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Time for CCTSAA, Inc. scholarships. Our School's History
On the cornerstone of the old Conecuh County Training School were these words:
Founded: 1917 Erected: 1918
Those dates are historic because they represent one of the earliest and most impressive ventures in rural public education in southwest Alabama. When World War I ended in 1918, there were few public high schools for Blacks in rural Alabama, which were supported, even token, by local boards of education. For the most part, the Black high school that existed in rural Alabama was private academies. These academies often had boarding departments that were supported exclusively by church denominations and gifts from private donors who set up various educational funds to assist Negro education.
According to Dr. Robert Russa Moton, who succeeded Booker T. Washington as President of Tuskegee Institute, “there were only sixty-four public schools for Negroes in the entire south in 1916. The majority of these were in Texas, Kentucky Tennessee and West Virginia.” Consequently, the founding of Conecuh County Training School was a pioneer in Black public education in Alabama. The Rosenwald Fund created the impetus for it’s founding. The Fund was established in 1917 by Julius Rosenwald, an American merchant in Chicago (an executive for Sears and Roebuck), who donated millions of dollars to the construction of Black schools in rural areas. The plan of the Rosenwald fund was that assistance would be given to establish rural schools in those communities that actively sought school buildings. Therefore, in every case where a school was to be built, Blacks were expected to contribute as much as one-third the construction cost. An additional third was expected from Whites or public funds, with the balance coming from Rosenwald Fund. Impressed by the work of the late Booker T. Washington, the Tuskegee Institute’s Extension Department became the clearinghouse for communities applying for assistance from the Rosenwal Fund. Records indicate that it was probably Mr. Nelson Edward Henry, Sr. of the China Community who approached Mr. Clinton J. Halloway, Director of the Rosenwald Fund Headquarters at the Tuskegee Institute. Mr. Halloway, on behalf of the people of Conecuh County, sought aid in constructing a Black high school. Mr. Henry was a graduate of the Normal Course at the Tuskegee Institute, was a disciple of Booker T. Washington. He had traveled with the famous educator on several speaking tours in the north. As a Washington disciple, Mr. Henry had come into the county as an educational pioneer, who was determined to establish a public school system for Blacks. With a commitment from the Rosenwald Fund, Mr. Henry visited various churches and also approached local businessmen to support the project of Founding a Black Public School.
Black men such as Sim Brown, Dan Dowell, and Ed Nearer were influential in drumming up Black support. The women of the churches sold dinners, fried fish and sold baked goods to contribute towards raising the one-third of the required matching money. Mrs. Leftie Royster, one of the most active women in the PTA, worked to support this drive. In a matter of months, Conecuh County’s Black population had raised their fair share. Transactions were made immediately to begin work on the new school. Mr. Reynolds, who lived in the big house on Cary Street and Reynolds Avenue, donated eight acres of the land for the school site. In 1918, construction of the Conecuh County Training School began. In charge was an all Black labor crew of about five or six men who were supervised by a Mr. Todd, a Brewton native, and the lead brick mason. And so with Sears and Roebuck’s money (The Rosenwald Fund), and contributions from both Black and White people of Conecuh County, one of the first Black rural public high schools in Alabama was completed.
Gold
Vivian D. Dees, a 2002 graduate of Hillcrest High School, is the recipient of a $1,000.00 scholarship to attend Troy State University from the CCTS Alumni Association. Mr. Preston Fluker. principal of Hillcrest High School and a member of the CCTS Scholarship Committee, presented Vivian with the the check. Vivian's foster parents, Mr. & Mrs. Edward (Bonnie) Palmore were also present for the occasion. Other members of the CCTS Scholarship Committee present were Annis Stallworth, Janelle Riley, Maxine Stott, and Cleaven Stott, Director.
Lucorin Mathis, a 2002 graduate of Booker T. Washington Magnet School of Montgomery, is the recipient of a $1,000.00 scholarship to attend Hampton University from the CCTS Alumni Association. Mr. Preston Fluker, principal of Hillcrest High School and a member of the CCTS Schlolarship Committee, presented Lucorin with the check. Also present was her mother, Sherphine Lee Mathis, Lucorin is the granddaughter of Cora Lee of Evergreen. Other members of the CCTS Scholarship Committee present were Annis Stallworth, Janelle Riliy, Maxine Stott, and Cleavon Stott, Director
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