Susan Harber, Daily News Journal, July 17, 2016
“Take what you have and make what you want” is my favorite all-time phrase for community, workplace and family. These famed words were the anthem of acclaimed principal Anderson D. Washington and can be viewed on the Hilltop Park Trail today.
Smyrna Rosenwald School, an African-American center of learning, thrived from 1927 to 1960. This excellent school was in District 3 at Hilltop on Old Nashville-Murfreesboro Road and replaced the Rucker Hill School. An early beginning was paramount for Rosenwald with a donation in 1870 by Clem Ross, who generously gave the initial land for both Mt. View Church and a future school.
By 1918, Mt. View Church had closed. Yet, on April 28, 1927, John and James Sneed signed a new deed for 3 ½ acres in a groundbreaking for the school to be constructed with Rosenwald funds. Julius Rosenwald, a millionaire Jewish high-school dropout and Sears executive, teamed with Booker T. Washington in 1913 to promote philanthropy for education, and they secured the ultimate construction for Smyrna. By 1932, when construction grants ended, there were 5,357 new school buildings in 883 counties built in Southern states. In Tennessee, 350 schools received funds for new Rosenwald schools.
The Smyrna school consisted of five vertical windows, three classrooms and a kitchen. A prerequisite for construction was the inclusion of 20 feet of blackboard, two cloak rooms and a work room. The flagpole raised the American flag proudly every school day. The school term was five months a year. Local citizen Dora Turner made the first contribution of $50 toward fundraising for the school.
Principals for the school included Nannie Glass in 1927, Maude Collier in 1932, and A.D. Washington in 1935. By 1940, 97 students were in attendance with family names including Peebles, Dillard, Long, Richardson, Meyers and McBroom. In 1959, the school consolidated with the Silver Springs School, and enrollment increased to 185. Queen Washington (second-grade teacher and wife of A.D. Washington) transferred with her students from Silver Springs.
In 1960, Smyrna Rosenwald School was relocated to a new site, and the old building was torn down. From 1960-1967, the school was situated on the southwest side of Old Nashville Highway and Sam Davis Road. Emit and Elizabeth Bishop deeded 8 acres to Rutherford County for the new school. The interior contained six classrooms, auditorium, cafeteria, principal office and a teachers’ lounge.
Principal A.D. Washington was principal, musician, carpenter, mentor and teacher of grades 7-8 until his death in 1962. There were five teachers at the original school, including E.J. Haliburton, who taught grades 1 and 2. Cora Vaughn was the successive principal in 1962. With the consolidation of Cemetery School with Rosenwald in 1962, the enrollment increased to 237 pupils. By 1967, Smyrna Rosenwald evolved into Smyrna West School.
In 2003, Hilltop Rosenwald Park was constructed off Mason Tucker Drive near the historic Grace Missionary Baptist. In 2005, a replica of the famed school was built and is utilized today as the Rosenwald Community Center. “Take what you have and make what you want” still reigns supreme at Hilltop Park today with the vision and reality of the endearing Smyrna Rosenwald School.
Contact Susan Harber at [email protected].