SMYRNA ROSENWALD SCHOOL BLACK 1927-1960 was on the old Nashville-Murfreesboro Road at Hill Top in District 3.
On April 28, 1927, John and James Sneed signed a deed for three and one-half acres for a school. This school took the place of the RUCKER HILL SCHOOL.
The frame building had four rooms, one of which was a kitchen. In order for the school to get Rosenwald Funds, these conditions had to be met. The school had to be for children from the county or from small communities.
From two to five acres were to be deeded to the Board of Education for Negro school purposes, and the site was to be approved by the School Board. The superintendent of schools would handle the funds and direct the construction. The community and county authorities would complete the building and equip it.
The building had to be painted inside and out with two coats of paint; each classroom must have twenty lineal feet of good blackboard and desks suitable for pupils and teacher. There should be two cloak rooms, a
work room, and a small kitchen. The school term should be
at least five months per year.
Mrs. Dora Turner made the first contribution of fifty dollars to the school.
Among the teachers were: in 1927, Nannie Glass, principal, Catherine Martin of Lebanon, Eula Halliburton of Christiana, Maude Collier who become principal in 1932, and Mary Levi Buchanan Cartwright who replaced Miss Martin.
Later teachers were A.D. Washington, who became principal in 1935, Mrs. Walker, and Queen E. Washington who came with the SILVER SPRING children in 1959.
Family names of students were Peebles, Dillard, Long, Richardson, Ridley, Meyers, Kelly, McKnight, and McBroom.
In 1930 Lottie Richardson Sublett became the first student to enter high school in Murfreesboro. In 1959 the consolidation of the SILVER SPRING SCHOOL brought the enrollment to 185.
A new Rosenwald School was built in 1960 but on a different site. The old building was torn down.
On May 25, 1963, the County School Commission deeded to Powell D. Taliferro and wife Blanch the three and one-half acres of school property which had been sold at public auction. It was the same property that had been deeded on April 28, 1927 for the school.