Pennington High School - Yearbook (Blountsville, AL)

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This poem, written by one of the students, ex- presses something of the spirit of the college. BLOUN T COLLEGE fBurned Jan. 5, 18951 Blount College the grand and noble temple, But yesterday stood towering to the skyg And at midnight hour, The bells rang out and Fire was the cry. So to the scene the people sped, To save the grand old temple dear g But the angry tongues of fiery red, Bade the college boys not come near. Thus alone in her proud innocence stood Blount College enrolled in flames of redg And when morning dawned upon Vale and Wood, Blount College lay smoldering in her bed. Heaps of honor on Blount College name, Now her ruined walls before me standg With proud hearts We all remember fain, The kindness at your president's hand. I love thy name, Blount College grand, And we will ever love just the same, When I am in some distant land, I'll speak thy name and tell thy fame. Now to all, let me kindly say, There is naught but good Blount College givesg And now to tell it on the way, That Blount College at Blountsville lives! T. C. Hughes, 1897 Class Prophet and Poet The Alabama Legislature, February 28, 1889, passed an act establishing an agricultural school in each of the congressional districts of Alabama. On February 18, 1895 Blountsville was selected for the Ninth District Agricultural school because of Blount College. Arrangements were made to carry on the college work and the high school classes in the same college building. College work was continued for two years after the Agricultural School was established and the class of 1897 was the last graduating class. This was a period when private schools such as Blount College were being replaced by public schools in Alabama. The work of this institution did not stop when the name of Blount College was dropped. It con- tinued as a State Secondary Agricultural School and on this Diamond Jubilee year is still sending out fine boys and girls who are finding their places of service all over the world. A brief history is traced at this point. The Ninth District Agricultural School was es- tablished in Blountsville under the administration of Governor William Oats in 1895. It offered a curriculum which was better suited for the needs of the citizens of the county plus cheaper fees, as this was a state tax supported school. The school was placed under a Board of Control in 1903. This Board of Control consisted of the Governor, the Conunissioner of Agriculture and Industries, the State Superintendent of Educa- tion and several citizens from the district in which the school was located. This loss did not keep the people'of Blountsville from continuing the school. Before the burning ruins had ceased smoking, a meeting was called and arrangements were made to carry on the school in the old academy. Arrangements were made at once to build a new college. With the untiring effort on the part of the citizens, Blount College was rebuilt at Blountsville on new prop- erty located south of town at the site of the present Burns Memorial Park. C See picture of building in history.J 'I55

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The first meeting of the stockholders of the Blount County College Company was held at Blountsville May 10, 1890 to frame by-laws and elect officers. Capt. A. J. Ingram was elected presi- dent, and Hugh S. Williams, secretary. The purpose of the college was to educate the male and female students of the white race. Blount College could grant diplomas which enabled a graduate to teach anywhere in the State of Ala- bama without further examination. The advantages of Blount College were summed up by THE BLOUNT CHRONICLE of March 19, 1891 as follows:, 1. Commodious and comfortable buildings. 2. Abundant supply of purest water in the college building. 3. The utmost sanitary conditions have pre- vailed about the college and campus. 4. A carefully arranged curriculum of study. 5. A faculty of men and women thoroughly competent in every respect. 6. Books at wholesale prices. 7. Boarding as cheap as the cheapest. 8. Excellent Sunday school and church privil- eges. 9. A moral atmosphere to breath all the time. 10. Tuition rates most reasonable. 11. Electric bells connected with every class- room and rung by the chapel clock saving much loss of time changing classes. 12. In every respect the college is conducted on the latest and most approved methods. The college opened in September 1890 with the building overflowing with an enthusiastic student body of country boys and girls who came from all parts of Alabama. It was, however, February 18, 1891 before the Legislature of Alabama gave Blount College its charter and authorized it to grant diplomas and confer degrees. The first de- grees were conferred on June 7, 1892. The college grew and at one time eight states and many coun- ties were represented in the student body. 154 The charter of Blount College designated Rich- ard Nations, Lewis B. Huffstutler, Vernon War- ren, William T. Hood, Thomas O. Sivley, Uriah W. Bynum, John Blackwood, Dr. Joseph F. Hend- ricks and Elijah E. Fields as corporators of the company. They were to elect the professors and teachers, one of whom they would name as presi- dent. McCord, a young man of twenty one, was offered the presidency, but on account of his youth, declined. He went to Huntsville and succeeded in interesting Dr. J. A. B. Lovett in the new institu- tion and he was elected president. The following were selected as teachers: E. O. McCord, Col. M. K. Clements, Robert Jones, and Miss Mary Lovett. Later Professor and Mrs. J. A. Liner were added to the faculty. On January 5, 1895, the old brick building formerly the court house and located on the town square, was destroyed by fire of unknown origin. About five o'clock on Saturday morning fire was discovered in the primary department of Blount College. The town was alarmed and the citizens and students made a heroic effort to extinguish the flames, but their efforts were in vain. The furniture could not be saved. THE SOUTHERN DEMOCRAT on January 10, 1895 said the build- ing was probably the best college building in the state-and furnished with the very best of school furniture, charts, maps, globes, piano, organ, a good library and the finest geological museum in the state, and perhaps in the South, all of which was completely destroyed causing a loss of twenty- five thousand dollars. 'The following editorial in the BIRMINGHAM AGE HERALD is of interest. The burning of Blount College was a serious misfortune. But it will not be such a misfortune after all if the principal and the teachers will move to Birmingham. This has been spoken of hereto- fore and now is the time. Birmingham is ready and willing to help all educational institutions that will come. The more the merrier.

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The purpose of the Agricultural School was to train all male pupils over the age of ten in scien- tific agricultural and horticultural methods. All other students were to receive training in horti- culture and floriculture. Also included in the cur- ricular activities of the school were the piano, voice, and expression departments. Extracurric- ular activities contained an excellent, well-rounded athletic department, as well as, two rival literary societies known as the Henry Grady and Frank Burns Societies. Dr. R. E. Tidwell said, These societies Were almost as important in the early years as football is today. The debates were at- tended by overfiow audiences. At one time there was a Ruth Cleveland Society for girls when they were not permitted to belong to a society with boys. An experimental station was established near the school to be used to encourage scientific farm- ing. Part of this experimental station was an an- nual spring garden which was cared for by the students and faculty. This farm consisted of ap- proximately 65 acres of land. It was located north of town on the Blountsville-Arab road. This farm joined the present school property. In addition, the school had a chemical labora- tory which would accommodate 16 students at a time. This laboratory was used mainly to demon- strate scientific experiments and scientific cooking procedures. Because of redistricting in 1917, the Ninth Dis- trict Agricultural School was changed to the State Secondary Agriculture School. That same year the school acquired a new principal, J. B. Pennington. He found the school heavily in debt and many unmet needs at the school. To add to these prob- lems the main building of the State Secondary School was completely destroyed by fire in 1919. After this fire, it appeared as if the school would be abolished by the State Board of Education. However, the citizens of Blountsville rallied to- gether and let the State Board of Education know that they did not intend for a fire to destroy their school. They offered to raise the money to replace the building. Some people mortgaged their homes to borrow money from the bank, others donated 156 timber which was sawed by a local sawmill. Men stayed up all night drying the lumber in a kiln. A total of 352880 was raised in cash for four- teen acres of land for the new location. This is the property on which the school is located today. They also raised 325,000 for the main building. The result of hand work by the citizens of Blountsville and surrounding communities could be seen in the main building of the State Sec- ondary Agricultural School. It was modern throughout and was built with the best materials. It contained nine standard classrooms, rooms for music and expression and a library. Electric lights, provided by a Delco motor, Water fountains, ample sanitary conveniences, and individual cloakrooms for teachers and pupils were provided. This build- ing also contained an auditorium seating 600 peo- ple. This provided the people of Blountsville with one of the best schools in the state. In addition to this building the citizens erected a sixteen room dormitory which was valued at SB12,000. It was destroyed by fire in 1927, and was replaced by a modern brick building with running water and electric lights. The luxury and con- veniences, previously unknown to the students, introduced them to a new way of life. A voca- tional building for the teaching of home economics and agriculture was completed and equipped at a cost of S11,000. A few years ago a modern shop was added. A field house which contained a com- plete water system for showers and a dressing room for athletic teams was built at a cost of 353000. The money for the field house was raised by subscriptions especially solicited by Mrs. Jim All- dredge who rode over the country in a buggy with chicken coops and egg crates fastened to the buggy, if one could not give money she would ask them to contribute a rooster, hen or eggs. She even accepted butter. This was interesting to see as well as hear when she returned to the school each day at sundown with roosters crowing and hens cackling. The next day the produce was sent to the market in Birmingham by a Blountsville peddler. This building still stands on the school campus.