Board of Education Robeson County
Minutes, County Board of Education
1885-1911
N.C. Archives microfilm C.083.94003
p.1, July 6, 1885, Ordered that Hannibal Goss and John Hill be appointed committeemen in the No. 60 (?) Colored District in place of C. Bullard and Moses Cobb.
Ordered that all the Colored Committees of Robeson County report all the colored children between the ages of six and twenty one years in their respective districts, at the next meeting to be held on the first Monday of September next.
Ordered that the County Treasurer pay to W. B. Blake, supt., sixty dollars for services of himself and assistants in holding the Robeson County Educational Institutes for Teachers white and Colored.
p.2, September 7 & 8, 1885, Ordered that John Locklear and Mary Oxendine be notified to appear before the Board of Education on the first Monday of October next to give such information as will enable the Board to assign them to their proper districts.
Ordered that the following Colored Committees be notified to appear before the Board on the first Monday of October viz: Nos. 10, 11, 30, 20, 52, 65 Colored and all Colored committees in Blue Springs Township.
Ordered that the following petitions be laid over to the next Meeting Viz: Hamilton McMillan and others.
p.3, Ordered that Nos. 62 and 30 colored be consolidated as District No. 1 Croatan, Beginning at the ford of the Swamp at Iona Church, thence with the public road to the ford of Aaron Swamp, thence up that Swamp in the Harleesville road, thence with the Harleesville road to Old Field Swamp, thence down said swamp to the ford at Warren Lewis Mill so as to include all the Croatans on the plantations of N. A. Thompson and John Pitman on the east side of the swamp, thence to Hugh Pitmans in a direct line, thence to Allen Bullards, thence up Horse Swamp to the beginning. Committee John Hunt, Henderson Oxendine, Malcolm C. Hunt.
Ordered that District No. 2 Croatan be a consolidation of Colored Districts Nos. 41, 44, and 51, and that J. W. Blanks, David Carter and Wm Santee be elected a committee for said Croatan District No. 2.
Ordered that District No. 3 Croatan shall be the same as No. 24 Colored, and that James Oxendine, John J. Oxendine and Allen Oxendine be elected as committee for said Croatan District.
Ordered that District No. 4 Croatan shall be the same as No. 26 Colored including William Sanderson across Horse Swamp, and that John Harris, Preston Locklear, and S. Bullard be elected a committee for said District.
Ordered that District No. 5 Croatan shall include District No. 63 Colored with lines as follows, Beginning at Harper's Ferry, runs up Lumber River to Red Banks, thence South with the Alfordsville road to the ford of Back Swamp at Watson's, thence down the Back Swamp to the McLauglin ford, thence with the line of No. 63 Colored to the beginning, and that Calvin Lowrie, Paisley Saunders and Bird Barton be elected a committee for said No. 5 Croatan District.
Ordered that District No. 6 Croatan shall be composed of Colored Districts No. 21 and 25 Burnt Swamp Township and that Archibald Oxendine, H. Q. Dial and Alva Oxendine be elected a committee for said District No. 6 Croatan.
Ordered that District No. 7 Croatan shall be the same as District No. 50 (Indian) Colored in Thompson's Township and that Alexander Oxendine, Henry Oxendine and Bins Hunt be elected a Committee for said District No. 7 Croatan.
P.4, Ordered that District No. 8 Croatan Shall be the same as No. 23 Colored, Burnt Swamp Township, and that Elins Oxendine, Angus Chavus and Melvin Lowrie be elected as a committee for said No. 8 Croatan.
Ordered that District No. 9 Croatan shall be the same as No. 4 colored, Lumberton Township and that Philip Locklear, James Sealy and Timothy Locklear be elected a committee for said No. 9 Croatan District.
No. 10 Croatan shall be the same as No. 27 Colored and that John Oxendine, Christopher Jacobs and Charles Oxendine be appointed a committee for said No. 10 Croatan District.
Ordered that Colored Districts Nos. 19 and 20 be consolidated and to be created a district called No. 11 Croatan, Committee Wm Sampson, John H. Sampson, Stephen Carter.
Ordered that W. B. Blake Co, Supt. be allowed forty two dollars for holding Teacher's Institute for the White Race in Lumberton July 13, 1885 as per a/c rendered.
Committees elected for the Croatans for two years from the 1st Oct. 1885.
No.1, John Hunt, Sr., Henderson Oxendine, Malcolm C. Hunt
No.2, J. W. Blanks, David Carter, William Santee
No.3, James Oxendine, J. J. Oxendine, Alin Oxendine
No.4, John Harris, Preston Locklear, S. Bullard
No.5, Calvin Lowrie, Paisley Saunders, Bud Burton
No.6, Achd Oxendine, H. Q. Dial, Alva Oxendine
No.7, Wesley Oxendine, Bias Hunt, Alexr Oxendine
No.8, Elias Oxendine, Angus Chavis, Melvin Lowrie
No.9, Philip Locklear, James Sealy, Tim Locklear
No.10, John Oxendine, Christopher Jacobs, Charles Oxendine
No.11, William Sampson, John H. Sampson, Stephen Carter
No.12, Hiniant Hunt, W. B. Hunt, Berry Hammonds
October 5, 1885
p.7, Ordered that the committees of Nos. 13 and 15 Colored be allowed to donate the Colored School House in No.13 Colored to the Croatans residing in the districts.
Ordered that Croatan District No. 5 shall include Colored districts Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 65.
pp.8-9, The following committees were elected...for two years from the 1st Monday October 1885, For Colored Race
Shoe Hill, No.1, J.C. Hooper, Oliver George, A. Wilkinson 1
Shoe Hill, No.2, Same as No. 2 White 2
Shoe Hill, No. 3, Robert Gibson, Toney McLean, Thomas Patterson 3
Alfordsville, No. 4, Same as No.4 White
Alfordsville, No.5, Martin McNair, Charles Anderson, J. A. Purcell
No.6, Enoch McCallum, Wesley McCallum, J. Alford
No.7, same as No.7 White
Thompsons, No.8, L. Hamer, Wm Thompson, J.J. Williams
No.9, A.C. Miller, Alexander Edens, Collins Faulk
No.10, A.A. Inmon, L. McPhip King, J. B. Rowland
...
p.10, Ordered that the Croatan Districts be allowed their per capita division of the funds of the Colored districts in the hands of the Treasurer at the time of the Division.
Ordered that Croatans in No. 13 Colored be made into Croatan District No.12, and the W.B. Hunt, Berry Hammonds, and Hinant Hunt be appointed a committee for said No.12 Croatan district.
p.11 Robeson County Monday December 7, 1885
To the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. To the County Superintendent of Public Instruction, in pursuance of Section 2573 of School Law of 1885, reports for the year ending November 30, 1885 as follows:
Teachers Examined and approved
Number of White males 36
Number of White females 30
Number of Colored Males 23
Number of Colored Females 16
Number of Public Schools for Whites 70
for Colored 54
Number of Pupils Enrolled in Said Schools: White 2516
average attendance 1856
Number of Pupils Enrolled in Said Schools: Colored 2285
average attendance 1412
Average salary of White teachers per month $30.15
Average salary of Colored teachers per month $27.88
Number of Children in the County between the ages of six and twenty one.
White children 4268
Colored children 4989
Number of School Districts for whites 95
Number of School Districts for Colored 63
Number of Public School Houses for Whites 65
Number of School Houses for Colored 40
Value of Public School property for Whites $5506
Value of Public School property for Col. $3245
Number of Teachers Institutes held during year White 2
Number of Teachers Institutes held during year Colored 1
p.12, Report of Croatan Indians is included with the Colored Race.
They have 12 districts, 7 school houses, valuation of School property $1043
Number of Croatan males 543
Number of Croatan females 463
Total 1006
p.14, January 4, 1886.
A list of Colored Teachers licensed from the 1st December 1884 to the first December 1885 for the County of Robeson
Colored Male Teachers, month, date, year
A. L. Chambers Dec. 1, 1884
G. H. Leach Dec 12, 1884
H.R. McQueen Dec 13, 1884
John S. Lewis Dec. 20, 1884
Trussie Taylor Feb 28, 1885
G.W. Spaulding Feb 28, 1885
H.W. Bethea July 10, 1885
G. W. Bowen July 10, 1885
Jonathan Spaulding July 10, 1885
M.D. Bowen July 10, 1885
Erastus Humphrey July 10, 1885
C. B. Blur Sept. 11, 18815
W. J. H. Purcell Sept. 11, 1885
D. A. Alford Sept. 11, 1885
W. L. Moore Sept. 11, 1885
H. H. Lowrie Oct. 23, 1885
C.R. Chavis Oct 11, 1885
P.A. McKay Oct 12, 1885
D.P. Allen Nov. 23, 1885
M. W. Hill Nov. 23, 1885
D. J. Crawford Nov. 23, 1885
A. D. Thompson Nov. 23, 1885
A. C. Thompson Nov. 23, 1885
A list of Colored Female licenses from the 1st December 1884 to 1st December 1885
M. E. Lewis July 10, 1885
Sallie G. Shaw "
Sallie A. Purcell July 9, 1885
Maggie Watson Sept. 11, 1885
Ellen Gilchrist Sept. 11, 1885
Jennie Hildebrand "
Cattie Murphy "
Chaney McNeill Oct 12, 1885
Laura D. Lee Nov. 23, 1885
Ellen J. Oxendine "
Fannie McNeil "
Ellen Lewis "
Angeline Blount "
Eliza Wintfield "
Mary J. Beatty "
Caroline Hooper "
p.16, Apportion of School Fund for White Children for years 1885 & 1886: 4,628 children, $2314
Apportion of School Fund for Colored Children: 3983 children, $1991
Apportion of School Fund for Croatan Children: 1,006 children, $503
p.18, Ordered that John Chavis with 4 children be transferred from School District 49 Colored to School District 44 Colored.
Ordered that Alexander McMillan with 4 children and Amos Williamson with 7 children be transferred from school district no. 26 to colored district no.27.
p.21, State of North Carolina Robeson County Treasurer's Report of Disbursements of School Fund
Paid Teachers of School for Whites $4539
Paid Teachers of School for Colored $4859
Paid for School Houses and Sites, including Repairs (White) $613
Paid for School Houses and Sites, including Repairs (Colored) $382
p.33, June 7, 1886
Petition from Calvin Lowrie, chairman of Committee of Croatan District No. 5, asking for appointment of commissioners to condemn a site of land for school district, Croatan no.5, allowed and James Oxendine, Clark Bridgers, and Thomas Saunderson appointed.
p.36, July 8, 1886, Petition of Charles Oxendine & others asking for commissioners to condemn a school house site for Croatan District no. 10 was granted.
p.48, Lumberton N.C., February 12, 1887
The application of Henderson Oxendine in behalf of Croatan District No. 1 for a pro rata division of the funds apportioned to Colored district No. 62 & 30, before the Croatan children were set apart from said district No. 62 & 30, was on motion continued till the next meeting of this Board.
p.51, June 6, 1887, The report of appraisers appointed to condemn a site for a school house for Croatan District No.5 was on motion approved and is as follows:
Thomas Saunderson, James Oxendine, and James Dees laid off this day one acre of land belonging to the estate of A.S. Baker and we do assess the value at $4. Beginning at a stake in the edge of the Lowrie Road, at the upper corner of George Dial's Field.
signed, Thos Saunderson, James Oxendine, James Dees.
p.54, Sept. 5, 1887, petition of Avis Jacobs and others for division of Croatan District no.4 was not granted for want of sufficient grounds.
p.55, On motion ordered that Croatan District no.1 be allowed its pro rata part of the funds due district no.62 colored, at the time of the division of said district, being 32/52 of $175 amounting to one hundred and seven dollars.
Ordered that the committee of District no.62 Colored be notified to show cause why the money to the Credit of said district is allowed to lie idly in the Treasury instead of being used for school purposes.
p.59, Committees of Croatan District
Iona, No.1, Henderson Oxendine, Irvin Hammonds, Jas B. Hunt
Lumberton, No.2, Wm Cannady, David Carter, Wm Hammonds
Pates, No.3, James Oxendine, John J. Oxendine, Allin Oxendine
Red Banks, No.4, Wm Sanderson, Hector Locklear, Preston Locklear
Pates, No.5, Presley Sanderson, N. Barton, Calvin Lowerie
No.6,
Plainview, No. 7, Henry T. Oxendine, Anderson Oxendine, Nicholas Hunt,
Pates, No.8, Angus Chavis, Richard Cummings, Douglas Locklear
Lumberton, No.9, Willis Locklear, Jas Dial, P.P. Locklear
No.10, J.C. Skipper, Charles Oxendine, J.C. Oxendine
p.60,
Moss Neck, No.11, Wm Sampson, Everet Sampson, Shadrach Manuel
Gaddysville No.12, W. B. Hunt, H.H. Hunt, B. Hammonds
Iona, No. 13, John Hunt S., Harman Strickland, Richd Hunt
p.61, Ordered that the following transfers be made viz.: Sarah Ann Chavis, Henry Hunt and Richard Chavis from Croatan No. 11 to No. 13.
Henry Oxendine and John Jacobs not now included within the boundaries of any district were assigned to Croatan No.7.
p.75, Dec. 3, 1888,
No of Public schools for white 93
for Cold 69
Croatan 23
p.76, pupils enrolled:
white 3390, average attendance 2354
Colored 4592, average attendance 2997
Croatan 1169, average attendance 746
Number of children in the county between the ages of six and twenty one
whites 4833, Colored 4680, Croatan 1183
Average salary white teachers males $24.24, females $21.04
Colored males, $22, females $17.28
Croatan males $18.00, females $15.00
Number of school districts white 96, Colored 59, Croatan 13
Value School property whites $4548, Colored $2909, Croatan $1045
Assessed value of property whites $3,054,679. Colored $192,665
p.119, Lumberton, January 1, 1894
Ordered eighty cents be apportioned per capita among all the children of the county.
p.129, July 3, 1894
Number of Pupils enrolled in public schools:
white 3427, average attendance 2275
Colored 3887, average attendance 2314
Croatan 929 average attendance 611
Value School Property:
White $6192
Colored $6110
Croatan $1871
Public school houses white 74, Colored 52, Croatan 16
Number of teachers examined and approved
White 101
Colored 44
Croatan 12
Number of polls returned for taxation whites 2581, Colored 2106
amt. applied to school from each poll $1.50
pp.132-3, June 3, 1895, The Board met pursuant to the act of the General Assembly to close up its work and turn over its records and papers to the County Commissioners.
As this meeting closes by operation of Law your official existence as the Board of Education, I respectfully submit a brief resume of the work of the Board and its organization to the present time
The first Board of Education of Robeson County was organized July 6, 1885...
It must suffice for those who are still living to rest their record upon the facts easily derived from an examination of the statistics given below, which are taken from the reports of the County Supt. in 1885 and 1894:
Teachers examined in 1885: white 66, in 1894 101 gain of 53%
Colored: 39 in 1885, in 1894 56 gain of 43%
Number of schools taught
white 70 in 1885, 85 in 1894, gain of 21%
Colored: 54 in 1885, 97 in 1894, gain of 80%
Number of children attending school:
white 2516 in 1885, 3427 in 1894, gain of 36%
Colored 2285 in 1885, 4811 in 1894, gain of 110%
Value of public school property:
white $5506 in 1885, $6192 in 1894, gain of 12%
Colored $4288 in 1885, $7981 in 1894, gain of 86%
It will be observed that in the above table no statistics of the Croatans are given. The reason is that in the first report of the Co. Supt. no separate statistics of the Croatans are given except a few items hereafter referred to. By act of the Gen'l Assembly in 1885
p.134, separate schools were given to the Croatans, and in September 1885 their districts were established, committees appointed &c. by the newly organized Board of Education. Since then their progress has been very great. The value of their school property has increased about 80%; the number of children of school age about 42%; while the percentage of increase in attendance at school is probably much larger than that of either the white or colored race.
With a splendid Normal School the number and efficiency of their teachers have been largely increased and thus they show most gratifying progress in every respect.
p.265, June 30, 1902
Disbursements:
paid white teachers $10,794
Croatan $1515
Col'd $5561
school houses:
white $2470
Croatan $455
Col'd $657
Number pupils involved in public Schools
white 4636, average attendance 2737
Col'd 4162, average attendance 2187
Croatan 771, average attendance 433
No. between 12 and 21 who can not read and write:
white 444
Col'd 1194
Croatan 444
Number of schools:
White 91
Colored 64
Croatan 21
p.267,
Total amount apportioned to white from July 1, 1901 to July 1, 1902
Whites $11,360
Negroes $6703
Croatans $2573
Number of polls for taxation
white 2995, col'd 1953, Croatan 608
Total levied on each poll $2.00
Assessed property
of whites $4,500,853
Col'd $224,345
Croatan: $153,883
pp.537-540, 1911 Apportionment of School Funds:
whites: $20475
Colored: $8535
Croatan: $3800
p.559, June 2, 1911
Number of different schools taught:
79 white 62 Colored, 26 Indian
Number having two or more teachers:
40 white 8 colored, 2 Indian
Number of schools in which high school subjects are taught:
32 white, 10 colored
average term in days:
127 white, 81 Colored, 87 Indian
Total number of rural libraries:
53 white, 1 Colored, 1 Indian
Number established during year:
6 white
Rural Teachers employed:
white 115, Colored 67, Indian 24
Teachers having normal training:
white 46, Colored 56
Number teachers having college diploma:
white 22, Colored 13
Illiterates (12-21):
213 whites, 335 Colored