Pelham in Navarro County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Ash Creek (Pelham) School

Photographed by James Hulse, December 6, 2022

1. Ash Creek (Pelham) School Marker

Inscription.

Ash Creek (Pelham) School. . Ash Creek School District No. 105 began in 1899 in the historically African-American Pelham community. School was held in Wesley Chapel Church until 1908 when a two-story schoolhouse was built near the Pelham Cemetery. The first principal was T.J. Douglas. The Pelham School operated for all 12 grades, allowing students to attend colleges and universities after graduation. In October 1921, trustees bought three acres for a new school partially funded by the Rosenwald Foundation of Chicago. The new schoolhouse had four large classrooms and two smaller rooms. In 1962, a new Pelham School building opened. The high school closed in 1965, and three years later all grades consolidated with Dawson Independent School District., 2nd Plaque , Pelham High School Principals , Prof. T.J. Douglas , Prof. Z.W. Carroll , Prof. W.P. Davenport , Miss A.M. Martin. , 3rd Plaque , Pelham High School Teachers , Mr. John Caruthers . Mrs. Gertrude Foster . Mrs. Mary Porter . Mrs. Lanier . Mrs. Europe . Rev. White . Prof. Taylor . Rev. K.W. McMillan . Mrs. I. Younger Traylor . Mrs. Lockhart . Mr. Jim Davis . Mrs. F. Coble . Mrs. S.J. Frazier . Mrs. Vera Richie McMillan . Mrs. Permilla Kelly . Mrs. L. Simmons . Mrs. V.C. Mills . Mrs. Alice Cook . Prof. I.G. Green . Mrs. Rena Dibroll . Mrs. C. Jordan . Mrs. Cecilia Heiskell . Mrs. Laura Porter Carroll . Mrs. Abbie Bell Hardeman . Mrs. Lois Bell . Mrs. Alva Jean Porter . Mr. Henderson . Mrs. M.A. Ford . Mrs. Jordan Mills . Mr. Joe C. Baker . Mr. Emanuel Mack . Mr. R A. Taylor . Mrs. Allie Cook . Mrs. Dibble . Mrs. M.F. Cunningham . Mrs. Juanita Thomas . Mrs. Wilmer D. Thomas . Mrs. Willie M. Blocker . Mrs. Katie Reed . Mrs. E.L. Harrison . Mrs. Coquise Parrish . Mrs. Emma Dell Simpson . Mrs. Ruth Davenport . Mrs. Jewell Caruthers . Mr. Freddie Gardner . Miss Darlene Porter . Mrs. Buena Holland . Mrs. S.A. Parris . Mrs. Ada B. Harrison . Mrs. Essie Traylor . Mrs. Hallie Kelly . Mrs. Juanita Allen . Mrs. Permilla Woods .

Ash Creek School District No. 105 began in 1899 in the historically African-American Pelham community. School was held in Wesley Chapel Church until 1908 when a two-story schoolhouse was built near the Pelham Cemetery. The first principal was T.J. Douglas. The Pelham School operated for all 12 grades, allowing students to attend colleges and universities after graduation. In October 1921, trustees bought three acres for a new school partially funded by the Rosenwald Foundation of Chicago. The new schoolhouse had four large classrooms and two smaller rooms. In 1962, a new Pelham School building opened. The high school closed in 1965, and three years later all grades consolidated with Dawson Independent School District.

2nd Plaque
Pelham High School Principals
Prof. T.J. Douglas
Prof. Z.W. Carroll
Prof. W.P. Davenport
Miss A.M. Martin
3rd Plaque
Pelham High School Teachers
Mr. John Caruthers • Mrs. Gertrude Foster • Mrs. Mary Porter • Mrs. Lanier • Mrs. Europe • Rev. White • Prof. Taylor • Rev. K.W. McMillan • Mrs. I. Younger Traylor • Mrs. Lockhart • Mr. Jim Davis • Mrs. F. Coble • Mrs. S.J. Frazier • Mrs. Vera Richie McMillan • Mrs. Permilla Kelly • Mrs. L. Simmons • Mrs. V.C. Mills • Mrs. Alice Cook • Prof. I.G. Green • Mrs. Rena Dibroll • Mrs. C. Jordan • Mrs. Cecilia Heiskell • Mrs. Laura Porter Carroll • Mrs. Abbie Bell Hardeman • Mrs. Lois Bell • Mrs. Alva Jean Porter • Mr. Henderson • Mrs. M.A. Ford • Mrs. Jordan Mills • Mr. Joe C. Baker • Mr. Emanuel Mack • Mr. R A. Taylor • Mrs. Allie Cook • Mrs. Dibble • Mrs. M.F. Cunningham • Mrs. Juanita Thomas • Mrs. Wilmer D. Thomas • Mrs. Willie M. Blocker • Mrs. Katie Reed • Mrs. E.L. Harrison • Mrs. Coquise Parrish • Mrs. Emma Dell Simpson • Mrs. Ruth Davenport • Mrs. Jewell Caruthers • Mr. Freddie Gardner • Miss Darlene Porter • Mrs. Buena Holland • Mrs. S.A. Parris • Mrs. Ada B. Harrison • Mrs. Essie Traylor • Mrs. Hallie Kelly • Mrs. Juanita Allen • Mrs. Permilla Woods

Erected 2009

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by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 15785.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1921.

Location. 31° 57.513′ N, 96° 48.496′ W. Marker is in Pelham, Texas, in Navarro County. It is on County Highway 3280 0.2 miles east of Farm to Market Road 744, on the left when traveling east. The marker is located along the north side of 3280 County Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hubbard TX 76648, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Wesley Chapel Methodist Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Pelham Community (about

Pelham High School Principals image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, December 6, 2022

2. Pelham High School Principals

600 feet away); Pelham Cemetery (approx. 0.6 miles away); Salem Cemetery (approx. 2½ miles away); Nathaniel Addison (approx. 2.6 miles away); The Savage Schools (approx. 2.8 miles away); George Washington Savage (approx. 2.8 miles away); Brushie Prairie Methodist Church (approx. 4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pelham.

Also see . . . Rosenwald Schools. Texas State Historical Association

The Rosenwald Schools were the brainchild child of Booker T. Washington, founder of Tuskegee Institute, and Julius Rosenwald, a Chicago philanthropist and president of Sears, Roebuck and Company. In 1912 Rosenwald gave Washington permission to spend some of the money he had given to Tuskegee to build six small schools in rural Alabama. At that time, most Black children in the rural South, including Texas, attended classes in dilapidated buildings with poor equipment and “hand me down” books from White schools. Washington sought to change this situation by launching and completing a pilot program with these six schools (1912–13). Pleased with the outcome, Rosenwald agreed to fund a larger program. In 1917 he established
Photographed by James Hulse, December 6, 2022

3. Pelham High School Teachers
the Julius Rosenwald Fund, and in 1920 he began the implementation of the rural school building program for Black youths. The program continued through 1932 and furnished more than $28 million in fifteen states.

(Submitted on December 7, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

The Ash Creek (Pelham) School Site and Markers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, December 6, 2022

4. The Ash Creek (Pelham) School Site and Markers

The view of the Ash Creek (Pelham) School Marker from the road image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, December 6, 2022

5. The view of the Ash Creek (Pelham) School Marker from the road

Credits. This page was last revised on December 7, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 7, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 486 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 7, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.