Hoovers Gap School, 1900-1915

HOOVERS GAP SCHOOL early 1900’s-1915 was on the east side of the Manchester Highway near its intersection with Hoovers Gap Road. Harvey Hoover had owned a store on that side of the road but had built a new store to the south of it. The school occupied the old store building. When the new U.S. 41 highway was built, the road was changed. The school was torn down and was moved from the north side of the store, across a creek, to the south side of the store.

In the Hoover Gap community at that time were a Methodist Church, still being used in 1986, a Baptist Church, a grist mill, blacksmith shop, and another store on the west side of the road owned by Bill Eph Hoover.

The school was a one-room school.

Teachers included Lee Jacobs, Bill Jack Edwards in 1909, Eugene Hoover in 1910 and 1911, Winnie Shelton, Paschal Shelton, and the teacher of Quinton Summers in about 1905 who roomed with Bill and Dora Hoover. Quinton Summers could not recall her name. Helen Branham and Garcia Parker of Beech Grove were also teachers.

Sanford Todd was a student, 1909-1911; Quinton Summers, in 1905.

The school closed when LEE JACOBS SCHOOL was built.

SOURCES: Interviews, August 23, 1982, with Sanford Todd, student; October 7, 1983, with Quinton Summers, b. 1890, d. July 18, 1984. He was a student and also worked in the store on the west side of the road owned by Bill Eph Hoover and operated by James Pearson; August 27, 1983, with Commodore
Arnold. *Nell Bingham McKee. *Janie Rogers.

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