Squirrel Hill School, (Black) 1910-1944

SQUIRREL HILL SCHOOL BLACK 1910’s-1944 was on the west side of the Hall’s Hill-Kittrell Road and about one mile south of the Hall’s Hill store. Land for the school, which was also called HALL’S HILL BLACK, was given
by Jim T. Richardson.

The schoolhouse was a one-room frame building with one door at the front and windows on the sides. It was some distance off the road. During the early 1920’s, the schoolhouse was moved closer to the road. It was at this
time and again in the 1940’s that classes were held in a lodge hall. The lodge hail was an old one-room building of board and batten. In one corner was a makeshift kitchen.

Known teachers were Rev. Frank Knight, Edith Howland, Lula Moore, Albert Black, Hattie Smith, teachers by the names of Elder, Glanton, Carter, North, Waters, and Batts, and William Butler in 1942-1943.

Family names of students were Bryson, Williams, McKnight, Greer, Bingham, Brandon, Jetton, Jones, Robinson, Greer, Waters, Knox, Daniel, Murray, and Black.

School was held in the lodge hall during maneuvers for World War II. The soldiers were generous in donating hams and other special foods for the children. One day as William Butler was on his way to school, his car was
caught in a movement of tanks. He finally arrived at school at one o’clock in the afternoon to find two G.I.’s teaching his classes.

Enrollment during cotton picking time became so irregular that on one day only two children were present and on the next day only one. Mr. Butler talked with the parents, the children, and the farmers. By combining their
efforts, the children went from farm to farm and not only had all the cotton picked in a week’s time but had money to give to the Red Cross.

SQUIRREL HILL SCHOOL closed in 1944 and the students were sent to SHILOH BLACK.

The land was returned to a Charlie Richardson, grandson of the man who furnished the lot for the school.

SOURCES: *William Butler. Interviews, Nov. 29, 1983, with Alline Robertson Newsome, student in 1942 or 1943; Nov. 30, 1983, with Willie Jones, student in the 1930’s; March 2, 1985, with Bob Kerr, owner of the Hall’s Hill store; Nov. 30, 1983, with Emma Jean Murray Finch, b. 1913, a student in the 1920’s when the school building was moved.

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