LOOKING BACK Goreville History

By Dixie Terry

     Goreville residents have long been involved in the education of its young people, but there were some rocky times in the thirties and forties, when a segment of the population opposed new buildings because of resulting higher taxes.

     In Bill Hubbard’s recollection of Goreville’s early history, he stated, “The first school I can remember (but he didn’t say what year) was about one-half mile north of Lawrence Crawford’s house (presently located on Crawford Avenue).  This farm was then owned by John Jones, and the school was aptly named “Fairview” supposedly for the scenery in that area.

     “Fairview” was a subscription school and parents had to pay  for their children to attend, which probably eliminated many.

     Oscar Cole was the first teacher of this school and was paid $35 per month  Mr. Cole paid Lum Adams 5 cents a day to carry in wood for the heating stove and to sweep out.

     Mr. Hubbard posed this question in his book, “How many teachers today would teach for that amount?”

     Evidently, Goreville’s school population  was increasing and the next year, the directors added a second room and hired a school marm, Miss Laura Veach, as its second teacher.

     In 1911, the school board built  a two-story frame building on what is now Collins Street, across from the present school, about where the superintendent’s office is located.

     The remains of that building can be seen today in the back yard of 500 Collins Street, facing Old West Main Street.  Three huge concrete chunks were moved there by Gene Ward Walker when he purchased that parcel of land in the 1950s.

     No Goreville residents can now remember that old frme school that burned to the ground in 1915.

    A two-story brick building was constructed in 1916-17  across the street from the first public school, where the present school now stands.  That brick two-story school was razed in 1969, when the present hience burned.  The tall chimney still stands as a landmark.

     Bill Hubbard served as the first janitor of the school on the corner of Collins and Ferne Clyffe Road in 1917-18, with a salary of $12.50 a month.  Serving on the school board at that time were Dr. J.J. Fly, Sigel Hubbard and Ed Newton.

     Mr. Hubbard reminisced of those early school days and told of a time when Tom Thornton was the teacher in the second room dowHus.  “Roy Fettienger was a scholar, who was bad to curse, and couldn’t seem to say a word without swearing” according to Mr.Hubbard.  On a particular school day,  the class was lined up for a spelling bee and Mr. Thornton gave out the word, “Phildelphia” for Roy to spell. Roy said “P-r-r-r-o Oh ………I ca’t spell it!”  For his punishment for saying the bad word, Mr. Thornton handed Roy a paddle and made him sit with his face toward a mouse hole in the wall. , where its occupant sometimes came out and disturbed the class.  Roy was instructed to kill the mouse when it appeared.  Suddenly, during the spelling bee, a loud bang was heard and Roy turned around and said,”Here, Thornton is your ********mouse!”

     Another school story that Mr. Hubbard related was this one, involving a crawfish.  “Lee Jordan and I were spinning tops at recess one day.  Jess Graves found a crawfish about six inches long.  He tried to put it in my pocket and I told him to get away or I would make him eat that old crawfish. So, Jess left and came back laiughing.  He said he put the crawfish in Bertha Ollis’s desk.  He said they can’t find out who did it!  I said time will tell! When the little brass bell rang for books, Bertha put her hand in her deskeg!  Finally, Jess dmitted he did it, but the teacher, Mr. Veach or Mr. McGinnish, I can’t remember, didn’t spank him but gave him a talking that was worse.”

     The late Dessie Maze, who probsbly knew as much Goreville history as anyone,shared a letter in Mr. Hubbard’s book.  She said, “Do you remember when there would be a drought and we would carry water to drink from Mr. Nipper’s for the pupils. We had about a dozen tin drinking cups and we all drank out of the  husband, Herschel Maze, taught at the school in 1920.

     It seems there was a group of Goreville residents in the 1920s that were against

education and offered much resistance on the construction of a new high school.  The fear of higher taxes seemed to be their reason.

     The first high school classes were held in the basement of that two-story brickschool on the corner of Collins and Ferne Clyffe Road.   Later, the high school students were moved to the old Presbyterian Church on Fly Avenue, known as “The Hall.”  That building burned own in the forties.  

     In 1928, a new high school had been built, along with a community center, where basketball games and social events took place.  That building was condemned, due to unafe water and a new high school was built on the east side of town in 1939.  That building burned down in 1941 during its fourth semester. But, no one was ever charged,

     Classes were then moved to  empty buildings that were not in use.    Since the grade school dismissed in April back then,  the high school students finished their last semester at the grade school in 1941.

     From 1941 through 1947, high school classes were held in the community center on Fly Avenue, behind where H & H Fuel is located in 2025.  That building also burned and arson was suspected.

    By 1947, another new high school had been built identical in architecture, as the previous one, and at thre same location.  Classes were held there until 1970 when  the grade school and high school be came one district.

     (With Goreville celebrating its 125th year in existence, we will continue sharing the town’s colorful history in the Goreville News.)