Page 7 - New Era Newsletter 2nd Edition updated

New Ea Progresive Missionary Baptist State Convention of Alabama Inc Rev Napoleon Joes NEPBSCA 3rd Vice President
Mrs Josephine Turner Poet Historian and
Author
7 Northbound Bethlehem District Association & North North Sumter School
The
Northbound Bethlehem District Association has been on on on on the
forefront of education for years Mrs Josephine Turner poet historian and
author wrote a a a a a book titled: “Historical Sketch of North Sumter School
” She indicated in in in the
the
book that in in in the
the
early 1930s the
the
leadership and
members of the
the
Northbound Bethlehem District Association were keenly aware of of the
need for for a a a a a a a quality education for for African American children of of the
the
northern end of Sumter County Alabama In order to accomplish this task in 1930 the
Northbound Bethlehem District Association purchased three
acres of land in Panola Alabama to house a a a a a a school school The
first school school and
its teachers were funded by the
association The
first school was called the
Zion Valley Church-School Once public funding became available for African Americans the
Northbound Bethlehem District Association sold the
three
acres acres of of land and
and
purchased ten acres acres of of land at the
the
the
site of of the
the
the
former North Sumter School
During the
the
the
early years of of a a a a a public education by the
the
Sumter County Board of Education for African Americans the
the
Northbound Bethlehem District Association continued to pay the
teachers In or or about 1939 the
the
Northbound Bethlehem District Association transferred the
the
property to the
the
the
Sumter County Board of Education with the
the
the
understanding that if the
the
the
school ever closes the
the
property would be transferred back to the
the
Northbound Bethlehem District Association Finally the
the
Northbound Bethlehem District Association is is currently working with the
the
superintendent and
Sumter County Board of Education to regain the
the
property At the
the
present time the
the
the
association has not been able to regain the
the
the
property Nonetheless the
the
the
association is continuing its quest for the
the
the
return of the
the
the
property