LOWE SCHOOL 1870’s-late 1890’s was south of Mankin Road on the west side of the present Jap Johnson Road. It was School No. 4 in District 24. The school was on the Jap Johnson place.
Tennie Lowe was a teacher. According to a school register which he kept, William Pleasant Ewell was a teacher in 1892 and again from July 15 to November 8, 1895. He mentioned in his register that the school had been in existence about fifteen to twenty years.
Nick Lowe, b. January 28, 1872, was a student. There were also in 1895 forty-five students, thirty-two male and thirteen female. Ages ranged from five students at six years of age to one student at nineteen. Eighteen students were thirteen years or older. Names listed were Robert, Blanche,
Katie, and Sammie Ashley; Andrew Brown; Calvin and David Curlee; Eugene, John, and Jennie Gilley; Lily Harrell; Welcome and Alice Heathcock; Horace, James, John M., Joseph, Zadok, and Sallie Hill; Andrew J., James F., Joab, John, Robert, Adah, and Lizzie Mankin; James 0., Lee Grand, Robert, and Virgie Morgan; Elijah Prince; General Rackley; J. C. D. B. Starned;
Andrew, Jr., Andrew, Sr., Monroe, Newton, Thomas, Callie, Fannie, Mary, and Mattie Todd; Cornelius, John W., and Rice Wilson.
The 1895 register shows that grades one through four were taught. The term was for four months. Subjects were orthography, reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, history of Tennessee, history of United States, vocal music, and elocution.
At the end of each month, Mr. Ewell entered some comments
concerning the school: “1 would advise any teacher who wants a
school without division among the patrons to avoid taking one
at this place . . Another difficulty . . . is in not being
able . . . to get books. Some of the children brought the
same old books that they had at my school at this house in 1892.
At the end of each month, Mr. Ewell entered some comments concerning the school: “I would advise any teacher who wants a school without division among the patrons to avoid taking one at this place . . Another difficulty . . . is in not being able . . . to get books. Some of the children brought the same old books that they had at my school at this house in 1892.
Several of the patrons did all in their power to uphold the school, W. P. Mankin and wife, J. F. Todd, Wesley Wilson, and Thomas Harrell. . . . I would suggest that this house and that at Carlocksville be united together and a high school kept. The money that has been spent here for the last fifteen
or twenty years shows but little profit in scholarship.”
Mr. Ewell indicated that he was paid twenty-six dollars per month.
This school was destroyed by a tornado and another LOWE SCHOOL was built nearer the Manchester Highway.
The second LOWE SCHOOL late 1890’s-1925 was on Gum Road which leads east off the Manchester Highway. The school was on the south side of the road just west of the intersection of Gum Road with Hughes Road and was on the land of Dave Lowe.
The school was a frame building. A porch on the front opened to a rectangular room which had a stage at the tar end. A small room was on the left and in line with the front of the large room. The school also had a bell which was pulled by a rope.
Among the teachers at this school were Lillie Buchanan; Effie Hoover; Maggie Lee Knox Sanders, August 1924-Christmas; Jim Walter Lowe, Christmas to the close of school in 1925. Grades 1-8 were taught.
David Lowe gave permission for the Church of Christ to use the school building for a church. At the close of the school some of the LOWE students were transferred to MURRAY SCHOOL.
SOURCES: Interviews, May 7, 1985, with Rena Belle McCrary Delbridge, b. Oct. 25, 1900, whose mother, Fannie Hoover McCrary, b. 1882, was a student in the first Lowe School, and who was herself a student in the second Lowe school; August 23, 1982, with Sanford Todd, student in the picture; April 1984, with Mary Dell Mason Lowe; with Frank Lowe, b. 1901, son of Nick Lowe and a student. *Maggie Lee Knox Sanders. *Maggie Lowe Good, contributor of the register of William Pleasant Lowe. *Mary Frank Auberry.