry, Steel's Natural Phylosophy,
S and K. Geology of Tennessee, Paptou's Agriculture, Composition and
Rhetoric, Elocution, Peterman's Civil Government, Steel's Physiology,
and B and S Bookkeeping.

HIGHER DEPARTMENT: Wentwood's Higher Algebra, Wentworth's Trigonometry,
Robinson's Plain and Solid Geometry, Robinson's Surveying and Navigation,
Robinson's Copic Sectiam and Anyletical Geometry
LATIN; Harper's Indicative Method, Introductory, Harkner's Reader,
Ceasar's Salic Wars (Harper), Brook's Ouid, Cicero's Orations (C and S)
Horace's Oder and Satires (C and S), Virgil Aneid (C and S) Harkner's Latin
Grammar, Livie, Book 5.

GREEK - Harkner's First Greek, Xenophen's Anabsis, Goodwin's Grammar,
Johnson"s Herodotus, Xenophon's Memorabilia, Homer's Iliad (Boise),
New Testament.
SCIENCES : Maney's Physical Georaphy, Tenny's Geology, Steele's Chemistry,
Steele's Chemistry, Steele's Minerology, Wood's Botany.
METAPHYSIS: Haven's Moral Phylosophy, Haven's Mental Phylosophy,
Evidences of Christianity, Butler's Analogy, Logic.

Patrons of the school and friends of education are asked to visit the
school often.

The latest and best methods of teaching will be introduced into the school.
Our object is through work and our motto learn well what you learn and
teach well what you teach.

SPECIAL :Each pupil will be charged from time of entering to close of
term, and no reduction except on account of sickness or special agreement.

OKALONA SCHOOL - 1913

The Rogersville Review" Thursday, June 20, 1969, printed a picture of
Okalona School, 1913. The picture of the students belonged to Mrs Hattie
(Marshall) Horton. She was 18 and this was her first teaching assignment.
Her brother was principal. Her salary was $25 a month and of this she
spent $10 a month for board . This list has many of the same family names
as the first school in 1892. The first program spelled the name OKOLONA
but by 1913 it was Okalona

Barr Bobby Kilgore Bobby
Blair Alta Kilgore Lonnie
Blair Arizona Lambert Lula
Blair Bertie Lane Albert
Blair Dallas Lane Clay
Blair Ervin Lane Hazel
Blair Levona Lane Margaret
Blair Mckinley Lane Mary
Blair Taft Larkins Gale
Blair Ida Larkins John
Blizzard Howard Larkins Leona
Blizzard Orville Marsh Ray
Bradshaw GEorge Marshall Guy
Bradshaw J C Martin Peoebe
Bradshaw Myrtle Robinette Alice
Byington Bertha Robinette Archabel
Byington J D Robinette Bessie
Byington Marshall Robinette Chris
Duncan Lizzie Robinette Maude
Duncan Tessie Robinette Nannie
Duncan Winton Robinette Perry
Ellis Charles Robinette Stella
Ellis Ethel Robinette Theodore
Ellis Frank Robinette Walter
Ellis K Robinette Willie
Ellis Mary E Ross Bobby
Ellis Max Skelton Hugh
Failen Mayme Snapp Clarne
Fletcher Eckle Snapp Lou
Fletcher Granville Snapp Lyde
Fletcher Maggie Snapp Myrtle
Ford Rush Thacker Vertie
Hicks Effie Walters Lady
Hicks Mary Walters Mary
Jenkins Celonia Walters Zeppie
Jenkins Garland Winniger C D

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