INTRODUCTION: This writer often thinks of the meaningful years spent at Carolina School during the mid-1940s through the early 1950s.

It was a wonderful time for kids living in that rural area of Covington County located about six miles south of Andalusia, Ala. The desire to preserve that memory of a reputable community and the very significant history of a fine school led to this narrative being begun today.

The history will be shared through this column for several weeks.

 

Carolina School was located in the Carolina community where residents showed strong pride and support of the education being received by their children.

Therefore, a description of the area will be offered first.

The name “Carolina” most likely came from the strong influx of early settlers migrating from the Carolinas, especially South Carolina.

Around the beginning of the twentieth century, the area began to grow as did the Town of Andalusia with the coming of the railroads.

The Carolina community was strengthened with the timber and turpentine industries as well as extensive farming operations.

Growth was so evident in 1900 that the Carolina Post Office was established on May 14.

Ellen Gunter, a member of a prominent family in the community, was appointed as the first postmistress, an office she held until the post office was discontinued on May 31, 1905.

However, the area continued to grow steadily and remained a strong residential and farming community.

At present, Carolina hosts a thriving business in Carolina Mill Work and Truss, which is owned and operated by Jimmy Cox and family.

There has been a number of grocery and general stores in the vicinity over the years, and the Carolina Grocery with associated Carolina Custom Meats is currently in operation.

There is also the Carolina Garage operated by Adam Hicks and the Andalusia Armory, both located on U.S. 29.

Until recent years, Raymond Harrelson operated a nursery business in the same vicinity.

The Town of Carolina was incorporated in 1967 and is governed by a mayor and town council. Currently, James C. “Jim” Garner, a retired educator, is the mayor.

Betty Glisson Wilhite serves as town clerk, and the council members include Jimmy Cox, Joy Garner Sowards, Heath Huckabaa and Waylon Bush.

The Carolina Volunteer Fire Department, established in February 1985, serves the community and surrounding area efficiently.

In general, the citizens of Carolina have always been proud of the local Carolina Baptist Church, which was organized in 1898.

The first preacher was John Thomas, who served until 1904 plus a year later in 1907-1908.

The young church immediately built a house of worship during their first year of existence.

It served until it burned circa 1923 at which time a second building was erected.

This building was moved during the 1960s to make room for the current building.

A number of additions have been added since that time including the fairly new facility, which provides a fellowship/dining area, choir room and additional classrooms.

The adjacent Carolina Cemetery was created in 1899 when a child of Mr. and Mrs. Hussey was buried there.

Eventually all charter members of the church were buried in this cemetery.

They included Aaron Hutto, Nancy Gunter Hutto, Robert Hutto, Margaret Hart Riley, Elias Posey and Carrie Hutto.

Other members of these families and succeeding generations were buried there, which has made for a rather large, historical burying ground.

It is still used regularly for relatives and community citizens.

Carolina School along with Carolina Baptist Church became the social centers for the community.

Area families were very supportive of both.

The first principal of the school, W.R. Walker, wrote in his school register that “the P.T.A. was a strong asset to the school.”

Prior to Carolina School being built and beginning operation in 1927, there were at least two schools operating in the area, Pine Level and Walker. Pine Level School was located in the same general area, but closer to U.S. Highway 29.

These two schools burned, so the students were taught in Carolina Baptist Church until Carolina School was constructed.

There were only two class registers for Pine Level School found in the archive of records for the Covington County Schools. These were for the 1921 and 1922 school year.

Mrs. Fannie C. Moore was the teacher for grades one, two and three, and Bessie Barrington was teacher for grades four, five, six and seven.

During the Carolina School’s first year of operation in 1927, there were five classes.

Mary Morrison taught the first grade with 10 boys and 13 girls. Mrs. Wilson taught the second grade with seven boys and four girls.

Blanche Milligan taught the third grade with 12 boys and 10 girls and the fourth grade with 15 boys and 11 girls.

Jewell Adkinson taught the fifth grade with 15 boys and five girls and the sixth grade with six boys and 13 girls.

W.R. Walker taught the seventh grade with four boys and 11 girls and the eighth grade with six boys and three girls. He also had one boy and one girl studying at the ninth-grade level.

In addition, he served as principal and reported that the school had collected $547.45 in incidental fees and had paid $94.40 toward the building debt.

Each year thereafter, the school grew substantially.

While there are some records available for succeeding years, this writer has chosen to skip to the year he began attending Carolina School, which was the fall of 1946.

He will switch to first person and tell of the experiences of his class through their completion of the eighth grade. This will begin in next week’s column.

Anyone who discovers any error in this history is urged to contact this writer at the addresses below.

Also, he requests anyone with history of the school to contact him.

The sources he has accumulated in addition to personal memories include the following: School records at the Covington County School’s Board of Education Office, The Development of Covington County Schools compiled by Derlie Barns, Ina Mancill Garner’s story in The Heritage of Covington County, Alabama, and Wyley Donald Ward’s History of Public Schools, Covington County, Alabama.

Anyone with a comment or question regarding this column is requested to contact Curtis Thomasson at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-804-1442; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net.

 

HISTORICAL MEETING:

The Covington Historical Society will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thurs., Feb. 23, in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library. David Coggins will present a program on “Preserving Our Southern Heritage.”