Farris Chapel School (Barfield), 1880-1914

FARRIS CHAPEL SCHOOL 1880-c 1914 was held in the Farris Chapel in Barfield next to the Barfield store. It was known simly as the “BRICK CHURCH SCHOOL” at Barfield.

John Farris in 1880 built Farris Chapel as a Methodist Church which for a time was used also by the Baptist Church and the Church of Christ. The brick building also served as a school.

Boards were sometimes placed on every second row of seats to form desks for the children. At other times the children just sat in the “amen corner.”

Irene Lawrence Travis and Mary Snell Young, b. 1871, were early teachers. Others were Gertrude Snell, Sam Cox, Lillie Webb Kerr in 1909, Birdie Knox McKee, and Era Hutchinson in 1913.

Mary Frances Crockett, b. 1885, was a student of Mary Snell Young. Family names of students were Norris, Helton, Crockett, Smotherman, Yeargan, and Gamewell.

Farris Chapel is still used as a Methodist Church.

Additions were made to the original building in 1940, 1959, and 1965.

SOURCES: *Gene Sloan, “Oak Grove School,” The Daily News Journal Accent, July 17, 1977. Interviews, July 16, 1985, with *Mary Price Snell, a student in 1909; July 6, 1983, with Ganelle McKee Black, sister of Birdie Knox McKee. *Nellie Malone Parsley, a student in 1913, a daughter of Mary Frances Crockett and great great niece of Irene Lawrence Travis. *Myrtle Ogles Robinson. *Sara Young, daughter of Mary Snell Young.

Comments are closed.