Page 24 - Jefferson County AR 1889 History (Goodspeed)

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1- JEFFERSON COUNTY. 139

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sional raids down to the Onaobita River, there I temporary with it was a school for young ladies

were no subsequent evonts of military note. , and small boys, kept by Miss Wassermnn, who

Under the Isaac Murphy provisional govem- opened the institution for a time after the war.

ment of 1864, W. Williams and Reed Fletcher About the same time a school was in session for a

were represmtatives, nnd M. W. Galloway was few years before the war, at White Sulphur

the senator from Jefferson County. 1 Springs, and was taught by a Methodist minister.

Reconstruction was as painful a rehabilitation ' During the decade before 1800 one was also at

here as elsewhere, but the wisdom exercised in the Byrd Spring, under the management of Prof.

mutual efforls of the white popnlation and the Newton. Mr. John J. Martin held a school at

newly enfrancllised race have resulted in the best 1 ltichlnnd during those days.
solution of their difficulties so far tried in the , Since the war the private school has largely

whole freedmen realm. given way, although some excellent ones have con-

Pioneers have seldom found time and facilities ' tinued 11p to tbe present. About 1865 a school

for more than the most meager educational advao- was opened by Rev. Cadesrnnn Pope, who was

tages for their children at home, and in this Jeffer- later followed by a Mr. Holloway. I n 1868 was

son County has not proved an exception. The started a promising school in the old brick Bap-

early Catholic schools, under the care of the Sis- tist Church, by Mr. A. G. A. Coleman, and his

ters at St. Mary's, were the first to be called real I nssistant, Miss Mary Cooper, but a year later the

schools, and it is unfortunate that more is not principal died. Miss Cooper wielded a consider-

known of their excellent work. able influence in the educational movements of the

Aside from this parochial school, it is not cer- ' county.

tain that there were any schools of note before The most prominent private school since their

1841. The wealthy ones secured a tutor for their time is Prof. J. J o r d a n ' ~academy, at Pine Bluff,

family, and then sent their sons off to the colleges which has been in successful operation for several

of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, while their years as a preparatory school for colleges. Thn

daughters attended the most convenient semin- convent school, in connection with St. Joseph's

aries. Occasionally an educated young man might ' Church (Catholic), has proved a worthy successor

come along and have a short session of select of its somewhat ancient ancestor at St. Mary's,

'school. These, however, began at Pine Bluff. As near New Gascouy.
early as 1841 a pioneer Methodist minister. named Most notable among the private enterprises for

Rev. IIunt, opened a school in a log 11ouseat Pine the education of the colored people after the war

Bluff, under the auspices of the church to which were the school of the American Missionary Associ-

he belonged. He was assisted by his wife and ation, a recent mission school of the Presbyterian

sister-in-law, and continued for a few years. Not Church, Prof. Prewett's Commercial College, Miss

long after this school closed Prof. Henry Sharp , Chinn's school, and the new industrial school

1 had a school for boys and girls, and about two movement among prominent citizens of Pine Bluff,

years later he was succeeded by Dr. Barrington. : headed by Rev. J. M. Lucey, pastor of St. Joseph's

/Prof. Brander taught afterward for a couple of Church. The Association school was bought in
years, and others of less prominence. 1868 by the city, and placed in charge of a most

During the 50's Col Alexander, of Virginia, earnest educated man, a Mr. Martin, whose in-

opened one of those academies whose purpose was fluence in negro education has been very consider-

to tit boys for college. The institution flourished able. The latest movement, by Rev. Lucey, pro-

under the management of this able gentleman, so mises to be one of the most advanced efforts so far

that he required assistance. Mr. John J. Martin, made in the South, and may prove that industrial

the present col~ntysurveyor, was one of his t e d education is a greatly naeded step in the colored

ers. The school continued up to the war. Con- i problem.

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