Orangeburg in Orangeburg County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Great Branch School and Teacherage

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

1. Great Branch School and Teacherage Marker

Inscription. (Front text)
The Great Branch School, which stood here from 1918 to the early 1960s, was one of the first Rosenwald schools in S.C. A two-room frame school built in 1917-18, it was typical of the rural black schools funded in part by the Julius Rosenwald Foundation between 1917 and 1932.
(Reverse text)
A three-room addition and three-room teacherage were built in 1922-23; Principal W.M. Jennings lived here until 1933. The school closed about 1954 and was later burned by arsonists. The teacherage, one of only eight Rosenwald teacherages in S.C., was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

Erected 2008 by The Orangeburg Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. (Marker Number 38-31.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Rosenwald Schools series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1918.

Location. 33° 31.356′ N, 81° 0.157′ W. Marker is in Orangeburg, South Carolina, in Orangeburg County. Marker is on Neeses Highway (State Highway 4) near State Rd S-38-1695 (State Highway 38-1695), on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or

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near this postal address: 2890 Neeses Hwy, Orangeburg, SC 29115, Orangeburg SC 29115, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Zion Church (approx. 5.7 miles away); Orangeburgh and Ninety Six Road (approx. 6.1 miles away); Neeses (approx. 7.1 miles away); Pewilburwhitcade New Farmers Camp (approx. 7.1 miles away); Defense of Edisto Bridge (approx. 7.7 miles away); Albergotti Playground (approx. 7.7 miles away); Moorefield Memorial Highway (approx. 7.8 miles away); Orangeburg County / Discovering Orangeburg (approx. 7.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Orangeburg.

Regarding Great Branch School and Teacherage. The Great Branch Teacherage is significant as a relatively intact and rare example of Rosenwald-funded teachers’ housing from the period 1917-1932, when the Julius Rosenwald Fund was helping build schools and associated buildings to support the education of black children in the South. This teachers’ cottage, built in 1924-25, was an important part of the Great Branch School complex. The Great Branch School that once stood on the site, was built in 1917-18, was enlarged in 1922-1923, and closed ca. 1954; arsonists burned it in the early 1960s. Great Branch was one of the first Rosenwald schools in the state, constructed

Great Branch School and Teacherage Marker, reverse side image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

2. Great Branch School and Teacherage Marker, reverse side

for the East Liberty School District #55. The campus also contained a cannery, a shop, a storage building, well house, and two outdoor privies. The Rosenwald Fund contributed $900.00 towards the construction of the Great Branch Teacherage and the local “Negroes” provided $1,750.00 match, evidence that the black community valued education. The home was built through the Rosenwald project’s specifications for a three-room residence for teachers. The residence is a wooden-frame single-level structure featuring a lateral gabled roof with exposed rafter tails and a wide eave. The roof of a central front porch supported by four large wooden square posts extends from the main roof at the same pitch and serves as a distinguishing feature. The Great Branch Teacherage is the only building or structure from the school complex retaining its integrity from the period 1918-1954. Though it is in relatively poor condition, the teacherage retains almost all of its original features and has not undergone any significant alterations. During the Rosenwald building program, 217 teachers’ homes were built throughout the Southeast. Eight of those were built in South Carolina. Of those eight, the Great Branch Teacherage is one of only two known to be still standing. Listed in the National Register October 24, 2007. (South Carolina Department of Archives and History.)

Also see . . .

Julius Rosenwald image. Click for full size.

from the United States Library of Congress,, circa 1929

3. Julius Rosenwald

Julius Rosenwald, Wikipedia entry. Over the course of his life, Rosenwald and his fund donated over 70 million dollars to public schools, colleges and universities, museums, Jewish charities and black institutions. The rural school building program was one of the largest programs administered by the Rosenwald Fund. It contributed more than four million dollars in matching funds to the construction of more than 5,000 schools, shops, and teachers' homes in the South. These schools became informally known as "Rosenwald Schools." (Submitted on September 19, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

4. Great Branch School and Teacherage Marker

Great Branch School and Teacherage Marker looking west along Neeses Highway (S.C. Hwy. 4) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

5. Great Branch School and Teacherage Marker looking west along Neeses Highway (S.C. Hwy. 4)

Great Branch School and Teacherage Marker looking east along Neeses Highway image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

6. Great Branch School and Teacherage Marker looking east along Neeses Highway

Great Branch Teacherage National Register of Historic Places image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

7. Great Branch Teacherage National Register of Historic Places

Great Branch Teacherage (added 2007 - - #07001112) Also known as Great Branch Rosenwald School Teacherage ♦ Historic Significance: Event ♦ Area of Significance: Black, Education ♦ Period of Significance: 1950-1974, 1925-1949 ♦ Owner: Private ♦ Historic Function: Education ♦ Historic Sub-function: Educational Related Housing

Great Branch School and Teacherage National Register Medallion image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

8. Great Branch School and Teacherage National Register Medallion

at right on porch support post

Great Branch School Teacherage image. Click for full size.

South Carolina Department of Archives and History, circa 1940

9. Great Branch School Teacherage

South Carolina Department of Archives and History, circa 2007

10. Great Branch School Teacherage

South Carolina Department of Archives and History, circa 2007

11. Great Branch School Teacherage

South Carolina Department of Archives and History, circa 2007

12. Great Branch School Teacherage

Great Branch School Teacherage , seen today image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

13. Great Branch School Teacherage , seen today

Great Branch School and Teacherage and Marker along S.C. Hwy. 4 Neeses Highway image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, September 18, 2011

14. Great Branch School and Teacherage and Marker along S.C. Hwy. 4 Neeses Highway

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 768 times since then and 36 times this year. Last updated on January 1, 2015, by Deron E Lillard of Augusta, Georgia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. submitted on September 19, 2011, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.