Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1939-02-17
(Reported)


The regular program last night of
the Parent-Teacher Association of
Zeb Vance high school for February.
usually planned in honor of the
founders of the Parent-Teacher
movement, was given over instead
to doing honor to the first superin-
tendent of schools in Vance county.
Mark Allen, who taught for years
in public and private schools. It was
made the occasion for the presenta-
ton Of his portrait to the school by
his only two living children, DR.. B.
G.. Allen and Mrs. Nettie Allen
Deans.
A splendid audience gathered for
this special program, many being
former pupils of Mark Allen and of
his daughters, Jessie and Olive, also
teachers in the county schools for
years. These came by cordial invita-
ton of Mrs. Deans and added much
TO the interest of the occasion by
their personal "reminiscences of Mark
Allen, and tributes to him as teach
er. The names of his former pupils
present are: Joe Ellis, Mrs Nora Ellis
Stewart, Mrs. Josie Gill Coghill, Mrs.
Celestia Gill Young, R. L. Kittrell,
Mrs. Della Cunningham Harris, Mol
lie Gill, Parry Finch, and Arch
Peasants. A former student in Mr..
Aliens school in Henderson in 1890,
the Rev. Thaddeus A. Cheatham, of
Pinehurst, sent the following tele-
gram to Mrs. Deans: "Mark Allen
stands out in my memory as a con-
scientious educator, stern discip-
marian, a gentleman of the old
school, man of honor and integrity. i
l pay my tribute of affection and
respect"
Introduced by Mrs. T. L. Fuller,
president Of the PIT. A., Mrs. Nettie
Allen Deans reviewed briefly the
progress of education in Vance coun-
ty since its formation in 1881 from
parts of Granville and Franklin
counties. The first officers of the
new county were: Clerk of Superior
Court, James R. Young; Register of
Deeds, Richard A. Bullock; Sheriff
William H. Smith; Treasurer, John
G. Morgan; Superintendent of Edu-
cation, Mark Allen; Surveyor, S. P.
j. Harris County Commissioners: E.
G.. Brodie, A. L. Steed, John B. Crud-
up, George, H. Yancey, and J. M. B.
Hunt.
Mrs. Deans, through the courtesy
of Supt. E. M. Rollins, had looked
through the county records, finding
no definite records of work under
the terms of Mark Allen, T. R.
Crocker, c. E. Fuller, Gideon Need
ham Bray, and A. NJ Mates, these
serving from 1881-1901 The bust
ness of schools and education dur
ing those two decades must have
been very small and casual, that no
records were kept. The work of the
superintendent was confined large
ly to the examination and certifica-
ton of teachers, with senli-occasion-
al visits to the twenty-five or thirty
districts of the county. All were one
teacher schools, of course, with terms
in 1901 were for whites $30-$25; for
Negro teachers $20-$18, these were
pioneer days. Mrs. Deans called the
term of Supt. J. c. Kittrell (1901-
1922 and few years under Supt.
E. M. Rollins "Horse and Buggy
Days" The records mention allow
ance for horse and buggy, and SIS
annually for horse feed.
The outstanding contributions tol
progress under Supt. J. C. Kittrell
were the real organization of the
schools, introduction of the best
teaching methods of the time, the be-
ginning of school consolidation, and
the institution of County School
Commencements, which did so much
to foster school pride, loyalty, and
healthy competition. The administra-
ton of Supt. E. M. Rollins, for twen-
ty-seven years since 1912, has been
characterized by steady progress,
Vance county having advanced in
rating from well down the list a.
mong the 100 counties of the State
to one near the top. 1t has seen the
consolidation of schools into five
rural high schools, one Farm Life
school, and in 1896 the establish
ment of the Henderson high school.