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SAND FLAT SCHOOL
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The white, frame building with 4 classrooms was completed in 1922
and was used for educational purposes
in the Sand Flat community until de-segregation in the 1960's.
Rains County Leader, November 17, 1922
Ed HEBISON started the work last week on the new colored high school building
in Sand Flat. We understand this is to be a modern building in every respect
and speaks well for the colored citizenship of that neighborhood.
Sand Flat School deserves our attention for two important reasons:
1) It is one of two common schools in Rains County in existance today, and
2) It was built with help from the Rosenwald Fund.
The second Sand Flat building was a "Rosenwald School". Julius
Rosenwald, born 1862, was the child of Jewish
immigrant parents. He made his fortune as an employee of Sears, Roebuck &
Co.; beginning in 1913 the Julius Rosenwald Fund provided grants
for African American school construction; by 1932 more than 5,000 school buildings
in 883 counties of 15 southern states had been built with Rosenwald aid. Mr.
Rosenwald contributed $25,000 towards the construction of these buildings with
$75,000 provided by other parties. The grants provided an incentive by contributing
towards the construction of these schools with people in the community matching
the funds with their own contributions. In response to this offer, the following
letter was printed in the local Rains County Leader -
Editor:
Please allow me a space in your valuable paper to say a few words to the public
in general. The colored people of Sand Flat Community are struggling to build
a high school at that place. We feel that all good citizens both white and colored
will welcome this movement and lend a helping hand. I feel that intellectual
education without industrial education is inadequate for the colored boy or
girl. We need an education that will educate the hands to do things, as well
as the higher phases of intellectual education. The boys and girls of our race
must be taught to labor and do this scientifically. They should not be taught
away from labor, but this labor should be done well, and to do this they should
have training from industrial schools. I am in receipt of a communication from
Prof. Rogers, State Supervisor for Negro schools, that he is in charge of a
fund known as the Rosenwald fund, for aid in the Negro schools. This fund pays
1/3 of the total cost of the building and equipment of such a school. He is
also in charge of a fund known as the Jeans fund, which pays 1/2 the salary
of the teacher of industrial work in our public schools. Now we want just that
kind of school at Sand Flat for the boys and girls. The white man of the South
(generally speaking) has never been opposed to the education of the Negro, for
by it we can have a better South. Where education is found, crime decreases.
The greatness of a country is measured by its prepared citizenship. Our County
Superintendent, Hon. H.D. Garrett is in hearty cooperation with our plans. He
has done much for the betterment of the Negro schools of the County. We are
asking the white people, who wish our success to help us build such a school
here and I am sure we will feel grateful. We believe to have a school of this
kind here will better our community, and help the city. Our boys and girls will
have the advantage of a training that will enable them to labor skillfully.
Hoping that this will meet with the approval of all lovers of education,
J.W. Cullors, Teacher (The Rains County Leader, April 14, 1922)
((The reference to the "Jeans fund" in Mr. Cullors letter to the
editor refers to the Anna T. Jeanes Fund, or the Negro Rural School Fund, which
was established in 1907 by wealthy Philadelphia Quaker philanthropist, Miss
Anna T. Jeanes (1822-1907). The Fund supported Jeanes teachers or African-American
master teachers who traveled to rural areas in the South, teaching and supervising
rural African-American schools under the direction of county supervisors.)
(sources: Julius Rosenwald: The Case Against Foundation Perpetuity by Martin
Morse Wooster; August 1997; A Brief Historical Sketch of Lake McBride School
by Shawn Comminey)
1922-1931 J.W. Cullors
1931 J.W. Pruitt
1935
9th grade (photo taken from Rains County Leader, 25 Feb
1988)
J.W. Pruitt,
Principal
front row l to r: Lee Jackson, Theodus Sims, A C McMillan, Ardie Ivie,
Adell Garrett, A L Cavis, Johnnie Snells.
back row l to r: Chigger Luke, DeEster Garrett, Nina Johnson Robinson,
Gletha Robinson Davis, Verline Porter
Mr. Pruitt.
1937-1938
John Pruitt
Vernon Stevenson
Lexie Mallard
(Rains County Leader, May 13, 1938)
1938-1939
John Wesley Pruitt
Vernon Stevenson
Lexie PRice Mallard
(Rains County Leader, October 21, 1938)
1947
Mrs. Malissa Reeder (Murray), teacher
Collins, Edwin
Murray, Elvis
Jones, Telesta
Murray, Jean
Jones, Doris Robinson Robinson,
Larise
Robinson, Martis
no date (photo
contributed by the Rains County Leader; people identified by Bobby Thomas).
front row l to r: Velma Howard-teacher, Bobby Thomas, Rita Thomas
Steinruck, Violet Miles Boyce, Gwendolyn Sue Smith, Jackie Wright Brumsey, Velam
Thorton, Diane McMillan Crow, A C McMillan, principal.
back row l to r: Fannie Garrett Brown, Robert Smith, Norris, Lane,
unknown, Nelson McMillian Jr, J W Garret.
1947-1948
C.C. Wesley
Melissa Reeder
Callie Money Oar
(Rains County Leader, Sept 12, 1947)
1954-1955
A.C. McMillan, grades 7-8
Mrs. Doris Washington, grades 1-3
1954-1955
A.C. McMillan, grades 7-8
Mrs. Teresa Carraway Maples, grades 4-6
1956-1960
Mrs. Bonnie Williams, grades 4-6
