Last week, we looked into the beginning of public or free schools in Mississippi and at Union’s Greenwood Normal Institute. This week we will continue with schools in Old Town and move forward.
The WPA manuscript states that Mr. A.I. Parks sold his interest in the Greenwood Institute in 1882, and Prof. M.A. Westbook succeeded him. Mr. Portis retired as a teacher in 1887. The WPA also reports that “before 1893, this school passed into other hands to be taught as a high school until the Separate School District, which marked the beginning of the modern school system, was organized in 1907” (161). Thus, this and other institutes passed out of existence and were then operated as high schools supported by the state using state money. In addition, A.J. Brown reports that Union High School was already in existence and receiving state money when he was writing his History of Newton County that was published in 1893 (251). Therefore, it appears a likely possibility that Greenwood Institute transformed into a public school which then used the same school building and was called Union High School.
More evidence of the change appears. An article in the May 23, 1984, Union Appeal shows a postcard of a school, and the newspaper caption reads: “The history of the Union Schools began back in 1880 with the first classes held in the old Primitive Baptist Church. This photo of the second school building erected in 1886 in Union shows Professor Lunsford, who was also Superintendent, standing by the tree. The school was located on what is now Decatur Street.” Most of this information seems to match that of Greenwood Institute. However, underneath the picture on original postcard, the caption reads: PUBLIC SCHOOL, UNION, MISS. There is no date. Does this also support the idea that Greenwood Normal Institute closed and a public school began in the same building?
I have found no pictures of a building labelled Greenwood Normal Institute. However, another picture of the same building recognized as a public school on Decatur Street around 1900 has emerged. Ralph James gave the Union Appeal a different picture of that same wooden building where Prof. Lunsford stood with students. His grandfather Harvey James, who attended the school, had identified all of the students in his picture individually and then dated it as 1900. The older Mr. James called the school “Union School.” Also, he had written on the back of the picture the location of the school as being “100 feet west of Ancle Cleveland’s home.” That would have made the new school built behind its original location in the Primitive Baptist Church.
Another Union Appeal article dated February 8, 1968, states, “Union public schools began in 1897. A one-room structure located in Old Town served the public school’s students and two teachers for several years. In fact, the first graduating class of Union School graduated there. Mr. Lee Moore, Miss Mattie Magge, and Mrs. Jim McMahen made up the first group to finish at this facility, which seems to be a direct outgrowth of the efforts of interested citizens under the direction of Rev. J.C. Portis. Rev. Portis, along with Parks and Westbrook, had established a private boarding school, Greenwood Institute in Union as early as 1880. In February 1910, the school moved to its present location on Forest Street. At approximately the same time, Carver school began operation.” While the beginning date 1897 might not be accurate, the remainder of the article supports previously gathered information.
Also, in the February 8, 1968 issue, Mrs. Lee Moore sent in a picture of the Union High School class of about 1909 with students standing in front of the same wooden school on North Decatur Street. In addition, Betty Henry supplied a picture once belonging to her husband’s uncle Willie Mack Horton, who attended the Union School. Dated 1910, his picture was also made in front of the wooden school on North Decatur Street. From this evidence, clearly the first Union High School existed on Decatur Street.
However, change is a constant, and the time finally came when this school had served its purpose. Therefore, around 1905, when the railroad came to Union and the town began to move toward it, the need arose for the school to be nearer to the town’s activities. As a result, courthouse documentation shows an “indenture made the 6th day of March A.D., 1909, between A.A. Nicholson and wife E.A. Nicholson of the first part, and the present Trustees and their successors of the Union School of Union Miss. of the second part, for a sum of $775” for stated lots in the deed. The deed was notarized April 6, 1909, and filed in the Chancery Clerk’s office November 16, 1909. After this land purchase, preparations began for a new school to be erected on Forest Street.
Next week, we will begin with the first school built on Forest Street. Many thanks go to Harold Carleton, Ralph James, and Doug Smith for providing help with these past two articles.
*Do you have a picture labelled Greenwood Institute or have additional information about it?
If you have any additional documentation, please contact me at teresablount26@yahoo.com or 601-774-5564.
