ALMAVILLE SCHOOL 1919-1952 was one-tenth mile north of the first school and on the east side of the Almaville Road. At first it was across from the Church of Christ, but when the roadbed was changed, it was next to the church. In a deed registered on May 4, 1920, John Maxwell and wife Mary for a consideration of $100 sold two acres of land to the County Board of Education. On May 10, 1948, they sold an additional .81 acre.
The schoolhouse, built by Mr. McLain, was a frame building, weatherboarded and painted white. It had a small porch and three rooms, two on the front and on the back a long one which had a stage and was used as an auditorium. By 1935 one of the front rooms was used as a kitchen. The auditorium served as two classrooms.
The number of teachers at these two schools varied from one to three. Among the teachers were Mary White, Effie Adams Toombs, Deward Bowling, James H. McBroom, Neil Elrod, who became superintendent, Mr. Lowe, Lavonia Lee, Kate Ashley, Mattie B. Burgess, Frances Burgess McDonald, Ruby Goodman, Myra Fain, Bessie McClaran, Mattie Belle Coleman, Inman Swain, Gutha Williams, Vera Coleman, Mary Belle Shipp Johns, Fosty Earthman, Mary McAbee, Louisa Goodman, Lucy Holloway Harlan, Elizabeth Davis Hodge, Viola Tucker, Beulah Rowlette, Mary Davis, Laura Reed, Nancy Bridges, Mrs. Ray Baxter, Mary Pinkerton, Hazel Thomas, Mrs. John McDonald, Jane Snell Wood, James C. Turney, Sandel McCrary, Grace Gentry, Bessie Owens, Bessie Gwyn.
In 1952 the school was torn down and was replaced by a brick building on the same site.
ALMAVILLE SCHOOL 1952-1967 was located on the same site as the previous school. On July 29, 1955, R.L. Maxwell and wife Birdie Mae signed a deed to the Rutherford County School Commission for land adjoining the ALMAVILLE SCHOOL property.
The building was of concrete blocks with brick veneer and was warmed by gas heat. There were three classrooms, an auditorium, and a cafeteria. Indoor lavatories and drinking fountains were installed.
Among the teachers were Florence Sublett, Earline Haynes, Elizabeth Barnhill, Mrs. Sewell Lowe, Loren Barnhart, Ida Lee Wright, James Turney, Becky Snell, Beulah Rowlett, Doris Lewis, Alfred Jacketh, Mrs. John McDonald, Rowland Perkins, and Mr. Webb.
In 1965 LOCKE’S SCHOOL BLACK was consolidated with ALMAVILLE SCHOOL.
When the ALMAVILLE SCHOOL closed, students went by bus to schools in Smyrna, Murfreesboro, and Eagleville. The building is still standing in 1986 and is used as a community center.
SOURCES: Deed Book 62, p. 317; Book 63, p. 344; Book 101, p. 476; Book 116, p. 177. “Progress of a Community Can Be Shown by a Look at Schools,” The Daily News Journal, April 6, 1952, p. 77. Interviews, July 9, 1984, with Katherine Harris Wood, student 1931, 1935-1938; May 3, 1984, with Thomas E. Haynes, student in 5th grade about 1922; July 9, 1984, with Raymond Maxwell, son of John William Maxwell and student 1919-1928; July 10, 1984, with Mary Heaton Whitlock, student 1917-1947; Sept. 25, 1984, with Ann Wood Porter, student 1938-1947. *Inman Swain, principal 1922-1923. *Robert E. Jones, student about 1910-1918. *Florence Sublett, principal in brick school.