The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1957-06-04
Unique Brackets Contribute Name To
Small POst-Bellum Cumberland School

ottf Woo ny - -
Walton, Sr., OF Gainesville, in spirit
with the jamestown celebration
commemorative the 35oth anniver-
sary of the first white colony on the
North American Continent. MIR. Wal
ton attended Bracket School in 1892
at the age of FOUR
During the early years following
the Civil War when the country was
~recuperating f4om its r h e s.
t7eFe was a great deal Of confusion
throughout the Southland.
Crushed in spirit bit with a de
termination to face the future cour-
%ageously. the people were con-
ffcnted with many problems: one in
particular was concerning the edu-
cation Of its youth.
No American boy or girl Of today
needs to be told the vast Importance
Of tins deep concern. However. it
would be hard for them to realize
the kind Of school to which the boys
and girls at that time travelled.
Schools were still few and far be
tween, but such a one as was typical
al that time was begun in an old
Office building in the yard at
Glover Dale then owned by
David Myers. originally the Jack
hatcher place, 0 located on Route
GIG about five miles south Of Car
~tersville.
The exact date the school was be-
gun is not known. However, on Oc-
tober 10. 1879. a tract of land con
sistlng Of approximately four acres
was purchased from James 7. Isbell
and his wife Bette for the sum of
forty dollars. A deed was drawn up
to the School Trustees of Hamilton
District for the land on which a
school would be built.
Because of the unique brackets
under the protruding gables. which
adorned the building, it was known
as Bracket School.
iAt loIiuN illG lttlti WIllteli DS
Mrs. Annie Walton Long, a native
Of Cumberland County. who is now
81 years Of age and who, along with
her twin sister, Mrs. P~ocahontas
Walton Stut2, are among. if not the
oldest. pupils nov living who ever
attended Bracket School
ar bayo hoo, aetyaJ ~ ,r~;+o eo,,,o
thing about Bracket School and my
early days there In 1880, my twin
sister and | began school at the
tender age Of five years. Under the
care Of our older sisters, with our
p.lmer and little b 0 o K b a g, We
walked a distance of one mile each
way, After we attended awhile We
had a McGuffey's First Reader and
a Spelling Book.
The school was a one room build
Ing with a large blackboard and Old
fashioned wood stove. Two pupils
occupied each desk and a nearby
spring furnished water for the class
room. With a wooden bucket and a
long handled dipper. two of the
larger boys would bring the water.
They were always glad to 90 to the
spring and would often say TO the
teacher, We need fresh water,
there are only drugs in the bucket
Just 50 they could leave Tor awhile
The first teacher Of Bracket
School was Mi. Minor Webb. a
bachelor Of Goochland. l remember
/ was tired one morning when l
arrived at the school and was crying
and he threatened to put me in a
hollow tree. I'm afraid | wasn't too
fond OF HIM after that
zone little incident l recall was
when several children in a family
brought their lunch in a gallon tin
bucket. When recess came, they
opened the bucket and instead Of
lunch they had molasses. They had
picked up the wrong bucket
Time passed and the older girls
graduated. ~Pocahontas and ! still
attended Bracket and saw teachers
come and 50,
The term vas only five months
with a small salary thirty dollars
a term, If l remember correctly,
and even then a teachers warrant
al not worth face value. Since
the teachers had to pay board out
Of this NOT many taught more than
one term.
The last teacher under whom we
studied was Miss Lizzie Isbel. later
Airs. Herndon. She taught two
terms, The last term she offered a
pll2e for best attendance On Com
nlencement Day. which was truly
a grand day for all. the organist
began to play the march Miss Is
BEL had the hired men bring her
organ to school for the day and We
started tho calisthenics drill, which
really was very exciting, In fact,
We were called on to repeat il later.
.'Pocahontas and / lea the drill
Needles TO say. We We're very proud
and happy when a croquet set was
presented TO us for best attendance.
After a picnic lunch, games and
much iun everyone left ton home,
tired bur happy
50 ended my early days in
Bracket School
Some five teachers and many
prominent BUSINESS persons were
the products oil TINS institute Of