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Norrington Elementary School |
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Evaluations of Accomplishments |
THE STORY OF THE QUILT SQUARE, NORRINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,
BY NORRINGTON EXTENSION HOMEMAKERS CLUB FOR HARNETT COUNTY HISTORICAL
QUILT, 1989 Norrington Elementary School Norrington
Elementary School building, as it stands now, was the 3rd building
constructed in the Norrington Community. This school building was
constructed in 1923, under the Julius Rosenwald Fund. Julius Rosenwald
was an American Merchant and philanthropist. He created the fund in
1917. He contributed about $63,000,000 to Negro education. The fund
contributed to building over 5,000 schools. The
Superintendent of Schools, Byrd P. Gentry of Harnett County took a
survey of our community and found that there were enough black land
owners to support a school. The committee for the school at that time
was composed of Joseph McNeill, Neal Elliott McLean, and Nathaniel
Black. John
Rogers Elliott was the principal of the school at the time of the
construction of the new building: in 1923. Two women teachers worked
along with him, Hattie Harris and Narcise McLean. One
of the School Committee men, Nathaniel Black, would have sellings at the
school to help support some of the activities of the school. Former
students fondly remember stage and outdoor productions at school
closings, holidays, May Day, planting the May Pole, Hansel and Gretel,
the Rhythm Band, outdoor activities with parents participating with
baskets of food from their kitchens, county-wide commencement held at
the county seat at the Shawtown School. The
competition was fierce in all activities, such as, Glee Clubs, Speaking,
50 & 100 yard dash speed, arithmetic, and spelling bees. The
first hot meal was planned by one of the teachers of that area, Annie
Street Wright. Some one gave her a commercial stove for the school. She
also had the insight to have running water put in one of It he cloak
rooms, which was renovated into a kitchen. Della
McKoy and Sadie Campbell were Norrington School's first cooks. They
served hot meals to about 90 students. Pupils
graduating from the 7th grade were permitted to march and receive a
diploma. Written by: Grace
Black, Member Norrington Extension Homemakers Club Source: Personal
Knowledge Harnett County Board of Education Quilt Square: Row
8, Number 41 Embroidery and
Applique by: Grace Black member of Norrington Extension Homemakers Club and: Nadine Gilbert McPhail for Norrington Extension Homemakers Club Designed by: Tim
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