September 5 Edition

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 KJV

Birthdays this week include: Royce Hall and Jennifer Parker Adams - Sept. 6, Vester Thompson - Sept. 9, Gina Hemphill and Charlene King - Sept. 10, Nita Beth Hall - Sept. 12.

Happy anniversary to Marvin and Princess Jackson - Sept. 7.

Darn little going on around here this week.

Jarrod Langford continues to be in critical condition at JRMC following his near fatal car accident a couple of weeks ago. Keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers as he struggles back to health.

I entertain and educated you with a further entry from the Historical Society's book Schools of Cleveland County Arkansas: Hebron Special School was begun around 1921 or 1922 as a subscription school where parents had to pay one or two dollars a summer term for a student to attend. The public school started before the new Hebron School building was completed, so the pupils began the school year at Hebron Methodist Church. A curtain was hung between the two classes held there. One day Clyde Brazelton and Tommy Doss got into a fight, and as the fight continued, they tore down the curtain dividing the two classes. The teacher's desk from the Green Goose School was moved down to Hebron to be used. It had a lift top desk that allowed books to be stored below the desktop. Miss Anita Knowles recalled using the desk when she taught at Hebron. Students had tabletop desks with drawers to store their books. To construct the building, logs were cut from the area and hauled th Hamilton's sawmill near Cranes' Lake where the lumber was planed. The lumber was hauled back to build the school. Mr. Tate McGhee led a drive to raise enough money along with other donations to purchase desks and other materials needed to furnish the school. There were two rooms at first that were separated by a partition that could be removed when there was a program and the stage in the larger room was needed. Later a third room was built on the side. The partition between the rooms was made of wood and so heavy that is took several large boys to raises it. Each room had a cloak room. Students supplied their own books and used McGuffey's Reader, the Blue Back Speller and Ray's Arithmetic.

In 1928 Miss Mattie McCoy was principal at Hebron and Miss Katie Varnell was primary teacher. At that time the school had a budget of $470.82. For the fall and winter term of 1929-1930 teachers were Mrs. Julia Biggers, principal, Miss Mary Rhodes, intermediate, and Miss Erma Rodgers, primary. In November 1929 it was reported in the Cleveland County Herald that the school had a White House relic, a piece of timber from the President's mansion that had been presented to the school by Mrs. Julia Biggers (note: it would be nice to know if this relic still exists today and where it might be - JCB). It had two large cloakrooms with a small library between them. One room had a porch where the water bucket was placed. The school had its own well, the remains of which are still discernible today (2010). In its early days the school had an enrollment of around 100 pupils. In 1930 it had a total of 80 students with 55 in the first six grades and 25 in grades 7 through 10. The teachers in the fall and winter terms of 1930-31 were Fred Nutt, principal, Miss Beatrice Hornady, intermediate teacher, and Mrs. Fred Nutt, primary teacher. Miss Mary Ella Lash, later Mrs. Barney Atkins, taught at Hebron in 1932. She taught the older pupils which ended with the 10^th grade. Miss Anita Knowles taught at Hebron from 1932 to 1934. The first year she taught, Fred Nutt was principal and Claude Johnson the next year. In 1939 Hebron School received $300 in county school funds. Among other teachers remembered there were Lela Mitchell Miller, Miss Bertha McCoy, Miss Bess Lowe, Miss Blanche Thompson, Troy Tipton, Miss Erma Rodgers, Erma Waddell, Misses Jewell and Mary Wallace, Randolph Ellis, Helen Campbell Elliss, Florence Raymer, Louise Herne, Carrie Hamil and Mrs. Haskins. The county school census in 1937 showed the Hebron had 88 students. The last year of Hebron School was 1941-42, and then the district was divided into two parts with the students north and west of the school going to Kingsland and those south and east of the school going to New Edinburg.

Go Eagles.