The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1947-03-01
First Public School
Enrolment, $50; Totol
Enrolment Now 4,O23

Education for Negroes had its be-
ginning during the early reconstruc-
ton period, Immediately following
the Civil War and the first schools
were pay schools with day and night
sessions, doing the work of only
grammar grades.
The first school was taught by
Mr. Rector and his wife in 1866
and was located on the corner of
East Capitol and President Streets.
Another school was established in
1866 on East Davis Street, between
Blair and Grayson Streets. This
school, consisting of three small
buildings had about IS pupils. 1t
was under the auspices of the
''uaker" Organization and two of
the teachers were Mr.. Taylor and
Miss Elmer, both white and from
Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Some
time before 1870 a private pay
school was opened by Miss Maria
johnson on South Gallatin Street,
between West and Pearl Streets,
about the same time Mr.. Elvis open
ed a similar school on West Pearl
Street Both Of these were of short
duration.
A Miss Clara Duncan claims to
have been the first teacher of the
first public school located in a small
church on the north side of West
Pearl Street, between Clifton and
South Gallatin Streets.
The first public school that can
be referred to with certainty was
located in the old st. James Hotel
on Commerce Street. Here the rent
Of the building and the salaries
were both paid out of public funds
The enrolment in this school was
approximately 10 pupils. Mr.. Isaiah
Mitchell was principal. Teachers
were his VIII, Mrs. Laura Mitchell,
his sister, Miss Mitchell, Miss Idel
McLofton, Miss Rachel Williams,
Miss Bell Campbell, Mrs, Sarah
Dawson and Mrs Mary Turner. -
After about twelve years the
school was moved to the hall of
the jackson Benevolent Society on
North Parish and Griffith Streets.
The two additional houses owned by
the Jackson Benevolent Society
were also rented for the school.
This location was more nearly in
the center of the colored population
of the town. These buildings were
used continuously until 1894, when
a building was erected on the pres
ent site of the Smith Robertson
School on the corner of Bloom and
East Oakley Streets. The enroll
ment increased to more than 300
Miss Leonia Wright and Miss Mel
lie Carter were two of the teachers
who were added while the school
was at this location. During the pc
ROD from 1870 to 1894, Mr.. Isaiah
Mitchell, Mr.. A. S. Jackson, Mr..
Jesse Young and Mr.. Edward Gil
/liams served as principals of the
public school.
The Smith Robertson School was
erected in 1894 and was the first
school building to be erected by
the Jackson Separate School Dis
trict for the Negro children of the
city.
The Jim Hill School was the sec
ond building to be erected by the
Jackson Separate School District for
Negroes. This was a ten-teacher two
story brick structure and was open.
ed in 1912. The Jim Hill School was
abandoned in 1910 and thirty.
thousand dollar annex was added
to the Sallie Reynolds school tc
house the Jim Hill Junior High
School.
The j. A. Martin School was the
third school for Negroes in Jackson
It was built to provide educationa
facilities for children living in the
southern part of the city. 1t wa:
erecetd in 1922
The first fifty years of public
schools, 1870 1920 in Jackson saw
no work for Negroes beyond the
ninth grade. During the school year
1924-25, fourteen hundred children
were enrolled at Smith Robertson
School with only IL teachers.
The erection of the w. H Lanie
High School in 1925 was the frs
definite attempt to do work on tn
high school level. This building cos
more than one hundred twent.
thousand dollars, and was intendet
to be an industrial high school. Tn
18th grade was not added until thu
second year of the High School
I I :