The
Pictures
Where is Vaiden, Mississippi?


Education
Vaiden's
Schools


From the years 1840 to 1870, there were very few public schools in Carroll County. Most of them were rural which
were taught by one or two teachers lasting one to four months in session when
the teachers were not engaged in other activities.
The smaller children were taught at home by
parents, older sisters and brothers, hired tutors or sent to a private school. Miss Julia Sanderson had
a private school in her home east of the railroad in Vaiden. Later she taught
in a building on the hill where B.W. Holmes' home now stands. She also taught
in the Vaiden Public School.
More Information on Vaiden's Schools
Public Schools
The first public school in the area was
thought to have been established in 1860.
It was located east of the Vaiden
Cemetery. Miss Annie
Thompson was one of the first teachers of the Vaiden Public School.
Professors McGoffin, Ford, Leighton, Adams, Carlton and Dr. T.W. Fullilove also taught.
However, unless this was the same school, there had apparently been
one school, Richland Academy, in or
around Shongalo since 1838.
In 1875,
Dr. & Mrs. C.M. Vaiden built a public school, the Vaiden Male and Female
Institute, to be used "solely and exclusively for educational
purposes." This school was located where the Vaiden High School
is located today. They gave to the black people the academy formerly used by
the white children.
The deed for the Vaiden Male and Female
Institute states: We designate and appoint as trustees for life, or as
long as willing to serve, the following men: W.A. Wilson, S.C. Baines, Dr.
A.J. Sanderson, S. Lichenstein, John J. Cain, W.M.
Anderson, E.C. Ely, Dr. Joseph Applewhite, Benjamin Rosenthal, Joseph Hirsh,
S.E. McConnico, Sr., B.J. Kopperl, R.R. Hawkins,
D.D. Fullilove, Dr. Sam A. Hairston. Any seven
shall constitute a quorum.
Dr. Vaiden chose Charles Henry Barksdale and
his wife, Emily St. Albans Woodson Barksdale, as the first teachers of the
institute.
The institute was accredited in 1910 with two in the graduating
class: Eula Lee Cole and Joseph Herring.
In the early 1900s, this building was struck by lightning
and partially destroyed. The exterior was reinforced
and the interior reworked. Later an annex of three rooms was
added. This building was used until 1941.
Timeline for Vaiden Schools

Old Landmark Removed
From: The Conservative, Friday, July 19, 1946, P.4. The VAIDEN OUTLOOK section.
The old building of the Vaiden High School which has stood since 1876 or
earlier, has been removed to make room for a gymnasium for the new school
building which was completed in 1942.
With few exceptions, this old building has stood since the childhood
days of everyone in this community.
Supt. F.D. Prewitt has been fortunate in obtaining new equipment for
the new building—opera chairs for the auditorium, furniture and scenery for
the stage, and a beautiful curtain.
The floor in the auditorium has been sanded and waxed and other improvements
will be made before school opens in the fall.
The trustees, and indeed all the people of this community, are grateful
to Mr. Prewitt for his untiring efforts on behalf of the school.
Mr. Prewitt has had
sixteen years’ experience in school work and has been with the Vaiden School
since 1942. He has ever had the
interest of every pupil in it at heart since he has been here.
[NOTE: The building that
was removed was apparently the building that Dr. Vaiden caused to be built
which, as a gift to Vaiden for educational purposes –
including 4 acres of land – sat where the old Vaiden Gym of
the 1960s once sat. That old gym was previously an aircraft hangar at Camp
McCain.]
Mr. Rush Weir's will of 1938
deeded the land adjoining the Vaiden
Public School (as it was now called)
to the Vaiden Separate School District
and also $25,000. With this money and $15,000 more, the present Vaiden High School Building was built in 1941
under the W.P.A. Program. The old Weir house on the property west of the
school was purchased for a teacher's home. It was later used as the Principal's home, as well. The school also
provided a home for the agriculture teacher.
Vaiden
Separate School
District was changed to a county school
in 1943.
Midway, Blackmonton, Brownline,
Beatty and Hebron
schools were consolidated with it. Blackhawk joined in 1956.
Until desegregation in the mid-1960s, Vaiden's
Black High School Students attended the North Vaiden School, now known as the
Percy Hathorn Public School.

Vaiden School
Will Open September 6th
The Conservative,
"Vaiden Outlook" Section, 08/20/1943. P.2., by Mrs. S.P. Armstrong
"The Vaiden
Public School will open
for the 1943-1944 session, on Monday,
September 6, at 9 a.m."
"All students are requested to report at that hour for
registration and classification."
"The public is also cordially invited to be present for the
opening and to see the new building, which is near completion and will be in
full use for this season."
"The faculty is now complete with the following teachers: F.D.
Prewitt, Principal and Math; Miss Ruth Hood, Science; Mrs. James A. Hill,
English; Miss Grace Norwood, History."
"Grammar School: Miss Grace Hatcher, 6th and 7th Grades; Mrs. Marion Ely, 4th and 5th Grades; Miss Lovie
Wright, 2nd and 3rd Grades; Mrs. F.D. Prewitt;
Primary and 1st
Grade; Miss Mary Haman, Hall."
Vaiden High Opens
The Conservative,
"Vaiden Outlook" Section, 09/10/1943. P.2., by Mrs. S.P. Armstrong
"The 1943-1944 session of Vaiden High School opened Monday, September 6. The worship period was in
charge of Rev. J.W. McNutt who brought out very beautifully, the need of God
and prayers in the lives of all."
"Supt. F.D. Prewitt made an interesting talk and introduced the
new teachers."
"Mr. B.W. Holmes, president of the board of trustees, made a nice
talk about the new school building."
"Misses Nell Williams and Ann Fullilove
played a piano duet."
"Visitors inspected the new building before leaving."
"The spacious auditorium was filled for this opening."
School Opens Aug. 25 -- Holidays Slated
The Conservative, 08/04/1960. P.1.
Vaiden school faculty will be as follows: F.D. Prewitt, Supt.; L.C. Kittrell, Vo. Ag.; Mrs. Vivian H. Kittrell,
Home Ec.; Jack Hemphill, Coach & Soc. Sci.; Miss Shula Armstrong,
Commercial; Curtis Armstrong, English; Miss Jo Ann Butridge,
English; James Tom Dulin, Math; Miss Eva Mae Word,
Librarian; Miss Grace Hatcher, Jr. High Math & Soc. Science; Mrs. Evelyn
J. Ross, Jr. High English & Soc, Studies.
Mrs. Lillian H. Armstrong, 6th
Grade; Mrs. Birdie D. Ely, 5th
Grade; Mrs. Alice B. Cox, 4th
Grade; Miss Lovie Wright, 3rd Grade; Mrs. Alice H. Pierce, 2nd Grade;
Mrs. Beatrice B. Prewitt, 1st
Grade; Mrs. Martha Bowie, Public School Music. Band Director has not been
selected yet.
1960-61 school term opens on Thursday
Aug. 2 at the 3 white schools in the county. All
3 schools will
open for a period of 9
months (180
days), the first holiday being fair day in Sept. or Oct. -- Date is not
certain at this time.
Thanksgiving -- schools closed on Thurs. & Fri., Nov. 24 & 25
Christmas -- Dec. 16
- Jan 2, 1961
HEA Holidays -- 16th
& 17th of
March 1961
1960-61 school term will close on May 24, 1961
Old Landmark Removed
The Conservative,
"Vaiden Outlook" Section, 09/17/1946. P.4., by Mrs. S.P. Armstrong
"The old building of Vaiden High School which has stood since 1875 or earlier, had been
removed to make room for a gymnasium for the new school building which was
completed in 1943.
With few exceptions, this old building has stood since the childhood days of
everyone in this community."
"Supt. F.D. Prewitt has been fortunate in obtaining new equipment
for the new building -- opera chairs for the auditorium, furniture and
scenery for the stage, and a beautiful curtain. The floor in the auditorium
has been sanded and waxed and other improvements will be made before school
opens in the fall."
“The trustees, and indeed all the people of this community, are
grateful to Mr. Prewitt for his untiring efforts in behalf of the
school."
"Mr. Prewitt has had sixteen years’ experience in school work and
has been with the Vaiden School since 1942. He has ever had the interest of the school
and every pupil in it at heart since he has been here."
Vaiden High School
was extremely competitive in sports, with the ability to draw huge crowds, filling the football stadium or the gymnasium to capacity. Vaiden's
old gym (second gym) was said to have been a
barracks or hanger at Camp
McCain. There was one
gym earlier (the school's first gym), but no pictures have been found (yet).
The third and newest gym was built in the 1970s and sits in the lot
beside the Band Hall.
Note: Some of the Band Pictures
were Damaged. Please be patient.
. .better ones are coming soon (hopefully).
Vaiden High School
Band Ratings
The Vaiden
High School Band rated good against strong competition of larger schools.
Drum Major, Linda Jones, rated 2;
Student Director, Alice Shands, Rated 2; The Band rated as follows:
Marching, 2;
Inspection, 2;
Concert, 3; Sight
Reading, 3.
Congratulations to our Band !
Source: The Conservative
[Vaiden Outlook Section], April
15, 1965. P.3.

Vaiden High School
Pictures -- April, 2000
Picture 5 -- Picture 6 -- Picture 7 -- Picture 8
Football Field Looking West
# 1 -- Football Field Looking West
# 2

The following have served as
principals at Vaiden High School:
Col. C.H. Barksdale -- 1875-1881
J.S. Colmery -- 1881-1882
J.E. Hopkins -- 1882-1883
C.W. Lynch -- 1883-1885
Capt. Lee -- 1885-1886
W.N. Bridges -- 1886-1887
R.B. Smith -- 1887-1888
Sam Sanderson -- 1888-1889
W.W. Woodson -- 1889-1901
T.L. Mitchell -- 1901-1903
M.B. Potter -- 1903-1905
Robert Bailey -- 1905-1910
J.R. Bingham -- 1910-1912
E.B. Allen -- 1912-1916
Mr. Sumrall -- 1916-1918
J.L. White -- 1918-1919
G.L. Breschler -- 1919-1924
Mr. Hellen -- 1924-1925
W.C. Grayson -- 1925-1929
Dewey Denton -- 1929-1930
Mr. Melvin -- 1930-1931
C.W. Pullen -- 1931-1939
Frank Louis Hawkins -- 1939-1940
Frank D. Prewitt -- 1940-1967
Curtis Armstrong -- 1967-1973
Jerry O'Briant -- 1973
James M. Alford -- 1973
C.G.
Gaston -- 1974-1975
Billy Joe Ferguson -- 1975-1999

Serving as able
assistants to these superintendents were several Vaiden Ladies who served
many years:
Miss Mary Haman -- Entire
teaching career of about 60
years was spent in Vaiden.
Served under two former pupils:
C.W. Pullen and Frank Hawkins.
Miss Lovie Wright
-- about 40 years
Mrs. Alberta Grantham (J.W.) Conger -- about 10 years
Miss Annie Dora Wright (wrote The Wright Way to Write;
adopted for Mississippi
textbook) -- about 15
years
Miss Magdalene Armstrong -- 15 years
Miss Maggie Sanderson -- 20 years
Mrs. Shula Armstrong (P.A.) Bennett -- 31 years
Mrs. Evelyn Jones (J.K.) Ross -- 32 years
Miss Grace Hatcher -- 34 years
Mrs. Lillie Hatcher (A.L.) Armstrong -- 16 years
Mrs. Alice Herring (C.A.) Pierce -- 21 years
Miss Eva Mae Word -- 11 years
Mrs. Winnie Bennett (E.H.)
Davison -- 14
years
Mrs. Ruby Seale (S.C.) Spencer
-- 15 years
Mrs. Alice Cox -- tenure n/a

Others teaching for several years
were:
Mrs. Minnie Austin (J.O.) Cearley
Mrs. Susie Huffman (J.S.) Tucker
Mrs. Jeanette Smith (C.H.) Butt
Miss Ruth Smith
Rufus Smith
S.E. McConnico, Jr.
Mrs. Dot Vaiden (George) Harris
Mrs. Tennie
McEachern (L.W.) Herring
Mrs. Mary Conger (J.E.) Phillips
Mrs. Edith Fullilove
(L.W.) Kitchens
Dr. James Thomas "Tom" Dulin
Mrs. Beatrice Bell (F.D.) Prewitt was
not a native, but spent 26
years here teaching the first grade.
Mrs. Martha McCreary (Lamar) Bowie of West
taught music for many years.
Miss Emily Fullilove
and Mrs. Willie Boyette (James) Hunter were Vaiden
natives who never taught here, but were devoted teachers for many years in
other localities.
Mrs. Paulette Collins Palmer
(1971-1973 as Ms. Collins and 1973-1976 as Mrs. Palmer)
Mr. Roy Mason

Vaiden Bulldogs Team Colors

Faculty and Staff
Like a lot of their peers, Vaiden High School teachers were extremely
versatile and well adapted to teaching various classes. As an example, listed
below is a compilation from 1963-1970 of all the teachers and
other positions in the Vaiden
School. It is a list of
classes taught and teacher's names only. The year(s) attributed to the
teacher and class is not listed. All descriptions are based on the Vaiden High School Yearbook.
County
Superintendent: Godfrey Campbell
School Board: W.C. Miskelly,
E.W. Moore, Ralph Redditt, Douglas Moore, Vernon Welch, H.P.
Mullen
Board of Supervisors: Claude Lott, W.C.
(Monkey) Welch, Percy Corder, George Galey, Cecil
Herbert
Clerk: Mina H. Gee
Sheriff: M. Bennett
Attorney: Mack L. Boykin
Engineer: Arthur Goodman
Bus Drivers (does
not include Student Bus Drivers): Milton Bailey, Tom Montague, Wilson Davis,
James Devine, Claude Cox, Earl Daves, Carl Lott, Dub Ellis, Charlie Fullilove,
Albert Welch
School Custodians: Tom Lockhart and Curtis Greer
Lunchroom Ladies: Claire Montague,
Gladys Cox, Alma Rogers, Ruby Pullen, Lyn. C. Hodges
Principals: Frank Prewitt, Curtis Armstrong
Secretaries: Mrs. Alva Hodges, Linda McBride, Carolyn Armstrong, Lillian (Randle) Donovan, Frances Jenkins
First Grade: Mrs. F.D. Prewitt, Lillie
Armstrong, Alice Lipscomb, Betty Miller, Carol Jo Cannon
Second Grade: Lillie Armstrong, Eva Booker, Evelyn Ross, Alice Pierce
Third Grade: Joyce Raby, Louise Holmes, Mary L. Hambrick, Lillie Armstrong, Ernestine Stacy
Fourth Grade: Alice Cox, Louise Holmes, Judy Mayfield
Fifth Grade: Shirley Hemphill, Sylena Jones, Joan McClellan, Jackie Nabors
Sixth Grade: Grace Hatcher, Gladys Hatcher, Lillie Armstrong, Sylena Jones, Mrs. Vicy
Ammons
Seventh Grade: Evelyn Ross, Farris Jenkins
Seventh Grade Spelling: Brenda Farrish
Seventh Grade English: Brenda Farrish
Eighth Grade: Grace Hatcher
Eighth Grade Spelling: Charles McBride
Jr. High: Grace Hatcher, Jack Hemphill
Biology: James Alford
Physics: Tom Dulin
Social Science: Jack Hemphill
Band: Bob Esterline, W.B. Oswalt
Study Hall: Eva May Word
Family Relations: Barbara Holley
Occupational Orientation: Drew Lenard
Agriculture: Joe
Taylor, Robert Holley, E.P. Raby
Tom Evans and Robert Holley at the Vaiden School Reunion
at the Vaiden Baptist Church, Saturday, August 1, 2009

FFA Motto: “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to
Live, Living to Serve”
FFA Creed: “To practice
brotherhood, honor rural opportunities and responsibilities,
and
develop those qualities of leadership which a Future Farmer should possess.”

History of the 4-H Club -- Symbols of the 4-H Club
[NOTE:
Vaiden 4-H Members are Harold Stanton (3rd from left) and Wallace
Welch (4th from left)]
Photo
Scan Courtesy of Carla Smith Thomas
FHA Motto: “Toward New Horizons”
Home Economics: Fay Murphy, Barbara Holley, Rose Ann Miller
Business: Martha Noland
English: Jerry Tate, Jean Taylor, Bernard Taylor, Charles McBride, Curtis Armstrong
Commerce: Martha Noland, Shula Armstrong
History: W.B. Montague, Mary L. Hambrick, James Whitehead Jr.,, Jean Taylor, Grace Hatcher, Kenneth Weeks,
Frank McClellan, Hugh Shearer
Science: James
Alford, Billy J. Ferguson, Alfred Laney, Percy Miller, Jerry O'Briant, Joe Taylor
Government: Martha Bowie, Grace Hatcher
Math: Alfred Laney, Melvin Stacy, Linda Darnell, Tom Dulin,
James Alford, Jerry O'Briant, Grace Hatcher
Music: Martha Bowie, Lillian (Randle)
Donovan, James Persons, Bernard Taylor
Librarians: Johnnie Flanagan, Brenda Farrish, Linda
McBride, Eva May Word
Coaches: Billy J. Ferguson, Percy Miller, Jerry O'Briant,
Kenneth Weeks, Frank McClellan, Hugh Shearer, W.B. Montague, James Whitehead,
Jr., Jack Hemphill, Curtis Armstrong, Farris Jenkins
The County Superintendents
of Education elected from Vaiden were: B.F. Wiley, Sr. -- 1892-1895, D.D. Fullilove, III
-- 1916-1924 (Administration was
highlighted by Mr. Fullilove's ability to
consolidate schools. (Information from W.P.A. Records, Vol. 4, p. 338, Mrs. Charles Duke)) and G.G. Bennett -- 1924-1936 (Further consolidation of schools.
Handled Rosenwald Funds.)


Other than some of those
listed above, the 1954
Vaiden Yearbook lists the following teachers:
Miss Lovie
Wright -- Third Grade
Mrs. Santa Garrett
-- English, Spelling, Reading
Mr. Clarence Pierce -- History
Miss Jane May --
Commerce
Mr. Billy Lewis
-- Math and Science
Mr. Lewis Kittrell
-- Agriculture
Mr. Pete Garrett
-- History, Science, Coach
Mrs. Birdie Ely
-- Fifth Grade
Mrs. Martha Bowie
-- Public School Music
Miss Christine Carithers
-- Homemaking
Vaiden's
Plays
(More Coming Soon)
Do You Trust Your Boyfriend? -- 1969 Cast
Special Thanks to Wayne Strahan for the scans of the 1954 Vaiden Yearbook Photos
Excellence in Education
Consolidation with J.Z. George
Another Consolidation Article
Vaiden's Last Graduation
– 1999
What's Left of Vaiden High School
-- October, 2000
Image 1 -- Image 2 -- Image 3 -- Image 4
Image 5 -- Image 6 -- Image 7 -- Image 8
Image 9 -- Image 10 -- Image 11 -- Image 12
Image 13 -- Image 14

North Vaiden School/Percy Hathorn Public School

Hathorn School Closure Issue – February, 2006 – CLICK HERE
The North Vaiden Public School/Percy Hathorn Public School
was formerly known as Vaiden
Jr. High School
and then as Vaiden Negro High School. In the 1950s, it was located on the hill by the
Vaiden Cemetery, but around 1957,
the students were later moved to a new building and a new
location on the east side of Highway 51 North between Vaiden and the Roadside
Park. Mr. Percy Hathorn became the Principal in 1955. In the early to mid late 1960s, the old building located by the cemetery
was moved to the west side of Highway 51
North, on the same location as the softball field and across from the new
school, and was used for many years as the Vaiden Community Center, where the
author of this website and several of his friends spent many Saturday nights
making music in our rock & roll band, Coldfire.
Mr. Hathorn possessed a quality of leadership,
dignity, and concern that is rare in today's society. In around the 1956-57
school year, a certain 2 1/2 year-old, who shall remain
nameless, lived several hundred yards from the old school when it was located
by the Vaiden Cemetery. While his mother and father were busy in the garden,
this little boy discovered that his favorite cat was missing. Convinced that
he had seen the cat heading toward the school, the child left home in a vain
attempt to rescue the poor feline. While Mr. Hathorn
was teaching school, he heard someone crying. The little boy had crawled under
the schoolhouse looking for the cat. Not finding it there, he burst into the
classroom, crying for his "kitty cat." Mr. Hathorn,
sympathetic for the plight of the youngster decided that, rather to keep the
screaming child, it would be best to take him home. As he put me, uh, the
child into the car, he was met with stiff opposition. A truce was arranged
only after Mr. Hathorn let the child sit in his lap
and steer the car on the way home. The little boy never forgot Mr. Hathorn's concern and patience, especially with a 2 1/2 year-old behind the wheel. Thank You,
Mr. Hathorn.

CLICKPHOTO
TO ENLARGE
In
Memoriam:
Mr.
Percy Q.T. Hathorn
Mrs.
Omeria Murff Hathorn
Photos of Site where the
original Vaiden Negro School stood on the hill by the Vaiden Cemetery.
Photo
1 Photo
2 Photo
3
The following are teachers and
teacher's aides who have worked under the administration of North Vaiden
School.
Teachers
Victoria Jackson, Irma Cunningham, Mary L.
Hart, Lena Lockhart Berry, Millie Porter, Robert Berry, Henry Stephens,
Frances Henry, Sue S. George, Katie M. Trotter, Barbara N. Gray, Christiana Smith, Ann Crawford, Willie E.
Elliott, Lincoln Shields, George L. Murph, Benjamin
Nichols, Mattie Pinkney, Mildred Ellis, Joyce Robert, Lucille Wingarde, James Nimox, Mattie M. Murff, Louise Holmes,
Albert Cuomo, Deloise Parker, Bobby Hill, Tommie
Arrington, Jerry O'Briant, J.O. Baskin, Ed Bowles,
James Alford, James Hoskin, Omeria Hathorn, J. Mallett, Heanette Epps, Joe
Richmond, C.C. Cummings, Bertha Williams, James G. George, Laura T. Reeves,
Maxine Smith, Shirley Anderson, Margaret T. Elliott, R.V. Anderson, Charles Lyncy, Bill D. Williams, Laura Mattox, Ruthia Purnell McKenzie, Ollie
M. Rush, Robert Williams, Dora D. Truss, Lillie Armstrong, Alice W. Brown, Sylena Jones, Maryland Franklin, LaDonna
Hathorn, Clearance Hill, Minnie Arrington, Otis
Morris, J.C. Morgan, Rossvelt Grantham, Lesly Johnson, Rosamary M. Malcou, James Bibbs, Johnnie
Howard, Sammie Hemmingway, Alice Cox, Geneva Honeysucker,
Lizzie Honeysucker, Wilma Ritcliff
Mason, Corrine Cole, Gladys McCaskill, John Honeysucker, Charlotte McCarley.
Teachers employed in 1975-1976
Julia Adams, Alberta Alexander, Ruby Austin,
Martha Bowie, Francis Davis, Omeria Hathorn,
Dorothy Jenkins (Librarian), Henry Lewis, Alice Lipscomb, Mary Lloyd, Glossie Magee, Rosie Martin, Ella Murff,
Shirley McAllister, Elizabeth Nimox, Earlean Rogers, Evelyn Ross, Jimmie M. Simmons, Catherine
Trotter, Miriam Tuberville, Donnie Waller, Judy Waller, Jossie
Young
Teacher's Aides employed in 1975-1976
Louise Huggins, Mary Jones, Anna Bibbs, Dorothy Wade, Arma Purnell, E.C. Pickens, Verlene
Amos, Inez Rosamond, Laura Lofton, J. Rogers, Juanita Collins Rhine (mother of the
aforementioned screaming, car-driving, 2 1/2
year-old), Maxine Jones, Catherine Pate, Overa
Watson, Annie R. Kinney, Elva Roberts, Margie O'Briant,
Beverly Burell
Principals of Vaiden Jr. High
School/Vaiden Negro High School/North Vaiden School
Prof. Hurbert
Cross, Prof. Jessie Anderson, Prof. Franklin, Prof. Brown, Prof. Wilson,
Prof. William, Prof. Lynch, Prof Hilton Anderson, Prof. Dave Daniel, Prof.
H.C. Redmond, Prof. Redmond, Rev. Jones, Rev. Joe Davis, Rev. O.L. Rancher,
Rev. Austin, Prof. G. Wendell Davis, Prof. David Latham, Prof. Percy Hathorn
Acknowledgements:
Linked photos of Mr. & Mrs. Percy Hathorn, Mrs.
M.M. Murff, Mrs. B.N. Gray and Mrs. S. George
provided by Gearldine
McClain Trotter and Doris McClain.
Percy Hathorn
Public School Pictures -- April, 2000

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