Write again … Danger or family feud?
Posted at 17:01, Wednesday, November 30, 2022
This week’s column, friends, is the result of more than a little collaboration. Probably.
This joint effort included Steve Cochran, more formally Colonel USC Cochran, USMC; Ray Midgett, whose decision to move here was a long time ago and who, coincidentally for us, has become a wonderful historian of our region.
Particularly informative, the main body of this effort is the piece entitled “Reminiscences – A Review of Earlier Days in Washington.”
Confused? Think the use of full and partial quotes is questionable? I offer no defense. Me too.
To add to the confusion, let me preface the Memoirs:
This article is a very brief sketch of the history of education in Washington, North Carolina. The information in it is taken from an article written many years ago by Mrs. Eva Carnegie. Probably, few of us are still familiar with this name.
Perhaps for those who are bored, I suggest watching “Family Feud”, a real brain booster.
And now a little about “memories”:
“From the beginning, some people were able to get an education either from home tutors or from private schools located around the city. There have always been such schools. They continued even after our public grade schools were established, because many people were open to free education, so private schools continued to flourish. (There seemed to be no shortage of bias even then. What a surprise.)
We have had a state academy here since 1808. (For brown and black kids? What do you think?)
So at the beginning of our public school system here in Beaufort County there were twenty-seven districts laid off, Washington being the number. 15. The money could only be used for the purchase of school lots and the construction or rental of school houses.
The first school committee consisted of Eli Hoyt, Benjamin Runyan and Thomas H. Blunt. The surname of each of these people has survived to this day.
There’s a lot of esoterica in all of this that I could but don’t want to share with you. Please feel free to thank me for this.
Allow me to conclude this incoherent attempt by presenting the following dates:
Eventually a public classified school was established with “the whole burden
Mr WZ Morton took over the management of the school. In Washington, he was called the “father of education.”
I suspect you have MEGO, meaning “My Eyes Glaze Over” in my scribbles long before this point. I know I would have.
To end our suffering, let me share some interesting dates about our schools: In 1942, enough taxes were approved to build the Old Ford School. Then in 1952, Washington High School was included in the tax distribution. John C. Taylo (1960); Eastern Elementary in 1966; and racial integration was achieved in 1968.
Those of you still hanging around here probably got “MEGO” again. I know I would have.
Thanks again to Col. WS Cochran; Ray Midgett (much more than an “amateur” historian; Mrs. Eva Kornegay; Mr. Jim Ellison and Miss Lucretia Hughes.
If I have missed anyone, please accept my apologies; and thanks too.
