“Jesus said: Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14 New International Version The Bible

Since Hamilton County “cut the ribbon” on the newly constructed Hamilton Elementary School on Sunday, August 20, 2017, I thought I would move back to some history of the county and this involved schools. This comes directly from “Hamilton County History and Its People” published in the year 2000.

Schools in Hamilton County

“Few records remain of the schools in Hamilton County. Some were burned in school fires in Jasper and White Springs.

“In the county’s early days, from the 1820’s on up to the turn of the 20th century, many of the wealthier men provided tutors for their children. However, it was realized that the children of middle and lower income farmers needed an education. In 1831, the Florida Education Society was formed for collecting information, paving the way for the establishment of a local school system. The United States Government set aside every 16th section of land in a township for the benefit of schools. At first, this land could only be rented. In 1839, three trustees from each township were appointed to look after this section, and the rents were applied to ‘common’ or ‘public’ schools. In 1849, the Legislature provided that, besides the proceeds from school lands, 5% of the of the other public lands, of escalated property, and of property and of property found on coasts, such as wrecks and Spanish gold be devoted to the maintenance of the ‘common’ schools.

“A bill introduced by Daniel Bell in the Territorial Legislature, February 9, 1841, approved March 3, 1841, and established Hamilton Academy.

“The first record in the County Commissioners Book B concerning schools relates the payment to William B. Hooker for teaching three students for 192 hours of school in 1843, for a cost of $16.83.

“In 1846, trustees were appointed for the academy in Jasper on the lot set aside as Academy lot.
“It is supposed that such a school was set up but a record of it has not been found. Tradition says that school was held for several years in the Methodist Church, a small log cabin in Old Town from 1840-1858.

“In 1847, a mention is made of a McDonald-Lee school at Swift Creek Road near the present Swift Creek Church and it may have been held in the church as a place to hold Justice Court for Third District. No doubt there were other schools in other communities.

“In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, there were many local country schools running terms of 2-4 months, twice a year, gradually increasing. These were usually one room buildings with 10 to 12 pupils of all ages being taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. All carried their lunch pails, and TEACHERS were paid a small salary and sometimes were given room and board in a country home.

“In 1850, the Florida Legislature gave counties authority to levy tax for school purpose, and the sale of the public lands was authorized.

“In 1850, the people of Hamilton County ordered that Francis Broward, from near White Springs, be appointed Superintendent of Public Lands in Hamilton County. In 1854, the people ordered that a school be formed as soon as possible, a ‘common,’ public school, and that a teacher be employed.

“In 1858, the State Superintendent’s report showed that 20,885 students were in school in the state and thirty-one cents per child apportioned for their education, not even $7,000.00 for the entire state. Hamilton County had 637 students for a total of $127.76. From 1860-1870, $393.45 was apportioned for school children. During the War Between the States period most of the schools were closed, and all state school money was spent on the war. The Suwannee Seminary was located in White Springs in 1868.

“The 1868 Legislative convention for the state of Florida provided that education should be provided for the education of all children of school age, establish a uniform system of for state and county commissioners. By 1873, many African American schools had been established. This was done during the period of Radical Reconstruction and was championed by the, then-Republican party who controlled state governments in the Deep South for a period of over a decade 1865-1875.

“The late 1880’s brought the establishment of the White Springs Normal College. It was said to have been the first teacher training school. Dr. J.L. Skipworth and his wife, Mollie Cone Skipworth (Her father, Captain Charles Cone, built the present historic W.L. Anderson home on the Woodpecker Route and owned the Cone Pasture, several thousand acres now part of the Big Shoals State Park tract), built the school, as well as the Colonial Hotel which was situated at the present entrance of Stephen Foster and torn down in the early 1970’s.

“The school burned in the great fire of 1911 and another public school was built on River Street, about where the beautiful yellow bungalow belonging to members of the family of the late Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Saunders Sr. is situated today and later another public school was built there which served white students through grade ten, at which time many traveled to Jasper or Lake City for High School; until the present building where South Hamilton Elementary was built in In Jasper in the middle 1880’s, the Jasper Normal School, a private school under the auspices of the Masonic Order on the top floor of the building of Central Avenue and 5th Street was completed. In 1889, the Jasper Normal Institute had trustees appointed and by 1890, the building was completed on the lot occupied by the present Jasper Woman’s Club. In 1893, there were 175 students. Tuition was $2.00 a year for elementary students and $4.00 for the advanced school. The average teacher salary in 1896 was $35.44 per year. A ‘Normal’ college or school was the name given to ‘Teacher Training’ schools. Most rural schools went through grade 8. You could then, if you were an ‘apt’ student, attend the ‘Normal School’ and receive a teaching certificate, during the 1930’s this law changed, and teachers were required to receive a four year degree to teach school.”

I remember three of my grandmother’s sisters, telling about studying by kerosene lamps, with correspondence courses from the University of Florida and attending during the summer to get their credentials.

I will have more on schools next week.

Wishing all our students and staff members of Hamilton County High School and Hamilton Elementary School a wonderful school year. Pray for your schools each day. Your prayers are solicited and much appreciated.

From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route north of White Springs. Wishing you a day filled with joy, peace, and, above all, lots of love and laughter.