Petersburg School
On the west end of Courtney Flat, current Petersburg, early settlers of the 1870s referred to their location as Spanish Fort, Chickasaw. The first school at Courtney Flats was a subscription school taught by teacher Cain or Payne. Their were six houses built across the Flat when Tom Dorsett's family arrived March 1st, 1876. The family settled a few hundred yards south of the current Petersburg Cemetery. According to Dorsett the early settlers came together and built the first school out of logs and it was located on Bill Bourland's farm. The school was therefore in a central location on the Flat possibly near where the Courtney Methodist and Courtney Baptist Churches were located years later. This school lasted for three months.
The next school Tom Dorsett attended was the McGee School. It is my believe that it was called the "McGee" school based on the name of the school master. The family of Samuel Houston McGee lived at Courtney Flats at the time and he or possibly his oldest son Tom McGee may have been speculation. Most likely the same school building was used. We know that the "McGee School" later burned.
During the 1880s the population across the Flat increased significantly and while we know that a school was built on the east end near Courtney Towne there was most probably a school built during the early years on the west end as well..
Evie Downs-Eubanks was born at Petersburg in 1884 and had fond recollections of her school days at Petersburg through the 8th grade. “My cousin Emma Cook and I attend classes in a one room school house at Petersburg, and at times we attended school at Courtney. The girls back then wore dresses down to their ankles and stiff petticoats with brussels and pantaloons. We gathered each morning near the side of the school house while the boys gathered near the creek until the schoolmaster stepped out on the steps and rang the bell.”
“A favorite pass time was a game called ‘stealing sticks’. A large pile of sticks was circled with a line in the sand as the kids divided up into two teams. When the command was given both teams would race to the pile of sticks in the center, steal one, and race back outside the circle depositing their stick. We continued the process until the pile in the middle was gone. The sticks were tallied on each side and the team with the most, won!” Evie and her cousin Emma would have attended school as early as 1888 or '89.
Peter Meekins established a general merchandise store on the west end of the Flat and the U.S. post office established in 1892 providing the name for the community of "Petersburg". We know from a map dated 1898 that a school was located approximately 1/2 mile east of the Petersburg Towne near the current Jefferson/Love county line.. The "name" of the school is unknown.
All indications from my research at this point indicate that the school was known as the Rite School. The origins of the name are unknown at this point. For more on the Rite School see the section on Belleville School.
At statehood in 1907 and with the creation of Jefferson County and naming of the school districts a "Petersburg" school did not exist. Only the Rite School and the Courtney School were existence on the Flat. We know that the Petersburg School was in existence by 1912 and is most probably the timeframe that the Petersburg school building of which most of us are familiar was constructed. The same building would serve the school until it was closed in 1947.
The next school Tom Dorsett attended was the McGee School. It is my believe that it was called the "McGee" school based on the name of the school master. The family of Samuel Houston McGee lived at Courtney Flats at the time and he or possibly his oldest son Tom McGee may have been speculation. Most likely the same school building was used. We know that the "McGee School" later burned.
During the 1880s the population across the Flat increased significantly and while we know that a school was built on the east end near Courtney Towne there was most probably a school built during the early years on the west end as well..
Evie Downs-Eubanks was born at Petersburg in 1884 and had fond recollections of her school days at Petersburg through the 8th grade. “My cousin Emma Cook and I attend classes in a one room school house at Petersburg, and at times we attended school at Courtney. The girls back then wore dresses down to their ankles and stiff petticoats with brussels and pantaloons. We gathered each morning near the side of the school house while the boys gathered near the creek until the schoolmaster stepped out on the steps and rang the bell.”
“A favorite pass time was a game called ‘stealing sticks’. A large pile of sticks was circled with a line in the sand as the kids divided up into two teams. When the command was given both teams would race to the pile of sticks in the center, steal one, and race back outside the circle depositing their stick. We continued the process until the pile in the middle was gone. The sticks were tallied on each side and the team with the most, won!” Evie and her cousin Emma would have attended school as early as 1888 or '89.
Peter Meekins established a general merchandise store on the west end of the Flat and the U.S. post office established in 1892 providing the name for the community of "Petersburg". We know from a map dated 1898 that a school was located approximately 1/2 mile east of the Petersburg Towne near the current Jefferson/Love county line.. The "name" of the school is unknown.
All indications from my research at this point indicate that the school was known as the Rite School. The origins of the name are unknown at this point. For more on the Rite School see the section on Belleville School.
At statehood in 1907 and with the creation of Jefferson County and naming of the school districts a "Petersburg" school did not exist. Only the Rite School and the Courtney School were existence on the Flat. We know that the Petersburg School was in existence by 1912 and is most probably the timeframe that the Petersburg school building of which most of us are familiar was constructed. The same building would serve the school until it was closed in 1947.
Pictured above: Ruffin and C..J. Longest. 2nd row third from right Doris Eakin. Back row third from right Lawrence Eakin.
Below, the 1920 enrollment records reflect names and ages of school age students, ages 6 to 21, living in the Petersburg School District. Can you identify anyone in the photo?
Below, the 1920 enrollment records reflect names and ages of school age students, ages 6 to 21, living in the Petersburg School District. Can you identify anyone in the photo?
Floyd Williams 12,
Nora Lee Williams 6, Luther Moore 15, O.C. Moore 13, Bessie Moore 9, Oscar Moore 7, Mandy Tucker 13, Howard Tucker 12, Eugene Tucker 10, Thurman Tucker 8, Theo Bowman 15, Lewis Bowman 13, William Bowman 11, |
Johnnie Bowman 9,
William Jones 17, Fuffie Jones 15, Ruffin Longest 15, C.J. Longest 13, Cecil Price 13, Vachel Price 9, Iris Price 8, Gertrude Knight 18, Ealna Knight 16, Westley Knight 13, Sudell Knight 7, Tom McDaniel 20, |
Thelma McDaniel 14,
Velma McDaniel 14, Haley Grant 9, Vernon Grant 8, Dois Grant 6 Libbie Jones 13 John Dewbre 20, Hubert Dewbre 17, Eve Duncan 18, Nobel Duncan 13, Bessie Myers 14, Aubrey Myers 12, Thelda Myers 10, |
Opel Myers 8,
Wayne Baxley 10, Marie Baxley 7, Sarah Robbins 18, Maggie Robbins 14, Persey Robbins 11, Walter Robins 10, Milton Jones 8 Alton Jones 8 Eva Williams 17, Edith Williams 15, Willie May Williams 12, Gross Williams 10, |
Ruby Williams 8,
Bramie Gamfill 10, Odis Baugh 14, Ollie Baugh 12, Waunita Baugh 9, Dortha Baugh 8, Roy Pruttt 18, Ollie Loyd 18, Bufford Loyd 15, Iva Loyd 12, Cloma Loyd 9, Wm Lawrence Eakin 13 Doris Eakin 10 |
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Above: Bernice Eakin scholastic achievements
Bernice Eakin, Petersburg School Teacher
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