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The following information comes from the records of
the Courthouse since 1919 and information of earlier years was given to us from memory of
Hattie (WOOD) HESTER and Mayme WOOD and other people their age. Also some
information was obtained from a history of the school written about ten years ago by some
high school students.
The first school was built of logs and the seats were made of split logs. It was
built in 1878 or 1879 and it stood near the present site of John B. HESTER’s store.
(John B. HESTER’s store is at the corner of highway 43 and 187.) Some of the
older people can recall listening to the mellow tone of the school bell. The first
principal was B. R. FITE who was a former Methodist preacher from Georgia. He was
principal from 1879 to 1880. The school bell was purchased while he was principal
and it was rung twice each morning. If any pupils arrived after the bell rang the
second time, they were marked tardy for the day. The bell also rang for recess and
lunch time. The bell is stored behind the stage of the auditorium at the present
time. (1982)(Insert: During 2002, a bell
tower was built in front of Belgreen School to house the original bell which is still
fully functional.)
The second site of the school was east of the site of the present buildings. This
land was deeded to the State of Alabama, Franklin County on the eight day of October, 1880
and was filed for record on May 4, 1881. Soon after this deed was made, two large
rooms were built for school with a “Woodsmen of the World” Hall built overhead.
The principal was Nate REDWINE. He became principal in 1880 and the date he
left is unknown.
Between 1880 and 1893, Robert Lee SMITH was principal of Belgreen.
Wade H. SMITH was principal from 1893 to 1895. He was a graduate of the University
of South Carolina. It is said that SMITH went by the biblical principal of
“spare the rod and spoil the child.”
From 1895 to 1896 John WHITE was principal and from 1896 to 1898, Lee S. McRIGHT was
principal. Holbert H. HORTON was principal from 1898 to 1899.
In 1899 Professor Frank CHENAULT became principal. He stayed until 1901 and later
became a medical doctor and practiced medicine in Lawrence County. W. T. VANN was
principal from 1901 to 1902. He was a graduate of the State Normal School at
Florence, Alabama.
In 1902, John R. GUIN became principal of Belgreen and he was principal until 1909.
Winston SHOTTS was principal from 1909 to 1910.
The school grew so rapidly during this period that classes were held in the Methodist
Church which stood where Jack HAMILTON now lives. This is where Mr. John R. GUIN
taught. An old dwelling which stood north of Kate and Susie THOMPSON’s present
home was also used. Hattie (WOOD) HESTER taught there. Her salary was $30.00
and $35.00 per month.
J. Foy GUIN was principal in 1910. He also practiced law in Russellville. He
was principal until 1911. During this time two more large rooms and an auditorium
were added to the school building.
Walter BURLESON was principal from 1911 to 1912. John R. GUIN became principal of
Belgreen for the second time in 1912. He served until 1917. John REID was
principal from 1917 to 1919. Mrs. Vista BOLDING was the next principal of Belgreen.
At that time there were three teachers, Mrs. BOLDING, Mrs. Zada RICHESON, and Mrs.
Byra CASSIDY.
Dell BOWEN was principal from 1919 to 1921. John R. GUIN became principal of
Belgreen for the third time in 1921 and he served until 1931. In 1922, the
Vocational building was built. The cost was about $4500.00. These two building
were used through 1933 for class rooms and the first lunchroom was located in the
vocational building.
During the time Mr. GUIN was principal this time, Belgreen School became accredited by the
state. Before becoming accredited in 1924, the school had been a twelve-grade
unaccredited school.
Miss Lillian (EZZELL) McDOUGLE finished the twelfth grade in 1924, but didn’t receive
a diploma. The first graduation exercises were held in the high school in 1925.
At about this time and in the following years, many of the small surrounding schools were
abolished and consolidated with Belgreen. At one time there were over sixty such
schools. Some of these schools were: Evening Rest, Sparks, Bradley’s Chapel,
Mint Springs, Punkin’ Center, Dempsey, Weatherford, Bunkum, Piny Grove, Williams,
Enterprise, Orange, Salem, Center View, Crooked Oak, Sweet Gun Thicket, Macedonia, Nauvoo,
Ball Rock, Chigger Hill, East Franklin, Holly Springs, Flippo Springs, White Oak, Blue
Lick, Ebenezer, Good Springs, Gravel Hill, Boston, Cooker Spur, Mud Creek, Halltown,
Jonesboro, Atwood, Hodges, and Gray Rock. This consolidation led to increase
enrollment of Belgreen School.
During this time the school was housed in an old two-story building previously described.
There was also a building used for vocational agriculture and home economics.
In years of peak enrollment, an old woodshed and garage were converted into
additional elementary classrooms.
Ruben I. NEWTON became principal in 1931. He served until Christmas 1933.
Otto HOLLOWAY became principal in 1932 and was principal until 1936. After he left
Belgreen, he became one of the faculty at Auburn University. The first graduation
exercises at the present high school were held in 1934 while he was principal.
During his term, a new brick veneer school was completed. The building consisted of
five classrooms, an auditorium, two offices, one of which served as a library.
In 1936, James F. HARMON became principal. In 1937, the new building was enlarged to
include the elementary school. This addition consisted of eight classrooms, two of
which are basement rooms. HARMON served as principal until 1939.
In 1939, Talmadge LEE became principal. After leaving in 1952, he served one term as
county education superintendent. During his term in 1940-41, a brick veneer
vocational agriculture and home economics building was erected. The old vocational
building was converted into a lunchroom a few years later. Also during LEE’s
term, Belgreen had a State Championship Basketball team two years in succession,
1949-1950. A concrete block gymnasium was constructed across the highway from the
main building on newly acquired property.
In 1952, Mitchell DRAKE became principal. While he was principal, indoor restrooms
were installed in the main building and other improvements were made. During the
last year he was principal, Mr. DRAKE was elected county superintendent of Winston County
and he left Belgreen in order to serve in that capacity.
In 1955, James A. GLASGOW became principal. He was principal until 1958. He
later became the first president of Northwest Alabama State Junior College at Phil
Campbell, Alabama. Two elementary classrooms and a cafeteria of concrete block
construction were added to the main building while Mr. GLASGOW was principal.
In 1958, Jimmy CLEMENTS became principal. He served as principal until 1973, when he
became Superintendent of Franklin County Schools. While Mr. CLEMENTS was principal,
several improvements were made including modernizing the gymnasium, additional classrooms
were built including a science lab and business department, and Belgreen was accredited by
the Southern Association of Schools in 1960.
In 1973, Donald EZZELL became principal. He served as principal until 1976. While he
was principal, Belgreen had a State Championship Math Team. This team was coached by
Mr. Franklin BOSHELL. Also a vocational center to be used by all county schools was
completed in 1975. The vocational school offers a wide range of courses to area high
school students.
David HULSEY became principal in 1976 and served until 1979.
Kenneth CAIN became principal in 1979, and is presently principal of Belgreen School
(1982). This year (1982), Belgreen was re-evaluated by the Southern Association of
Schools and once again accredited.
The Belgreen campus today (1982) consists of almost forty acres. In addition to the
old structures, a newly lighted baseball field, a gym seating 1800 people, a media center
containing over 10000 volumes, newly constructed tennis courts, the new area vocational
school, and other modern facilities have been added. Belgreen has over four hundred
students, thirty teachers, and offers a variety of courses for its students.
Source:
Pamphlet compiled by the organizers of the "Old Timer's Reunion 1982" Belgreen,
Alabama. |
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