Miller School
EVENTS
1900's
DOCUMENT WRITTEN BY : TINA EASLEY
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ar/county/greene/
Miller School was located in the southeast Greene County in Mainshore Township . Off Highway 135 north , south east of Paragould. Located two or three miles from the St. Francis River and a mile or so north of the Craighead County line . Property owners Jake and Sam Miller were early settler in the Miller community is where the school's name came about .
The school was a two- story wood frame building with a little room for lower grades and a big room for upper grades . With a bell tower , with a bell louded enough to be heard for miles when rang to begin the school day .The school consolidated with Lakeside one of the branches of the GCH . The school was used for , church services , organization meetings , dances and other community gatherings.
A few of the teachers that I have found in my research are Walter Ellington - 1909 , Vester A. Phillips and Harry Day 1920 - 1921
Bernard Lemmons , Raymond Franks , Mrs. Mozelle Blackwood , wife of Mack Blackwood , Mack Blackwood , Leo Jackson was Principal from 1939 to 1941 .
In 1909 the enrollement of students was 61 . In 1920 the enrollement was over 100.
-------
The memories below was sent to me from Lelland
{Johnny} Fletcher.
If you would like to share your memories just email me.
I am the son
of Allen Fletcher who lived directly across the road from the
School. I attended there from 1932 until I transferred to
Lakeside High School in 1939. My father was the President of the
School Board at that time. I remember helping him put a new roof
on the School with another fellow that I can't remember his name
but we worked for over a week. I placed the shingles for the two
of them for the entire time. When my Dad paid the gentleman he
said "Where is Johnny's money? He worked the whole job and
worked hard." Being a poor boy that never had a paying job
at that time I was devastated when my Dad said " Oh don't
worry about him". In his favor though he did not pay himself,
just donated all the time.
There was a belfry with a bell and we used it, or at least the
teachers did. I remember climbing up into it with the bats, and
there were plenty enough to scare anybody. Now I know where the
old saying ".....bats in the belfry" came from. Anyone
crazy enough to climb up into there with them had to be looney.
The school was just a single story and there was a big room and a
little room. I believe the little room was for grades thru 3rd
and the big room for all the others through the 8th.
I was the janitor for one year, paid $1.00 a week by the lady
school teacher in the big room. I can't remember her name now.
The floors were plank and oiled, so I swept them every day and
built a fire in the wood stove for both rooms when necessary.
When I was in the 4th grade there was just two of us, George
Batey and myself. After about two weeks George moved away, so
when the teacher asked for the fourth grade to come up to the
bench I was the only student. She handed me a book to read and
said see if I could read it. I did, and she said to come up with
the 5th grade next time she called for them. So, I skipped the 4th.
Later, in the 7th grade, the State had a test that could be taken
and if passed you could skip the 8th grade. I passed it and then
went to Lakeside the next year, 1939. I graduated in 1943, and my
father signed my diploma, as he was President of the School Board
there at the time. I left the area never to return except for
short visits. I went to St. Louis, worked for a few months and
joined the Navy when I was 16. They said I would have to wait
until I was 17 before going on active duty and needed my father's
signature. This transpired and I went into the Navy for 2 1/2
years and served 17 months on Guadalcanal as a Navy Hospital
Corpsman. Also, some time in San Diego, Ca. where I live to this
day. However, I went to St. Louis for an AB degree and then a DDS
degree and returned to the Navy for 4 years. During this period I
was again sent to San Diego. Somebody was trying to tell me
something, so I did stay in San Diego, where I am retired and
living today at age 81 years.
Hope you find some interest in this reminiscing,
Cordially, Lelland {Johnny} Fletcher.
THESE MILLER SCHOOL RECORDS BELOW WERE DONATED TO THE SITE BY MY COUSINS LEOLA AND SAMMY ATCHISON . LEOLA'S FATHER LEO JACKSON WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM . HE WAS THE PRINCIPAL AT MILLER SCHOOL .
STUDENTS REGISTERED FOR THE YEAR 1939 TO 1940
STUDENTS REGISTERED FOR THE YEAR 1939 - 1940 - 1941
RESEARCHED BY : TINA EASLEY
_____________
RESEARCHED FROM - JAN. 21 , 1909 - PARAGOULD DAILY PRESS
NELLIE MIKEL , HARRY DAY - REPORTERS
WALTER ELLINGTON , TEACHER
OUR SCHOOL IS STILL PROGRESSING NICELY. THERE ARE A FEW ABSENT TODAY ON ACCOUNT OF HAVING TO PICK COTTON.
OUR ADVANCED ARITHMETIC CLASS IS TAKING A GENERAL REVIEW.
BUD JOHN JOHNSON AND IRA PATTON WERE WELCOME VISITORS TO OUR SCHOOL FRIDAY EVENING.
JOHN FREY IS SPENDING THE PRESENT TIME WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES NEAR CHARLESTON , MO.
MR. RAY OF OUR BURG (ARBERG) HAS MOVED TO THE COFFMAN FARM.
SANFORD WILSON OF BARD VISITED HERE SUNDAY .
JOSIE CAMPBELL WHO HAS BEEN SICK FOR QUITE A WHILE IS ABLE TO BE OUT AGAIN.
ELMER TAYLOR AND WIFE OF FAIRVIEW NEIGHBORHOOD VISITED M.J. SPILLMAN AND FAMILY SUNDAY.
OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL AT NEW LIBERTY AND MURPHEY'S CHAPEL ARE BOTH ON THE BOOM. EVERYBODY INVITED TO COME AND TAKE PART WITH US.
BRO. JIM HART DELIVERED A VERY INTERESTING SERMON AT NEW LIBERTY SUNDAY.
MARION GUINN IS BACK WITH US THIS WEEK AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS ABSENCE.
SEVEN MORE NEW PUPILS ENROLLED WITH US THIS WEEK WHICH MAKES OUR ENROLLMENT 61.
LANZ THOMPSON MOVED FROM THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THIS WEEK.
CHAS WADDELL IS SURVEYING LAND FOR THE DISTRICT THIS WEEK.
-----
RESEARCHED FROM THE DAILY SOLIPHONE FEB. 17, 1909
NELLIE MIKEL , HARRY DAY
REPORTERS
W.E. ELLINGTON , TEACHER
SEVERAL WERE ABSENT THE WEEK OF FEB 17, 1909 ON ACCOUNT OF BAD WEATHER .
P.G. ELLINGTON WAS A VISTOR TO THE FINCH NEIGHBORHOOD .
AMONG OUR VISITORS LAST FRIDAY WERE SAM McCULLOUGH , CHARLEY BALDWIN , CAS SIMMONS, IVA McCULLOUGH , CLOVE FLETCHER AND CYNTHA HESTER.
W.D. HESTER WILL BEGIN A SINGING SCHOOL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEXT MONDAY NIGHT. UNCLE BILL IS A SUCCESSFUL TEACHER
THE MEETING CLOSED AT NEW LIBERTY AFTER TWO WEEKS OF SUCCESS WITH TWENTY CONVERSIONS.
ADAM PATTON IS SERIOUSLY ILL THIS WEEK . HE WAS REPORTED BEING BETTER THIS MORNING.
H.N. SPILLMAN AND MRS. SPILLMAN WERE VISITED BY THE STORK. BRINGING THEM A FINE TEN POUND BOY.
ALEX JONES IS VISITING HOME FOLKS.
-------------
March 21, 1909 - THE DAILY SOLIPHONE
HARRY DAY , NELLIE MIKEL - REPORTERS
W.E. ELLINGTON - TEACHER
SEVERAL ARE ABSENT THIS MORNING ON ACCOUNT OF THE RAIN AND HIGH WATERS.
THERE WAS A LARGE CROWD AT OUR LITERARY SOCIETY FRIDAY.
AMONG SOME OF THE VISITORS WERE:
?? McCULLOUGH , JOHN BALDWIN AND MR. GUINN AND MISSES JENNIE FRY , JOSIE CAMPBELL , VIC AND IVA McCULLOUGH.
MR. BALDWIN RECITED A PICE RECITATION FOR US WE ENJOYED VERY MUCH.
WE ARE GLAD THE PARENTS ARE TAKING GREATER INTEREST IN SCHOOL THIS TERM. IT ENCOURAGES THE TEACHER AND PUPIL .
THE DEATH ANGEL HAS VISITED THE HOME OF MR. AND MRS. McCULLOUGH AND CLAIMED FOR ITS VICTIM. LITTLE WILLIE AGE 10 YEARS . THE HOME OF THE BEREAVED FAMILY IS SADDENED AND DARKENED . HE WILL BE MISSED .
------
DECEMBER 10, 1909 - THE DAILY SOLIPHONE
HARRY DAY , NELLIE MIKEL - REPORTERS
ALEX JONES - TEACHER
THIS IS THE FIRST WEEK OF OUR SCHOOL .
WE HAVE 24 PUPILS ENROLLED .
J.T. McCULLOUGH IS PUTTING UP A NEW RESIDENCE ON HIS FARM AND IT WILL BE OCCUPIED BY MART LEMONS.
AMONG THE NEW PUPILS THIS WEEK GARDNER ELLINGTON .
J.D. MIKEL LOST A FINE MILCH COW.
---------